IMPLICATIONS OF THE “BOLOGNA PROCESS” FOR MSCHE

1. IMPLICATIONS OF THE “BOLOGNA PROCESS” FOR MSCHE Jean Morse, President MSCHE Commission meeting March 5, 2009

2. OUTLINE AND ISSUES 1. OVERVIEW OF “BOLOGNA,” I.E. VARIOUS EUROPEAN PROCESSES BEING CREATED TO IMPROVE COMPARABILITY OF DEGREES AND TO EASE TRANSFER OF CREDIT 2. DESCRIPTION OF QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORKS 3. DISCUSSION OF WHETHER FOUNDATION – QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK (I.E. DEFINITION OF DEGREES) SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN IN THE U.S.

3. ELEMENTS of “BOLOGNA” • DEGREE DEFINITION • DEGREE CYCLES • CREDIT TRANSFER (ECTS) • DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT • QUALITY ASSURANCE GUIDELINES • QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORKS • TUNING PROGRAM GOALS

4. QUALITY ASSURANCE EUROPEAN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR: http://www.enqa.eu/files/ESG_3edition%20(2).pdf • INTERNAL QA:HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS • EXTERNAL QA OF HIGHER EDUCATION • EXTERNAL QA AGENCIES EUROPEAN AGENCIES ARE REVIEWED AGAINST THESE STANDARDS TO JOIN THE EUROPEAN “REGISTER” OF QA AGENCIES

5. DEGREE CYCLES:“3+2+3” • BACHELOR’S (180 – 240 ECTS) • MASTER’S (90 – 120 ECTS) • Ph.D. (approximately 180 – 240 credits) • Nations moving from 5 year degrees to 3+2 have deep concerns as to use of the First Cycle degree • US: significant % not accepting 3 Year UG degree for graduate study

6. ECTS • European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System • BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD, AND SOMETIMES, ON WEIGHTING OF CHALLENGE vs. US SYSTEM OF CREDITS BASED ON FACULTY CONTACT HOURS

7. DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT • CREDENTIAL, ITS LEVEL, ENTRY REQUIREMENTS, OFFICIAL DURATION • DEGREE REQUIREMENTS, MODES OF STUDY, ENROLLMENT INTENSITY, AND COMPRESSED SIGNALS OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE • PURPOSE OF THE CREDENTIAL • TRANSCRIPT AND DESCRIPTION OF NATIONAL SYSTEM ARE APPENDED

8. “TUNING” DISCIPLINARY FRAMEWORKS • INTENDED TO CREATE “REFERENCE POINTS” SO THAT THERE IS “CONVERGENCE” ACROSS COUNTRIES • TO BE CREATED BY FACULTY • PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY IN SPECIFIC DISCIPLINES

9. TUNING, CONT’D • DISCIPLINES TO ARTICULATE OUTLINES AND BENCHMARKS FOR: • SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE • GENERIC SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES • INTERPERSONAL • INSTRUMENTAL • SYSTEMIC • LEVELS OF MASTERY WITHIN SUBJECT

10. TUNING LEVELS • SUBJECT DEPENDENT OUTCOMES FOR GENERAL LEARNING • GENERAL COMPETENCY ACROSS DISCIPLINES (TRANSFERABLE SKILLS) • LEVEL DESCRIPTORS FOR INDIVIDUAL COURSES • THRESHHOLD VS. DESIRED OUTCOMES • RELATIVE VS. ABSOLUTE VALUE OF CREDITS • REGULAR VS. EXTRA-CHALLENGING

11. THE SYSTEM IN PRACTICE:COMMUNICATION SKILLS NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK AND PROGRAM GOALS *Progression: AA: can communicate about their understanding, skills and activities with peers, supervisors, and clients; MA = can communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and rational underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously

12. IN PRACTICE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS - COURSES AND TRANSCRIPTS

13. THE SYSTEM IN PRACTICE: SUMMARY OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS • FRAMEWORK: COMMUNICATE INFORMATION, IDEAS,PROBLEMS, SOLUTIONS TO DIFFERENT AUDIENCES • SUBJECT: COMMUNICATE BASIC KNOWLEDGE IN COHERENT WAYS IN DIFFERENT MEDIA • GENERAL: ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH EXPERTS • LEVEL: INTRO, DEEPEN, EXPERTISE • ALSO: THRESHOLD, RELATIVE VALUE, EXTRA-CHALLENGING • DIPLOMA: MARKERS OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

14. QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORKS • WHAT DOES EACH LEVEL OF DEGREE WE AWARD MEAN? • WHAT DOES IT REPRESENT IN TERMS OF STUDENT LEARNING? • HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM LEVELS ABOVE AND BELOW IT?

