WP2 Standards for integrating key competences in life skills into vocational teaching Country report for Italy

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1 1. Research sample Centri di Servizi per il Volontariato di Modena e Reggio Emilia Regione Toscana - Cultura e Educazione, Area Coordinamento MUS-E - associazione onlus per la prevenzione nel disagio scolastico CGIL Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro - Pistoia 2. Summary of research findings application of these standards to national teacher training frameworks (Identify key results of interviews & discussions with relevant parties including social partners) In Italy the system of vocational training, under the power of regional governments, has been living for almost ten years a transformation process focused on achieving an equal status with the school system, ruled by the State. About basic competences training standards, in January 2004 the State-Regions Conference, seeking harmonization between the national school system and the vocational training regional systems, had arrived at an agreement, defining, among the subjects of discussion and standards regarding technical professional contents and sector standards for the achievement of professional qualifications, also the minimum training standards concerning basic competences. The agreement had stated that the study plans had to be customized in order to consolidate and raise the basic competences level, according to a division in four areas: 1) languages area; 2) scientific area; 3) technological area; 4) historical, social, economic area. Meanwhile, the regions were starting a process of self-transformation towards the constitution of a skills recognition system, that for regions such as Tuscany, is being concluded today with the production of final regulations. In February 2008, the Conference of Regions and autonomous provinces had strengthened the focus on the key competences, endorsing the contents of the European Parliament Recommendation and the Council of December 2006 on this issue, indicating them as common cultural threshold to prepare young people for adult life and to offer them a way to continue to learn throughout their

2 entire lives. This further confirmation by the regions, of the importance of considering the basic competences as a key element in the design of the vocational training, was in the process of establishing the criteria to be followed for a compulsory education and, particularly, with the adoption of guidelines for the accredited vocational training agencies. The paths of education and vocational training were coming together at that time in a way perhaps "new" in Italy, thanks to the recent possibility of carrying the school obligations also within the regional systems of vocational training. Even in Tuscany therefore, being this region a leader government in the process towards a new system of assessment and accreditation of skills, are discussed the basic\key competences to be kept in mind when designing the vocational training, as established for the trainings related to compulsory education and the right and duty. The regional legislation expects that those who choose, after the compulsory education, to follow a professional qualification path (one year), acquire the same basic competences gained after the first two years of the secondary school. To enable the effective use of the skills acquired in different contexts (formal and non formal/informal), Tuscany, on the basis of several preliminary steps and a trial on the scope, is now finalizing the definition of a processes architecture to recognize and certify competences, which also covers the classification of basic competences. The product of these pathways is the text, entitled Regional Standard for description, training, recognition and certification of competences update 04:02:08. This regulation text speaks explicitly of the key competences required to be taken in consideration when designing the vocational training and that will come into force from July 1 st, The text states that the key competences individualize the knowledge and capacities which, although not directly related to the dimensions of professional work, are an integral part of vocational training as essential to guarantee the conditions for effective employability and exercise of citizenship rights. The Life project proposes standards and methodologies that are consistent and complete as proposed by the Tuscany regulations. 3. Specific country requirements & difficulties It's very important to emphasize two aspects: 1) The key competences defined by the text of the Region of Tuscany are based explicitly on the European Parliament and the Council of 18 December (2006/962/EC), from which an attachment is formally adopted as a standard reference for Tuscany to define the key competences

3 for employability and citizenship. The EU Recommendation is an integral part of regional standards for the vocational trainings in Tuscany. 2) The regional text supports that learning objectives related to key competencies should be defined based on the specific needs of each type of user and, therefore, vary according to the type of path that is planned. Even considering the relevant comments of the various stakeholders interviewed, whose testimonies have substantially contributed to this theory, we can say that the Region of Tuscany adopts with its own regulation production, the key competences as a crucial element of professional training and, although assuming the European recommendation as a basis for developing those skills, leaves, at the same time, the possibility for operators and planners to decide with which characteristics and models to link the basic/key competences to the training beneficiaries and the professional profiles dealt with. In this matter, Life proposals are fully reflected, both in existing legislation and in the trainers interest in responding to the regional standardization that requires the possibility of applying effective methods and contents even in the development of key competences, such as those proposed by the Life project. 4. Recommendations Once is in course the final step of regional law production, which shows the introduction of a new system that leaves ample room for the applicability of the Life project results, both in terms of contents usage and methodologies proposed by the project, all those interviewed agree in the need of promoting the dissemination of training on basic competences, spreading, as far as possible, the project s information and tools. 5. Appendix Sentences: Andrea Bellani - Modena and Reggio Emilia Volunteer Services Centres Consultant and European Commission s external evaluator for LLF measures... The key competences are a current topic especially in Italy, but also among teachers and trainers, there s still a lot of people who don t master computers and English yet. On training the trainers we re still fairly backward. The trainers themselves don t know it. In schools, perhaps, we re far ahead, the systems are different... Silvia Marconi - Culture and Education Officer - Tuscany s Coordination Area The new legislation comes into force from July 1 st, 2009, so trainers and planners must take into account the key competencies...

