Information by the Commission on the review process:
First step in the review process: take a look at the definitions, the text of the existing framework, identify what works and what does not, identify gaps.
Definition 2006: ‘Each competence is a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes. All individuals need these key competences for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment. There are basic skills (language, literacy, numeracy and science: foundation for all learning), and transversal skills.
Since 2006, two additional competence frameworks have been developed: for digital and for entrepreneurial competences. Today will not focus on these two competences, as there is already a lot of input.
What do we know about the implementation of the recommendation 2006? Implementation has been uneven on several levels:
¬ Across countries;
¬ Across sectors (in schools and youth, less in VET and adult education)
¬ Across competences (easier implementation for competences related to a subject);
¬ Implementation in an interdisciplinary manner is difficult.
What do we want to do with this review?
¬ Continue the paradigm shift from static conception of curricular content to dynamic competences acquisition;
¬ Clarify and update concepts;
¬ Strengthen commonly shared understanding of key competences;
¬ Include skills and attitudes that are not highlighted enough in the 2006 framework.
Timeline:
¬ Autumn/Winter 2016: prepare process of consultation (ETY Forum, this expert seminar, ET 2020 meetings, drafting consultation paper and questions);
¬ Spring/Summer 2017: public consultation;
¬ March 2017: networks conference KeyCoNet, Sirius, …
¬ Other expert meetings spring/summer 2017;
¬ Key competences conference in June 2017.
¬ Proposal for revised key competences framework Autumn/Winter 2017.
Post-it session: after short discussion face-to-face with other participants, all participants are asked to write down ‘Today, it is important to …’.
Some conclusions:
¬ Strong emphasis on the ‘human’ element, personal development;
¬ Need for update and revision, no big changes need to be proposed;
¬ Importance of transversal skills;
¬ Opportunity to share approaches about what has happened in order to move forward.
Discussion in small groups (8 persons): participants are asked to talk about direct and indirect experiences in implementation, to identify challenges and suggest tools and processes. Agreement on the fact that the key competences framework is a good instrument: everything is in it, but implementation is the question (need for reform of curricula, of teacher training, …). The framework is ten years old, but far from being implemented in all member countries.
In the afternoon: working session one focuses on basic competences, working session two focuses on transversal competences.