Key Competences For Lifelong Learning Research Articles

Компетентностният подход в класната стая на XXI век – междудисциплинарно учене

The aim of the article is to present one of the best learning and teaching practices for utilising the competency-based learning approach in uppersecondary education through interdisciplinary learning and teaching. Based on the curricula for the 11th grade in academic profiles Bulgarian Language and Literature and English Language and Literature, and the curriculum for general education in Civic Education, as well as on The European Reference Framework for Key Competences for Lifelong Learning and Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) a series of lessons in the abovementioned subjects is carried out at “Thomas Jefferson” English Language School, Sofia, on the topic of “Shared Values. Human Dignity”. The final lesson is conducted simultaneously in Bulgarian and English by four teachers with four groups of students from different academic profiles integrating new technologies in the learning and teaching process – a shared virtual Google Classroom. The teachers’ goal is to develop students’ civic competencies as well as their cultural awareness and expression competencies based on their acquired multilingual competencies.

Perfiles de estudiantes universitarios en la competencia aprender a aprender y su relación con el rendimiento académico

Learning to learn (LtL) is a key competence that the European Commission has identified for education systems (Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for life-long learning and Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning). It is usually assumed that students will already handle it well when they start university and that their use of it will improve during their university studies, but this assumption needs testing. The aim of this article is to establish the level of management of this competence as well as possible profiles of how university students use it and their relationship to academic achievement. To this end, we worked with a sample of 1,234 students from three universities in Valencia (Spain) in different study years and study areas, applying the QELtLCUS questionnaire, which evaluates the competence. We performed descriptive analyses, cluster analysis, analyses of differences, and multiple linear regression analyses. The sample subjects displayed an acceptable level of management, albeit with low scores in some important dimensions of LtL. We found two groups with two management profiles: one with a high competence level and another with a lower competence level. The students in the first group had better scores than those in the second group, with statistically significant results. We also found differences that were not statistically significant by gender, with a hig er level of competence in women, with those relating to year and study area being larger. We believe that this research provides relevant data that may be of interest to researchers. It also includes guidance to help teachers work on this competence in university studies.

AXIOLOGICAL DIMENSION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN UKRAINE AND THE IMPACT IT MAKES ON ITS DEVELOPMENT

The article presents the main principles of the axiological approach to the formation of the content of higher education in the context of current global trends and challenges caused by the modernization of the educational environments in Ukraine and the EU. The socio-economic, political, technological and cultural transformations that have been taking place in the world over the recent decades have had a significant impact on the development of education. In 2018, the EU adopted the key competencies for lifelong learning, including digital competence and entrepreneurship, which were introduced for the first time. This demonstrates that in order for the graduates to be employed universities have to respond quickly to the new labour market requirements and promote the formation of a competitive personality that has well-developed life, career and study skills. The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement was signed in 2014, and since then the cooperation between Ukrainian and European educational institutions has got intensified. In this respect, it is vital to consider the axiological aspects of higher education and the determination of value components of the content and criteria of high quality education. By definition, the axiological approach proclaims the human being as the highest value of society and allows integrating the development of universal, national, professional and personal values in the educational process. The university is able to be the environment where the formation and consolidation of the value sphere of the individual takes place. The content of the value component of education is formed at the state level within regulatory documents and at the university level within the framework of educational and professional programs, training courses, compulsory and elective disciplines. However, formal copying of the value-based education of other countries cannot bring the desired results, as the factors that determine which values are the basis for the content of higher education in European countries differ from those in Ukraine. A comparative analysis of the value component of the content of university education in Ukraine and the EU countries shows that national traditions of lifestyle, production practice, politics and culture are essential the development of education

Artificial intelligence and human behavioral development: A perspective on new skills and competences acquisition for the educational context

