Transnational co-operation in education to promote innovation !

Transnational co-operation in education to promote innovation! Past and future visions! PROMISE Conference, Prague, 16 Sep. 04 by Yves Beernaert, Consultant EDUCONSULT / KHLeuven

Useful websites & studies • European cooperation in education 1976 – 1994, Eurydice • Lisbon strategy web http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/2010/et_2010_en.html • Innovating schools, OECD 1999 • Comenius 1 evaluation reports: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/comenius/evaluation_en.html • Networks of innovation, OECD 2003 • Integrated programme in the field of lifelong learning: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/newprog/com4_en.pdf

Visions of the past: EU projects in EDUCATION: 1976 - 2006 • 1976: Resolution: 1st action programme education • 1987: ERASMUS • 1988: Resolution Eur. dimension • 1989: Decision Eur. Parliament: TEX • 1989: LINGUA (action 4) • 1992/3: Maastricht Treaty: article 126 (now 149) • 1992 - 1994: MSP pilot project schools • 1995: SOCRATES I ( COMENIUS): 14 March 95 • 2000: SOCRATES II: 24 January 2000 • 20007: one integrated programme

The Lisbon European Council23-24 / 03 / 2000: ITS VISION ! The European Union is to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion

Innovation in educationVision in education • What is an innovative school? • How do projects contribute to innovation in education?

What is an innovating school?Innovating schools: OECD 1999 1. Innovative Learning environment for pupils 2. Caring environment 3. Profess. development staff, heads, teachers 4. Promotion of active (global) citizenship 5. Internationalisation + networking 6. Links with community (parents, Companies, NGO etc.)

Innovating schools 1. Innovative Learning environment for pupils 2. Caring environment 3. Profess. development staff, heads, teachers 4. Promotion of active (global) citizenship 5. Internationalisation + networking 6. Links with community (parents, Companies, NGO etc.)

1. Innovative learning environment • Creation of innovative learning environment • Active acquisition of competencies and skills • Responsibility for learning: lifelong learning skill • Learning versus teaching; teacher = learning counsellor / facilitator teacher = a coach • Co-operative, interactive, self-directed learning • Interdisciplinary & cross-curricular approaches • Flexible learning pathways

Innovative learning & teaching environment • Active use of (LWUTL) languages • Use of ICT + virtual mobility / virtual learning • Forging personal attitudes • Value of cooperation: team-building / team work • Intercultural, social, egalitarian, ecological activecitizenship • Promotion science and technology

Eur. projects enhancebasicskills • Communication Language skills • Problem-solving Intercultural skills • Decision-making Conflict management • Organisation Time management • Presentation Team work / building • Entrepreneurship Research-mindedness • Active learning Pro-active behaviour

Eur. Projects enhancebasicattitudes • Co-operation / understanding / peace • Respect / openness foreign languages / • Tolerance / intercultural awareness • Empowerment / Self-esteem / confidence • Active Eur. citizenship / dialogue • Equality / social cohesion / sustainability • Awareness of history, memory, identity

2. Caring environment European project work • changes relationship pupils and teachers/ staff • facilitates full development of all potential • impacts on counselling and guidance • promotes inclusion and avoids thus exclusion • develops trust and confidence, the basis for a violence free (school) environment

3. Innovative professional development of staff European projects promote: • physical mobility teachers, heads, staff : widening pedag, & personal horizons • Eur. in-service training for teachers and staff • Eur. joint curriculum development • integration Eur. dimension in curriculum • placements in companies: entrepreneurship

Innovative Professional development staff • Expertise in project management • Evaluation : self-evaluation (external and internal evaluation) as a key for quality management • Creation of new Eur. support structures in schools: resource centres, virtual networks of teachers • European benchmarks • European peer teaching, team teaching, shadowing • The reflective teacher and action research

Professional development leading to school development • Exchanges of school management approaches • Shadowing of heads of schools • Joint development of pedagogical methodologies • Joint development of strategies to tackle specific issues: intercultural school, violence at school peer education • School as alearning organisation

