CAOP Research Jo Scheeren MSc Marjolein van Dijk … Research Jo Scheeren MSc Marjolein van Dijk MSc Lifelong learning of pupils and teachers in the Netherlands 2 Publication: Sectorbestuur

Lifelong learning of pupils and teachers in the Netherlands

CAOP Research

Jo Scheeren MSc

Marjolein van Dijk MSc

Lifelong learning of pupils and teachers in the Netherlands

CAOP Research Jo Scheeren MSc Marjolein van Dijk MSc

Lifelong learning of pupils and teachers in the Netherlands 2

Publication: Sectorbestuur Onderwijsarbeidsmarkt (SBO) (the Dutch Council of

Social partners in the education labour market), The Hague Authors: Jo Scheeren, MSc Marjolein van Dijk, MSc

CAOP Research, The Hague Office address: Lange Voorhout 13, 2514 EA The Hague, The Netherlands Postal address: PO Box 556, 2501 CN The Hague, The Netherlands Telephone: 0031 70 376 5770 E‐mail: [email protected] Website: www.onderwijsarbeidsmarkt.nl © SBO, December 2011 No part of this publication may be reproduced and/or published, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, the internet or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.


Table of contents 1. Content of the project 4

2. Findings 7 A. Framework of concepts 7 B. The competences that pupils need 8 C. The competences that teachers need 10 D. The teachers' own ability for lifelong learning 11

3. Examples of good practice 15 De Nieuwste School, Tilburg 15 De Lucas Academie, The Hague 16

4. Conclusions 17

5. Recommendations 19

Annex 20


1. Content of the project Background The European Commission propagates and promotes lifelong learning from cradle to grave. In order to be able to learn and to continue learning throughout life, competences need to be acquired at every age. In the Netherlands, lifelong learning mainly focuses on adults who are active in the labour market rather than on young people. However, young people also need such competences in order to be able to learn throughout life. When acquiring these competences, their teachers play a key role.1 Teachers therefore need to: - have acquired these competences themselves as part of their basic training; - have acquired the skills to pass on these competences to their pupils in primary and

secondary education2; - have opportunities for lifelong learning throughout their careers, through continuous

professional development, for example. What is the situation in the Netherlands with regard to competences for lifelong learning among pupils and teachers in primary and secondary education? And what is the position regarding the continuous professional development of teachers? To investigate this, in 2010 the Sectorbestuur Onderwijsarbeidsmarkt (the Dutch Council of social partners in the education labour market, or SBO for short) applied for a subsidy from the European Commission for the ‘Lifelong learning of pupils and teachers’ project3. The Commission granted the subsidy because it considered this topic highly relevant. The power of the project is that Dutch stakeholders in the field of lifelong learning have been involved in the methodology and concept development from the moment that the project was initiated. In particular five Dutch organisations committed themselves to be an associated partner and have contributed to the project from the beginning. These organisations were the following:

• LOBO - National council of the directors of teacher training for the primary education sector

• ADEF - National council of the directors of teacher training for the secondary and tertiary education sector

• Expertise Centrum voor Leren van Docenten - Centre of expertise ‘Learning of Teachers’

• LEARN! Research Institute, Faculty of Psychology & Education, VU University Amsterdam

• AVS – National association of school managers in primary and secondary education. The project lasted for one year and this report was drawn up as a final publication. All the details relating to the project can be found on SBO's website: http://www.onderwijsarbeidsmarkt.nl under the heading ‘Leven lang leren van leerlingen en leraren’ [Lifelong learning of pupils and teachers]. Furthermore, information on the project was also published in SBO's monthly newsletter. Project objective This project aims to investigate the connection between: - the competences that pupils in primary and secondary education need in order to be able

to prepare for lifelong learning; - the competences that teachers themselves need in order to teach their pupils these

competences;

1 European Commission (2007), Key Competences for lifelong learning. 2 The Council of the European Union (2010), Competences Supporting lifelong learning, and the new skills for new jobs initiative. 3 This project is financed with the support of the European Commission. The authors bear sole responsibility for this document; the Commission cannot be held liable for the use of the information contained therein.


- the competences that teachers may acquire in this respect during initial teacher training and through continuous professional development, either formally or informally.

At the European level, the ministers of education in the Education Council also stress coherence between teachers' competences, their initial training, continuous professional development, and lifelong learning: ‘No course of initial teacher education, however excellent, can equip teachers with all the competences they will require during their careers. Demands on the teaching profession are evolving rapidly, imposing the need for new approaches. To be fully effective in teaching, and capable of adjusting to the evolving needs of learners in a world of rapid social, cultural, economic and technological change, teachers themselves need to reflect on their own learning requirements in the context of their particular school environment, and to take greater responsibility for their own lifelong learning as a means of updating and developing their own knowledge and skills. However, there is evidence that some teachers still have too few opportunities to participate in continuous professional development programmes, while a significant number of those who do have such opportunities feel that these programmes are not always sufficiently relevant to their individual needs and the challenges they face.’4 The project also devotes special attention to professionalisation and continuous professional development for older teachers. This is an important topic given the large-scale ageing and outflow of teachers in the Netherlands. In this respect, the project is also ahead of the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations in 2012. The opportunity of lifelong learning and having the competences that this requires is also of paramount importance for pupils who fall behind at school at an early stage. They will then be given and can seize new opportunities for further development throughout their lives, also after initial education. Attention has also been focused on this group. Presentation of the questions in the project The following main questions were formulated in the project: 1. What competences do pupils in primary and secondary education need in order to be