Despite the significant emphasis placed on incorporating 21st century skills into the educational framework, particularly at the primary level, recent scholarly works indicate considerable variation in the implementation of these skills across different countries and regions, suggesting a demand for further research specifically focusing on primary education. The indications of the Digicomp framework and 21st-century skills in Europe have outlined the key competences for lifelong learning needed for all citizens, including teachers and students. In this perspective, Education plays a fundamental role in ensuring that citizens acquire the required skills. The objective in the common European framework is clear: to initiate a transition from the culture of knowledge to the culture of competence. Nowadays, technological advancement allows the researchers to create and combine different frameworks with the perspective of an even more tailored, and engaged education, some examples derived from the implementation of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), in the combination of Gamification and AI, or the development of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) to foster and create an even more personalized learning and teaching. Following these premises, in this paper, we want to point out new research reflections and perspectives that could help researchers, teachers, educators (and consequently students) to reflect on the introduction of new technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, robot tutors) and on how these can affect on human behavioral development and on the acquisition of new skills and competences (Specifically: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Computational Thinking) for the educational context. The analysis carried on, suggests a perspective on how creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving can be effective in promoting computational thinking, and how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be an aid instrument to teachers in the fostering of creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving in schools and educational contexts.

ФОРМИРАНЕ НА ПАТРИОТИЧНО И ИНТЕРКУЛТУРНО ВЪЗПИТАНИЕ ЧРЕЗ ИНОВАТИВЕН ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЕН ПРОЕКТ „ПЪТУВАЙ С НАС ИЗ БЪЛГАРИЯ И ЕВРОПА“

The article presents a five-month educational project that is different and goes beyond the framework of Bulgarian preschool education, which aims to develop key competences for lifelong learning – communication in the native language, recognition of foreign languages, basic knowledge in the field of natural sciences, skills for learning, social and civic competences, cultural awareness, and creative performances. At its core, it aims to satisfy children’s desire for new knowledge, beyond the state educational standards for preschool age. Combining an author’s program system and the method of Dr. Maria Montessori, as well as innovative educational practices from other European countries, we managed to intertwine intercultural and patriotic education, the involvement of parents in the educational process, and diverse teaching methods to satisfy this interest in children of the XX century.

Teaching methods based on constructivism in environmental education

Abstract The traditional educational paradigm is increasingly giving way to active learning and the various possibilities for its application, which methodological basis is constructivism. They are all part of integrative learning, expressed in the creation of sustainable interdisciplinary connections. Constructivism is associated with key competencies for lifelong learning, necessary for ensuring a sustainable and adaptable to changes educational environment. This in turn requires a change in the teaching model and the application of technologies and approaches adjusted to these changes in the learning process. Part of these methods, that are successfully applied in problem-based, ecological education is project-based, and cooperative learning.

CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF THE WORKFORCE OF UKRAINE

Topicality. The key role of digital competence is related to meeting the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the driver of which is digitalization, which has become the main imperative of modernity. The comprehensive and dynamic nature of digital transformation causes changes in most spheres of life in society, which force people to quickly adapt to them. In such conditions, increasing the competence potential of labor resources in terms of digital competence becomes a necessary condition for the successful functioning of not only individuals and society, but also the socio-economic system in general. Digital competence is becoming transversal, which is recorded in many international documents, in particular the Framework Program of the renewed Key competences for lifelong learning of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union and the report "Towards a structured and agreed terminology of cross-cutting skills and competences" of the European Commission and the European Center for the development of vocational training. The European vector of development and the complexity of the socio-ecological and economic environment of Ukraine determine the need to build an individual trajectory of digital education of the population based on the study and implementation of the experience of the European Union in the specified field of activity.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to develop the conceptual foundations of the development of the digital competence of the workforce of Ukraine.Materials and methods. The information sources of the research are fundamental and applied research by domestic and foreign scientists on issues of competence potential in terms of digital literacy, as well as leading international organizations, in particular, the European Center for the Development of Professional Education, the European Commission, UNESCO, data from open sources. To achieve the goal, the methods of system analysis, logical generalization and content analysis were used.Research results. The role and significance of digital competence in the context of modern socio-economic development is considered. The concept of "digital competence" was studied from the point of view of essential content and officially defined interpretations. It is proposed to determine the levels of digital competence in economic activity in terms of the structure of business processes and the level of knowledge-intensive production on the basis of the European approach to determining the level of qualifications presented in DigComp2.1, according to which it is proposed to use depending on the complexity and level of autonomy of task performance, as well as the type cognitive operations (memorizing, understanding, applying, evaluating, creating) 4 levels of qualification: foundation, intermediate, advanced and higly specialised. It is outlined that the prospects for further research are related to the study of the criteria for determining the levels of digital competence in terms of structure-forming business processes, which will contribute to the effective use of the labor potential of the population of Ukraine.Conclusion. In the conditions of the digital transformation of the economy, digital competence acquires a transversal character, since almost all professions will have a digital component in the future. In turn, the formation, application and development of digital competence of the population in terms of different categories is a complex and long-term process that requires coordination and synchronization in time of various interdependent components, in particular, regulatory and legal, institutional, material and technological and personnel, each of which needs to solve a complex of problems. It is important to understand that in order to effectively use the labor potential and increase labor productivity, it is necessary to maintain the correspondence of the qualification level of the digital competence of the workforce to the complexity of the tasks, depending on the scientific intensity of the production processes.

Modeling an Educational Environment Promoting the Development of Key Competencies in Preschool Age

A supportive, motivating and purposefully organized educational environment can become a powerful factor for laying the foundations for the development of important qualities, skills and competences in children of preschool age. The article aims to: reveal the possibilities of the educational environment and promote the development of key competences for lifelong learning in preschool children. Tasks: 1. To study and analyze literary sources and normative documents related to the application of the competence approach in preschool education; 2. To indicate the main principles underlying the creation of an educational environment promoting the development of key competencies in kindergarten; 3. To highlight the possibilities for modeling an educational environment to promote the development of key competences in preschool age

Teaching STEAM through universal design for learning in early years of primary education: Plugged-in and unplugged activities with emphasis on connectivism learning theory.

This paper presents four teachers’ design and implementation of an international eTwinning project within the Universal Design Learning (UDL) framework and the pedagogical theory of connectivism, aiming to provide meaningful access to STEAM education for pupils with diverse learning needs by introducing them to key competences for lifelong learning. The results of the qualitative content analysis reveal the advantages of this effort, including the improvement of the learning process, learners' active participation, and self-reflection through student-based assessment, teachers' professional development, but also considerations regarding planning and specifying activities, class schedules, course load, and the creation of self- or peer-assessment rubrics.

Development of In-Service and Pre-Service Vocational School Teachers’ Key Competencies in Accordance with the Digital and the Green Transformation of the Economy

The proposed paper reflects on the European Commission’s recommendations targeted at accessible, more attractive, and flexible vocational training. An emphasis is placed on an active and conscious collaboration of the actors of the educational practice, and attention is paid to undergraduate teacher training and the efforts to increase the interest in developing professional and key competencies through the digital and green transformation of the economy. The paper is based on the European Commission’s declared commitments, presented in the European Green Deal in 2019 (European Commission, 2019) as a challenge to eliminating existential environmental threats. For its application in practice, teachers’ sufficient knowledge in developing knowledge, skills, and pro-environmental attitudes in their students is essential. Additionally, attention is paid to the document ‘Council Recommendation on Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning’ adopted by the European Council, which committed each Member State to implement it in its curricular documents. On the application level, the paper is focused on vocational schoolteachers’ preparedness for accomplishing demanding tasks and on promoting their undergraduate training by utilising appropriate teaching methods and strategies.

