Learning to learn: what is it? and can it be measured?

Author(s):

Bryony HoskinsUlf Fredriksson

Conference:

ECER 2008

Network:

9. Assessment, Evaluation, Testing and Measurement

Format:

Paper

Session Information

09 SES 03A, Tools and Methods in Assessment (Part 1)

Paper Session

Time:

2008-09-10

14:00-15:30

Room:

AK2 139

Chair:

Sabine Hornberg

Contribution

Learning to learn has been identified as one of eight key competences mentioned in the EU Recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning adopted by the Education Council and the European Parliament in December 2006. Learning to learn has also been identified as an area in which it is important to develop indicators to follow the development of the European education systems. In this context it is important to explore the concept learning to learn and analyse if and how it can be measured. This paper will examine different definitions of the concept learning to learn and relate it to the notion of competence and key competences. It also explores how learning to learn could be tested. It argues that existing tests that examine intelligence, problem solving, reading or mathematics are limited for testing learning to learn. The cognitive aspects of such a learning to learn test may have a high correlation with these tests results but even this is unsure and to what extent they measure the ability to learn. In addition, learning to learn has a strong affective component and this has yet to be measured and compared across countries. Specific tests trying to measure learning to learn have been constructed in some European countries by the University of Helsinki, the University of Bristol, the University of Amsterdam as well as others. The European Union has been supporting the development of an instrument on learning to learn which combines these instruments into a single tool. A prepilot of this instrument will take place between March –June 2008 and a European report is expected in August 2008. This report will be used towards creating an EC Communication on learning to learn in Autumn 2008. The European process of developing an instrument will be discussed and the preliminary results of this prepilot, if available, will be used to enhance the discussion.

Method

European Learning to learn instrument

Expected Outcomes

The extent that learning to learn can be tested and whether the current instruments available are able to achieve this

