Thematic Seminars ‘Learning Outcomes’ and ‘Teachers and Trainers’

'Learning outcomes are here to stay but a lot of work remains to be done'. The latest issue of the magazine includes interesting articles on the ECVET network's life and on the latest developments on ECVET.
By Thierry Lefeuvre, ECVET TEAM. Thematic Seminars ‘Learning Outcomes’ and ‘Teachers and Trainers’.
The first session in Catalonia in February 2014 launched this innovative approach to the thematic seminar. It included presentations on the topics of study, brief presentations on national systems by the participants and discussions in workshops to formalise a series of conclusions. The involvement of the participants is central to the seminar and from this point of view the success was total.
From the discussions two points of agreement emerged: the agreement of supporting the employability of learners in all systems but a more balanced opinion on the objective of responding to the immediate needs of employers. One discussion point was the importance of 'soft skills' appeared. Their importance was not in doubt, but they were insufficiently taken into account in training and assessments because of the difficulty of expressing them in terms of assessable learning outcomes when they relate to individuals’ behaviour.
National realities and cultures have an impact on the expectations of profes - sional training systems e.g. in the training or learning assessment strategies. Of course, in these seminars no judg - ments are made on any particular system. The goal is to identify how learning can foster dialogue and understanding; and create transparent systems which are positive and encourage a lifelong process of recognition, transfer and accumulation of learning. See more in ECVET Magazine No 18 (March 2014)...