Title: Future skill set of higher education learners: confirmatory factor analysis

Authors: Jintavee Khlaisang; Prakob Koraneekij

Addresses: Center of Excellence in Educational Invention and Innovation, Department of Educational Technology and Communications, Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand ' Center of Excellence in Educational Invention and Innovation, Department of Educational Technology and Communications, Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

Abstract: Changes in technology and labour market demand call on students to continually learn and develop themselves through lifelong learning. This extends to digital transformation, both during and post-COVID, as well as Industry 4.0, has become a challenge for higher education learning. This has caused learners to continue using digital technology for sustainability purposes while addressing future skill sets. This study conducted a second-order confirmatory factor analysis of future essential skill sets for higher education learners. For the future skill set, four components were identified: 1) problem-solving; 2) self-management; 3) working with people; 4) technology use and development. The factor loading for all latent variables was positive, ranging from 0.94 to 0.99. Self-management component had the highest factor loading (β = 0.99), followed by the technology use and development and problem-solving components, which had an equal factor loading (β = 0.95), and the working with people component (β = 0.94), respectively.

Keywords: future skill set; sustainable learning; lifelong learning; CFA; problem-solving; self-management; working with people; technology use and development; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMLO.2025.145253

International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 2025 Vol.19 No.2, pp.135 - 155

Received: 25 Mar 2023
Accepted: 17 Jun 2023
Published online: 31 Mar 2025 *

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