Developing European Work Based Learning Approaches and Methods (DEWBLAM) The Tuning Project: the Use of Competences as a Basis for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

1
Developing European Work Based Learning
Approaches and Methods (DEWBLAM) The Tuning
Project the Use of Competences as a Basis for
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

• Florence, 30 November 1 December 2006
• Robert Wagenaar (Joint project co-ordinator)
• University of Groningen, the Netherlands

2

• Tuning an overview of
• Its size and strength
• TheTuning approach
• Role of competences in study programme design
• Student workload
• Quality enhancement

3
Russia
2007
2006
2005
LONDON
2004
BERGEN
2003
2002
BERLIN
2001
2000
PRAGUE
Bologna Process and Tuning
1999
BOLOGNA
4
Tuning Europe (2000-2008) 1. ITS SIZE AND
STRENGTH

• 2001 EU EFTA countries (Socrates - Erasmus)
• 2003 New EU member states Candidate countries
  (Socrates Erasmus)
• 2005 Ukraine countries South-East Europe
  (Tempus)
• 2006 Russia (Tempus) Georgia
• 2007 Turkey (Socrates-Erasmus)

2006
2007
5

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Brasil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• México
• Nicaragua
• Panamá
• Paraguay
• Perú
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

Tuning America Latina
18 countries (ministries Rectors
Conferences) 180 Universities
2003 - 2007
subjects
Tuning South-Asia 2007?
6

• General tendencies in higher education
• Shift of paradigm moving from a staff oriented
  approach to a student centred approach
• Less specialised academic education in the first
  cycle
• More flexibility in first and second cycle
  programmes
• Introduction of new approaches regarding
  teaching, learning and assessment internship,
  apprenticeships, dual models combinations of
  teaching, learning and working
• What should a student know, understand and be
  able to do, to be employable?
• The Tuning approach a panache for bridging
  Higher Education and Vocational Education and
  Training?

7

• The contribution of Tuning for enhancing a
  European Higher Education Area
• Implementation of the Bologna Process at subject
  area level
• Change of paradigm from staff centred to learner
  centred teaching, learning and assessment (input
  to output based)
• Introduction of a common language
• Focus on employability and citizenship
• Europe wide introduction of Learning Outcomes and
  Competences approach
• Distinction between generic and subject specific
  competences
• Transfer of ECTS from a transfer to a student
  workload based credit accumulation and transfer
  system
• Raising awareness of the importance of quality in
  process and delivery
• Responds to growing demands of a lifelong
  learning society which requires more flexibility
  and differentiation
• Tuning has identified key issues, has developed
  a consistent approach on the basis of
  synthesizing theories and methodologies for
  purpose

8

• The contribution of Tuning for enhancing a
  European Higher Education Area
• Implementation of the Bologna Process at subject
  area level
• Change of paradigm from staff centred to learner
  centred teaching, learning and assessment (input
  to output based)
• Introduction of a common language
• Focus on employability and citizenship
• Europe wide introduction of Learning Outcomes and
  Competences approach
• Distinction between generic and subject specific
  competences
• Transfer of ECTS from a transfer to a student
  workload based credit accumulation and transfer
  system
• Raising awareness of the importance of quality in
  process and delivery
• Responds to growing demands of a lifelong
  learning society which requires more flexibility
  and differentiation
• Tuning has identified key issues, has developed
  a consistent approach on the basis of
  synthesizing theories and methodologies for
  purpose

TUNING facilitates academic recognition of all
types of formal, informal and non-formal learning
9

• The contribution of Tuning for enhancing a
  European Higher Education Area
• Implementation of the Bologna Process at subject
  area level
• Change of paradigm from staff centred to learner
  centred teaching, learning and assessment (input
  to output based)
• Introduction of a common language
• Focus on employability and citizenship
• Europe wide introduction of Learning Outcomes and
  Competences approach
• Distinction between generic and subject specific
  competences
• Transfer of ECTS from a transfer to a student
  workload based credit accumulation and transfer
  system
• Raising awareness of the importance of quality in
  process and deliv ery
• Responds to growing demands of a lifelong
  learning society which requires more flexibility
  and differentiation
• Tuning has identified key issues, has developed
  a consistent approach on the basis of
  synthesizing theories and methodologies for
  purpose

The work of TUNING is of great importance for the
development of European, National and Sectorial
Qualification Frameworks
10

• Tuning focuses on competences
• Tuning definition of competences
• Competences represent a dynamic combination of
  knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities.
• Fostering competences is the object of
  educational programmes.
• Competences are formed in various course units
  and assessed at different stages.
• competences are obtained by the student

