FOREIGN /NATIVE TEACHERS’ MEETING Katja Pavlič Škerjanc, katja.pavlic@zrss.si , August 31, 2009

1. ESS Projects:COMMUNICATION IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES GIMNAZIJA CURRICULUM MODERNISATION (European Classes) APPROACHES TO CURRICULUM INNOVATION: Upper secondary general education in Slovenia FOREIGN /NATIVE TEACHERS’ MEETING Katja Pavlič Škerjanc, katja.pavlic@zrss.si, August 31, 2009 Operacijo delno financira Evropska unija iz Evropskega socialnega sklada ter Ministrstvo za šolstvo in šport. Operacija se izvaja v okviru Operativnega programa razvoja človeških virov v obdobju 2007-2013, razvojne prioritete: Razvoj človeških virov in vseživljenjsko učenje; prednostne usmeritve: Izboljšanje kakovosti in učinkovitosti sistemov izobraževanja in usposabljanja.

2. PROGRAMME OF THE MEETING

3. SLOVENIA in numbers … Area: 20 273 km2 Population: 2 mio Population density:98.0 per km2 Capital: Ljubljana (pop.330 000) Constitution:parliamentary democracy EU Member State: since May 1, 2004 • SLOVENE EDUCATION IN NUMBERS (schoolyear 2007/2008) • Numberofelementaryschools: 448 • Numberofpupils in elementaryschools: 163,430 • Numberofpupilsperteacher: 10.68 • Numberofsecondaryschools: 132 • Numberofpupils at secondaryschools: 91,849 • Numberoftertiaryeducationestablishments: 89 • Numberofallstudents in tertiaryeducation:  90,403 • Numberofgraduates in tertiaryeducation (2004): 14,888 • Numberofstudentsenrolledforpostgraduatestudy: 8,378 • Source: MinistryofEducationandSport

4. Education in Slovenia:Uppersecondaryeducation(with a focus on general education)

5. The Slovenian school system … … has seen a number of changes in recent yearsprompted by the 1996 major legislative reform.A new framework has been established (9-year basic education, higher vocational education), and the basic premises are known; however, the programme of reform continues in terms of implementation at the levels of secondary and higher vocational education (the introduction of the credit system, connecting subjects – curricular connections, integration of theory and practice, open curriculum) and the modernisation of the gimnazija curriculum… … A major renewal under way, with a new White Book on Education being written by a national group of experts due by the end of 2011…

6. TheStructureoftheEducationSystem in Slovenia • Higher education • Upper secondary education • Basic education (compulsory, single structure of primary and lower secondary) • Pre-school education

7. Upper secondaryeducation in Slovenia: OVERVIEW

8. Post-compulsoryeducation : Uppersecondaryand post-secondarylevel

9. Curriculumcontrolandcontent • The National Council of Experts for General Education and the National Council for Vocational Education decide on the core contents and the objectives of curricula. • In general education (general and professional gymnasiums), compulsory subjects account for 80-90 % of the curriculum: • In technical and vocational education, the compulsory subjects and their number vary according to the type of course.

10. FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION  From one to three or evenfourforeignlanguages are taught. (M)FL 1, thefirstforeignlanguage, English or German, is compulsory: • at anadvancedlevel (intermediateentrancelevel), built on theforeknowledgegained in theprimaryschool in FL 1 (M)FL 2, thesecondforeignlanguage (German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian) is compulsory in general educationprogrammes (gimnazija) and some technicalprogrammes • twolevels:thebeginnerandthepre-intermediateentrancelevel(a continuationofwhathasbeenlearnt at theprimaryschool in FL 2) FL 3, thethirdforeignlanguage as anelectivesubject in gimnazija • anyoftheabove, or Latin; FL 4, anoptionof a fourthforeignlanguage in classicalgimnazija in addition to: • Latin as thethird FL compulsory FL (additional to MFL 1 and MFL 2) at thebeginner or advancedlevel; • withclassicalGreekeitherthe FL 2 or the FL 3