Social Competences and Their Development in Culturally Diverse Teams – the Results of In-depth Group Interviews

Social competences in the workplace have been of interest to researchers for years. They are among the key competences for lifelong learning and relate to all types of behaviour that enable individuals to participate and cooperate effectively – both socially and professionally – in various environments (European Parliament, 2006).
 Employees’ social competences play a vital role in the workplace as they influence relationships within teams. These relationships affect team effectiveness, thus are particularly significant in culturally diverse work environments. In the theoretical part of the article, the author explains the term “social competences,” describes their elements, and discusses their role in the effective functioning of multicultural teams. In the empirical part, she presents the methodology of her study, the results obtained, and the conclusions derived
 from them.
 The study described in the article (two in-depth group interviews) was conducted in 2022, and its participants were managers of different nationalities who work in multinational companies and have been managing culturally diverse teams for a minimum of three years. The Author assumed the preliminary nature of the study and intends to continue it in the future within the area analysed in the article. Based on the review of the literature and the results of her study, the author has demonstrated a vital role played by employees’ social competences in culturally diverse workplaces. In the opinion of the managers who participated in the study, the most important social competences include verbal and non-verbal communication, social intelligence, and building positive interpersonal relations. As far as the most effective ways of developing these competences in members of multicultural teams are concerned, they listed individual trainings, workshops, and coaching.

Information and communication technologies in education of the visually impaired in the era of digitalization of education

The article analyzes the role and features of using of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the education of visually impaired (VI) people during the period of digital transformation of education. It is noted that during digitalization of education, it should be considered that digital competence stands out from the list of key competences for lifelong learning. The ICT that allows visually impaired people to learn using general-purpose computer equipment is analyzed. It is shown that ICT for people with VI is an effective mechanism of adaptation to education and to life in general. It is noted that in order to ensure the effectiveness and accessibility of the educational process of persons with disabilities, it is necessary to equip educational institutions with modern computer equipment and appropriate pedagogical software, electronic textbooks aimed at facilitating the learning process. It is claimed that one of the main tasks of education in the conditions of digital transformation is to teach students, including people with disabilities, to use modern ICT. There is an urgent need for accelerated advanced training of heads of higher education institutions and teachers, who need to acquire appropriate competencies, how to correctly use new ICT in education in accordance with the culture, needs and economic situation in the country, in the educational institution and considering the requirements and capabilities of the disabled, in particular persons with VI. It is noted that teachers need to know how ICT can help to overcome vision loss, and also know which ICT support special educational needs and how to use them in teaching to best meet the needs of people with visual impairment. A review of the possibilities of ICT tools that can offer support to people with disabilities is carried out.

Digital economy as a legislative term: problematic issues of the formation of the conceptual apparatus

The article is devoted to the study of such a phenomenon as "digital economy" and is determined by an attempt to understand complex modern economic and legal trends, which are caused by the progressive development of technical and economic relations throughout the world and are characterized by the emergence of many new concepts that significantly enrich the vocabulary of specialists. But it should be noted that this is not a simple appearance of new words, but the latter are gradually turning into normative terms, the essence of which should be understood by both specialists and ordinary citizens, and they should be fixed at the legislative level with a certain meaning, in particular, in special legislation. Thus, the appearance of the term "digital technologies" is gaining more and more popularity and expanding its application, giving rise to more and more new concepts and terms, including the digital economy.
 At the same time, with all the imbalance of modern legislation of Ukraine, legal terminology needs precision in defining concepts and their application with a single meaning. Therefore, this scientific article is devoted to the justification of the activities of legislative bodies and the emphasis is placed on the fact that it is not necessary to quickly create normative acts, apply new terminology and promote such terms as "digital competence" for all persons, since it is first necessary to decide what special knowledge is needed which sectors of the population, specialists and which areas in the digital economy the state should give priority and support to.
 For this purpose, we will analyze various regulatory acts of various departments, analyze dictionaries, which reveal certain terms related to the digital economy, and in particular this term, and express an opinion on how these terms and concepts are consistent with each other. And also analyzed, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on May 22, 2018, the Framework program of updated key competences for lifelong learning (2018/C 189/01), in which "digital competence is recognized as one of the eight key competences for a fulfilling life and activity EU citizens".