able to prepare themselves for lifelong learning? 2. What skills do teachers need to be able to offer pupils the prospect of lifelong learning,

and to teach it to them? 3. To what extent do teachers have an opportunity for continuous professional

development? Tools To be able to answer these questions, the following tools have been applied: • A brief exploratory literature study: as an initial explanation of concepts relating to

competences for lifelong learning and preparatory to the expert meeting. • An expert meeting attended by 20 experts who focused on the following questions:

- What competences do pupils need to be able to learn throughout their lives? - What competences do teachers need to transfer such competences of lifelong

learning to pupils? • In-depth interviews with experts: any outstanding questions and questions that still

required more detailed answers were submitted to the experts. Teachers' opportunities for continuous professional development were also discussed.

• On 10 November 2011, a concluding meeting with stakeholders was convened, with presentations of the findings up to that time, and two examples of good practice. Next, the participants were given the opportunity to table and discuss their own findings, after

4 European Union: Council conclusions on the professional development of teachers and school leaders of 26 November 2009 (Official Journal 2009/C 302/04)


which they discussed their options for the implementation of activities to improve the lifelong learning of pupils and teachers.

• Following the concluding meeting, this final report was drawn up to close the project. It includes all the findings that were tabled by the experts and stakeholders. The Dutch and the English versions of the final report, with the findings and first initiatives for implementation in the Netherlands, will be distributed among stakeholders in the Netherlands and Europe.

Marker This report contains the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the literature study, the expert meeting, in-depth interviews with experts, and the concluding meeting. These findings are presented on the basis of a brief framework of concepts and the three main questions in the project, followed by the main conclusions and recommendations. The annex contains a list of all the organisations that contributed to one or more phases of the project.


2. Findings In this section you can read more about the framework of concepts for this report. We then outline the findings on the basis of the three main questions: 1 What competences do pupils in primary and secondary education need in order to be

able to prepare themselves for lifelong learning? 2 What skills do teachers need to be able to offer pupils the prospect of lifelong learning,

and to teach it to them? 3 To what extent do teachers have an opportunity for continuous professional

development?

A. Framework of concepts In this framework we distinguish: - lifelong learning competences in Europe; - lifelong learning competences in the Netherlands; - a description of the learning-to-learn competence. Lifelong learning competences in Europe The European Commission has defined eight key or core competences that are crucial for lifelong learning. These key competences are: • communication in the mother tongue; • communication in foreign languages; • mathematical competences and basic competences in the field of science and

technology; • digital competence; • learning competence (learning-to-learn competence); • interpersonal, intercultural, social and civil competences; • entrepreneurship; • cultural awareness.5 The following concepts play a role in each of the eight key competences: - critical thinking; - creativity; - initiative; - problem-solving capacity; - risk assessment; - decision-taking. Lifelong learning competences in the Netherlands In the Netherlands, too, the key focus area is that pupils need to have fundamental basic skills (key competences) such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and ICT skills. After all, these key competences are a prerequisite for continued learning. When reference is made in the Netherlands to lifelong learning, the specific focus is usually more emphatically on the 'learning-to-learn' or the learning competence. While this competence is not always defined as such, its individual elements often are, such as self-direction, the ability to direct your learning process, learning strategies, etc. Description of the learning-to-learn competence The learning-to-learn competence involves the capacity to start and to continue with a learning process. People should be able to organise their own learning process, both individually and in groups. The competence comprises: - awareness of one's own learning process and needs; - identification of the available options; 5 European Commission (2007) Key Competences for lifelong learning


- the ability to overcome obstacles to successful learning. The learning-to-learn competence implies that learners build on previous learning and life experiences so as to use and apply the acquired knowledge and skills in a wide range of situations (at home, work, in education and training). For this competence a positive attitude is of paramount importance. The learning-to-learn competence assumes that individuals: - know and understand which learning strategies they prefer; - acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses in their own skills and qualifications; - are capable of finding the available opportunities for education, training, study advice and

supervision in order to make a targeted choice from the learning opportunities. This requires the ability: - of efficient self-direction of the learning process, career and work patterns, and daily life; - to persevere with learning; - to concentrate over longer periods of time; - to consider the educational goals critically. Within the framework of the learning process it is also important that learners are capable of: - working together with others; - benefiting from a heterogeneous group; - sharing what has been learned with others; - reflecting on their own results, and seeking advice, information or help, if necessary. A positive attitude involves the motivation and self-confidence to make lifelong learning successful. A problem-solving oriented attitude supports: - learning as well as the ability to handle obstacles and changes; - the curiosity to look for learning opportunities; - the desire to adapt learning and life experiences to a wide range of life situations. The educational goals for learning-to-learn competences generally include: - the ability to convert competences that are required in one's professional situation and/or

daily life into one's own study situation; - the ability to plan a learning activity that is consistent with one's own learning style; - the ability to reflect on one's own learning process; - the ability to reflect on one's own qualities, challenges, and pitfalls. The learning-to-learn competence involves: continuous formal, informal, and non-formal learning.

