Download - Learning Outcomes & the European Qualifications Framework in Higher Education Iceberg, plague or opportunity? Opinions from European countries M a Begoña.

Learning Outcomes & the European Qualifications Framework

in Higher Education

Iceberg, plague or opportunity? Opinions from European countries

Ma Begoña Arenas Romero, Scienter (ES)Thomas Kretschmer, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg (DE)

08 March 2011, IATED, Valencia

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Outline

A) Background

B) Survey

C) Results

D) Conclusions


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A) Background – The Bologna Process

Aims:

Development of an European Educational Framework of standards, definitions and concepts

transformation of national systems according to this framework

comparability of European Educational Systems


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A) Background – Some concepts

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

measurement of students‘ workload

Use of Learning Outcomes (LO)

allows courses/programmes to be expressed in terms of what a learner/student is expected to be able to do by the end of the course/programme (knowledge, skills, competences)


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A) Background – Learning outcomes

Advantages:

Employers know* what a student is able to do

Employers can provide input for the re-engineering of programmes taking into consideration industry requirements

Increased self-awareness of students on what they are able to do

Matching of students‘ profile with job requirements

Comparison of programmes and courses

Common framework/platform for evaluating levels and degree qualifications


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A) Background – EQF

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) provides the basis for mapping the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) of each European country against this framework, thus mapping each country’s educational system against another country’s system


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A) Background – The UNILO project

UNILO project:Promoting the EQF Learning Outcomes approach within European Universities

UNILO thus intends to explore the Learning Outcomes approach in the frame of EQF/EHEA contributing to its full understanding and application by promoting the active involvement of the Career services of the Universities helping the huge target group of European University students and holders of professional qualifications to better understand its potential in a clear and practical way


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B) Survey - Structure

Online survey

Section on personal data (age, role, country)

10 questions for all respondents (5-point scale)

13 questions for experienced respondents on the status of implementation

17 questions for experienced respondents on their personal opinion


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C) Results – Personal data1953

1757

0

500

1000

1500

2000

Female

Male

2742

644

207 83 33

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

18-25

26-35

36-45

46-55

56+

92

1931

1129

335

14 51 142

0

500

1000

1500

2000Higher Education CareerGuidance Officer

Undergraduate Student

Graduate Student

Academic

Curriculum/programmedesigner

Professional body

Other


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Thank you for your attention!!

UNILO: www.unilo.eu

Email: [email protected]

Skype: kre.fim

Web: www.fim.uni-erlangen.de

Web: www.scineter.es


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C) Results – Questions for all respondents

172381 293 416

2370

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500 I have expertise

I know the main facts

I am aware

I only know the terms

I have never heard ofthis

Bologna Process

41155 243

557

2618

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000 I have expertise

I know the main facts

I am aware

I only know the terms

I have never heard ofthis

European Qualifications Framework (EQF)


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C) Results – Experienced respondents

361

3280

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

Yes

No

Continue

Stop


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C) Results – Status of implementation

Examples: Seminars/Information days on LOs are organised by your

university Written information regarding the EQF and NQF is provided

by your university Course syllabi from lecturers are expressed in terms of LOs

in your university

31

40

52

1510

7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

5 (="to a huge extent")

4 (="to a certain extent")

3 (="to some extent")

2 (="a little bit")

1 (="not at all")

not applicable


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C) Results – Personal opinions

Examples: EQF and NQF will help to make Europe more competitive LOs are almost unknown amongst the universities’ staff The promotion of the LO approach is important and should

be supported more intensively

37

57

38

11 9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60 I strongly agree

I rather agree

Neither agree nordisagree

I rather disagree

I strongly disagree

21

5561

106

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70 I strongly agree

I rather agree

Neither agree nordisagree

I rather disagree

I strongly disagree


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D) Conclusions (I)

Huge diversity with respect to awareness about LOs and EQF/NQF

Even many HE professionals are unaware

Well-informed respondents have a rather positive attitude towards LOs and EQF

Most HE institutions show at least some activity to promote the approach(es)