15. TOP 3 DEGREE LEVELS • LEVEL 6: Demonstrate mastery and innovation to solve complex and unpredictable problems in specialized field • LEVEL 7: Specialized problem-solving skills required in research and innovation to develop and integrate new knowledge • LEVEL 8: Most Advanced, including synthesis and evaluation, to solve critical problems in research/innovation and extend knowledge

16. LEARNING OUTCOMES • 1. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: breadth and kind • 2. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE /UNDERSTANDING: range, selectivity • 3. FLUENCY IN USE OF INCREASINGLY COMPLEX DATA AND INFORMATION • BREADTH AND DEPTH OF TOPICS COMMUNICATED; RANGE OF AUDIENCES FOR COMMUNICATION • DEGREE OF AUTONOMY GAINED FOR SUBSEQUENT LEARNING

17. IRISH FRAMEWORK • COMPENDIUM, TAB 9, BLUE SHEET, DISPLAYS GRID OF: • KNOWLEDGE (BREADTH AND KIND) • KNOW-HOW AND SKILL (RANGE, SELECTIVITY) • COMPETENCE (CONTEXT, ROLE LEARNING TO LEARN, AND INSIGHT) • WITH LEVEL INDICATORS FOR EACH LEVEL

18. CANADIAN FRAMEWORK • COMPENDIUM, TAB 9, YELLOW PAGES • DEGREE DESCRIPTION FOR: • PREPARATION FOR EMPLOYMENT • LENGTH OF PROGRAM • ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

19. CANADA, CONT’D • DEGREE-LEVEL STANDARDS FOR: • DEPTH AND BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE • KNOWLEDGE OF METHODOLOGIES AND RESEARCH • APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE • COMMUNICATION SKILLS • AWARENESS OF LIMITS OF KNOWLEDGE • PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY/AUTONOMY

20. APPLICATION TO U.S • DO WE ALREADY HAVE A FORMAL SYSTEM THAT IS MORE FLEXIBLE? • ACCREDITORS: • REQUIRE LEARNING GOALS • USE PEERS TO ADDRESS LEVEL OF GOALS • REQUIRE GENERAL EDUCATION • STATES SET PROGRAM LENGTH AND MONITOR OTHER AREAS • TRADITION REGARDINGMAJORS • JOHN NICHOLS - AACU

21. ISSUES • WHETHER OR NOT NEEDED, SHOULD THE U.S. HAVE A QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSFER WITH OTHER COUNTRIES? • WHO WOULD CREATE AND ENFORCE IT?

22. DISCIPLINARYASSOCIATIONS • COULD ACCREDITORS MOTIVATE NATIONAL DISCIPLINARY ASSOCIATIONS TO DEFINE LEARNING GOALS AND MEASURES BY STATING THAT INSTITUTIONS USING THOSE WOULD BE DEEMED TO COMPLY WITH STUDENT LEARNING REQUIREMENTS? • INSTITUTIONS COULD ELECT WHETHER OR NOT TO USE THEM

23. DISCIPLINARY ASSOCIATIONS HAVE EXPERTISE • FACULTY BUY-IN • “ASSESSMENT IN POLITICAL SCIENCE” (APSA 2009) • “ASSESSMENT IN HISTORY: (AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION)

24. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION –10 GOALS WWW.APA.ORG/ED/CRITIQUE_GOALS.HTML • COMMUNICATION • INFORMATION AND IT • SOCIOCULTURAL AWARENESS • PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT • CAREER PLANNING • KNOWLEDGE BASE • RESEARCH METHODS • CRITICAL THINKING • APPLICATION • VALUES

25. NEXT STEPS • THERE MAY BE FOUNDATION GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE. REGIONAL ACCREDITORS HAVE DISCUSSED PARTICIPATING IN A PROJECT WITH A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION INVOLVED. • WHAT, IF ANYTHING, SHOULD MSCHE DO?