Information literacy & Media literacy skills

Curiosity
Making connections

Comparing and contrasting

Selecting and analysing of a range of media sources
Seeking a range of perspectives
Awareness of media interpretation/bias/representation
Making informed viewing choices

Transfer skills
Memory techniques

Transferring knowledge to new contexts

Making connections

Critical thinking skills

Observation
Identifying obstacles, solutions, patterns/trends
Recognition of problems
Recognising assumptions and bias

Posing questions
Formulating arguments
Drawing and testing generalisations and conclusions
Evaluating
Analysing and synthesising complex concepts

Revising understanding

Communication skills
Written, electronic, verbal and non-verbal communication

Intercultural understanding

Giving constructive feedback

Negotiating

Collaboration skills
Empathy

Assertiveness

Self-responsibility

Active listening

Conflict resolution
Consensus-building
Leadership
Supporting peers
Compassion

Creative skills
Generating ideas
Making guesses
Designing improvements

Using metaphors and analogies

Flexible thinking
Challenging rules
Pushing boundaries

Affective skills & Organisational skills

Being mindful
Focus and concentration
Managing distractions

Persistence
Perseverance
Resilience
Dealing with change and disappointment
Analysing your own failures (failing well)
Positive thinking
Motivation

Managing emotions
Reducing anxiety
Self-talk
Being aware of mind-body connections
Delaying gratification
Overcoming impulsiveness
Planning
Goal-setting
Preparation
Prioritising
Information-handling

Reflective skills
Self-awareness
Self-questioning
Self-evaluating
Metacognition

Flexibility in learning strategies

Considering implications of chosen behaviour/strategies

How does this skill enable increased

wellbeing*?
An openness to experience and inquisitive nature is an
important aspect of achieving engagement.
Making and maintaining connections between people is
a key part of social media and central to positive
relationships.
Understanding other people's perspectives and being
aware of their (and hence our own) subjective
experience is a central part of building empathy - key to
healthy relationships.
Engagement is enhanced by the ability to choose how
to spend our time.

Aspect of wellbeing affected

E
R

R
E

The ability to learn from past mistakes and 'selfimprove' is based on the capacity to effectively
remember.

Transference of knowledge to new contexts requires an

intellectual flexibility and adaptability which is
important in maintaining an openness to change and
improvement ('growth mindset').

The ability to seek connection between ideas and

multiple perspectives enables us to more effectively
understand and navigate complex social interactions
and relations.

Observing and noticing are an important part of

enhacing our appreciation of and engagement with
life. They are also essential for our recognition of
negative blocks to our positive wellbeing
(problems/obstacles/assumptions/ bias) that we would
like to change about our situations.

E
The development of our skills of critical thinking are an
important part of our ability to 'rationalise' our
emotional states. These become our inner voice (both
critic and supporter) and help us to maximise positive
emotions and minimise negative emotions, as well as
with our on-going social problem-solving.

Reflexivity and humility are vital in our ability to

adapt/change and improve.

It is vital that we can express ourselves effectively in

order to connect with others and feel that we can live
with integrity.

P/R

Deep understanding of ourselves and others and how

we are heavily influenced by our cultural context are
vital aspects of effectively connecting with another
person/community.

To communicate in an empathic way so as to encourage

and facilitate the development of the other person is an
important part of being able to collaborate and be a
positive and active member of a community

To achieve balance of our own priorities and the

priorities of another is an important part of a healthy
relationship.

Empathy is the ability to 'feel with' somebody else,

which requires but also enhances genuine social
connection.

The confidence to make decisions and exert influence

over our life's direction provides us with an important
sense of control.

Taking responsibility for our decisions and actions is

critical if we are to actively engage in our own lives

Social connection is impossible without the capacity

and inclination to listen actively to the other person.
These interpersonal skills are fundamental to our
ability to help a group to function effectively.

R
R

These are skills which encourage non-egocentric

thought and action, which are proven ways to increase
our own positive emotions.

Trial and improvement is a natural (evolutionary)

process that we should continue to remain open to in
relation to the on-going development of our own
wellbeing and that of others.

Metaphors and analogies are vehicles for selfexpression (in many verbal and non-verbal forms) and
hence deepening understanding of ourselves and of
other concepts/perspectives.
The ability to find 'new' solutions to overcome obstacles
to our wellbeing and enhance our positive emotion is
a creative process.

Appreciation of the current moment and managing

distractions from anxieties, ruminating, and futurepredicting are important in our enhancement of
positive emotion and engagement.

P/E
The ability to cope well in the face of inevitable
adversity, to push on and learn from the experience
is an essential part of sustaining and developing our
positive wellbeing.

A
The importance of an optimism-bias in one's thinking
cannot be underestimated in perceiving opportunity in
all experiences and sustaining motivation for further
action ('growth mindset').

Self-awareness of the role that our emotions play in

our thinking and decision-making is very important if
we are to become increasingly conscious and reflexive
about this, in order to effectively self-regulate - to
actively choose and avoid living (completely) at the
mercy of our impulses. (Self-control of internal factors)

P/E
These skills represent our ability to actively plan and
regulate our context and available resources in order to
achieve our own goals and ambitions. (Self-control of
external factors)

These skills of active self-awareness provide us with an

on-going monitoring of and internal dialogue about our
personal wellbeing - to identify how well we are
thinking, what's going well and what needs changing.

Once we have become aware of obstacles or blocks to

our wellbeing, flexibility and an openness to change are
vital aspects of our motivation to change as well as the
identification of the best strategies to use to get there.

The ability to think through the possible scenarios

produced by the choice of certain behaviours/strategies
is fundamental to our evaluation of the path most
conducive to increasing positive emotion and
wellbeing (link to critical thinking).

*Wellbeing as defined by Seligman (2011)