B. The competences that pupils need What competences do pupils in primary and secondary education need in order to be able to prepare themselves for lifelong learning? Learning-to-learn competences of pupils Experts agree that learning-to-learn competences are about becoming aware, motivated and inspired to continue learning throughout 'life's career path' and, at the very least, involves: - personal inspiration; - maintaining an inquisitive attitude towards learning; - knowledge, skills, and the right attitude for learning new things. Pupils need to learn this basic attitude in order to be able to learn throughout their lives. The essential thing is that they are aware of their own learning process and needs. Pupils need to know exactly how they learn and the positive aspects of learning. In addition, they need to realise that there are things they do not know, acknowledge what these are, and decide what


they would like to work on. It is important that their instinctive curiosity is maintained and stimulated. Teachers play a crucial role in: - challenging pupils; - maintaining their curiosity; - inspiring them; - stimulating them to be engaged in their own learning process.

The 'school career' represses curiosity Experts draw an image of children in primary education who are still curious but lose their sense of curiosity at some point in the years that follow. This can be partly explained by the life phase in which pupils are situated. For example, young adolescents have entirely different things on their minds. However, it is also about the way in which education is delivered and the type of school system, especially at secondary education level. In the current education system, the term accountability is constantly surfacing, and acquisition of learning competences is addressed in an instrumental way. Consequently, this education system is not equipped for maintaining natural curiosity or for lifelong learning. Learning is: continuous formal, non-formal, and informal learning Far too often, learning is still associated directly with formal education and insufficiently with non-formal and informal learning. Furthermore, it is also apparent that learning is often only associated with learning at school: you learn to obtain a diploma. Pupils do not realise that they are constantly learning, in any environment. It is important that they become aware of the fact that learning is an ongoing process. After all, pupils spend most of their time in their own social environment and only an average of 25 hours a week at school. It is therefore important that education also focuses on non-formal and informal learning, so that pupils become aware of how the things they have learned come back in everyday practice. By connecting formal and informal education, learning may also acquire a less negative connotation. Teaching pupils learning-to-learn competences How should learning-to-learn competences be taught? Or does one already have these competences and do they only need to be activated? In this respect, the experts that have been consulted differ in opinion. It has been observed that pupils usually have trouble articulating their own learning need. The question is also whether pupils are capable of assessing their own competences. They start to enjoy learning when they can apply the things that they have learned in practice. In order to be able to make this connection, the things they have learned should be more in line with the pupils' perception of their environment and everyday reality. The type of education they receive may play a role in improving this coordination. Impact of the form of teaching The form of teaching and the content have an impact on learning, such as project-oriented education, whereby subject matter is developed on the basis of everyday, practical situations. Some experts also indicate that meaning-oriented learning and teaching6 helps with transferring the learning-to-learn competence to pupils. One of the experts who was interviewed told about a study whereby excellent pupils were asked what aspects help them to learn, and what competences a good teacher should have. Good teachers challenge their pupils, especially from an intellectual point of view. It is about offering pupils the appropriate frameworks and asking them the right questions so they start to think about their learning process. This should be an integrated part of education as a whole.

6 Meaning-oriented learning: the pupil primarily focuses on the main points of the subject to be studied. He studies viewpoints, ideas and conclusions, makes connections, and also forms his own opinion. The pupils learn on the basis of personal interest.


Disadvantaged pupils According to experts, acquiring learning-to-learn competences is particularly appropriate for pupils who already have, or are at risk of having, a learning disadvantage. Their learning attitude and their ability to connect with their own learning style and context, enable pupils to acquire the required knowledge and skills even at a later stage. And this, of course, fits in the framework of lifelong learning.

C. The competences that teachers need What competences do teachers need to teach pupils lifelong learning? Teachers' competences Teachers should be able to activate, motivate and monitor pupils, develop tests, and assess them (what are they capable or not capable of). These are important competences to enable a teacher to teach pupils to learn learning. In addition, it is important that the teacher: - gears the subject matter to the pupils' context, which is essential to inspire and motivate

pupils; - keeps in mind that pupils should be able to use the things they have learned later in

