The Shift to Learning Outcomes: Policies and Practices in Europe (2007 - 2008)

Type of project/activity:

This is a comparative study carried out for CEDEFOP (2007-2008)

Objectives:

It focuses comprehensive attention for the first time on learning outcomes as they are conceptualised, developed and used across the 32 European countries that are participating in the Education and Training 2010 programme.

Background:

The use of the Learning Outcomes approach is an important part of the need to make more effective use of knowledge, skills and competencies at the levels of the individual, enterprise and national systems through a shift away from learning inputs (formal learning time, location and structure). The transparency added by the use of learning outcomes is a crucial part of the broadening of education, training and learning policies as part of the transition to a knowledge-based society underpinned by lifelong and life-wide learning. This is well expressed in the recent Cedefop publication:
The context for the proposed study is the developing and expanding programme of lifelong learning, education and training policies on which the Commission and its stakeholders are actively collaborating. The researchers involved in this proposal have, as is shown, been closely involved in the research and innovation at the EU and other levels in major aspects of these developments. The context for this study is, in particular:

• The role of lifelong learning in achieving the goals established for the Lisbon process;
• Education and Training 2010 Work Programme which includes the Bologna and Copenhagen processes covering both Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training;
• The Open Method of Coordination and similar peer learning activities;
• Likely impact of the study on key European activity in the field of the European Qualifications Framework, and the OMC cluster ‘Recognition of Learning outcomes; and,
• Interaction between developments in national, regional and sectoral systems and the EU level of activity.

Partners:

The EIESP is a member of the project team led by Tom Leney, Head of International Unit of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (UK).

Main activities:

The main activities are:

1. Focused literature review of the main policy and research conceptualisations of outcomes-based approaches.
2. Country analysis of policies and strategies based on secondary sources.
3. Survey to collect data and commentary directly from the points of contact in each country to complement the first phase of the analysis.
4. Analysis of the data and drawing out conclusions

Name of programme, funder or client:

CEDEFOP

Outcomes, reports/documents:

The final report is available on the CEDEFOP website:

Tom Leney, Jean Gordon and Stephen Adam, The Shift to Learning Outcomes; Policies and Practices in Europe, Cedefop, 2008 http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/etv/Information_resources/Bookshop/publication_details.asp?pub_id=525

For more information: Jean Gordon gordon@eiesp.org