11

• Tuning focuses on competences
• Tuning definition of competences
• Competences represent a dynamic combination of
  knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities.
• Fostering competences is the object of
  educational programmes.
• Competences are formed in various course units
  and assessed at different stages.
• competences are obtained by the student

high competence
12

• Level of competence is expressed in terms of
  Learning outcomes
• Statements of what a learner is expected to
  know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate
  after completion of learning.
• They can refer to a single course unit or module
  or else to a period of studies, for example, a
  first or a second cycle programme.
• Learning outcomes specify the requirements for
  award of credit.
• learning outcomes are formulated by academic
  staff

13

• Level of competence is expressed in terms of
  Learning outcomes
• Statements of what a learner is expected to
  know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate
  after completion of learning.
• They can refer to a single course unit or module
  or else to a period of studies, for example, a
  first or a second cycle programme.
• Learning outcomes specify the requirements for
  award of credit.
• learning outcomes are formulated by academic
  staff

Learning outcomes in Tuning are phrased as
desired not treshold
Like the Dublin descriptors
14

• Level of competence is expressed in terms of
  Learning outcomes
• Statements of what a learner is expected to
  know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate
  after completion of learning.
• They can refer to a single course unit or module
  or else to a period of studies, for example, a
  first or a second cycle programme.
• Learning outcomes specify the requirements for
  award of credit.
• learning outcomes are formulated by academic
  staff

TUNING DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN GENERIC AND SUBJECT
SPECIFIC COMPETENCES
15

• Examples of generic competences
• Instrumental competences
• Capacity for organisation and planning
• Problem solving
• Decision-making
• Interpersonal competences
• Critical and self-critical abilities
• Teamwork
• Systemic competences
• Capacity for applying knowledge in practice
• Capacity to adapt to new situations
• Project design and management

16

• Tuning focuses on Subject Area level
• Subject areas have
• identified degree profiles and typical
  occupations
• identified common reference points key generic
  and subject specific ones
• developed level descriptors for first, second and
  in many cases third cycle
• identified examples of good practice to train
  competences in study programmes
• Outcomes of consultation process and discussions
  have been summarized in a transparent common
  template

17

• Tuning focuses on Subject Area level
• Have identified degree profiles and typical
  occupations
• Have identified common reference points key
  generic and subject specific ones
• Have developed level descriptors for first,
  second and in many cases third cycle
• Have identified examples of good practice to
  train competences in study programmes
• Outcomes of consultation process and discussions
  have been summarized in a transparent common
  template

Teaching and learning activities as well as the
assessment methods and criteria should correspond
with the (set of) competences to be fostered
18

• Tuning focuses on Subject Area level
• Have identified degree profiles and typical
  occupations
• Have identified common reference points key
  generic and subject specific ones
• Have developed level descriptors for first,
  second and in many cases third cycle
• Have identified examples of good practice to
  train competences in study programmes
• Outcomes of consultation process and discussions
  have been summarized in a transparent common
  template

Subject specific reference points - are central
to qualification frameworks - identify the
competences and level of qualifications in their
international context - are a core element for
quality enhancement, assurance, accreditation and
recognition - make qualifications transparent
and where possible comparable and compatible in
their international context
19

• Role of student workload
• Programmes should be feasible
• Obvious relation between learning outcomes
  (competence levels) and required average work
  time to achieve these
• According to a Tuning survey the load of a full
  time programme in continental Europe is between
  1500 and 1800 student working hours one ECTS
  credit reflects 25 tot 30 hours of work
• Formal learning serves as yard stick for informal
  and non-formal learning precondition for
  recognition

20

• Role of student workload
• Programmes should be feasible
• Obvious relation between learning outcomes
  (competence levels) and required average work
  time to achieve these
• According to a Tuning survey the load of a full
  time programme in continental Europe is between
  1500 and 1800 student working hours one ECTS
  credit reflects 25 tot 30 hours of work

Use student time in the most effective way
21

• Quality enhancement of study programmes
• Tuning is a tool for planning, designing,
  implementing, delivering, evaluating and
  recognizing programmes of studies
• Programme design
• Degree profile
• Generic and subject specific competences
• Clear and adequate learning outcomes
• Level to be obtained (according to EQF / Dublin
  descriptors
• Most effective teaching, learning and assessment
  methods and approaches
• Student workload and ECTS credits
• Programme delivery, maintenance and evaluation

22

• THE TUNING DYNAMIC QUALITY DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE

Definition of academic and professional profiles
Identification of resources
Programme design definition of learning outcomes
/ competences
Evaluation and improvement (on the basis of feed
back and feed forward)
Construction of curricula content and structure
Selection of types of assessement
Selection of teaching and learning approaches
23
(No Transcript)
24
WEB ADDRESSES http//tuning.unideusto.org/tuninge
u or www.rug.nl/let/tuningeu