Module+1

**1st Video** **Assignment** 1. The learning objectives of this module 2. The 6 steps you will need to take in order to fully benefit from the content and activities proposed 3. The assessment process enabling you to earn an e-badge which goes towards obtaining your final certificate at the end of the course.
 * what is meant by key competences and why developing them in the school is important
 * definition of key competences
 * national and international framework
 * key principles for teaching and assessing key competences
 * how various countries across Europe have implemented a key competence approach in school education
 * take the pre-quiz
 * watch the video talks - in order they appear
 * do the learning activity
 * peer review other participants learning activity
 * consult the Module library
 * take the post-quiz
 * participate course forum -

The Importance and Definition of Key Competences
 - Communication in the mother tongue  - Communication in foreign languages  - Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology  - Digital competence <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> - Learning to learn <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> - Social and civic competences <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> - Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> - Cultural awareness and expression
 * life in increasingly non-routine - problem based - technology rich -> education is moving away from content-led approaches -> developing competences
 * personal growth - citizenship - preparation for the world of work
 * people need new skills => collaborative problem solving, working together in collaborative teams
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Hoskins and Crick: a ‘**competence**’is ‘//a complex combination of knowledge, skills, understanding, values, attitudes and desire which lead to effective, embodied human action in the world in a particular domain’.// In other words, being competent means being able to effectively apply a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes to successfully react to a situation or solve a problem in the real world.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">starting in France 1970s in professional context - 1980s vocational education and training - today: general school education
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">definitions depend on national context, educational philosophies, historical and traditional traditions
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**ATC 21st century skills framework** which includes four dimensions:
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">ways of thinking; creativity and innovation, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision making and learning to learn.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">ways of living in the world; local and global citizenship, life and career skills, personal and social responsibility and cultural awareness
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">ways of working; include collaboration and communication; and tools for working comprises
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">tools for working: information literacy and ICT literacy 6:22
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">European Union framework: **


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**Transversal skills** play an important role in key competences: critical thinking, creativity, initiative, problem solving, risk assessment, decision taking and the constructive management of feelings
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">__**learning to learn**__ **competence =** an ability to pursue and persist in learning - awareness of one's learning process and needs -
 * **knowledge =** know and understand her preferred learning strategies + know and understand her strengths and weaknesses concerning skills and qualifications, <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">essential
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> **skills =** <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">fundamental basic skills such as literacy, numeracy and ICT skills (necessary for further learning). Building on these skills, an individual should be able to access, gain, process and assimilate new knowledge and skills. This requires effective management of one's learning, career and work patterns, and, in particular, the ability to persevere, concentrate for extended periods and to reflect critically on the purposes and aims of learning. Learning to learn skills include being able to learn autonomously and with self-discipline, as well as being able to work collaboratively and share what one has learnt. Learners should be able to organise their own learning, evaluate their own work, and seek advice, information and support when appropriate.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**Attitudes =** motivation and confidence to pursue and succeed at learning + problem solving attitude + desire to apply prior learning and life experiences + curiosity to look for opportunities to learn and apply learning in a variety of life contexts.

1.3.2 Key Points on Teaching Key Competences

 * 1) To involvement of key competences requires specifying them in the curricula + implementation conditions + teaching methods + assessment
 * 2) application of knowledge in real life situations
 * 3) interactive learning environments = open ended problems, depat, experimentation, exploration, creativity
 * 4) social learning context = learners are engaged in active learning in real life learning situations => motivates learners, learners remember concepts they discover on they own, meaningful context for problem based learning
 * 5) obstacles to teaching key competences: lack of financing,


 * Teaching key competences effectively **
 * 1) Teaching should be task-based => complex problem solving, multiple solutions
 * 2) Teaching should be interdisciplinary =>
 * 3) Learning should be both collaborative and individualised
 * 4) Teaching should be both learner- and teacher-led - guidance from the teacher
 * 5) Teaching should be technologically innovative
 * 6) Teaching should take place inside and outside of school
 * 7) Teacher should collaborate with the wider community
 * 8) Teachers should pay attention to social and emotional aspects of learning

1.3.3 Key Points on Assessing Key Competences
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans',Tahoma,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Assessing key competencies effectively => involves new approaches = meeting different student needs, project based learning, transversal skills <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans',Tahoma,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Learning objectives, curriculum and assessment need to be aligned <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans',Tahoma,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">New methods for assessment = assessment OF learning (summative assessment) - assessment FOR learning (formative assessment) - student self-assessment (styudent can track their own development of transversal competences <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans',Tahoma,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">New tools needed to demonstrate students use of knowledge, skills and attitudes to solve problems - classroom based formative assessment important also for key competence learning = interactive classroom discussions, observe and talk with students working on projects <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans',Tahoma,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Scaffolding learning** = teacher provides help to students as much or little they need to in order to proceed next stage <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans',Tahoma,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**Transversal skills** important for personal development and learning to learn => new challenge for assessment <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans',Tahoma,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

1.3.4 Competence-based Education in Europe

 * Terms used for key competences varies across the countries = core competences, basic skills, key skills
 * in several countries new legislation, most European counties have introduced key competences in national common core curricula, in northern countries recent/current education reform re-emphasizing centrality of key competences
 * strategies used to foster a competence-based approach: innovative partnerships, pilot projects, monitoring and evaluation initiatives, dedicated funding, capacity building
 * examples from different countries of different implementation of key competences
 * a participative process is needed - school leaders = communication about key competence approach to all stakeholders

1.3.5 Irish Case Study: Key Skills in the Irish Curriculum & Project Maths

 * key competences are central to current curriculum reform - key skills - lower and secondary education
 * integrated approach = competences embedded in learning outcomes of curriculum and assessment
 * teachers and schools => closely involved in development of key skills framework
 * key skills of junior cycle = managing myself - staying well - communicating - being creative - working with others - managing information and thinking.
 * key skills in senior cycle = information processing - communicating - being personally effective - working with others - critical and creative thinking
 * completely revised mathematics syllabus => project maths = reformed how math is taught, learned and assessed in Ireland - reasoning, sense making and problem solving - problem solving, modelling, maths in real life context
 * change the syllabus - align the assessment with learning outcomes - big investment in teacher professional development