Digital Skills Gap Peer Learning Activity - Croatian competence framework for teachers in higher education

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Croatian competence framework

for teachers in higher education

Prof. Aleksandra Čižmešija

University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science

[email protected]

ET2020 Working Group Digital Skills and Competences

PLA#7: Supporting educators for innovative, open and digital education

Zagreb, 7-8 December 2017

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Rationale - international and national context

Enhancement of the quality and relevance of learning and teaching inHE is recognized as:

• the first goal of the Yerevan Communiqué (2015)

• an important goal of the Croatian National Strategy for Education, Science andTechnology (2014)

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Rationale - international and national context (2)

In order to create:

• a framework within the Croatian HE system that would improve teaching andlearning environment in HEIs

• a national policy framework for development of academics’ teachingcompetences and empowering student centered learning,

and to support Croatian national endeavours,

Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia has launched anErasmus+ 3/KA3/ project in 2016:

Emphasis on Developing and Upgrading of Competences for Academic Teaching (Educa-T)

Educa-T project general information

• duration: 15 June 2016 – 14 June 2018 (24 months)

• target groups: academic staff, management of HEIs, students, Ministry ofScience and Education staff, experts in teacher training and quality of teachingand learning

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Educa-T project priority themes

The project has the following priority themes and results:

• creating legal and policy preconditions for improvement of teaching andlearning in Croatian HE

• developing policy recommendations for CPD and capacity building ofacademic staff at national and institutional level

• defining a national competence framework (profile)

• developing a curriculum framework for the enhancement of teachingcompetences as a basis for the continuing professional development ofacademic staff

• raising awareness about importance of quality teaching and learning in HE

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Analysis of existing practices and experiences in quality

teaching and CPD of academic teachers in the Croatian HE

• A prerequisite for deeper understanding of needs of HE community in

Croatia

• carried by the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb

The Analysis has shown that:

• most Croatian HEIs included issues of developing quality of learning and

teaching in their strategic guidelines and action plans, but the institutional

frameworks by which these determinants are implemented are not sufficiently

developed

• the management of HEIs focuses on quantitative indicators of the quality of

learning and teaching, and in most cases only student surveys are conducted

regularly and systematically

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Analysis of existing practices and experiences in quality

teaching and CPD of academic teachers in the Croatian

HE (2)

The Analysis has shown that (continued):

• most HEIs emphasize the application of modern technologies in learning and

teaching as well as support for different forms of online learning and the

application of contemporary teaching methods based on problem solving

through interactive workshops

• more emphasis needs to be shifted towards student-oriented teaching and

providing a necessary support to teachers to facilitate modern teaching

methods.

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Thematic PLAs as awareness-rising Educa-T project activities

• two-day workshops for academic staff and management and other

stakeholders in HE

– about the importance of enhancing the quality and relevance of learning and

teaching in the Croatian HE

• opportunity to learn from national and international experts about their

experience and best practices in different topics

– student-centered learning, use of learning outcomes, employability and

graduate tracking, lifelong guidance…

• two PLAs so far: on recognition of prior learning and e-learning (January

2017, Zagreb); on assessment of learning outcomes and educating the

educators (May 2017, Rijeka)8

Thematic PLAs as awareness-rising Educa-T project activities (2)

• two PLAs so far:

– on recognition of prior learning and e-learning (January 2017, Zagreb)

– on assessment of learning outcomes and educating the educators (May

2017, Rijeka)

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Educa-T working group activities

• central roll of in the project

• experts from six Croatian public universities

• Policy recommendations for CPD and capacity building of academic staff

at national and institutional level (by February 2018)

• National academics' competence profile and Curriculum framework for

teaching competence enhancement (by June 2018)

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Educa-T working group activities (2)

• Focus groups and workshops (September 2017 - January 2018)

– at least 8 one-day workshops for presenting, testing and justifying

ideas with relevant stakeholders, including young lecturers

– held at different Croatian HEIs

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Croatian competence framework for teachers in HE

• The national academics' competence profile

The following competence areas have been identified and described:

• Mastery of academic discipline in service of teaching

• Professionalisms and professional development of HE teachers

• Planning and curriculum development in HE

• Learning and students

• Instructional planning, organization and implementation

• Assessment and self-assessment of student achievements

• Mentorship

• Application of new technologies in teaching

• Communication ad social skills12

Two

examples

to be

explained

in more

detail!

