1.3.1 The Importance and Definition of Key Competences
Video Talk 1: The importance and definition of competences
This video looks at why transversal competences such as collaborative problem-solving are particularly important today. It also introduces some international competence frameworks, looking particularly at how the European Framework for Key Competences for Lifelong Learning defines the important ‘learning to learn’ competence.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
VIDEO
1.3.2 Key Points on Teaching Key Competences
Video Talk 2: Key Points on Teaching Key Competences
This video summarizes teaching approaches for fostering key competence development in learners, including eight key principles for teaching key competences effectively. It also includes testimonies from stakeholders in Finland involved in designing a new learning environment to promote competence development, as well as in Malta, where key competences have been introduced in schools through a personalized, mentoring approach.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
VIDEO
1.3.3 Key Points on Assessing Key Competences
Video Talk 3: Key Points on Assessing Key Competences
This video describes competence-based assessment in a nutshell, outlining effective approaches, including summative, formative and self-assessment. The importance of developing new tools, such as portfolios and e-assessment are also discussed as particularly relevant approaches to assessing key competences.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
VIDEO
1.3.4 Competence-based Education in Europe
Video Talk 4: Competence-based education in Europe today
This video looks at different ways in which European countries have introduced key competences into their school education systems, ranging from legal and curricular frameworks to initiatives addressing all or specific competences. It includes the voices of stakeholders from Norway, Portugal, and Poland involved in implementing specific initiatives aimed at developing teachers’ and learners’ competences.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
VIDEO
1.3.5 Irish Case Study: Key Skills in the Irish Curriculum & Project Maths
Video Talk 5: Irish case study: Key Skills in the Irish Curriculum & Project Maths
This video introduces the Irish Key Skills reform in secondary education, targeting pupils aged between 12 and 18. It also introduces Ireland’s Project Maths initiative which aimed at implementing the Key Skills reform in mathematics teaching, learning and assessment. Project Maths aimed to improve learners’ skills in reasoning, sense-making and problem-solving.
In case you have difficulty in understanding the speaker, you can download the transcript just below the video.
VIDEO
1.4 Learning Activity
Module 1 Learning Activity: Self-assess your Key Competence approach!
DESCRIPTION: This first learning activity is a self-assessment exercise. We would like you to reflect on how aligned your current teaching and assessment methods are with the key competence approach. The objective of this learning activity is for you to better understand to what extent your teaching already involves a key competence approach, and in which areas you would like to make progress. Remember to take the time to reflect properly and to be honest with yourself. Assessing your starting point truthfully will help you make progress in modules 2 and 3 of this course, and enable you to improve your practice.
This Learning Activity is composed of 2 parts : Part A: Self-assessment and Part B: Peer Review.
To complete the Learning Activity please follow these 3 steps :
1. Part A: Self-assessment - Submit your Learning Activity below by clicking the "Browse" button, selecting your Learning Activity and then clicking the "Hand in task" button. Unfortunately, the system requires you to write some text into the text box (where it says, "Write your comments here"), so just write something like "Learning Activity attached" before clicking the "Hand in task" button. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK THAT YOU HAVE SELECTED THE CORRECT FILE as once you have "handed-in" your Learning Activity there is no way to change it anymore. The recommended deadline to complete the self-assessment is Sunday 23 November, 17.00 CET. However, should you need to complete it at a later stage, this will be possible until 5 December.
2. Part B: Peer review - Once you have submitted your Learning Activity, you will have to wait a while before the system allocates you 1 Learning Activity from a peer. You will be notified by the system via email once you have been allocated 1 Learning Activity to review. The recommended deadline to complete the peer review is Sunday 30 November, 17.00 CET. However, should you need to complete it at a later stage, this will be possible until 12 December. To do this, click on the "Review your colleagues" button below. You will then be able to access the Learning Activity of your peer. Once you have completed the peer review please submit it by clicking on the "Review your colleagues" button.
3. Receiving feedback from your peers: Once you have submitted your peer review and your own Learning Activity has been reviewed by another participant, you will be notified by the system via email that you can now access the review of your Learning Activity . You can access this feedback by clicking on the "Reviews received" button below.
Download the Learning Activity 1 template here, a vailable in:
Word Document (.docx)
1.5 Module 1 Library
MODULE 1: Introducing Competences for 21st Century Schools
The importance and definition of competences:
Schleicher, A. (2009). The case for 21st Century Learning, OECD, Paris: http://www.oecd.org/general/thecasefor21st-centurylearning.htm
Video of Andreas Schleicher (OECD) on quality and equity in education at the Australian Council for Educational Research 2014 Conference:http://www.acer.edu.au/rc
Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Hermna, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M., Miller-Ricci, M., & Rumble, M. (2012). Defining Twenty-First Century Skills . In Griffin, P., Care, E., & McGaw, B. Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills , Dordrecht, Springer.