Цифровое неравенство как угроза и возможность при стратегировании развития сферы образования

Digital competence has been recognized in Europe as one of the 8 key competencies for lifelong learning. The problem of the digital divide as a binary division of the world population into those with and without access to the Internet is still relevant. However, even among the population provided with Internet access, significant differences persist, the so-called second-level digital divide. Digitalization brings enormous opportunities for the education sector with the constructive use of ICT, freeing up time, the most valuable resource in strategizing, from routine tasks to creative, innovative tasks. However, there are also certain threats when the power of this resource is “wasted” on tasks not related to acquiring knowledge and training skills. It seems appropriate, firstly, to develop ICT tools that can reduce the time spent on routine tasks by both teachers and students. Secondly, students need to be encouraged to use ICT regularly, as their intensive use for educational purposes (searching for bibliographic references, using translation software, etc.) leads to improved skills. Thirdly, special programs are needed to reduce the digital divide between students, overcoming both physical inequality (providing schoolchildren from low-income families with access to ICT, high-speed access to educational resources on the Internet) and inequality in skills of ICT usage in the learning process. Both opportunities and threats must be taken into account when strategizing the development of education according to the OTSW methodology proposed by Vladimir L’vovich Quint. At the same time, the human must be at the center of the educational strategizing process.

Adaptation of the entrepreneurship competences questionnaire: When entrepreneurship is more than just business

Background Since 2006, entrepreneurship competence has been considered one of the eight key competences for lifelong learning, which are important for personal development, social inclusion, active citizenship, and employment. In 2015, the EntreComp framework was created. The framework structures partial entrepreneurship competences to support their development in European citizens regardless of the field of education, professional or occupational orientation, as a critical part of increasing competitiveness and innovation potential of a country. Purpose: The present paper aimed to develop a questionnaire based on the EntreComp framework, which would serve as a self-assessment tool for one's entrepreneurship competences, which could be used to adopt curricular or extra-curricular and non-formal, education to better serve this goal. Study design/methodology/approach: The validity and reliability of the questionnaire was examined on a sample of university students in different fields of study-technical and natural sciences, humanities, economics, and medicine. The purpose of the sample diversity is the emphasis on the independence of entrepreneurship competence on professional orientation. Findings/conclusions: The result of the study is a 60-item questionnaire consisting of three factors and fifteen subfactors helping to identify educational needs in the field of entrepreneurship, based on the subjective perception of the individual. In comparison with already existing tools, this questionnaire was developed on the strong basis of EntreComp framework and supports the idea of the broader context of entrepreneurship competence than just the business level, while covering cognitive, personal, and behavioural level of the entrepreneurial potential. Limitations/future research: In the future, its application in other age or social groups is suggested.

Formation of natural science competency concept based on PISA international research

The article presents an analysis of conceptual apparatus formation of science competency and a role in this process of PISA international study of education quality. The components and aspects of science competency are considered, presented in educational documents of the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. It is revealed that recommendations of the European Council and reference frameworks of the European Commission “Key competences for lifelong learning” distinguish such components of science competency as knowledge, skills and attitudes. It is noted that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development framework documents for PISA international study of education quality formulates an equivalent concept of “science literacy”, consisting of a number of aspects – contexts, competencies, knowledge and attitudes. Changes in determination of science literacy in PISA study for the period 2000–2022 and characteristics of its aspects are analyzed. Significant attention is paid to specifics of PISA terminology, its complexity and versatility. Ukrainian definitions of science competency in national normative educational documents and concepts are investigated. It is determined that they are largely focused on foreign recommendations and framework documents of international research, and also distinguish certain components of competency – basic knowledge, skills and attitudes. The author emphasized the need to further borrowing by national education system of world experience in the field of competency approach implementation, in connection with transition of basic school to study by new educational standards on competent basis.