11. Upper secondary education for youth and adults: end of the school year 2007/08 - beginning 2008/09 • At the end of the school year 2007/2008 there were 88,630 students (youth) and 14,568 adults enrolled in upper secondary educational programmes. • More than 40% of young students enrolled in general or professional gimnazija (gymnasium) programmes. • In the last few years the enrolment in general and professional gimnazija programmes keeps increasing and has reached 41 %in the school year 2007/2008. • More and more young students decide to continue schooling after successfully finishing upper secondary education with a general matura which gives possibilities for the enrolment in tertiary programmes. Passing a professional matura allows the enrolment in higher professional colleges and some university programmes. Data: Statistical Office of Slovenia, April 29, 2009 Data: Statistical Office of Slovenia, April 29, 2009

12. Students(youth) enrolled in upper secondary educational programmes and graduates by type of programmes, end of the school year 2007/08 Source: Statistical Office of Slovenia, April 29, 2009

13. Upper secondary education for youth and adults: end of the school year 2007/08 - beginning 2008/09 • Most students (youth) finish gimnazija programmes, most adults finish technical and vocational programmes. • Among 21,762 pupils who finished education, 38% finished gymnasiums, slightly fewer (29%) passed professional matura at technical and professional schools and 20% passed the final exam in middle vocational programmes. • Most of the adults finished technical and professional programmes (34%), while 30% finished vocational technical programmes and 30% finished middle vocational programmes. • Upper secondary schools for youth have a prominent place in adult education. • Among the institutions that organize adult education for achieving upper secondary education are mostly units of upper secondary schools for youth; nearly half of them have units for adult education.. Data: Statistical Office of Slovenia, April 29, 2009

14. Shareofstudentsbytypesofeducationalprogrammes: Schoolyears 2004/2005 to 2008/2009 Source: Statistical Office of Slovenia, April 29, 2009

15. Secondary attendance/enrollment

16. Pupi/teacher ratio

17. Survival to last grade (primary) and teaching staff

18. Education in Slovenia:Co-evolutionaryapproach to innovation

19. CO-EVOLUTIONARY APPROACH TO CURRICULUM INNOVATION • Pilot projects are designed and implemented with three complementary goals in mind: • by aiming to improve the curricula as well as the teaching and learning process they address students, • at the same time motivating and supporting teachers in their continuous professional development and capacity building • and providing project managers (national education authorities and reasearch & development agencies) with pragmatic knowledge and skills of the teachers and headteachers (ie. aligning beliefs about the potential for effective action with the lessons of past and present experience).

20. Purpose and aims of innovative projects • to meet both deficiency and growth needs: • personalise the curriculum: increase school autonomy as well as curriculum flexibility and openness, ie. scope and number of options for schools and individual students (core – elective – optional → modular structure); • make the curriculum more authentic for the students: provide meaningful contexts – bring the real world into the classroom (and vice versa); • integrate the curriculum: increase its flexibility to overcome fragmentation of knowledge (set up curricular connections, eg. tranversal competences as cross-curricular goals); • to provide convincing proofs ofconcepts and ideasand, finally, a fully functioning prototype

22. SPT managers/leaders NATIONAL PROJECT TEAM (NPT) Project manager core NPT, extended NPT, enlarged NPT PROJECT STRUCTURE • External ◄collaborators • Slovene and foreign teachers • academic experts Working Groups (WG)  School Project Teams (SPT)

23. Project structureandcommunication • closelinksandinterdependencebetweenthe NEI projectteamandparticipatingschools/projectpartners; • communication at andbetweenalllevels is constantandintense, bothdirectandindirect (via e-mail), aiming to secure not onlyanuninterruptedinformationflowon theprogressoftheproject, butalsoongoingexchanges- as well as reflection on andevaluation- ofprojectproducts(lessonplans, teachingmaterials, etc.) andexamplesofpracticeofallkindsconsideredillustrativeandsupportive: • best (triedandtestedoutseveraltimesby more teachers), • good (tried at leasttwiceby one teacher) and • promising (still in theplanningphase).

