ERIC ED542552: Study Visits Unlocking the Potential for Better Education and Training in Europe

2013·0.54 MB·English

by  ERIC

Some first-hand stories
Organisers state: Participants state:
EN EN
We used the study visits programme to present Never have I believed that the experience acquired during a study visit
The study visits programme for education and vocational training specialists,
our innovative methodology on the soft competences could change my life or offer a new vision towards cooperation, partnerships and
part of the lifelong learning programme (2007-13), is an initiative of the
toolkit to experts of other Member States. As a result modern education. It was a brilliant experience that expanded my professional
European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture.
we developed [transfer of innovation] projects and Cedefop coordinates the programme at the European level, whereas the Study visits: and cultural horizon. After the visit, I kept contact with participants in order to
now our toolkit is transferred to Belgium (Flanders), national agencies implement the programme in the participating countries. cooperate on European projects. We developed a socio-educational project, ‘Let’s
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, unlocking break the silence’ for preventing violence among young people. […] I offered
Portugal, Romania, Spain and Turkey. real support at local and regional levels as far as a school-parents-local authority
Overview of the survey the potential
partnership is concerned. […] My activity was acknowledged in my town and I was
REGIONAL COUNSELLING INFORMATION CENTRE, CZECH REPUBLIC, 80
Participants Organisers 4 elected local councillor and appointed headmistress at my school. I continue to
A STUDY VISIT ORGANISED IN 2010 Number 5 E for better education
Year ofv isstiutsdy pNaurtmicbipear notfs quNerusetmcioebnievnera doirfe s oNrugmanbiesre orsf quNerusetmcioebnievnera doirfe s N - TI-31-1 and training promote and disseminate experience from EnglandA Nth EaDUt ChAeTIOlpNe CdO OmRDeIN.ATOR FROM ROMANIA
2008/09 246 2 532 983 no survey 2-3
7
2009/10 230 2 360 995 222 110 0-E in Europe
N
2010/11 243 2 723 1 154 270 131 -C
Results of our study visit fed into the national Total 719 7 615 3 132 492 241 My participation in the study visit on regional cooperation in adult education
reform on external evaluation of schools and in Sweden brought a lot of new ideas, which were transferred to the German
monitoring of school provision. We identified gaps A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on context, both at national and local levels. Three areas were important: bringing
the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu).
in our former evaluation and monitoring activities together different vocational training centres, partly even competitors, at
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.
and introduced new methods and tools (lesson management level; a common market approach to provide training and cooperation
observation, self-assessment, and risk-based Luxembourg: with industry. A steering group was established at national level for now 17
Publications Office of the European Union, 2013
analysis) inspired by examples of good practice from vocational training centres (“Bildungsinitiative Handwerk”). Different chambers of
© European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2013
other countries. skilled crafts and trades joined in a national project with focus on creating methods
All rights reserved.
for common development of training products with heterogeneous partners.
Designed by Fotone – Greece
PORTUGUESE INSPECTORATE OF EDUCATION,
STUDY VISITS ORGANISED IN 2009 AND 2010 Printed in the European Union
A MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE CHAMBER OF CRAFTS HAMBURG, GERMANY
It is difficult to see how On my return, I spoke to responsible policy-makers in our region about the
ideas I was going to apply at my school. We received better support from regional
we each could have had
authorities and the school’s visibility improved. We have modified our education
offer: apart from the government-funded courses, we started courses funded by
this experience without
companies to prepare future workers based on company needs. We also have
created a professional guidance department and now our work is similar to an
the study visit!
employment office as we try to find jobs for our graduates.
