www.europeanschoolnet.org - www.eun.org

Introducing KeyCoNetCaroline Kearney, European Schoolnet

Workshop 1: Comparing country approaches to assessing key competences Irish EU Presidency Conference on Better Assessment and Evaluation

European policy network

on the implementation

of key competences

in school education

IMPACT ON POLICIES (recommendations)

KNOW HOW

PRIMARY & SECONDARY

GENERAL EDUCATION

EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK OF 8 KEY COMPETENCES:

1. COMMUNICATION IN MOTHER TONGUE

2. COMMUNICATION IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

3. MATHS, SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY COMPETENCES

4. DIGITAL COMPETENCE

5. LEARNING TO LEARN

6. SOCIAL AND CIVIC COMPETENCES

7. SENSE OF INITIATIVE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

8. CULTURAL AWARENESS AND EXPRESSION

Scope

Subject/knowledge based

Cross-curricular areas

These key competences are all interdependent, and the emphasis in each case is on:• critical thinking • creativity• initiative• problem solving

• risk assessment• decision taking• constructive management of feelings

Website, literature

reviews, case

notes/studies, PLVs,

videos, country

overviews, newsletter,

webinar, online

consultation on

recommendations etc.

Spread of

stakeholders in

countries covered

Other EU countries

Curriculum reform,

pilot project, school

experiment, national

strategy, public

debate, legislation,

etc.

Phases, role of

various

stakeholders,

evaluation, etc.

Identifying

analysing

mapping

KCD INITIATIVES

&

IMPLEMENTATION

STRATEGIES

Increasing

network

influence

through

dissemination

and membership

C o r e r e m i t : i d e n t i f y i n g a n d a n a l y s i n g emergent

s t r a t e g i e s i n i m p l e m e n t i n g k e y c o m p e t e n c e s i n t o e d u c a t i o n r e f o r m s , a n d p r o d u c i n g r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s .

Two main working areas

How to implement a holistic approach for an effective

change in the student curriculum?

Teacher

training

Student

assessment

Learning

resources

School

organisation

Major focus

Enablers? Obstacles?

Policy

•BMUKK (AT)•DGESCO (FR)•AKOV (BE - nl)•CEJA (ES)•NCCA (IE)•TIGER LEAP (EE)

Research

•Uni. Helsinki (FI)•Uni. Jyväskylä (FI)•EIESP (FR)•IFE (FR)•Uni. Oslo (NO)•Uni. Lisbon (PT)•Uni. Minho (PT)•UNED (ES)

Practice

• INSP.GEN (FR)• REKTORS-

AKADEMIEN (SE)• JA-YE (BE)

Partners

Consult our website & outputs

Brochure Newsletter Outputs on USB

Website (http://keyconet.eun.org)

Lit. review on KC assessment

Case note catalogue

Structure of workshop

•UK example (K. Grant)•FR examples (B. Pajot)Two presentations•3 groups (led by KeyCoNet partners)•1 question to answer per groupGroup discussions

•Rapporteurs to feedback 3 main points emerging from group discussion

Feedback

•Are key competences assessed in your country? •If so how are they assessed: through the curriculum or as an

extra assessment and qualification? •What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?Group 1:

How are KCs assessed?

•The use of portfolios as an assessment approach recognises the complexity of assessing experiential and active learning without reducing the process into an assessment focused on the acquisition of knowledge alone.

•What are your views?Group 2:

Portfolios

•Can ICT contribute to the assessment and evaluation of key competences?

•What are your experiences of the use of ICT in relation to key competences in your country?