26. GimnazijaModernisation Project KEY CONCEPTS • knowledgesociety – learningsociety – school as a learningorganisation • sustainabledevelopment • creativityandinnovation • educationforall – inclusivityandpersonalisededucation • autonomy(ofschools, teachers, students) NATIONAL IN SCHOOL CURRICULUM • opennesandflexibilityofcurriculaOPEN AND FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM • keycompetences in competence-basedapproach to teachingandlearning • COOPERATIVE/COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND TEACHING (teamteachingetc.) • authenticityoflearning – INTERDISCIPLINARITY INTEGRATIVE CURRICULUM – CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS

27. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO TEACHING AND LEARNING • goal-based, process-oriented, developmental approach to teaching • COMPETENCE-BASED approach to teaching • authentic learning • new assessment culture: • authentic assessment of learning outcomes • monitoring and assessing student learning: proces-oriented, developmental approach • cooperative and collaborative learning • COOPERATIVE/COLLABORATIVE TEACHING – TEAM TEACHING • individualised learning • new technologies …

29. ENVIRONMENT PRESCRIPTIVE legislation, ministry decrees… SCHOOL CURRICULUM EXPECTED students, parents, localandwidercommunity DESIRED teachers, headteachers etc. POSSIBLE human resources, financial and other constraints and limitations SCHOOL

30. Whatmustwe do? → PRESCRIPTIVE (mandatory/compulsorycurriculum) • Whatshouldwe do? → EXPECTED (elective/optionalcurriculum) • Whatdo/wouldwe like to do? → DESIRED SCHOOL CURRICULUM (compulsory + elective + optional) vs. • Whatcanwe do? → POSSIBLE (SWAT analysis – constraintsandlimitationsetc.) • 

31. OPEN CURRICULUM Nationalandschoolcurriculum • Vertical autonomy – decentralisation: • A part of the curriculum is left open for the schools to design (according to the framework and guidelines of the national curriculum, e.g. choosing among the subjecta or non-subject learning activities approved by the National Council of Experts) (e.g. VET 80% : 20%).

32. FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM Schools have the autonomy of • grade implementation of subjects (total course /programme number of hours set by the state only) • time-scheduling of instruction: • time-tables (weekly, monthly; project organisation, block scheduling etc.) • number of grading and reporting periods per school year • etc.

33. REDEFINING SCHOOL CURRICULA Instead of listing • inputs (the knowledge that schools impart) curricula specify • learning outcomes (the knowledge, skills and attititides that students are expected to have developed at different stages of their education).

34. LEARNING OUTCOMES • Core definition: A learning outcome is a written statement of what the successful student/learner is expected to be able to do at the end of the course, unit, or qualification.(Adam, 2004) • Explanatory context: Learning outcomes are concerned with the achievements of the learner rather than the intentions of the teacher (expressed in the aims of a module or course). They can take many forms and can be broad or narrow in nature (Adam, 2004). • Learning outcomes and ‘aims and objectives’ are often used synonymously, although they are not the same. Adam (2004) notes that aims are concerned with teaching and the teacher’s intentions whilst learning outcomes are concerned with learning’ and Moon (2002) suggests that one way to distinguish aims from learning outcomes is that aims indicate the general content, direction and intentions behind the course from the designer/teacher viewpoint.

35. BACKWARD PLANNING

36. COMPETENCE Competence is a combination of • KNOWLEDGE (declarative, factual, content knowledge), • SKILLS (cognitive skills, procedural knowledge) and • ATTITUDES appropriate to the context. COMPETENCE

37. INTEGRATIVECURRICULUM Subject-centered curriculum INTEGRATIVE CURRICULUM ? GEO MU PE CH MATH HIS PS INF EN FL PHIL CHEM SOC MAT BIO BIO SOC GEO ART PS PHYS ? INF FL ART MU Mother tongue MATH PHY EN HIS FT PE PHIL ?