society; - applies activating forms of teaching. The pupil or the teacher does not exist There is no such thing as 'the pupil'. There will always be an individual variability in learning, which teachers will need to take into account. Aspects such as age, ethnicity and gender have an impact on the pupil's learning curve. Insight into the child's different developmental phases is therefore crucial.7 More attention should be devoted to the learning process - and not only with a view to results. During the concluding meeting, a representative of teacher training institutions said that the question of 'how children learn' has a high profile in the field of teacher training but this can still be improved. According to another participant, in order to acquire more knowledge about aspects that are significant to learning to learn, teachers should be encouraged to study the learning process and how the brain functions. However, teacher training courses have little scope for this, and there is a growing body of opinion that the curriculum should be reduced instead of expanded. Continuous professional development may contribute towards filling this void. Individual variability also applies to teachers and has a major effect on their performance. The educational organisation still fails to take teachers' individual performance sufficiently into account. There is therefore a need for more (evidence-based) knowledge about the individual variability of teachers. More focus on learning process and learning strategies Experts are unanimously of the opinion that education in the Netherlands focuses too much on results and insufficiently on the learning process itself. More focus on the learning process should result in some pupils, who had a difficult start, eventually achieving the same level as the quicker ones. The same applies to teachers: the regular education system mainly focuses on learning outcomes, while it should focus more on the learning process, learning motivation and the use of learning strategies. Little focus on transfer of learning-to-learn competences at teacher training institutions Some experts feel that teacher training programmes do not devote enough attention to learning strategies and pupils' learning processes. Every teacher should have this knowledge so that learning strategies become part of each lesson. Teacher training focuses too much on basic skills and basic knowledge, which reduces the focus on a broad-based professional

7 Jelle Jolles (2011). Ellis en het verbreinen. Over hersenen gedrag & educatie. Amsterdam-Maastricht, Neuropsych publishers, second revised and extended edition.


attitude among teachers. One positive aspect is that teacher training institutions are working on forms of peer feedback: they stimulate their students to give each other feedback and to express their opinion about each other's quality. This is an essential form of teaching. Another useful approach is to introduce a research line, an exploratory attitude among teachers. Teacher training institutions are now creating such research lines, using academic schools as examples of good practice. New teachers are learning to adapt and apply these methods in the learning-to-learn concept, and it is assumed that they also transfer them to pupils. Little focus on informal and non-formal learning at teacher training institutions As indicated earlier, it is important that education devotes more attention to informal and non-formal learning. Teachers should also be able to identify this within themselves. However, a study has shown that not every teacher trainee recognises informal and non-formal learning.8 The participants in the study were students who had returned from a period of work experience and claimed that they had not learned anything. The study examined whether they had truly not learned anything or whether they were just unable to recognise their own learning process. It transpired that the students were unable to establish a link between the practical knowledge acquired in the workplace and the actual teacher-training subject matter. Meetings to identify learning outcomes do not always take place systematically but this is one of the tasks of the teacher trainers. They sometimes fail to realise adequately that prospective teachers learn informally outside the teacher training course and that these learning outcomes are valuable for the teaching profession.

D. The teachers' own ability for lifelong learning Has the teacher himself acquired the ability for lifelong learning during initial training and his/her further career? Continuous development Teachers have a role-model function. If they do not have the opportunity for or do not dedicate themselves to continuous professional development, to what extent will they then be able to pass the aspects of lifelong learning on to their pupils? According to the experts that have been consulted, for members of the professional group it should be obvious that they need to continue developing throughout their careers. This is part of the teachers' professionalism and it is their responsibility to keep their own quality up to standard. It cannot be right that teachers consider teacher training and perhaps an induction programme an adequate basis for a 30-year working career. A great deal can still be achieved in practice to this end. Continuous professional development too fragmented, insufficiently considered and incoherent Most forms of professionalisation lack a coherent learning pathway: the things that teachers learn throughout their careers are usually fragmented and varied.9 Furthermore, teachers' learning activities are often not planned very well. Recent doctoral research has shown that university graduates who become teachers in upper secondary education within a year fail to acquire the right attitude for continuous professional development after initial training.10 With continuous professional development it is very important to know in what phase of their careers teachers are situated, and what needs they have at that moment. It is recommended that continuous learning pathways are developed, based on the school's view and the teachers' learning needs.

8 Blom, S. (2011). Tel uit je winst! Wat leren leraren van een bedrijfsstage?, Learning Strategies Research group, publications from practice. Fontys Teacher Training Institute Tilburg, the Netherlands. 9 Klaas van Veen, Rosanne Zwart, Jacobiene Meirink & Nico Verloop (2010). Professionele ontwikkeling van leraren, ICLON, Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching / Expertisecentrum Leren van Docenten [Centre of Expertise 'Learning of Teachers']. 10 Endedijk, M (2010). Student teachers' self-regulated learning. Thesis: Utrecht University, the Netherlands.