References

Adey, P. (2006) Learning to Learn - the intelligence route. Presentation at the first meeting of the learning to learn network in Ispra on June 15 – 15, 2006 Bonnet, G., Svecnik, E., Hautamäki, J., Trosseille, B., Fischer, C., Meijer, J., Grønmo, L.S., Cercadillo, L., Wiren, E., Söderberg, S., James, M., Jakobsen, L.B., Fredriksson, U. and Hoskins, B. (2006) Final Report of the Learning to Learn Expert Group to The European Commission, DG EAC A6. Paris/Brussels/Ispra The Campaign for Learning (2007) What is learning to learn? Webb document: http://www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk/projects/L2L/What%20is/What%20is%20L2L.htm (assessed 7 June, 2007). Council of Europe (1997) Key competencies for Europe. Report of the Symposium in Berne 27-30 March 1996. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Deakin Crick, R. (2007) Learning how to learn: the dynamic assessment of learning power. The Curriculum Journal Vol. 18, No. 2, June 2007, pp. 135 – 153 Deakin Crick, R., Broadfoot, P. & Claxton, G. (2006) What is the ELLI Research Project? Web document: http://www.ellionline.co.uk/research.php (assessed 7 June, 2007) Deakin Crick. R, Broadfoot, P. and Claxton, G. (2004) Developing an Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory: the ELLI Project. Assessment in Education Vol. 11, No. 3, November 2004, p. 247 – 272. Dearden, R.F (1976) Problems in Primary Education. London, Routledge & Kegan Paul. DeSeCo (2005) Definition and Selection of Key Competencies: Executive Summary (30-Jun-2005) Web document: http://www.portal-stat.admin.ch/deseco/news.htm (assessed 11 June, 2007) Education Council (2001) Report from the Education Council to the European Council. "The concrete future objectives of education and training systems" Brussels, 14 February 2001. Brussels: European Council. Education Council (2004) "Education & Training 2010" The Success of the Lisbon Strategy Hinges on Urgent Reforms. Joint interim report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the detailed work programme on the follow-up of the objectives of education and training systems in Europe. Brussels: European Council Education Council (2006) Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competencies for lifelong learning. Brussels: Official Journal of the European Union, 30.12.2006 Education Council (2007) Council conclusions on a coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training Brussels: Council of the European Union Elshout-Mohr, M., Meijer, J., Oostdam, R. and van Gelderen, A. (2004) CCST: A Test for Cross-Curricular Skills. Amsterdam: SCO – Kohnstamm Institution, University of Amsterdam European Council (2000) Presidency Conclusions, Lisbon European Council 23 and 24 March 2000. Brussels: European Council Eurydice (2002) Key competencies: A developing concept in general compulsory education. Brussels: Eurydice/European Commission Gottfredson, L. S. (Ed.) (1997). Intelligence and social policy. Intelligence, 24 (1). (Special issue) Hautamäki, J., Arinen, P., Eronen, S., Hautamäki, A., Kupianien, S., Lindblom, B., Niemivirta, M., Pakaslahti, L., Rantanen, P. and Scheinin, P. (2002) Assessing Learning-to-Learn: A Framework. Helsinki: Centre for Educational Assessment, Helsinki University / National Board of Education Kegan, P. (2002) Mental demands of modern life: Implications for defining competencies, keynote address DeSeCo Symposium, Geneva, February 11 – 13, 2002. Web document: http://www.portal-stat.admin.ch/deseco/deseco_int02.htm (assessed 11 June, 2007) Kupiainen, S. & Hautamäki, J. (2006) A short overview of the Finnish presentation: “Measuring Learning to Learn – The Finnish Framework” Presentation at the first meeting of the learning to learn network in Ispra on June 15 – 16, 2006 McCormick, R. (2006) Learning how to learn: A view from the LHTL project England. Presentation at the first meeting of the learning to learn network in Ispra on June 15 – 16, 2006 McGaw, B. (2003) Foreword in Rychen D.S. and Hersch Salganik, L. (Eds.) Key Competencies for a Successful Life and a Well-functioning Society. Göttingen: Hogrefe & Huber Joost Meijer (2007) Cross-curricular skills testing in the Netherlands. The Curriculum Journal Vol. 18, No. 2, June 2007, 155 – 173 Meijer, J., Elshout-Mohr, M. E., & Van Hout-Wolters, B. H. A. M. (2001). An instrument for the assessment of cross curricular skills. Educational Research and Evaluation, 7(1), 79-108 Norman, D. (1969) Memory and attention: an introduction to human information processing. New York: Wiley OECD (2001) Defining and Selecting Key Competencies. Paris: OECD. Piaget, J. (1972). Psychology and Epistemology: Towards a Theory of Knowledge. Harmondsworth: Penguin PISA (2004) Learning for Tomorrow’s World: First Results from PISA 2003. Paris: OECD Rychen, D. S. (2003) Key competencies: Meeting important challenges in life in Rychen D.S. and Hersch Salganik, L. (Eds.) Key Competencies for a Successful Life and a Well-functioning Society. Göttingen: Hogrefe & Huber Rychen, D.S. (2004) Key competencies for all: an overarching conceptual frame of reference. In Rychen, D. S. and Tiana, A. (Eds) Developing Key Competencies in Education: Some lessons from International and National Experience. Geneva: UNESCO / International Bureau of Education Rychen, D. S. and Tiana, A. (2004) Developing Key Competencies in Education: Some lessons from International and National Experience. Geneva: UNESCO / International Bureau of Education Skolverket (2002) The Pilot Study 2001“Learning to Learn” in a Swedish school environment. Stockholm: Skolverket (National Agency of Education) Tiana, A. (2004) Developing key competencies in education systems: some lessons from international studies and national experiences. In Rychen, D.S. & Tiana, A. (Eds.) Developing key competencies in education: some lessons form international and national experiences. Geneva: UNESCO / International Bureau of Education Trier, U.P. (2002) Key competencies in OECD countries - similarities and differences, address DeSeCo Symposium, Geneva, February 11 – 13, 2002. Web document: http://www.portal-stat.admin.ch/deseco/deseco_int02.htm (assessed 11 June, 2007) TLRP (2007) Teaching and Learning Research Programme: Aims. Web document: http://www.tlrp.org/aims/index.html (assessed 21 June, 2007)

Author Information

Bryony Hoskins

Angera (VA)

104

Ulf Fredriksson

Mid Sweden University

Education Department

Härnösand

186

Search the ECER Programme

Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
Search for authors and in the respective field.
For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.