38. INTEGRATED CURRICULUM:Curricularconnections …

39. CURRICULUM INTEGRATION Representation of traditional (separate subject matter) approaches to curriculum. (Bloom, 2004)

40. CURRICULUM INTEGRATION Procedural or thematic approaches to curriculum integration. (From: Bloom, 2004)

41. CURRICULUM INTEGRATION Conceptual integration arising from common problem or issue. (Adapted from: Bloom, 2004)

43. EIGHT KEY COMPETENCES Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 18 December 2006, on key competences for lifelong learning [Official Journal L 394 of 30.12.2006]. • Communication in the mother tongue • Communication in foreign languages • Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology. • Digital competence • Learning to learn • Social and civic competences. • Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship • Cultural awareness and expression EU Consultation - Schoolsforthe 21s Century: HOW CAN SCHOOLS BE ORGANIZED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS WITH A FULL RANGE OF KEY COMPETENCES?

44. EIGHT KEY COMPETENCES • Communication in the mother tongue which is the ability to express and interpret concepts, thoughts, feelings, facts and opinions in both oral and written form (listening, speaking, reading and writing), and to interact linguistically in an appropriate and creative way in a full range of societal and cultural contexts; • Communication in foreign languages which involves, in addition to the main skill dimensions of communication in the mother tongue, mediation and intercultural understanding. The level of proficiency depends on several factors and the capacity for listening, speaking, reading and writing;

45. EIGHT KEY COMPETENCES • Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology. Mathematical competence is the ability to develop and apply mathematical thinking in order to solve a range of problems in everyday situations, with the emphasis being placed on process, activity and knowledge. Basic competences in science and technology refer to the mastery, use and application of knowledge and methodologies which explain the natural world. These involve an understanding of the changes caused by human activity and the responsibility of each individual as a citizen; • Digital competence involves the confident and critical use of information society technology (IST) and thus basic skills in information and communication technology (ICT);

46. EIGHT KEY COMPETENCES • Learning to learn is related to learning, the ability to pursue and organise one's own learning, either individually or in groups, in accordance with one's own needs, and awareness of methods and opportunities; • Social and civic competences. Social competence refers to personal, interpersonal and intercultural competence and all forms of behaviour that equip individuals to participate in an effective and constructive way in social and working life. It is linked to personal and social well-being. An understanding of codes of conduct and customs in the different environments in which individuals operate is essential. Civic competence, and particularly knowledge of social and political concepts and structures (democracy, justice, equality, citizenship and civil rights) equips individuals to engage in active and democratic participation

47. EIGHT KEY COMPETENCES • Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship is the ability to turn ideas into action. It involves creativity, innovation and risk-taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives. The individual is aware of the context of their work and is able to seize opportunities which arise. It is the foundation for acquiring more specific skills and knowledge needed by those establishing or contributing to social or commercial activity. This should include awareness of ethical values and promote good governance; • Cultural awareness and expression which involves appreciation of the importance of the creative expression of ideas, experiences and emotions in a range of media (music, performing arts, literature, and the visual arts).

48. COLLABORATIVETEACHING Intra- and interdisciplinary collaborative teaching - teachers cooperate and collaborate: • to fight knowledge obsolescence and share the burden of keeping up with the knowledge explosion • to increase the authenticity of learning through interdisciplinary teaching and curriculum integration • to ensure/provide continuous professional development through peer learning

50. IDEA SHARING DISCUSSION GROUPS PEER OBSERVATION JOINT TEACHING & LEARNING ACTIVITIES TEACHER EXCHANGES TEAM TEACHING Type B team teaching (rotational …) COLLABORATIVE TEACHING None of us is as smart as all of us. Japanese proverb ► Type A teamteaching = INTERACTIVE TEAM TEACHING