Learning outcomes – some key lessons from Europe - Jens Bjornavold

• Strengthens the accountability of education and training • Increases the comparability of qualifications between countries and facilitates the transfer and accumulation of learning outcomes across borders. [...] • Forms an important part of quality assurance at the level of institutions; allow for continuous review and renewal • Is not an isolated phenomenon, but is closely linked to traditions such as Management by Objectives and New Public Management Learning outcomes as a pedagogical reform tool - aspirations The shift to learning outcomes : • Clarifies the intention of the teaching and learning proces. [...] Learning outcomes as a reform tool – Impact? • Cedefop’s 2009 study showed an overall shift to learning outcomes across Europe; although with clear differences between countries and education and training sectors • Cedefop’s 2016 study on learning outcomes demonstrated that the shift to learning outcomes is gaining speed and that differences between countries and education sectors are diminishing. [...] • Almost all countries are now referring to learning outcomes or competences as fundamental to VET • The learning outcomes principle has become a more explicit and visible building block for VET - A way to increase transparency of VET - A way to improve relevance of VET - A way to put the learner at the centre of the process Actual policy impact – Higher education • A remarkable change has taken p. [...] communicative/deliberative rationality Key lesson - avoid ‘Dumbing down’ • Learning outcomes need to defined and written in a way which allows for local adaptation and interpretation by teachers and learners • Too detailed and prescriptive statements can undermine and lead to a ‘dumbing down’ of the learning and assessment process.