The return of behaviourist epistemology: A review of learning outcomes studies

Learning outcomes as a concept has encountered a revival since the beginning of the Bologna process in 1999. The concept itself has a longer history with its roots in the behaviourist tradition of the 1960s. The goal of this review is to study how the historical roots of learning outcomes are noted in current research articles since the launch of the Bologna process and whether the concept of learning outcomes is used critically or uncritically. The review of 90 articles shows that the behaviourist tradition is still evident in the 21st century research with 29% of the articles directly and 11% indirectly referring uncritically to the respective publications or to the behaviourist epistemology. Only a minority of the articles, i.e. 8%, was found to be critical towards the behaviourist meaning of learning outcomes.</p

Kompetenzdefinition und Curriculumsentwicklung durch Anwendung von EU-Instrumenten

ZusammenfassungHintergrund und Anlass des in diesem Beitrag beschriebenen Erasmus-Plus-Projekts TecCOMFrame ist die europäische Situation bei der Aus- und Weiterbildung im Bereich Technische Kommunikation. Zu den wichtigsten Projektergebnissen zählen die Entwicklung eines akademischen Kompetenzrahmens, Prototyp-Curricula für Bachelor- und Masterstudiengänge und für Vertiefungsrichtungen sowie eine internationale Berufswebseite zur Projektdissemination. In diesem Beitrag wird an Hand des Demingkreises mit den Phasen „Plan - Do - Check - Act“ gezeigt, wie zur Projektdurchführung, Ergebniserarbeitung und Qualitätssicherung systematisch vorhandene EU-Instrumente eingesetzt und so strategische Ziele der EU im Bereich der Bildung adressiert und umgesetzt wurden. Außerdem sollen die Projektergebnisse durch die Übertragbarkeit und Wiederverwendbarkeit der Methodik nachhaltig bei vergleichbaren Aufgabenstellungen genutzt werden können.Schlüsselwörter: Curriculumsentwicklung, Bologna-Instrumente, Technische Kommunikation, Demingkreis, Projekt TecCOMFrame__________Defining competence and developing curricula using EU instrumentsAbstractThe current European situation in the field of training and further education in Technical Communication provides the background for the Erasmus-Plus project TecCOMFrame described in this contribution. The project aims at developing an academic competence framework, prototype curricula for bachelor’s and master’s programs as well as specialization streams based on that framework, and an international website for the profession intended for project dissemination. In this contribution, it will be shown by means of the Deming cycle comprising the phases „Plan - Do - Check - Act“, how the project execution, delivery of results and quality assurance are based on existing EU instruments. It is also exemplary illustrated how by doing so strategic goals of the EU in the area of education are addressed and implemented. Moreover, in view of the transferability and reusability of the method, the project results are intended to be used in a sustainable way for similar assignments.Keywords: Curricula Development, Bologna Instruments, Technical Communication, Deming Circle, TecCOMFrame Projec

Knowledge management within recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning

