The ECTS, Competences, and the Validation of Acquired Experience

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The ECTS, Competences, and the Validation of
Acquired Experience

• Paul Rousset and Atken Armenian French University
  in Armenia

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Key Terms

• Knowledge
• Competence
• Diploma
• Certification

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Competences

• Competences represent a dynamic combination of
  attributes, abilities, and attitudes. Fostering
  these competencies is the object of educational
  programmes. Competences are formed in various
  course units and assessed at different stages.
  They may be divided in subject-area related
  competences (specific to a field of study) and
  generic competences (common to any degree
  course).
• Source ECTS Users Guide, Directorate General
  for Education and Culture, Brussels, 2005 02 14
  p.45
• EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER AND ACCUMULATION SYSTEM
  AND THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/soc
  rates/ects/guide_en.pdf p. 45

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• In this presentation, it will be argued that
  competences are acquired in four ways
• 1. Classic approach (formal academic education)
• 2. Professional Training
• 3. Blend of Practical Professional and Academic
  education (e.g. sandwich courses that alternate
  academic training and professional experience)
• 4. Acquired experiences in a life-long process.

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Competence

• The possession of
• required skill(s),
• knowledge,
• professional capacity

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Attribute

• The Quality
• or Characteristic
• of a person

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Ability

• The power or capacity to do or act.
• It is a competence based on
• natural skill,
• training,
• experience,
• or any other qualification.

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Attitude

• Manner
• Disposition
• Feeling
• Orientation
• Tendency
• Position, etc.
• with regard to an educational outcome (skill or
  knowledge).

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• Credits in ECTS can only be obtained after
  successful completion of the (academic or
  professional) work required and appropriate
  assessment of the learning outcomes and
  competences achieved.

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• Learning outcomes are sets of competences
  expressing what the student will
• know
• understand
• or
• be able to do
• after completion of a process of learning, long
  or short.
• EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER AND ACCUMULATION SYSTEM
  AND THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
  http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/soc
  rates/ects/guide_en.pdf p. 4

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• An example of a subject specific competence in
  the field of History
• At the end of the course unit/module the learner
  is expected to demonstrate his/her ability to
  comment and annotate texts and documents
  correctly according to the critical canons of the
  discipline.
• EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER AND ACCUMULATION SYSTEM
  AND THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
  http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/soc
  rates/ects/guide_en.pdf p. 13

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• An example of a subject specific competence in
  the field of Physics
• At the end of the course unit/module the learner
  is expected to be able to describe and explain
  the function of the basic devices of
  optoelectronics optical fibres liquid crystal
  displays bi-polar and surface field effect
  transistors and MOS light emitting diodes.
• EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER AND ACCUMULATION SYSTEM
  AND THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
  http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/soc
  rates/ects/guide_en.pdf p. 13

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• An example of a generic competence
• At the end of the course unit/module the learner
  is expected to be able to demonstrate the use of
  information-retrieval skills effectively, in
  relation to primary and secondary information
  sources, including information retrieval through
  on-line computer searches.
• EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER AND ACCUMULATION SYSTEM
  AND THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
  http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/soc
  rates/ects/guide_en.pdf p. 13

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• LANGUAGE COMPETENCES
• LEVEL C2
• Can exploit a comprehensive and reliable mastery
  of a very wide range of language to formulate
  thoughts precisely, give emphasis, differentiate
  and eliminate ambiguity . . .
• No signs of having to restrict what he/she wants
  to say.
• LEVEL C1
• Can select an appropriate formulation from a
  broad range of language to express him/herself
  clearly, without having to restrict what he/she
  wants to say.
• Source The Common European Framework in its
  political and educational context p 110

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• LANGUAGE COMPETENCES
• LEVEL B2
• Can express him/herself clearly and without much
  sign of having to restrict what he/she wants to
  say.
• Has a sufficient range of language to be able to
  give clear descriptions, express viewpoints and
  develop arguments without much conspicuous
  searching for words, using some complex sentence
  forms to do so.
• LEVEL B1
• Has a sufficient range of language to describe
  unpredictable situations, explain the main points
  in an idea or problem with reasonable precision
  and express thoughts on abstract or cultural
  topics such as music and films.
• Has enough language to get by, with sufficient
  vocabulary to express him/herself with some
  hesitation and circumlocutions on topics such as
  family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and
  current events, but lexical limitations cause
  repetition and even difficulty with formulation
  at times.
• Source The Common European Framework in its
  political and educational context. p 110