4 Riccardo Niccolai, MUS-E Coordinator, Onlus Association (school problems prevention) The level of awareness among the operators is high, but there are difficulties in part related to the resources available... CGIL Pistoia - Gessica Beneforti Syndicate responsible for the training area The key competences are important because those who enter the vocational training often lack of basic training and the recall to competences for life is always more important even because in the professional training we receive more and more immigrants, who need these competences even more. The teaching methods should be regulated to the particular needs of these customized persons etc. There is not always attention to the different training people. ISFOL 1994 BASIC English Informatics Business Organization Syndicate / labor Law 1. Labor active research techniques 2. Economics TECHNICAL PROFESSIONAL 3. Specific for each sector TRANSVERSE 4. Diagnostic: self competences and attitudes; the problems 5. Relationship: communicate, teamwork, negotiate Confront: enhance selflearning, face and solve problems, develop creative solutions OMS 1994 Decision making Problem solving Creativity Critical Sense Effective Communication Interpersonal Relationship Self-knowledge Empathy Managing emotions Managing Stress OCSE/DESECO 2003 ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE SUCCESS AND FOR THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF SOCIETY Act in autonomous way 1. Ability to defend and assert their rights, responsibilities, limits and needs 2. Ability to define and implement programs and personal life projects 3. Ability to act in an overall framework within a wide contest Instruments usage in interactive manners 4. Ability to use language, symbols and texts in interactive manners 5. Ability to use knowledge and information in interactive manners 6. Ability to use new technologies in interactive manners Function in socially heterogeneous groups 7. Ability to establish good relations with others 8. Ability to cooperate 9. Ability to manage and resolve conflicts UE key competences for lifelong learning Communication in mother tongue Communication in foreign languages Mathematical competence and basic competence in science and technology Digital competence Learning to learn Interpersonal, intercultural, social and civic competences Entrepreneurship Cultural Expression Ministero Pubblica Istruzione key competences for citizenship Learning to learn Design Communicate Collaborate and participate Act independently and responsibly Solving problems Identify links and relationships Acquire and interpret information

5 01. La Dichiarazione mondiale sull educazione per tutti: dare risposta ai bisogni fondamentali di apprendimento dell UNESCO Imparare a vivere: un progetto di massima per l eccellenza (Learninga living: A blueprint for High performance) USA Competenze per la vita dell OMS (Life skillseducationin schools) JacquesDelors, Crescita, competività, occupazione, Unione Europea, Bruxelles Edith Cresson, Insegnare e apprendere: verso una societàconoscitiva, Unione Europea, Bruxelles Competenze di base per l occupabilità dell ISFOL-1994 e Commissione dei Saggi, Le conoscenze fondamentali su cui si baserà l apprendimento dei giovani nella scuola italiana dei prossimi decenni (maggio 1997) 08. Minigruppo dei Saggi, I contenuti essenziali per la formazione di base(marzo 1998). 09. OCSE Esami delle politiche dell Istruzione, Italia, Armando editore, Roma Conclusioni del Consiglio europeo di Lisbona, 23/24 marzo Memorandum sull istruzione e la formazione permanente, Documento di lavoro dei servizi della Commissione delle Comunità Europee, 30 0ttobre Relazione del Consiglio (Istruzione) per il Consiglio dell Unione europea sugli Obiettivi futuri e concreti dei sistemi di istruzione e formazione, Stoccolma 14 febbraio Rapporto nazionale sul processo di consultazione relativo al Memorandum su istruzione e formazione permanente Italia-novembre Competenze chiave. Un concetto in divenire nell'istruzione obbligatoria di Eurydice (Key Competencies. A developing concept in general compulsory education) Competenze chiave per una positiva vita attiva e per il buon funzionamento della società dell OCSE (KeyCompetenciesfora Successful Life and a Well-Functioning Society) 2003 Rapporto finale della ricerca DESECO 16. Competenze chiave per l apprendimento permanente. Un quadro di riferimento europeo. Allegato alla Raccomandazione Parlamento europeo e Consiglio relativa a competenze chiave per l apprendimento permanente del 10 novembre 2005