Ovaj rad nastao je u okviru razvoja nacionalnog sustava kvalifikacija u Republici Hrvatskoj unutar kojeg do danas nije osmišljen niti implementiran podsustav priznavanja i vrednovanja neformalnog i informalnog učenja. Njega bi pak prema preporuci Vijeća Europske unije članice Europske Unije trebale uvesti do 2018 godine (Council of the European Union, 2012) i to slijedeći koncept „jednake vrijednosti“ kvalifikacija stečenih vrednovanjem s onima stečenim u formalnom obrazovanju. Ovaj novi teoretski koncept uveden krajem 2012 predmetnom preporukom vijeća EU predstavlja novi zahtjev koji EU države trebaju uzeti u obzir pri dizajnu i implementaciji svojih modela priznavanja i vrednovanja neformalnog i informalnog učenja. Njegovom implementacijom i čvrstim naslanjanjem na kvalifikacijski okvir i u njemu propisane standarde, stvara se osnova za prepoznavanje tacitnog znanja kod kandidata vrednovanja te njegovu pretvorbu u eksplicitno znanje kao i kodifikaciju tako prepoznatih čestica znanja korištenjem hijerarhijskog višedimenzionalnog sustava kodiranja definiranog kvalifikacijskim okvirom. Model sustava upravljanja znanjem pri vrednovanju neformalnog i informalnog učenja predložen ovim radom temelji se na dizajnu i provedbi deset izvornih znanstvenih istraživanja (šest kvalitativnih i četiri kvantitativna) koja su obuhvatila više od 2000 ispitanika i ključne dionike u procesu razvoja i upravljanja sustavima zapošljavanja i obrazovanja. Kao rezultat predmetnih istraživanja i proučavanja najboljih svjetskih praksi i EU preporuka razvijeni su dijelovi modela upravljanja znanjem koji osiguravaju vezu modela na eksterne referentne sustave poput budućeg registara HKO, registra ljudskih potencijala ili budućeg ESCO registra. Razrađeni su i opisani elementi organizacijskog i upravljačkog (interni i nacionalni) modela uspostave sustava upravljanja znanjem kod vrednovanja neformalnog i informalnog učenja uz stavljanje naglaska na pitanja poput provedbe provjere znanja, nužnih kadrovskih uvjeta te korištenja ishoda učenja i standarda propisanih unutar registara HKO. Kao potpora uspostavi sustava dizajniran je i model informacijskog sustava i to tako da njegov model podataka bude usklađen sa informacijskim zahtjevima koji proizlaze iz opisa elemenata modela sustava upravljanja znanjem kod vrednovanja, da može koristiti adekvatne sustave šifriranja (postojeće i buduće) kako bi dao podlogu uklapanja u druge relevantne nacionalne sustave, da dio informacija koje prikuplja mogu poslužiti kao temeljni registar vrednovanih čestica znanja ili dijelova kvalifikacija te da prepoznaje moderne koncepte interoperabilnosti i omogućuje otvorenost prema razvoju aplikativnih informacijskih rješenja kod budućih ponuđača vrednovanja.This doctoral thesis has been prepared within the process of National Qualifications System development in Republic of Croatia, where subsystem for validation of non-formal and informal learning has not been conceptualized or implemented. Accordingly to the Councils’ of European Union Recommendation (Council of the European Union, 2012), EU member states should by 2018 implement systems for validation of non-formal and informal learning using “equal value” between qualifications awarded as a result of formal programs and those awarded as a result of validation. Stated new theoretical concept introduced at the end of 2012 through Recommendation poses new regulatory requirement that should be taken into consideration in design and implementation of validation systems throughout Europe. Implementation of “equal value” concept together with the strict use of National Qualifications Frameworks and its Standards build foundation for recognition of Tacit knowledge of validation candidates and its transformation into explicit “knowledge particles” coded using hierarchical multidimensional coding system introduced through NQF and its domains (sector, volume, levels,…). Knowledge management model for support of validation, which is introduced through this dissertation, has been founded on design and pursuance of ten original scientific researches (six qualitative and four quantitative) which included more than 2000 relevant participants and key policy stakeholders within educational and labor market development contexts. As a result of stated research results, extensive scientific literature review as well as EU implementation recommendations and requirements, elements of knowledge management model has been designed, developed and proposed. They take into account link to external referent systems such as CRO QF register, future Human Resources register and future ESCO register. Elements of organizational and governance (internal and external) model of the system have been conceptualized, putting emphasize on questions and topics such as: learning assessment, staffing requirements and use of learning outcomes and assessments standards defined within CRO QF. As a support subsystem to the knowledge management model of validation, model of IT system have been also developed and proposed. Its data model is fully coherent with informational requirements originating from validation elements, while it also uses adequate coding systems (current and future) as a foundation for interconnection to other relevant national systems. Furthermore, part of the data and information acquired within the validation process are envisaged to populate future basic register of validation results, holding certified “knowledge particles” of each individual, as part of their full or partial qualifications and as a support to their career development. Proposed IT solution has been designed and modeled to be fully open to third party solutions that might be developed by validation providers in the future