4. Promotion of active citizenship • Through physical and virtual mobility of pupils • Involvement in peer led projects and activities • Through active running and taking responsibility for projects • To be involved in European activities with fellow pupils sharing responsibility for outcome • Taking responsibility for their learning

5. Internationalisation and networking • Creation of school partnerships • Involvement in all sorts of Networks and Eur. Organisations: e.g. Schoolnet • Involvement in Comenius 3 networks • Linking up schools, with teacher education, universities, adult education centres etc. • Networks at regional, national, European (Comenius) and global networks (ASP)

Functions of networksNetworks for innovation; OECD 2003 • Political function: meeting with like-minded • Information function: exchange of relevant information • Psychological function: empowering of isolated individuals • A skills function: acquisition of skills not offered by peer learning

6. Links with the local community • with other educational organisations • With parents’ associations • With NGO’s • With social and cultural organisation • With local, regional authorities • With companies and enterprises • With social partners • With local community as such

to • tap into expertise and learning opportunities • facilitate access to education • enhance social inclusion • promote active citizenship actions • share educational and other resources • interaction with companies (placements, leadership training etc.) • companies supporting infrastructure, buildings • etc.

Innovative achievements COMENIUS • Schools become learning communities • Integration of European dimension in purpose, vision and mission of school • Enrichment of the pedagogical project • Impact on social + professional status teachers • Improvement school climate and culture • Regional public policyto promote regional development • Awareness of creation of European educational space and European Community

European projects and EU policy in education European projects contribute to policy in the field of education and training as defined by EU Ministers of education? The detailed work programme !

THE framework of reference = The 2002 Detailed Work programme on the concrete future objectives of education

2002 Detailed Work programme on the concrete future objectives of education Three strategic objectives 1. Improve quality and effectiveness of education and training systems in EU 2. Facilitating access of all to education and training 3. Opening up education and training to the wider world

Strategic objective 1 Improve quality and effectiveness of education and training • Improve education and training of teachers and trainers • Develop skills for knowledge society • ICT access for all • Increase interest for scientific and technical studies • Make best use of resources

Strategic objective 2 Facilitate access of all to education and training systems • Crate open learning environments • Make learning more attractive • Support active citizenship, equal opportunities and social cohesion

Strategic objective 3 Opening up education and training to the wider world • Strengthen links with working life, research and society at large • Develop spirit of enterprise • Improve foreign language learning • Increase mobility and exchange • Strengthen European co-operation

The INNOVATIVE TEACHER Policy developments in teacher education* • Define the profile of an innovative teacher • Innovative partnerships between schools and teacher education • Action research-based teacher education • Quality in teacher education • Changes in school organisations and in working conditions • Active role of all stakeholders *http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/2010/doc/working-group-report_en.pdf

Vision towards the future • Integrated action programme in the field of lifelong learning • 6 programmes • From 2007 – 2013 • Link with TEMPUS

Integrated action programme for education and training • 4 specific programmes: • Comenius • Erasmus • Leonardo • Grundtvig • 1 Transversal programme: • Policy issues • Language learning • Innovative actions in ICT • More substantial dissemination • 1 Jean Monnet programme

Some characteristics • A simpler programme • Greater use of lat rate grants & scales of unit costs • Simpler application forms and contracts • Co-financing in kind • Simplified documentation on capacity beneficiaries • A more decentralised programme • More actions administered through NA : • rate of occurrence of the activity. • small-scale actions or addressed to individuals, not requiring full selection at European level • actions addressing needs specific to individual MS

Conclusion European and international dimension in education promotes • quality of education through innovations in learning and teaching • active European citizenship • employability of youngsters • social cohesion • NICT Study report 96: Challenging Europe through education and training

Thank you for your attention! • Good luck in your European projects!

Transnational co-operation in education to promote innovation !