A DIRECTOR OF A VOCATIONAL EDUCATION CENTRE, SPAIN
Multifaceted benefits Changing education and training Increasing European cooperation
Who benefits? How does change come about? Almost 60% of organisers confirmed that after the study visit something Participants and organisers become more aware of European cooperation
[Observing teaching practice I learned so much that my It was very interesting to Most beneficial was meeting
changed in their organisations. Hosting a study visit led to introducing new in education and training (72% of participants and 77% of organisers) and
in Romania] highlighted the benefit Between 2008 and 2011, 7 615 people from 33 countries received a grant vision of education has changed The visits make participants more aware of priorities of European policy and learn how the same issue is dealt potential partners and securing a
methods and ways of teaching and learning, improving management and get more involved in international cooperation (46% of participants). Many
of reflecting on one’s own system from the EU to take part in 719 study visits organised in 29 countries. The completely; I am now a different the principles and tools that govern education and training across Europe. with in different parts of Europe and partnership that then resulted in
providing better professional development for staff. organisers (73%) found that after hosting a visit, staff of their institutions
and [allowed] to see one’s work visits were hosted by around 500 education and training institutions and person and a different teacher’. some solutions were actually very a successful Leonardo mobility
For example, 53% of participants and 65% of organisers reported becoming became more interested in international exchange and cooperation, which
in a new light’. organisations; 97% of participants and 96% of organisers reported that they A PEDAGOGICAL ADVISOR more aware of lifelong learning strategies in the EU and in Member States, interesting to try to implement in my W hat do policies gain? project’. would potentially lead to more active involvement of their institutions in
were satisfied with their study visits. country. On the other hand, I could
A HEAD TEACHER FROM AUSTRIA FROM SPAIN while 28% of participants reported better knowledge of European tools, Study visit participants bring examples of good policies and practice to the A PROJECT COORDINATOR FROM UK cooperation.
realise that my country is also
But what did they do with their new knowledge and experience after the visit? such as the European qualifications framework (EQF) and Europass.
attention of their local, regional or national policy- and decision-makers.
Cedefop surveyed both participants and organisers to find out (1). doing many positive things that I The study visit is over. What next?
Most participants and organisers learned about good practices for
could share with others’. About 58% of participants and more than half of organisers shared their
What is most beneficial? supporting new teachers, continuing professional development of teachers, Contacts that participants and organisers establish during a visit continue
experiences with policy- and decision-makers at local level; 35% of
making vocational training more attractive, and better cooperation between A CITY COUNCILLOR FROM PORTUGAL well beyond and develop into partnerships.
The biggest benefit that participants reported was the opportunity to meet participants and 46% of organisers did so at regional level. About 17% of
education and training and the world of work.
knowledgeable and motivated professionals from several countries for a participants and more than one third of organisers brought their experiences About 51% of participants and 60% of organisers use their new contacts
few days of intensive discussions. Most felt they could not otherwise have Respondents became better aware of: to national level (33.2%). to establish cooperation between institutions and more than 30% of both
gained access to such a wealth of knowledge about education and training 100 In countries with decentralised systems the effect on education and training cooperate to develop a cooperation project proposal. More than 85% of
The educational experience i n Europe. 90 can be significant. About a third of participants and about 16% of organisers participants and organisers continue to keep in touch and exchange
we focused on was something Directors of schools and head teachers most valued the opportunity to 80 said they made suggestions about existing policies, and most concerned professional information with their groups.
completely different from my establish contacts, cooperation projects and partnerships for their schools, 70 local and regional education and training policies.
To be effective, mobility of 60 The best proof of relevance and value of study visits is that, after
country and it posed some and to set up exchanges for their students and teachers. They also valued teachers should result in improved 50 Policy suggestions ranged across the entire spectrum of education and My school has enlarged participating, both hosts and guests become champions of the programme.
