PEDAGOGINEN KOULUTUSOHJELMA 20012003

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CURRICULUM REFORM AND COMPETENCE DEFINITIONS AT
FINNISH UNIVERSITIES OF APPLIED
SCIENCES www.ncp.fi/ects
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WHAT IS ECTS?
European Commission. 2004. ECTS Users Guide.
http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/so
crates/ects_en.html5

• Student-centred system based on the student
  workload necessary to meet the objectives of a
  programme
• 1600 hours 60 credits per year
• 26.7 hours 1 credit
• Objectives specified in terms of learning
  outcomes and competencies
• knowledge (to know, to understand)
• practical skills (to be able to do, can do)

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THE FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM
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FRAMEWORK FOR CURRICULUM DESIGN
WORKING LIFE
STUDENTS
OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
CURRICULUM OF A DEGREE PROGRAMME
EUROPEAN LEVEL
POLYTECHNIC LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
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LEARNING PROCESS/COMPETENCE- BASED CURRICULUM
Students entrance level Prior knowledge, skills
and attitudes compared to core competencies

• Professional profile/core competencies
• subject- specific competencies of the degree
  programme
• generic competencies

LEARNING MATERIALS
RD
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
TEACHING PRACTICES
LEARNING PROCESS individual/community
COUNSELLING
STUDENT ASSESSMENT EVALUATION
LEARNING ASSIGNMENTS
FEEDBACK
Koli Siljander 2002 Tuning 2004
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TRADITIONAL VS. LEARNING PROCESS BASED CURRICULUM
At a job interview they will hardly ask you
What was taught to you? or Which
courses did you pass? but
What are you able to do? or What kind of
competence do you have?
Bastian Baumann, German student, member of
the ESIB Bologna Process Committee
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LEVELS OF CORE CURRICULUM ANALYSIS
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DESIGN OF THE LEARNING PROCESS BASED CURRICULUM
Wiers et.al. 2002
Laying foundations and organising the reform
process
Defining professional profiles and core
competencies
Implementing and further developing the
curriculum
Assessing the prior knowledge and educational
needs of future students
Evaluating and (re)designing the curriculum
Defining core contents, learning outcomes and
student workload at a course level
Determining curricular models and pedagogical
principles
Providing curricular framework for each year
(annual themes)
Constructing internal and external networks
Planning student assessment and counselling
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COMPETENCE ANALYSIS AT FINNISH UNIVERSITIES OF
APPLIED SCIENCES

• In spring 2006, the Rectors Conference of
  Finnish Polytechnics Arene ry commissioned
  field-specific groups to define the
  subject-specific and generic competences at
  Finnish universities of applied sciences
• It was suggested that the learning outcomes are
  defined using the competence distinction created
  in the project Tuning Educational Structures in
  Europe
• Subject-specific competences
• Generic competences
• Competences are to be understood as wide-ranging
  combinations of know-how composites of
  knowledge, skills and attitudes

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LEARNING OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCES IN STUDY
PROGRAMMES
Professional profile
2nd. cycle
Second-cycle learning outcomes defined in terms
of generic and subject-specific competences
Professional profile
1st. cycle
First-cycle learning outcomes defined in terms of
generic and subject-specific competences
Course/ unit
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COMPETENCE ANALYSIS AT FINNISH UNIVERSITIES OF
APPLIED SCIENCES
Motto Everything should be made as simple as
possible, but not simpler. Albert
Einstein The objective was to create such a
collection of competences that is easy to
comprehend, can be learned by heart and which
actually steers and directs teaching and learning
processes in practice.
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FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENCE ANALYSIS AND DESCRIPTION
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PROFESSIONAL PROFILE Degree Programme in Wood
Technology
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PROFESSIONAL PROFILE Degree Programme in Social
Studies
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USING MATRIX AS A CURRICULAR OUTLINE

• ECTS-system relies on pedagogical thinking where
  learning processes and learning outcomes are seen
  as a foundation for the curriculum
• Definitions of learning outcomes and objectives
  do not necessarily guarantee that they actually
  steer and direct teaching and learning in
  practice
• The curriculum should make students learning
  processes visible, i.e. it should illustrate
  students professional growth towards the desired
  learning outcomes in the degree programme
• The matrix used in Tuning project is the
  recommended model for curriculum outlines at
  Finnish universities of applied sciences
• The different stages of the learning process and
  professional growth are signposted by annual
  themes and annual learning objectives
• The studies should contain large enough modules
  and units and form a logical continuum each
  academic year

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LEARNING OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCES IN STUDY
PROGRAMMES
Example
Course or unit/ learning outcome
Competence A B C D E
F G H I F
Course 1
x x
x x x
Course 2
x x x
Course 3
x x
x
Course 4
X COMPETENCE IS ENHANCED AND ASSESSED AND IS
SET AS THE LEARNING OUTCOME AND OBJECTIVE OF
THE COURSE
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EXAMPLE OF THE MATRIX MODEL
X the competence is enhanced and assessed and
is one of the learning outcomes of the course
competence 10
competence 2
competence 3
competence 4
competence 5
competence 6
competence 7
competence 8
competence 1
competence 9
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PROFESSIONAL PROFILEForest products marketing
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Metsä- ja puutalouden markkinoinnin
koulutusohjelman osaamisjuonteet
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ANNUAL THEMES IN THE CURRICULUM Forest Products
Marketing
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STUDENTS PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Professional profile/core competencies
• subject-specific competences
• generic competencies

Students entrance level Prior knowledge, skills
and attitudes compared to the core competences
1
2
3
4
study years
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FROM ADMINISTRATION TOWARDS PEDAGOGICAL
LEADERSHIP

• Is the curriculum design mainly based on the
  needs of educational administration and
  administrative planning or students learning
  processes?
• Are the teachers, programme directors,
  administrative staff and superiors interested
  primarily on students marks and progress in
  studies or on what they actually learn and know?
• Is the main focus in supervising teachers work
  on knowledge management and leadership or on
  administering teaching practices?
• The perspective of learning and knowledge
  management does not remove the need for
  administration and institutional management! The
  matter is about what comes first.

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THE VISION FOR THE CURRICULA AT THE FINNISH
UNIVERSITIES OF APPLIED SCIENCES IN 2010
In 2010 a Finnish university of applied sciences
uses a curriculum which is feasible and has been
designed as an outcome of fruitful collaboration
and discussion. It supports the realisation of
the vision and strategy of the institution and
enhances learning of all stakeholders. The
curriculum illustrates and exemplifies how the
student should progress in studies and
professional development. It orientates towards
the future and aims at further development of
competences. It is founded on the needs of the
operational environment, surrounding region, its
industries and development. Furthermore, it takes
into account the realistic assessment of
students prior knowledge and skills as well as
the requirements for international cooperation.