Many providers with varying educational concepts Experts point out that there are many providers of continuous professional development as a result of which the programmes offered are incomprehensible and fragmented. Moreover, where and how these programmes are offered is also very varied: this could be by teacher trainers at the students' own training institution, by private institutions, or by universities. During the concluding meeting, a trade union official stated that it would be appropriate to investigate to what extent the current provision of continuous professional development meets the needs of teachers. According to some experts, institutions for continuous professional development try to stand out from each other with different educational concepts, but there is little evidence of their effectiveness. Empirical investigation is felt to be badly needed. Teachers do not always recognise the need for continuous professional development Teachers themselves should recognise the need for continuous education if specific knowledge is lacking or has become outdated. According to the experts who were consulted, teachers sometimes do not realise how significant lifelong learning is. They hardly ever study theory and are not stimulated to learn and continue developing professionally. The Dutch Education Council advised that all teachers should obtain a Masters degree within the first five years after their appointment.11 This led to many reactions from teachers in the sense of: 'But surely what we’re doing is already good enough?’ However, from the perspective of the quality of pupils' learning, ongoing professional development is badly needed, a number of experts believe. Having a say According to experts, developing expertise starts with teachers having a say. Having control of and a say in their own development will increase teachers' intrinsic motivation to learn. Although many schools develop effective initiatives in this area, there are also still many others that are making very little progress, if any. According to the experts, imposing development at a national level or 'from the top' will not have the desired effect. It is important to: - correlate better with the learning needs of teachers and, in this way, stimulate their

intrinsic motivation; - consider the teachers' individual learning pathways. If teachers are given more say in their development, this professional group may start to feel more responsible for the quality of its own profession. Need for an inspiring learning environment Schools can contribute significantly towards facilitating and motivating teachers in their professional development. Several experts feel that schools should mainly focus on the teachers' performance rather than on their learning activities. The school should be a powerful and inspiring learning environment for teachers. This involves many practical matters, such as: - providing time and scope for continuous professional development and for learning informally from peers; - effective supervision; - scope for experimenting; - the opportunity of putting the things learned into practice. Furthermore, an intellectually challenging environment, a clear educational view, and providing ample learning opportunities will contribute towards a learning environment that allows for ongoing learning and development.

11 Dutch Education Council (2011). Advies Naar hogere leerprestaties in het voortgezet onderwijs, submitted to the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, The Hague.


The experts identified the following elements of and conditions for a powerful learning environment at schools: • career development for teachers; • sound HRM policy; • a clear educational view; • an intellectually challenging environment; • a high level of autonomy and control; • a high degree of personal intrinsic motivation in combination with many learning

opportunities; • observing each other, learning together, and a learning organisation; • leadership: linking self-direction and the directing of others to a common vision of the

future of the school and the development of teachers; • confidence in, and appreciation, support and empowerment of teachers by school

management. Informal learning not always valued properly Experts pointed out that informal learning by teachers has no status within the school organisation, while this form of professionalisation is extremely powerful. Well-educated professionals acquire about 90% of their further development informally. The literature indicates that informal learning is a major vehicle for lifelong learning, developing continuously throughout one's career. It is important that schools offer teachers scope for informal professionalisation.12 Professional group's responsibility for its own quality According to some experts, in the Netherlands it is not universally accepted that teachers should develop professionally. In some other countries the situation is different, where professionalisation is linked to the terms and conditions of employment. In the Netherlands, professionalisation is still very much a personal choice but the formal side of professionalisation is gradually changing. Examples include the 'function mix' (differentiation of responsibilities and remuneration among teachers), the discussion about obtaining Masters degrees, the professional register of teachers, and the teachers' grant scheme (lerarenbeurs). There is increasingly more stimulus to encourage teachers to undertake ongoing personal development. This stimulus is important because experts have observed that the professional group sometimes does not feel really responsible for the quality of its own profession. The teachers' intrinsic motivation may be triggered by giving them more say and offering them opportunities for development. Furthermore, it is important that teachers dare to call each other to account for quality and development. According to some experts, this usually does not happen because of the culture of equality in Dutch education. Within the teacher group there is limited scope for hierarchy and informal leadership and teachers are hesitant to criticise each other. Some experts say that this means they give up a major part of their own professional responsibility. The teachers' grant scheme Experts consider the teachers' grant scheme a great success and the number of applications for a grant have by far exceeded the available budget. Free choice for teachers instead of imposed reform and compulsory courses are mentioned as reasons for its success. A positive aspect is that the teachers' grant scheme facilitates learning. An important critical note, however, is that the number of teachers who are awarded a grant are still a relatively small group of the total number of teachers. Professional register of teachers Does the register of teachers stimulate the professionalisation and attitude of teachers with regard to lifelong learning? The experts hold different opinions about this matter. They point

