Peer Learning Activity on Key Competences for lifelong learning

09 December 2007 to 13 December 2007
Athens, Greece

Peer Learning Cluster or other group

Key Competences

Background

The Peer Learning Cluster on Key competences organised a third Peer Learning Activity in Greece which took place over 4 days in December 2007.

The main purpose of the PLA was to explore how Key Competences can be promoted by developing learning material.

Greece was a relevant choice due to its coherent strategy for the implementation of reform in both compulsory education and in vocational education and training.

This latter includes a series of policy initiatives designed to encourage:  

  • a more student-focused approach to teaching and learning;
  • the modernisation of textbooks; enhanced use of ICT;
  • a programme for the updating of teaching skills;
  • an evaluation system based on a combination of Quality Assurance procedures and an evidence-based policy approach. 
For further reading:

Description

Challenges to be addressed

  • Bringing about a student-focused approach within a very centralised curriculum;
  • Supporting teachers in going beyond the textbook in their teaching;
  • Engendering and sustaining a cross-curricular approach, especially at lower and upper secondary education;
  • Moving eventually from a subject-based to a multidisciplinary approach, consonant with the needs of individual learners and society as a whole.

Conclusions:

At the level of policy

  • Reform processes need to be both theoretically well grounded – in relation to evidence based policy
  • A holistic vision of education, including school education, VET and adult education is necessary to achieve deep and lasting change in society’s attitude to education as well as in educational practice.

At the level of governance 

  • The process of reform requires sufficient time for careful implementation, evaluation, feedback and review, at all levels;
  • A coherent pedagogical approach to key competences requires the development of many new teaching materials; 
  • The question of the capacity of national systems to sustain effective reform in the implementation of a competence-based curriculum needs further investigation.

At the level of implementation

  • All actors need to be fully involved from the beginning of the process;
  • The quality of teaching is the most crucial factor in delivering education;
  • Networks of schools working together on implementing key competences would be potentially very valuable (at both national and European levels).
 

 
Knowledge System for Lifelong Learning