Proposal for a Simplified SES for Bulgaria Yochka Tsakova Magda Kirsch

1. Proposal for a Simplified SES for Bulgaria Yochka Tsakova Magda Kirsch

2. Documents read • Regulations for drafting the SES • Procedures for drafting the SES • Methodology for drafting the SES • Template for SES • First stage Report on Upgrading standards in Bulgaria • Yochka Tsakova, From skill to competence, Sofia, • Standards from Bnl., Bfr., IRL, etc. • Learning: Objectives,Competencies, or Outcomes?R.W. Hartel and E.A. Foegeding, 2004.

3. Trends in standards • Better articulation with the labour market • Closer collaboration with industries • Standards but also QF expressed in terms of learning outcomes • Simplification of standards, • Integration of evaluation tool in the standard • Importance of career progression, • Importance of student guidance, • Link with NQF, • Use of credits, • Greater flexibility, • Partial qualifications

4. Better articulation with the labour market • Before drafting the standards a number of questions should be asked • What are the needs of the labour market? • Can education (formal, non-formal, informal) meet the needs of the labour market? • Are the graduates from VET prepared for the labour market? • Thus ensuring the employability of VET students.

5. Better collaboration with industry/the world of work • In drafting the standards • Upgrading the standards • Implementing the standards • In assessment • Certification • Quality control

6. Implications of these trends • Modularisation and flexibilisation of VET (as is already the case in some VET schools in Bulgaria – PHARE-project), • Use of ECVET credits, • New methodologies in education such as project-based learning, work-based learning etc. • New assessment methodologies, adapted to these new didactical approaches • Growing importance of QA with the stress on self-evaluation.

7. Implications of these trends for BG • Bulgarian documents read are very consistent and form an excellent basis for the drafting of the standards. • The methodology is very clear and logical. • The SER is a very robust document • Recommendation to keep existing framework for SER • Recommendation to simplify, to avoid overlap and to go towards a learning outcomes approach.

8. Concepts used in enhanced SER • Learning objective - A very general statement about the larger goals of the course or programme. • Competency - A general statement detailing the desired knowledge and skills of student • Outcome - A very specific statement that describes exactly what a student will be ableto do in some measurable way. A competency may have several specific learningoutcomes so a course typically contains more outcomes than competencies

9. Parts of the SER 1.Access 2.Profile of the vocation – Brief description 3.Objectives of training/Training goals 4.Learning outcomes 5.Evaluation and certification system 6.Requirements towards the facilities 7.Requirements towards the trainers 8.Reviewing and updating procedures

10. Cover page Recommendation to add: • Level • English translation of the vocation/profession (towards the Europass certificate supplement) • ECVET/national credits awarded for the qualification/credit once they have been introduced in Bulgaria.

11. 1. Access • Vocational field + Title of the vocation + specialities • Entry level – preferred educational level or reference to recognition of prior (experiential) learning • Level of the profession + EQF • Health requirements: brief description

12. 2. Profile of the profession • Brief description of the profession and of the the sector including a reference to the possible professions that can be exercised according to the BG list of professions + translation in English • A separate, more detailed document will continue to exist describing the sector, profession(s) and the future (needs) of the sector. This should be the responsibility of the sectors concerned.

13. 3. Training objectives/goals 3.1. The key competencies gained during the general compulsory vocational training –standardized for all occupational areas are mentioned. • Respect health and safety regulations • Use information equipment and technologies • Use communication skills • Work in team, • Show entrepreneurial skills • Have knowledge of the economy and of the profession • know labour legislation • Communicate in foreign languages • Have psychological knowledge

14. 3. Training objectives/goals 3.2. The basic and specific competences for performance of the assignments from the vocation’s profile; A general statement detailing the desired knowledge and skills of student, A competency may have several specific learning outcomes. These learning objectives or general goals of the course/programme are in fact the summary of the main professional competences needed to exercise a profession upon successful completion of the training.

15. 4. Learning outcomes • A learning outcome is written so that itcan be measured or assessed. Thus, learning outcomes are the basis for an assessmentprogram that focuses on what student can do either upon successful completion of acourse or upon graduation from a program. • A good learning outcome will have the following characteristics: It will have a verb that identifies what action the student should beable to perform. It will also denote the conditions under which thestudent should demonstrate mastery. • A good starting point for writing learning outcomes is Bloom’s taxonomy

16. 4. Learning outcomes • Table 1—Bloom’s taxonomy (Bloom 1956) • Keywords • I. Knowledge: remembering information Define, identify, label, state, list, match • II. Comprehension: explaining the meaning of Describe, paraphrase, summarize, information estimate • III. Application: using abstracts in concrete Determine, chart, implement, situations prepare, solve, use, develop • IV. Analysis: breaking down a whole into Point out, differentiate, distinguish, component parts discriminate, compare • V. Synthesis: putting parts together to form a new Create, design, plan, organize, and integrated whole generate, write • VI. Evaluation: making judgments about the merits Appraise, critique, judge, weigh, of ideas, materials or phenomena evaluate, select

17. 4. Learning outcomes: example • Unit /module 1: Food safety and health conditions • To achieve this unit the learner should be able to :

18. Specific Recommendations 5. Evaluation and certification system Main Recommendation: Assess integrated competences : Therefore • Not only final exam but also permanent evaluation should be part of the evaluation process; • It is very important that reference is not only made to theory and practice but also to projects and work placements/ internships asthe latter are of enormous importance in e.g. hospitality; • The term theory-based is to be preferred over theory • Percentages between the different parts of the evaluation cannot be the same for different professions and different levels.

19. 5. Evaluation and certification system • The learning outcomes are the statements describing exactly what a student will be able to do in a measurable way. Thus, they are the basis for the assessment that focuses on what a learner can do upon completion of a course or program. •  Exams should be in accordance with MES state exam requirenments and once addopted by MES they will be integral part of the Standards (SER).

20. 6./7. Requirements onfacilities and teachers 6. Requirements towards the facilities • Can be maintained or combined with 3; • Should take into account new ways of learning; • Can refer to facilities in industry and work placements as schools will not always have the latest equipment. 7. Requirements for teachers • Reference could be made to regular in-service training for teachers and to collaboration with industry.

21. Thank you for your attention !