12 Martens and De Laat (2011), Professionaliseren op de werkplek, Onderwijsinnovatie, September 2011.


to the teacher's individual interests as opposed to the team's or the school's interests. Over the past few years the focus has been on professionalisation as a team. The introduction of the register of teachers means that teachers will be training as individuals. A major risk inherent in the register is that schools will abandon the school perspective of professionalisation, the quality of the team and the school, and will shift their attention to the individual teacher. Furthermore, another aspect that was highlighted is the difference between the statutory, formal way of stimulating teachers to learn and their intrinsic motivation. The statutory, formal way is through the register of teachers, for example. Teachers have to demonstrate their professionalism. There is also a register of teacher trainers which will be expanded, but is not yet compulsory. Teachers are obliged to demonstrate that they are good teachers, which may work for some and may restore professional pride. However, this will not trigger teachers' intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, there is a good chance that formal, statutory development through the register of teachers will compromise recognition of informal and non-formal learning by teachers. Differences between younger and older teachers in continuous professional development Older teachers are very experienced and knowledgeable, and have usually completed a higher level of education than the younger generation. However, older teachers also need to develop continuously in order to learn about and master every new facet of their profession. It is a question of improving the effectiveness of older teachers and their teaching and educational styles.13 Changes in their cognitive skills are not sufficiently taken into account. Older teachers are slower at processing information than when they were 25, but they compensate for this by a surplus in experience. During their careers, teachers pass through different phases and each phase is characterised by their own learning needs, concerns, and problems. One expert highlighted the fact that very experienced teachers often run into barriers because they: - have a lot of expertise which they are willing to share, but they are not always offered an

opportunity to do so; - often do not want to be part of the management team because they prefer teaching; - do not feel their practical knowledge is recognised. In the same way as senior staff in companies, older teachers should become part of an advisory council more often. Research is needed into educational interventions and the possible role of the older teacher within education, in order to make optimum use of their experience. Better integration into primary and secondary education From the discussions throughout the project it became clear that the terms 'lifelong learning' and 'learning-to-learn competence' are not common in and are still not an integral part of primary and secondary education, unlike vocational and adult education. The competences are recognisable and are usually described as competences but are not defined as such in the total concept of 'lifelong learning' and 'learning-to-learn competence'. They are usually separate elements and not components of a coherent set of educational goals and competences for lifelong learning.

13 Jelle Jolles (2011). Ellis en het verbreinen. Over hersenen gedrag & educatie. Amsterdam-Maastricht, Neuropsych publishers, second revised and extended edition


3. Examples of good practice In this section we discuss two examples of good practice from the concluding meeting, which have the explicit perspective of lifelong learning: - ‘De Nieuwste School’: a school for secondary education that does justice to independent

learning and learning to learn by pupils; - ‘De Lucas Academie’: a comprehensive school community with its own knowledge centre

where the staff's developmental needs and opportunities for meeting them are brought together within a learning organisation where people also learn from each other.

De Nieuwste School, Tilburg14 Principal idea Every human being is curious and the trick is to keep this curiosity alive. De Nieuwste School organises learning on the basis of the pupils' needs. Consequently, it is not the programme that is the focal point but the pupil's learning needs. What pupils want, who they are, who they want to become and would like to be, contribute to the active and effective development of knowledge. The principal idea behind De Nieuwste School is therefore: to build a relationship between the school and the pupils that will enable the pupils to develop their talents to the full. The aim is to provide pupils with all the tools for lifelong learning to enable them later on to find a place and to function optimally in society. Method De Nieuwste School makes use of learning areas which address all subjects, but not in the traditional way. The learning areas include: - science (biology, chemistry); - humanics (geography, history, social science, economy); - linguistics (modern foreign languages); - the arts (CKV for short - culture and the arts). In addition, lessons in numeracy (mathematics), literacy (Dutch), and, of course, gymnastics are offered. The teachers of De Nieuwste School keep a close eye on core objectives and attainment targets from a content-related point of view. They also monitor whether all learning domains are being addressed. The education focuses on what pupils need to know and must be able to do for the examination. De Nieuwste School offers pupils the opportunity of obtaining a diploma at VMBO-t, (pre-vocational secondary education - theoretical learning pathway), HAVO (higher general secondary education), or VWO (pre-university education) levels. The school-leavers comply with all central examination rules and regulations and will receive a normal diploma. The pathway to achieving a diploma, however, differs from that in mainstream education. Pupils are given the opportunity of defining their own educational pathway with the assistance of: - mentors (masters of the learning process); - experts (masters in a learning area); - tutors (supporters of the learning process). Pupils and supervisors are constantly challenged to perform to the maximum of their potential. Interaction with pupils involves optimum use of the staff's full range of professional expertise which leads to much more than pupils simply acquiring knowledge that is provided by others. The main outcome is that pupils develop competences (research, presentation, reflection, reliability, cooperation) that will be very useful to them in further and higher

14 In January 2004 a document was published entitled De Nieuwste School, ontwerp voor betekenisvol onderwijs (APS/OMO, 2004). In this document the developers - Ons Middelbaar Onderwijs en Algemeen Pedagogisch Studiecentrum - describe the story behind De Nieuwste School.


education and in society. Consequently, the pupils learn to adopt an exploratory attitude at an early age. De Lucas Academie, The Hague De Lucas Academie in The Hague is a rather new department of the broad-based Lucas Onderwijs comprehensive school. As a knowledge platform for and by the staff of Lucas Onderwijs, the academy contributes to development and professionalisation in education. It brings together every aspect of supply and demand in the field of education and training, knowledge and development, to enable the staff of Lucas Onderwijs (primary and secondary education levels) to develop and professionalise together with their colleagues. The academy: - looks for a suitable solution for the training needs of individual staff members; - identifies needs that are found at more schools or among more teachers; - organises training sessions, courses, workshops, one-day seminars, and conferences,

for example, to address these needs; - stimulates and supports knowledge networks which are organised by the participants,

who determine the agenda themselves. Starting points The Lucas Academie applies the following basic principles: • All professionalisation and development takes place for and by the school’s own staff. • The academy focuses on demand and practice by:

- responding to the developmental needs of staff and individual schools; - mediating for colleagues who wish to share their knowledge.

