Dr Peter Whalley Marchmont Observatory University of Exeter Transferable Skills Developments within the UK and European Qualifications Frameworks Dr Peter Whalley Marchmont Observatory University of Exeter

Skills in a Global Economy “The success of individuals and businesses in a knowledge driven economy will depend upon the skills, creativity and imagination of our people … Lifelong learning and continuous re-skilling are essential to enable people to cope with change, achieve security in their lives and benefit from growing prosperity.” Opportunity for All in a World of Change (DTI & DfES 2001)

EU Definitions of ‘key competences’ Communication in mother tongue Communication in another language Competence in maths Competence in science and technology Digital competence Learning to learn Interpersonal and civic competence Entrepreneurship and cultural expression These should be acquired by the end of compulsory education and maintained through lifelong learning Last 3 have been integrated into the common reference levels as “Personal and Professional Competencies”

21st Century Skills “Agility at learning skills is what differentiates a 21st Century citizen and learner from a 20th Century citizen and learner…. The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn” Alvin Toffler, Rethinking the Future (2000)

21st Century Skills 20th Century 21st Century Number of Jobs held From 1-3 From 7-9 or more Job Requirement Mastery of one field or content area Flexibility, Adaptability and Ability to Learn Main Teaching Model Generally Single Subject-Matter Mastery Integration of 21st Century Skills into Multiple Subject-Matter Mastery

UK - Employability Skills Fundamental skills (literacy, numeracy, technology) People-related skills (communication, team-working, negotiating, customer service, leadership) Thinking skills (managing information, problem solving, planning, creativity, learning skills)

UK - Employability Skills Personal skills and attributes (enthusiasm, adaptability, motivation, loyalty, honesty) Business skills (innovation, entrepreneurship, commercial awareness) Citizenship skills and skills related to the community

Approaches to Development Role modelling Work shadowing Role play Self-directed Mentoring Coaching Training Teaching These skills are ‘context sensitive’ – so are approaches to their development

Approaches to Assessment Schools VET Higher Ed Teacher Judgement Has worked well – provides useful brief statements Limited due to less extensive ongoing student observation Portfolio Promotes importance of Employability skills, enhances learning, provides rich detail Workplace Assessment Has worked well in limited trials Has worked well Has not been used widely in the UK Assessment instruments Shown to be feasible, produces summary results

Formative v. Summative Assessment No winners or losers ETHOS Record achievement Informal MODE Formal Process ORIENTATION Outcome Holistic SCOPE Atomised Deep LEARNING STYLE Instrumental Feedback REPORTING STRUCTURE Assessment ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING VS ASSESSMENT FOR RECORDING

Qualifications “.. A qualification is anything that confers official recognition of value in the labour market and in further education and training, so a qualifications system includes all aspects of a country’s activity that result in the recognition of learning.” (OECD, 2007)

UK Examples C&G Profile of Achievement OCR Certificate in Preparation for Employment C&G Certificate in personal, team-work and community skills ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness Edexcel BTEC in Skills for Employment C&G Personal and Professional Development Awards GQAL Personal Employability achievement and Reflection for Learning (PEARL) Awards Levels range from pre-entry to L4 (University Degree Equivalent) Some of these are taught programmes (e.g BTEC) others are embedded (PEARL) Assessment methods vary wildly

The UK context QCA – NQF to CQF Awarding Bodies SSCs/Leitch Review DfES/DWP/DTI Wales and Scotland –ACCAC/SQA

UK Qualification and Credit Framework 8 Levels Unit and Credit-based National Occupational Standards 14-19 Diplomas Generic or ‘Core’ components

EQF Consultation Meta Framework for translation from NQFs Credit Transfer and Accumulation Quality assured by national systems Success will depend on trust between international users & coordination between national Ministeries

Current Position 33 countries consulted 6 have NQF (France, Ireland, Spain, Malta, and separate frameworks in England, Wales and Scotland) 3 will NOT be developing NQFs (Finland, Cyprus, Norway) 24 remaining countries in the process or have expressed intention to develop Interest developing wold-wide, with NQFs in place or being established in more than 20 other countries Czech NQF should be in place this year, Romania also developing

Definitions Training and Development Assessment Qualifications Equivalence & Transferability

Dr Peter Whalley Marchmont Observatory University of Exeter School of Education and Lifelong Learning St Luke’s Campus Heavitree Road Exeter EX1 2LU UK p.a.whalley@exeter.ac.uk www.marchmont.ac.uk