Group 3:ICT

Questions for group discussion

ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE)

Kath Grant – Head of Personal Effectiveness, ASDAN

ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness CoPE

Key Competences in Personal and Communication Skills

Assessed Competences in…• Working With Others• Improving own Learning• Problem Solving• Research• Discussion• Oral Presentation

Teaching & Assessment Contexts• Enterprise• Community & Volunteering• Work Experience• Outdoor & Adventure• Expressive Arts• Academic

Recording documents - mandatory

Supporting Evidence – individual

Support from Employers“Building up my own interior design business took skills they don’t necessarily teach you in school, skills like creative thinking and problem solving. Young people should be encouraged, through education, to follow their own passions and interests. They’re going to be much more motivated if they are allowed to express their individuality and if they can see how their learning connects to real life outside the classroom. I left school at 18 and it took me a while to find my calling, but once I did, there was no stopping me. Success came from pursuing my passion for vintage designs and from having the confidence to buck the trends of the time. It would be great if schools could instill that sense of self-belief in all students, and recognise creativity in the same way that they recognise academic achievement. That’s why qualifications like ASDAN’s CoPE are so important, because they allow young people to be recognised and rewarded for their individual talents, without requiring them to ‘fit the mould’.” Cath Kidston

Support from Employers“Employers need young people with the employability skills essential for work-and life. These skills- application of numeracy and literacy and IT, self management, team working, problem solving, business awareness-can be developed through school based study and work experience. Students who take ASDAN’s Certificate of Personal Effectiveness should be able to demonstrate that they have the skills employers are looking for-and they will be warmly welcomed by employers.” Susan Anderson CBI

Endorsement by HEBath Spa University Brunel University Burton College

De Montfort University Goldsmiths College Harper Adams University College

Heriot-Watt University King’s College London Leeds College of Music

London Metropolitan University Loughborough University Mid – Cheshire College

New College Nottingham Newman University College

Nottingham Trent University Oxford & Cherwell Valley College Swansea UniversitySwansea Metropolitan University The Royal Agricultural College University of Abertay Dundee(Formerly Swansea Institute of Higher Education)

University of Aberdeen University of Bradford University of Bedfordshire

University of Buckingham University of Cumbria University of Derby

University of Dundee University of Glasgow University of HuddersfieldUniversity of Liverpool University of Newcastle Wakefield College

York College

Network

• Free local meetings 3x year

• Cluster Leader advice

• Interim feedback

Resources

• CoPE resource pack • CoPE demonstration portfolios • CoPE posters• CoPE Schemes of Work ; Levels 1 &

2 • CoPE portfolio binder• CoPE stickers

Assessment of Key Competences: two French examples in lower secondary education

Bertrand PAJOT – General Inspectorate – French Ministry of EducationKeyCoNet Workshop19 March 2013- Dublin Castle

Background:

• A national policy: the development of the “socle commun” (core curriculum of knowledge and competences) introduced by the 2005 law, with 7 competences mainly mainly based on the European Key competences framework, and concerning each level of compulsory education (primary and lower secondary schools).

• A centralized country…but with the possibility of pedagogical initiatives at local level:– linked to national experiments, which want to test new pedagogical approaches or tools.– Linked to local experiments, in which pedagogical teams want to test new “know-how” to

answer to specific needs for their pupils.

Example 1:

• A pilot competences portfolio (collège de Montastruc): – Uses a pilot portfolio, defined at national level, but possibly adapted

to local use.– Compiles in and outside schools’ competences– Helps each student to :

• have a better understanding of competences• develop confidence in their own abilities and self esteem, at an age in which

their relations with teachers change a lot.• highlight their experiences and informal learning

Example 2:

• Competences and self esteem ( collège de Vérac):– implementation of non numerical assessments to reinforce

students’ self esteem and involvement in their studies.– development of an IT tool by the pedagogical team to help

assessment of the disciplinary and cross curricula competences.

Results:

• A better mastering of key competences by the teachers (content, link to syllabi and subjects, assessment of processes, etc.),

• Changes in students’ attitude toward their schooling, implying less stress about their learning skills.

• A real interest in other ways to assess: portfolio, non numerical evaluation by all stakeholders.

• positive influence in students’ achievement• better image of the school by the students and their

families.

Prospects:

• Use these initiatives (and many others…):– To help teachers improve their teaching and assessment by

competences, “hot issues” in many lower secondary schools. – To produce resources for initial and in service training, identifying

best practices. – To extend these methodologies to upper secondary education

(“lycée”)• Provide information for the new education act in which the

core curriculum’s objectives are completed by the ideas of culture as well as knowledge and competences.

• Many thanks for your attention.