• The academy facilitates and stimulates informal learning by sharing knowledge through networks.

• By managing and taking charge of professionalisation, no external teachers need to be hired. This saves development costs.

• The academy is a knowledge centre where all trends in education are identified at an early stage.

Method in detail The staff of Lucas Onderwijs offer or make use of knowledge-based activities through the academy, which supports and facilitates them. The activities are organised professionally. Education brokers always conduct an intake to guarantee the quality, the school management then determines whether the activity meets the demand. All activities are concluded with an evaluation. The participants obtain a certificate for their competence file. It is about learning together, through and for each other, with the advantage that people develop themselves and others. This helps to keep educational staff motivated.


4. Conclusions

The project resulted in the following conclusions: • In Europe as well as in the Netherlands, the perspective of 'lifelong learning' is most

common in vocational education and training. This is far less the case in primary and secondary education, while acquiring competences for lifelong learning should also take place in these sectors of education.

• The terms 'lifelong learning' and 'learning-to-learn competence' are still not commonly used, let alone embedded in primary and secondary education. These competences are usually described but are not identified as such. This sometimes causes confusion about the terminology and its exact meaning.

• It is remarkable that lifelong learning for adults is usually placed in a vocationally-oriented context, while the opportunities for motivating and activating pupils in primary and secondary education to engage in lifelong learning are actually inherent in connecting with the pupils' individual perception of their environment and their social environment.

• The learning-to-learn competence involves becoming aware of the positive aspects of learning and motivation, inspiration and curiosity to learn. Does the learning-to-learn competence need to be acquired, or do we already have it and does it only need to be activated? Opinions differ in this respect.

• When pupils and teachers are learning, their individual differences and developmental phases should be taken into account.

• Pupils and teachers have great difficulty in defining their own learning needs and learning pathways. Learning to learn is about: becoming aware, assessing one's own competences, and acknowledging what is lacking.

• The teacher needs the following skills, among others, to transfer the learning-to-learn competence to pupils: - motivating; - applying stimulating and activating teaching methods; - monitoring and assessing; - bringing the subject into line with the target group's perception of their environment; maintaining a good contact. In addition, a broad-based general development is also important.

• Something else that is important is the different forms of learning, namely: formal, informal and non-formal. In this respect, teachers have a role-model function and should also be able to reflect on the various forms of learning and on what knowledge is still lacking,

• An inspiring learning environment is of paramount importance for pupils and teachers alike.

• A number of gaps can be identified in the field of continuous professional development of teachers: - The provision of continuous professional development programmes is

fragmented, lacks continuous learning pathways, and does not link up with the teacher's learning needs.

- There is often no empirical evidence as to whether educational concepts in continuous professional development are effective.

- Continuous professional development imposed by the school usually does not result in teachers becoming intrinsically motivated. According to a number of experts, teachers having a say in their own development is a prerequisite. Teachers need to recognise that they lack specific knowledge or that it needs to be supplemented, and acknowledge their own need for continuous development.

- School management usually does not utilise the potential and knowledge that teachers who continue to develop professionally can provide for their own organisation.


- Schools usually do not have the culture or the structure for teachers to learn from each other, or to offer them sufficient time for professional development.

- Schools usually think that continuous professional development mainly involves formal training, while studies have shown that teachers often also learn from peers (internal and external). The possibilities of peer feedback and other more informal and non-formal ways of learning should therefore be examined in more detail.

- The question is to what extent will the professional register of teachers contribute towards recognition of training? In this respect, the focus will probably be on formal training and not on various other forms of training, which will not be conducive to intrinsic motivation.

- Some teachers do not see the need for continuous professional development or for a profound study of theory. Continuous development should be self-evident for the professional group.

- Finally, it is important to take into account the different phases of the teachers' career, their learning needs and development opportunities.

• Furthermore, teachers usually only focus on formal learning and do not recognise the developmental possibilities of informal and non-formal learning.

• Some experts indicated that teacher training courses do not focus sufficiently on learning processes and strategies.

• Students at teacher training institutions do a lot of reflection, which some experts consider the right way to discover how far they have progressed in their competences. This also helps them to acquire some of the learning-to-learn competences.

• Experts indicate that it is important that teacher training institutions combine practice appropriately with a considerable portion of theory.

• The things learned during teacher training are not automatically acknowledged or welcomed in schools. New teachers are immediately included in existing systems with unwritten rules. As a result, they have no opportunity to put new forms of education into practice.