Areas of Training of Young Specialists Through Professional Development of Academic Staff in the Field of Education

The purpose of the article is to study the direction of training young specialists through the professional development of academic staff in the field of education. The areas that require regular research, updating and professional development from specialists based on the analysis of the areas of work of teachers of higher education institutions were identified. The main key competencies for lifelong learning have been identified. The training courses offered to teachers and academic staff at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv were presented. Skills are proposed for mastering as the main learning outcome for the academic staff of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. The training courses and programs offered by SoftServe have been identified by the monitoring of opportunities for practical training of teachers. For higher education institutions, professional development for academic staff is a mandatory element of the education quality assurance system and can take place through participation in master classes, seminars, trainings, webinars, and workshops. It has been established that academic staff, given the workload and challenges they face in terms of professional development and maintaining mental and emotional health, should receive professional help and support. Professional supervision can be helpful, which can help both individually and within the university. We believe that for academic staff to perform their tasks effectively, higher education institutions should provide them with quality material and technical support, and opportunities for continuous learning and development. A well-designed educational program will be the key to success for its developers, higher education institutions, students, and employers. It is necessary to create an environment of periodic discussion with employers of existing educational programs and their main components, which will allow timely making of important adjustments in response to important problems and topical issues. The principles by which the educational program is developed have been identified. The criteria for self-assessment and accreditation of educational programs have been formed.

Educating for Transition in Work Contexts

Today’s scenarios of constant transformation of society call for a necessary reflection on work from an exquisitely pedagogical point of view, in consideration of the multiple transitions that we are witnessing because of phenomena such as progress, forced digitization, the Covid-19 pandemic, conflicts and economic-financial crises. It’s essential to move, for an education to the transition to the Recommendation of 18 December 2006 of the European Parliament on key competences for lifelong learning, from learning to learn. It is one of the eight competences, but essentially the most characterizing so that “learners take the starting point from what they have previously learned and from their life experiences to use and apply knowledge and skills in a whole range of contexts: at home, at work, in education and training”.

Intercultural Competence in Textbooks of Croatian as a Mother Tongue

The development of language competences is the fundamental goal of educational documents at the world (Eight Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning, 2008; 2020), European (CEFRL, 2015) and national level Curriculum for the subject Croatian language for elementary schools and high schools (2019). This implies the development of language communication and linguistic competence. In the process of primary school language learning, it is important to develop linguistic and communicative competence, which includes sociolinguistic, strategic and pragmatic competence, but also intercultural competence. Intercultural competence is most often defined as competence in which knowledge of elements of different cultures that are in contact with the dominant culture is developed or the child gets to know them through different contents in order to understand the world in which he lives. In Croatian language classes, the child most often encounters this competence through various texts that are written from the perspective of another culture or talk about different cultures that live in the Republic of Croatia, as well as outside it. Thus, a child will, for example, learn something about the eating habits of the British if he reads E. Blyton's novels Five Friends and the like. Therefore, the goal of this research is to analyze textbooks and reading books for the teaching of the Croatian language from the third to the sixth grade and to find elements of intercultural competence in the texts through qualitative analysis. It is expected that crosscultural elements will most often be found in the starting texts and that most of the texts will belong to the Anglo-Saxon linguistic and cultural area.

Key Competences for Lifelong Learning through the “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” Video Game

The growth and impact of video games in education at an international level is a reality. Research shows that gamers can increase their knowledge, skills, and behavioural flexibility. However, there has been no in-depth research into the relationship between current video games and the key competences for lifelong learning set out by the European Commission. This research focuses on learning acquisition through playing the popular game “Animal Crossing: New Horizons”. The Communicative Methodology has been used in this research through, on the one hand, use of the Social Impact in Social Media (SISM) method involving the analysis of 1000 comments posted on the social network Twitter and, on the other hand, through communicative inter, sanviews with five gamers and a family member of a user. The results show that the Animal Crossing video game promotes learning achievements regarding literacy, multilingualism, mathematical skills, digital competence, social skills, citizenship, entrepreneurship, and cultural awareness.