Hoskins, B & Deakin Crick R., (2010) Competences for Learning to Learn and Active Citizenship: different currencies or two sides of the same coin? European Journal of Education, Vol. 45, Number 1, March.
Legendre, Marie-Françoise (2008). « La notion de compétence au coeur des réformes curriculaires : Effet de mode ou moteur de changements en profondeur ? ». In Audigier François & Tutiaux-Guillon Nicole (dir.). Compétences et contenus : les curriculums en questions. Brussels: De Boeck, p. 27-50.
Voogt and Pareja Roblin (2010). 21st century skills. Discussienota. Enschede: Universiteit Twente
Competence Reference Frameworks:
European Union’s Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32006H0962&from=EN
UNESCO framework: http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/15_62.pdf
OECD DESECO framework: http://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/definitionandselectionof competenciesdeseco.htm
Partnerships 21 framework: www.p21.org
ATC21S framework: http://www.atc21s.org
Microsoft 21st Century Learning Design: http://www.pil-network.com/pd/21CLD/Overview
UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002134/213475e.pdf
Teaching key competences:
Old school or new school? Teach future skills and traditional subjects together: https://theconversation.com/ old-school-or-new-school-teach-future-skills-and-traditional-subjects-together-18179
ATC21S professional development module: Teaching and learning 21st century skills : https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/atc21s/Resources/PD_Module%205_for%20web_V2.pdf
ATC21S professional development module: ATC21S: Examples of teaching 21st century sub-skills in existing lessons: --»
Competence-based education in Europe today:
Eurydice (2012). Developing Key Competences at School in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities for Policy:http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/thematic_reports/145EN.pdf
Kearney, C. (2013). European Mapping of Initiatives on the Development of Key Competences , European Schoolnet, Brussels.
KeyCoNet's 2014 Review of the Literature: A Summary , European Schoolnet, Brussels.
KeyCoNet 2013 Literature Review: Key competence development in school education in Europe , European Schoolnet, Brussels.
KeyCoNet 2013 Literature Review: Assessment for key competences , European Schoolnet, Brussels.
KeyCoNet's Catalogue of initiatives , European Schoolnet, Brussels.
KeyCoNet's Case Studies from Austria, Belgium (Flanders), England, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Europe, European Schoolnet, Brussels.
KeyCoNet's Peer Learning Visits to Seville, Dublin and Malta, European Schoolnet, Brussels.
KeyCoNet's Country Overviews of Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden, European Schoolnet, Brussels.
Wiśniewski J. (2009) Key competences in Europe: opening doors for life-long learners across the school curriculum and teacher education . CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research
Key Skills in Ireland:
Junior Cycle Key Skills Framework website information: http://www.juniorcycle.ie/Curriculum/Key-Skills-(1)
Junior Cycle Key Skills Framework PDF: http://www.juniorcycle.ie/NCCA_JuniorCycle/media/NCCA/Documents/Key/Key_Skills_2014.pdf
Senior Cycle Key Skills Framework website information: http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Post-Primary_Education/Senior_Cycle/Key_Skills/
Senior Cycle Key Skills Framework PDF: http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Post-Primary_Education/Senior_Cycle/Key_Skills_Framework/KS_Framework.pdf
Project Maths in Ireland:
Project Maths website: http://www.projectmaths.ie/
Project Maths video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlSQwYbpcSc
National Council for Curriculum & Assessment website section on Project Maths: www.ncca.ie/projectmaths
Websites:
European KeyCoNet website: http://keyconet.eun.org
Spanish KeyCoNet website: http://www.keyconetspain.org/wordpress/
French KeyCoNet website: http://ife.ens-lyon.fr/KeyCoNet/web/app.php
Videos:
KeyCoNet case study videos from across Europe: http://keyconet.eun.org/videos
Other relevant articles & publications:
OECD (2010), Are the New Millennium Learners Making the Grade? Technology Use and Educational Performance in PISA 2006, OECD, Paris.
Selwyn, N. (2013), Discourses of digital ‘disruption’ in education: a critical analysis, Monash University, Australia
Wilson & Scalise (2012). Measuring collaborative digital literacy: http://www.k12center.org/rsc/pdf/session5 -wilson-paper-tea2012.pdf
1.6 Post-quiz
For each of the statements below, please indicate whether the statement is true or false.
To pass this test, you must correctly answer at least 70% of the questions.