European developments in designing and delivering outcome-oriented curricula in VET: trends and challenges

preliminary results based on presentations at the 3rd International Workshop on Curriculum Innovation and Reform: "Changing Assessmentto improve learning outcomes” – April 2012

Zoica Vlăduț, Deputy Director NCTVET21 – 22 June 2012

European developments in designing and deliveringoutcome-oriented curricula in VET: trends and

challenges

32 countries

Study elaborated by the University of Warwick (England)

A key issue- the terminology used by different countries

Trend-all EU countries use ”learning outcomes”

Main aspects:

Policy in relation to outcomes-orientated curricula: rationale, progress

Design process and stakeholder contribution

Formulation of knowledge, skills and competences in written curricula – other components of written curricula

Taught curricula – teaching and learning styles, environments, good practice

Theoretical model of the outcomes-orientated approach: articulating labour market and IVET

General Educational Objectives Research and consultation Labour market Occupational standards

Qualification standards Educational standards Assessment

Validation Training programme Certification

Teaching and learning in IVET

Designing curriculum

IMPORTANT who elaborates each document and if it is a systematic development and updating process

Occupational standards Competencies

Qualification standards

Learning outcomes

Educational standards

Learning outcomes transposed in modules

Learning programme

Modules transposed in time, classes, allocation of teachers, at the training provider

Outcomes-orientated curricula at policy level:

rationales

Overarching Goals Operational Objectives

NQFs and credit transfer systems (EQF &ECVET) Validation systems

Modularisation Modernisation, rationalisation,

simplification Permeability

Quality Provider autonomy

Inclusion Learner centredness

Start with ‘occupational competences’ and translate them iteratively into ‘learning outcomes’ that make sense for the purposes of teaching, assessing and recognising learning

Incorporate other learning outcomes, e.g. drawn from subjects, statements of generic skills and other educational goals

Engage various stakeholders and structure and co-ordinate their engagement in the design process

Curriculum design

Representation in the design process

working groups – specialised, general, permanent

consultation – procedures, how extensive?

governance – government, sector, shared (e.g. tripartite)

value-added by representation

responsiveness of outcomes-orientated curricula

role of experts - fluency in ‘learning outcomes’ (talking and drafting)

Issues: employer engagement, cost, time, sustainability, conflicts of interest

Formulating learning outcomes

Influences the way of teaching and evaluation

Grouping the learning outcomes is important

Number and specificity of learning outcomes determines curriculum granularity

High: less 10 h/ LO Medium: 10h<LO<20h Low: more then 20h/LO

Key competences – generic skills

Separate in curriculum and separately taught and assessed through ‘subjects’, e.g. Sweden, Czech Republic

Separate in curriculum but can be jointly taught and assessed, e.g. Finland

Combined with vocational outcomes within units or in particular learning outcomes in curriculum, e.g. Germany/The Netherlands

Mixed approach to key competences in one curriculum, e.g. France

Taught curriculum: Learner- centred approaches

Project-based learning, group learning, open learning, authentic learning, work simulation, workbased learning, experiential learning are favoured by many teachers and learners

Supported by: pedagogical guidance new teaching and learning resources professional development for teachers collaboration with employers use of IT

Constrained by: time, equipment, rooms, lack of work placements, old textbooks

Conclusions

Development of innovative pedagogiesdiverse approacheschanging teacher practices – networks…formative assessment – learner perception of outcomes?work-based and collaboration with employers

Curricula and the autonomy of teachers and schoolsHow does this autonomy work best?How are quality and validity assured?

InclusivityEU inclusion goalsPedagogy, careers, recruitment and learning support

Assessing Learning Outcomes in VET in Europe: Policies, Practices, and Prospects (interim stage)

Focus on summative assessment

Trend – make evaluation more independent of the learning place (EQF)

Mutual trust is the key

Study goal- comparative analysis of the assessment methodologies- how much they focus on LO, what are the strengths, weaknesses, if LO influence assessment

Assessment methods

A lot of various assessment approaches are discussed within the scientific debate, but mostly not (yet?) applied in practice: Psychometric methods to measure competence Computer-based simulations

Predominantly applied in practise: (standardised) knowledge tests, Performance-based assessment:

- via observation of the fulfillment of (small) tasks on the job and demonstrations - via assessment of professional projects, oral presentations

An upcoming method is assessment via portfolios, mainly related, mai ales ref. la competențe cheie (Slovenia)

Assessors (1)

The identified groups of assessors are:• Teachers• Company trainers• Professionals• Chamber representatives• Representatives of social partners• Verifiers and witnesses• Representatives of local bodies

Having a look at the actual expertise of individuals representing these groups, it has turned out that they mainly can be assigned to two groups: Teachers and people with professional work experience in the relevant field.

Assessors (2)

It could appear that a stronger representation of the

external side already delivers a guarantee for a better

orientation to the needs of professional practice, but

this is not necessarily the case: It is important not

only to consider who assesses, but how and what

she/he assesses and in which context. Thus, balance

between external and internal assessment is not a

quantitative, but a conceptual requirement.

Findings: The scope of assessment (1)

Relationship to quality criteria

Most important quality criteria seem to be reliability and validity.

The more assessment is related to a holistic concept of professional work, it has to deal with the fulfillment of tasks that include the ability to deal with unforeseeable and therefore not reproducible situations; this contradicts the principle of reliability, which is certainly better achieved by providing standardized tasks for assessment: The smaller the tasks are, the better they can be standardised and assessed, but beyond a wider professional context their authenticity is reduced, and this is against the principle of validity. Countries take/consider measures to address this.

Findings: Innovation

Innovation can be observed with regard to the establishment of assessment cultures, combining elements of assessment (responsible assessors, assessment in authentic contexts etc.), including approaches developed beyond the nationalcontext at hand as new assessment methods; balancing teachers’ assessment and external assessment, organising assessment in progressive and more flexible ways, strengthening importance of formative assessment withinbroader assessment frameworks in the national context.

Questions How can be established a quality culture of the assessment which combines different elements (assessors, institutional responsibilities, methods ?

What to do to eliminate the gap between scientific debate, educational reforms and practice in the field?

How can be developed the relation between curriculum and assessment to support innovation?

What to do to support the independence of the assessment institutions (how to ensure trust) ?

Other considerationsEvaluation does not meant to exclude students with bad results (means equity, quality, inclusion, cohesion, correctness)

Evaluation must inform curriculum

Evaluation in small steps or holistic evaluation

Role and teachers performance – they must understand the students diversity

Evaluation focusses on the possibility to use LO in new contexts

Evaluation focussed on what can be measuread - usually complex competencies cannot be evaluated

Evaluation can reduce creativity and critical analysis