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Workshop 1 Innovation and creativity in Education and Training

"Re"Re--imagining and reimagining and re--imaging imaging the school curriculum"the school curriculum"

Irene PsifidouProject Manager Thessaloniki, 14 September 2009

The changing needs of learners• Young people need a wider range of competences than

ever before

• Many will work in jobs that do not exist yet

• Many will need advanced linguistic, intercultural and entrepreneurial capacities

• Challenges such as climate change will require radical adaptation

• Creativity and the ability to continue to learn and to innovate will be the norm

• The focus on shaping and not filling students’ minds changes the role of teachers

• Teachers should function as counsellors and supporters of students during the learning processes

• They should also be adequately qualified: good pedagogical skills and ability to organise stimulating and appropriate learning environments

• Link between the quality of teaching and students acquisition of competences

The changing role of teachers

Qualifications NQFStandards

Assessment

Teaching methods

Professional profiles

Teachers training

Textbooks

Curriculum

The changing notion of curriculum

Why to re-imagine curriculum?

External factors

European +

International factors

Internal factors

• European framework of Key competences• European Qualifications Framework• Shift to learning outcomes in HE (Bologna

Process,Tuning Project)• Common European Principles for Teacher

Competences and Qualifications• Council of Europe's Common European Framework

of Reference for Languages

European context stimulating competence-based education and training

The focus on learning outcomes and the opening up to lifelong and lifewide learning

Picturing this trend in curricula: from traditionally input based…

… to outcome oriented curricula

How countries re-image curriculum?

• Developing learning outcome-based curricula• Introducing Key competences in curricula and legislation• Modularising curricula (more flexible learning pathways)• Developing dual curricula (link school based and work

place learning)• Increasing curriculum flexibility and interdisciplinarity• Increasing stakeholders’ involvement• Decentralising curriculum development giving to school

and teachers more autonomy

Similar but different national approaches

• The way countries understand and introduce learning outcomes and key competences in curricula varies

• Some countries have a long tradition of outcome oriented education and training, while for others, is a more recent development

• The learning outcomes approach is still more pronounced in VET rather than in compulsory school

• Compulsory education is more influenced by the key competences European framework

Individual subject

Cross-curriculum / school-based approach

Introducing key competences in curriculumIntroducing key competences in curriculum

Ongoing debates on the content …

• Which knowledge to be selected?• How to ensure balance between generic and subject-

related knowledge?• Which competences should be emphasized?• How to preserve a balance between general and the

vocational skills?• How to avoid curriculum overload?

Ongoing debates on the relevance …

• How to bring curricula closer to the needs of the labour market?

• How to adapt curriculum to the needs of the individuals?

Ongoing debates on the teaching methods …

…to active appropriate practice?

How to shift from traditional methods…

• How to identify skill mismatches of teachers and trainers and keep them abreast of curriculum developments and pedagogical innovations?

Ongoing debates on the physical & social learning environment …

How to give the right incentives?

Thank you! Questions are welcome…