5. Recommendations

The following recommendations were drawn up on the basis of the study: • Define the concept of lifelong learning and, in particular, the learning-to-learn

competences. Integrate them better into the curriculums of pupils and of teacher trainees.

• Investigate the individual variability of pupils and teachers. In teaching, take better account of the individual differences in learning processes and strategies.

• Define a continuous learning pathway for the teacher, based on the school's views and the teacher's learning needs.

• Conduct an empirical study into the effectiveness of educational concepts in continuous professional development.

• Have teacher training institutions and schools enter into intensive collaborative ventures. Studies have shown that such ventures are really effective.

• Establish a research learning pathway at schools. In the same way as the academic school, this will contribute towards the ongoing development of knowledge among teachers.

• Investigate the extent to which the current provision of continuous professional development meets the needs of teachers. It is important to improve this connection.

• Investigate educational interventions and possible roles in education for older teachers in order to be able to make optimum use of their experience.


Annex People and organisations that contributed to the expert meeting, in-depth interviews, and/or the concluding meeting of the project. Name Organisation Annemarie Neeleman CBE-group

Consultancy organisation

Bianka Stege EFEE European Federation of Education Employers

Caroline Middendorp SBO / CAOP Centre for labour relations in the public sector

Christina van der Werf CVO Zuid-West Fryslân Secondary education

Cor van Dam SBO/CAOP Centre for labour relations in the public sector

Danielle de Jong VO Raad Social partner - employer organisation for secondary education

Dominique Hoozemans LOBO - Landelijk Overleg Lerarenopleiding Basisonderwijs National organisation for teacher education on primary level

Douwe van der Kooi Hogeschool van Amsterdam Higher education college

Ellen Sjoer Haagse Hogeschool Higher education college

Erna van Hest LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit

Frank Jansma De Onderwijscoöperatie The Dutch Education Cooperation

Freddy Weima SBO / CAOP Centre for labour relations in the public sector

Frans Mentjox VO Raad Social partner - employer organisation for secondary education

Hans van den Berg AVS – Algemene Vereniging Schoolleiders Social partner – union for school leaders

Ingrid Cloosterman Lucas Academie Education organisation for teaching staff

Irma van der Neut IVA Beleidsonderzoek en Advies Research Institute

Isolde van Roekel Kolkhuis Tanke Research and consultancy organisation

Jacobiene Meirink Expertisecentrum Leren van Docenten Centre of Expertise in Learning of Teachers

Jan Vermunt Centrum voor Onderwijs en Leren, Centre for Education and Learning, University of Utrecht

Jan-Pieter van Bruchem De Piloot School in secondary education

Jelle Jolles LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Research Institute, VU University

Joost Wormer

Judith Soons Nederlandse Onderwijsraad Dutch Education Council


Kees Schuur Hogeschool Inholland

Higher education college

Kim Verver SBO / CAOP Centre for labour relations in the public sector

Klaas van Veen Expertisecentrum Leren van Docenten Centre of Expertise Learning of Teachers

Leo Lenssen Lia van Alphen Ruud de Moor centrum

Research Institute

Loek Nieuwenhuis IVA Beleidsonderzoek en Advies Research Institute

Maaike Endedijk Universiteit Twente University of Twente

Marco Snoek Educatieve Hogeschool in Amsterdam Higher education college

Maria Michels De Nieuwste School School in secondary education

Marijke de Jager Stenden Hogeschool Higher education college

Marina de Bie Leonardo da Vinci Dutch European Agency

Marjolein van Dijk SBO / CAOP Centre for labour relations in the public sector

Mark Oortwijn Speel en werkhoeve School in primary education

Marlies van den Bel PO Raad Social partner - employer organisation for primary education

Myriam Lieskamp CNV Onderwijs Social partner - union for education sector

Patricia Gielen IVA Beleidsonderzoek en advies Research Institute

Paula Willemse IVA Beleidonderzoek en advies Research Institute

Quinta Kools Fontys Lerarenopleiding Tilburg Teaching education in Tilburg

Roderik van Grieken Nederlands Debat Instituut Dutch Debate Institute

Ruud Duvekot Hogeschool InHolland Higher education college

Sander Dankelman Lucas Academie Education organisation for teaching staff

Tamara Platteel Puur Professionalisering Consultancy

Wouter van Casteren ResearchNed Research Institute

Wouter van der Schaaf AOB – Algemene Onderwijsbond Social partner - union for education sector

P.O.box 556

2501 CN Den Haag

The Netherlands

T 070 376 57 70

F 070 345 75 28

Lange Voorhout 13

2514 EA Den Haag

The Netherlands

E [email protected]

I www.onderwijsarbeidsmarkt.nl

Documents

CAOP Research Jo Scheeren MSc Marjolein van Dijk … Research Jo Scheeren MSc Marjolein van Dijk MSc Lifelong learning of pupils and teachers in the Netherlands 2 Publication: Sectorbestuur