challenging questions to most of being able to discuss issues of school leadership, and community outreach teaching practice and benefits for 40 training, from increasing school autonomy and cooperation with social its network of European schools,
the participants […] The Austrian with peers from other countries. 30 partners and the world of work through developing creativity, ICT and soft Most study visit organisers (88%) are willing to host another visit in the
students’. social partners and stakeholders
experience was quite different and Similarly, head teachers and teacher trainers benefited from learning 20 skills, language learning and adult education. to cooperate with, and as a result, future. Participants of study visits propose that their organisations host a
inspiring in some ways’. AN EDUCATION INSPECTOR 10 study visit, while former organisers go to other countries as participants to
AN EDUCATION EXPERT FROM TURKEY f Rroempr tehseeirn ptaeteivrse sh oowf olothcearl ,c oruengtiroiensa dl eaanl dw intha ctioomnaml oanu itshsoureisti.e s reported FROM FRANCE 0 education examples lifelong EU benchmarks W ho brings about change? tjohien eMdi nuisst riny ao fE Eudruocpaetaionn p irno jMecatl’t.a learn more about their topics of interest.
and training of good practice learning in education
All categories of study visit participants are chosen for their ability to affect
learning much at system level: how schools, vocational education and systems in Europe in other countries strategies A TEACHER TRAINER FROM MALTA
education and training policy and practice. They are (average participation
training and adult learning systems work together in other countries. Taking
participants organisers rates): Respondents increased European cooperation
part in visits or related activities allowed them to explore policy options in
• directors of education and training institutions (16.4%); 100
greater detail with their European peers, and discuss solutions to common
After the study visit, 98% of participants shared their learning experiences • head teachers and teacher trainers (25.6%); 90
Meeting colleagues from p roblems. with their management, colleagues and other professionals. Meeting policy-makers and • representatives of local, regional and national authorities (10.6%); 80
different countries, visiting Employers - owners of small and medium-sized enterprises – reported As a direct outcome of the visit, 57% of participants proposed changes to those responsible for implementing • representatives of trade unions and employers’ associations (5.5%). 70
smocnah enonyo tlprser oapjnreedcn tgese uatrtnsindhg ipi nt oiwti aaktnsiv ovewes r syo tthhaetir tchoemy pbarnoiuegsh.t back ideas on how to improve learning and training in to oneT choinugnstr yth aarte s peeermfe c‘imtlyp ossible’ iimmpprleomvee nwtoerdk. of their institutions. In most cases (85%) these changes were paoultihceyn ptirco veixdpeedr iae nbcroea odf ahnodw the Toof gaell thpearr titchiepya nretsp rceosmeen t fraonm im omrgeannsisea ptioontesn wtiaitlh f omr ocrhea tnhgaen: 5m0o erem tphlaony eheasl,f 654000
inspiring. The list of good practices implemented in another’. Proposed changes concerned new approaches to curricula, support to German model of dual vocational among them about 30% represent organisations with 51-250 employees 30
training operates in practice’. 20
was long; one of them inspired me A TRAINING EXPERT FROM GREECE teachers, cooperation with the community and the labour market, involving and about 20% represent organisations with more than 500 employees.
10
in my work’. Participants made suggestions parents, students and staff mobility, better use of ICT for learning, inclusive A DEVELOPMENT OFFICER 0
FROM IRELAND became more aware got more involved developed
education, leadership and management in their institutions.
AN OWNER OF A SMALL COMPANY of European cooperation in cooperation a cooperation project
FROM THE NETHERLANDS
to education Impact on host institutions Respondents shared the outcomes with decision-makers participants organisers
and training
policies 100 100
90 90
80 80
The most important benefit to the work of 70 70
60 60
is to get to know people from the institution
50 50
other countries and to hear their 40 40
experiences, how their work is 30 30
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
structured, how processes work, 20 20
how they handle problems and how participants organisers 10 10
they evaluate their results’. 0 observed raised new methods better new ways staff more 0 overall at national level at regional level at local level
change profile of in teaching management of staff interested in
A HEAD OFRF ODMEP GAERRTMMAENNYT (1) Tanhde p2e0r1c0e/n1t1a.g De adteas ocnri boirngga npiasretricsi paaren tasn’ avliyeswesd iass a av esruamge o ffo trw thor yeeea yres a(r2s0, 0290/0180/,0 290, 1200/0191/)1. 0 in institution the institution and learning development cooperation participants organisers