Croatian competence framework for teachers in HE (2)

Each competence area is described in three dimensions:

• Professional knowledge and understanding

• A HE teacher knows and understands...

• Professional skills

• A HE teacher is able to...

• Professional attitudes

• A HE teacher should...

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Example 1. Mastery of academic discipline in service of

teaching

A HE teacher knows and understands:

• key concepts, processes and models, and the corresponding terminology

within a certain scientific discipline

• interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity

• research methodology

• criteria for selecting valuable knowledge and knowledge valuable for teaching

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teaching (2)

A HE teacher is able to:

• apply the underlying concepts and terminology in the context of certain course /

study programs

• approach interdisciplinary to relevant issues

• apply methodology in research from her / his scientific discipline

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teaching (3)

A HE teacher should:

• raise awareness of the importance of knowledge and understanding of

fundamental terms and concepts in the context of specific courses / study

programs

• advocate an interdisciplinary approach in teaching

• advocate a scientific-research and critical approach in teaching and learning

• motivate students and collaborators to conduct and improve research in the

course / study programs

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Example 2. Application of new technologies in teaching

Four particular areas of expertise are emphasized:

• search, organization and analysis of digital data and content

• communication, interaction and sharing of digital information and content

• development and customization of digital educational content

• security, health and environmental issues in the digital environment

Each of them is described in terms of professional knowledge and

understanding, skills and attitudes.

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Example 2. Application of new technologies in teaching (2)

Search, organization and analysis of digital data and content


• concepts, strategies, techniques, and digital tools and services for searching,

organizing and analyzing digital data and content for the purposes of teaching,

research and professional work


• find, select, organize and analyze relevant digital data and content effectively and

efficiently for the purposes of teaching, research and professional work


• have developed a critical attitude towards the relevance, credibility and reliability

of digital data, content, tools and services18


Communication, interaction and sharing of digital information and content


• possibilities and limitations of digital technology to communicate and interact and

share information and content for the purposes of teaching, research and

professional work


• effectively communicate, collaborate and share digital educational and

professional content with students and other teachers through appropriate

computer tools, services, and network platforms

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Communication, interaction and sharing of digital information and content


• demonstrate openness towards communication, interaction and sharing of

educational content in the digital environment, respecting the appropriate ethical

codes and understanding of generational and cultural differences

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Development and customization of digital educational content


• digital resources (equipment, tools and platforms), strategies and techniques for

the development and customization of digital educational content and for

problem solving in teaching, research and professional work


• create new and adapt existing digital educational content to improve the

teaching and learning process

• develop student competences to solve the problems in the profession by

selecting and using the appropriate digital technology

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Development and customization of digital educational content


• follow the basic aesthetic principles in shaping digital educational content

• continue to improve their digital competence and adapt teaching styles to new

technologies

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Security, health and environmental issues in the digital environment


• security risks and threats in the digital environment

• the impact of the production and use of digital technology on health, energy and

the environment


• systematically and promptly implement effective procedures, tools and services

for the protection of digital devices, data and content, including student and

educational information

• effectively use digital technology, taking into account basic ergonomic principles,

energy consumption and environmental impacts23


Security, health and environmental issues in the digital environment


• consistently respects ethical principles, copyrights, licenses and other legal

regulations in the field of digital technology

• advocates for safe, healthy and sustainable use of digital technology

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Educa-T current activities

Development of the Curriculum framework for teaching competence

enhancement in HE

• one-year and 60 ECTS programme for academic staff

Organized in three parts (modules), 20 ECTS each:

• the first module is intended for academic staff at the early stage of their

academic career

• the second and the third module are intended for further enhancement of

academic teaching competence

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Curriculum framework for teaching competence

enhancement in HE

The first module (20 ECTS)

Professionalism and professional development in higher education (2 ECTS)

Students and learning (4 ECTS)

Assessment of learning outcomes (4 ECTS)

Digital competencies in higher education (2 ECTS)

Teaching process in higher education (8 ECTS)

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enhancement in HE (2)

The second module (20 ECTS)

Curriculum in higher education (6 ECTS)

Professional communication (3 ECTS)

Academic profession (2 ECTS)

E-learning systems in higher education (2 ECTS)

Mentorship (3 ECTS)

Academic discipline and teaching laboratory (4 ECTS)

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enhancement in HE (3)

The third module (20 ECTS)

Research methods in education (8 ECTS)

Final thesis (12 ECTS)

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http://educa-t.hr

http://public.mzos.hr

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: +385 (1) 4569 000; 4569 043