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LANGUAGE COMPETENCES

• LEVEL A2
• Has a repertoire of basic language which enables
  him/her to deal with everyday situations with
  predictable content, though he/she will generally
  have to compromise the message and search for
  words.
• Can produce brief everyday expressions in order
  to satisfy simple needs of a concrete type
  personal details, daily routines, wants and
  needs, requests for information.
• Can use basic sentence patterns and communicate
  with memorised phrases, groups of a few words and
  formulae about themselves and other people, what
  they do, places, possessions etc.
• Has a limited repertoire of short memorised
  phrases covering predictable survival situations
  frequent breakdowns and misunderstandings occur
  in non-routine situations.
• LEVEL A1
• Has a very basic range of simple expressions
  about personal details and needs of a concrete
  type.
• Source The Common European Framework in its
  political and educational context. p 110

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• Not all learners are full time students enrolled
  in regular degree programmes. A growing number of
  adult learners follow stand-alone courses or
  modules, which may or may not be linked to formal
  qualifications, such as courses for Continuous
  Professional Development.

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• Masses of people possess valuable skills and
  competences acquired outside higher education
  institutions, through self study, work or life
  experience.
• There is no reason why non-traditional learners
  should not benefit from the transparency and
  recognition provided by ECTS.
• How can such diverse learning be expressed in
  credits and be considered towards a formal
  qualification (if so wished)?
• EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER AND ACCUMULATION SYSTEM
  AND THE DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT
  http//europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/soc
  rates/ects/guide_en.pdf p. 17

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• Validation in formal education and training
  settings
• Validation in the labor market (enterprises,
  eceonomc sectors, public organizations)
• Validation of voluntary and civil society
  activities (youth organizations, community
  learning)
• Aim may be to re-integrate individuals into
  education and training settings, the labor market
  and society at large.
• Source Common European Principles for Validation
  of Non-formal and Informal learning EAEA News
  2004 04 02

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• Certification
• The process of formally validating knowledge,
  know-how and/or competences acquired by an
  individual following a standard assessment
  procedure. Certificates or diplomas are issues by
  accredited awarding bodies. Certification
  validates the outcome(s) of either formal
  learning (training actions) or informal/non-formal
  learning.

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• Formal Learning
• Learning that occurs in an organised and
  structured context. It is intentional from the
  learners point of view.

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• Informal Learning
• Learning from work-related, family, or leisure
  activities. It is neither organized nor
  structured and is unintentional from the
  learners point of view.

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• Non-formal Learning
• Learning which is embedded in planned activities
  not explicitly designated as learning (in terms
  of learning objectives, learning time or learning
  support) but with an important learning element.
• Learning is intentional from the learners point
  of view.

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• Principles of Validation 1
• Purpose of Validation
• Make visible and give value to qualifications and
  competences - irrespective of where these have
  been acquired.
• May be formative or summative.

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• Principles of Validation 2
• Individual Entitlements
• Must serve the needs of individual citizens.
• Transparent
• Fair
• Private
• Based on social dialogue
• With right of appeal
• It is the property of the individual

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• Principles of Validation 3
• Responsibilities of Institutions and Stakeholders
• Must provide guidance and support
• Provision of information, guidance and
  counselling
• Provide legal and practical basis
• Should recognise non-formal acquisitions of
  competences

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• Principles of Validation 4
• Confidence and Trust
• Transparency of Procedures and Criteria
• Well-defined standards and procedures
• Clear and Accessible information on conditions
  and methodologies used
• Clearly articulated requirements to ensure high
  reliability
• Accessible information regarding standards

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• Principles of Validation 5
• Impartiality
• Confidence and trust
• Code of conduct and professional competence of
  assessors their roles and responsibilities.

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• Principles of Validation 6
• Credibility and Legitimacy
• All inclusive process of all stakeholders
• No single predominating influence
• Safeguard impartiality and full participation of
  all parties.

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• THANK YOU