The Developmental Needs and Aspirations of Teenagers, Premises for the Implementation of Programs Based on Experiential Learning

Abstract

This article starts from a personal vision according to which any adolescent could develop personally and socially, anywhere and anytime, if he had an environment with offering learning experiences, he would acquire development tools, which he could use throughout life and would benefit from the support of the main educational partners (family, school, community) in his training. Starting from this vision, between December 2018 and June 2019, we initiated and carried out an exploratory study, within the Department of Educational Sciences, at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Cluj-Napoca under coordination of the University Professor Vasile Chiş, who aimed to identify the educational needs of adolescents in Romania, for the design and implementation of educational programs, for their personal and social development. In the study, we asked teenagers to fill an online questionnaire, in which they were encouraged to answer questions openly and honestly, the answers being anonymous and the lack of answer variants being considered to be correct or wrong. Over 750 respondents provided answers to the questions “What would you like to learn if you could choose” and “What would you most like to do in life, if you had the time, energy, money, self-confidence and support of your family?". The results of the study open the discussion on the need to approach education from a multilateral and personalized perspective, depending on the individual needs of the beneficiaries. In the context in which education for well-being begins in the first years of family life, continues in school, can be extended to non-governmental organizations and is supported by the community and businesses throughout life, this work reflects the current needs of education, anchored to the future aspirations of adolescents in Romania. Based on the results of this study can be outlined a portrait of the Romanian adolescent, ideas for personalizing education and solutions for educational agents to design and implement programs and projects adapted to the educational needs of today's adolescents, tomorrow's adults.