EDC/HRE policies and practices based on research and evaluation Brief synthesis of recent research reports Simona Velea Senior Researcher, PhD Institute for Education Sciences Bucharest, Romania

Recent research studies related to EDC/HRE in Romania Teachers responsibility for moral and affective development of children (2011-2012) Evaluation research of the National Programme for Nonformal Education - A different kind of school (2013) Learning Participation and Participative Behaviour in School (2013) Students Culture and Learning (2014) Addressing school violence through EDC/HRE (2016) and extensive study on school violence (2017) Education of children under international protection (2017)

Data Reliability Representative sample, based on random sampling of schools and students/ teachers/ headmasters; Quasi-experimental approach: students attending EDC/HRE school based curriculum (optional subjects) and students /teachers who did not attend such subjects; Reliability check techniques - Action research

Common starting points Does the school prepare the children for their social life? Is this preparation possible unless providing strong civic and moral guidelines? Does the school provide an appropriate climate to support EDC/HRE? Do we know well enough the children needs? How teachers, as specialists of a particular subject, understand their role in relation to EDC/HRE? How can we explain the tehndancy to pass on the responsibility for EDC/HRE to other education actors? How nonformal learning can complement the formal education and how can it be better exploited? What are the benefits of EDC/HRE school based curriculum? 21st of June, Strasbourg

Overview of the research findings 1. There is a gap between intention and educational intervention. Teachers declares their interest in developing civic, social and emotional skills of their students. They describe a variety of learning activities related to civic, moral and affective education. BUT The means and methods for EDC/HRE, at school level, are not always fit for purpose. Eg. "responsibility" through reward, punishment, conditioning The school is focused on intellectual education (cognitive development). Teachers feel they are mainly in charge with teaching their subject.

2. The distance between the school values and family and society values. Social and institutional level: negative impact of media, poor social status of school and teachers, poor resources for education etc.; Family level: the resignation of parents, devaluing attitudes toward school / teachers, negative examples of behaviour etc.; School level: inconsistent values, the insufficient / incomplete training of teachers, unclear roles of teachers (fully assuming their subject aims, and less EDC/HRE). Students: more exposed to diverse information and to a challenging environment, more focused on the usefulness of learning...

3. Teachers are not (enough) prepared for civic, social and emotional development. The content and the way of providing the initial training for teachers is less effective than expected. Teachers need better skills for in-depth understanding of children’s attitudes and behaviors. There is also a need to clarify the roles of the teachers for supporting the civic, social and emotional development of the children. 4. The EDC/HRE school based curriculum (optional subjects) proved its effectiveness, but the overall contribution of school for prearing students for social life is still poor. Highschool students attending EDC/HRE related subjects (as optional subjects) are more prepared to take part in school and community life, more engaged in different associative activities.

5. Lasting weaknesses of EDC/HRE Focus on knowledge / theoretical approach; Textbooks not appropriate for students interests and needs (too academic, high-level content, lack of attractiveness of knowledge, not enough relevant for students everyday life) EDC/HRE is part of core curriculum for primary and lower secondary education; the need for continuous learning in upper secondary level 6. The added value of the national programme for nonformal learning better communication teachers-students; friendly and secure learning climate; stimulating collaboration (teachers, students) and partnerships for education (NGOs, companies, other institutions, parents etc.)

Evidence based policies and practices Continuation of the national programme for nonformal learning and its improvement. Ensuring continuous learning opportunities for EDC/HRE in the framework of the new national curriculum (mandatory subject in lower secondary ed, plus optional subjects) In-service teacher training programmes. National strategy for reducing school violence. Still needed: coherence of all educational media (formal, nonformal, informal) - appropriate ITT changing of teaching practices and the learning environment (hidden curriculum in favor of EDC/HRE)