Conference:
ECER 2009
Format:
Paper
Session Information
Contribution
Laurea University of Applied Sciences, situated in the Helsinki Region in Finland, follows a curriculum organized in professional themes and generic competences. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether one of these competences, the network competence, is learned at the specified level during the first semester of studies, as promised in the curriculum. The results are compared to the framework of qualifications for the European High-er Education Area, as well as the European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Laurea’s Learning by Developing pedagogical model is based on investigative learning (Hakkarainen, Lonka & Lipponen, 2004). Social knowledge-building and creating a culture of knowledge creation are characteristics of this approach (Kallioinen, 2007), facilitating the development of skills associated to modern expertise (Launis & Engeström, 1999).
Laurea University of Applied Sciences has defined six general competences that are integrated into its curriculum. Each competence has three levels that can be attained during the completion of a bachelor’s degree. Attaining at least the first level is required for all, but additional requirements exist for different disciplines. One of the six is the network competence, comprising networking skills such as team work, ICT and language skills. In the programme of Business Management, the first level of the network competence is supposed to be achieved during the first semester of studies.
The network competence is particularly essential to the Business students, as their future role in the network economy will be significantly shaped by their ability to function as networkers, as defined by Castells (1996). To develop these skills at a higher level it is necessary to start training them at the beginning of the studies.
As the network competence encompasses a fairly broad selection of skills, one question is whether the students attain all of them, or whether there is a bias towards certain types of skills, or variation in the depth of mastering them. This might be caused by the fact that they are taught, practiced and assessed in different ways. Another question is whether Laurea’s curriculum and its implementation permit the fulfillment of competences as defined in the European Framework of qualifications, not only Laurea’s goals.
The evaluation is based on the students’ self assessment. The skills required for the first level of the network competence are broken down into simple statements detailing different aspects of the competence. The students evaluate whether they have reached the skills in question.
Method
The approach is a combination of theoretical and empirical research. Theoretical research is used to break down the competence into statements that reflect the spectrum of skills needed at the required level of the compe-tence. A quantitative survey is used to collect the students’ self assessment through these statements.
Expected Outcomes
The results of the survey will be compared to the European framework of qualifications and used for the development of the first semester’s study units to correct possible weak spots. There is a need in Laurea to improve the tools of self assessment that are currently used to verify the learning of general competences. The suitability of the survey used in this research as a possible tool for this purpose will be evaluated.
References
Castells M. (1996), The Rise of the Network Society, Blackwell, Padstow Hakkarainen K., Lonka K., Lipponen L. (2004), Tutkiva Oppiminen, WSOY, Porvoo Kallioinen O. (2007), Future Expertise in Laurea’s Competence-based Curriculum, in Kallioinen O. (ed.), The Competence-based Curriculum at Laurea, Laurea Publications, Helsinki Launis K. & Engeström Y. (1999), Asiantuntijuus muuttuvassa työtoiminnassa, in Eteläpelto A. & Tynjälä P. (ed.), Oppiminen ja asiantuntijuus, WSOY, Juva
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.