Teacher learning and innovative professional development through the lens of the Personal, Social and Learning to Learn European key competence

ABSTRACT

This article outlines a secondary analysis of two European studies on innovative teacher professional development, through the lens of the Personal, Social and Learning to Learn European key competence. The 2018 European Recommendation describes it as being resilient, reflecting upon oneself, working with others, and managing time, information, learning and career. Adaptive, socio-emotional and metacognitive competences can be essential to harness other competences and navigate an unpredictable world, as argued in the LifeComp European framework. To nurture this key competence, teachers have to develop it themselves throughout the career. Innovative professional development can be a catalyst, addressing the complex and situated nature of teacher learning. It entails re-thinking time, space and mode of delivery, embedding active learning, relevance to practice, collaboration, coaching, feedback, and reflection. Innovative examples are presented as reciprocally related to Personal, Social and Learning to Learn, for resilient education systems in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic.

KEYWORDS:

• teacher professional development
• teacher learning; personal, social and learning to learn key competence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. For more information on LifeComp and other European Key Competence Frameworks, see https://ec.europa.eu/jrc

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Francesca Caena

Dr. Francesca Caena has an interdisciplinary background in education research, policy and practice. Her professional experiences and interests span policy-oriented international studies, school and teacher education, and competence frameworks. She has worked for the European Commission’s in-house science service (JRC Unit Human Capital and Employment – researcher for LifeComp European Key Competence Framework development), the European Commission DG Education and Culture (research support for the Working Group School Policy and Teacher Professional Development), and for the OECD (high-level expert for TALIS Initial Teacher Preparation study). Dr Caena has MA degrees in Modern Foreign Languages as well as Education Research (Venice University); her PhD Ed. (2010, Padua University) focused on comparative analysis of European Teacher Education case studies following the Bologna process. Her track record (book publications, reports, articles in peer-reviewed journals; invited keynote contributions to international conferences; reviewer/editor for research journals, e.g. the European Journal of Education) reflects sustained interest and participation in debate on education and training policy and practice across stakeholder groups. Her latest publications regard theoretical underpinnings of LifeComp European Competence Framework (2019), and conceptualisations of the Learning to Learn competence (2020).

Riina Vuorikari

Dr. Riina Vuorikari joined the European Commission’s in-house science service (DG JRC) in July 2013. She contributes to research and policy support in the field of human capital and employment. Her work focuses on Digital Competence for Citizens 2.2, teacher professional development, and issues related to adoption of new technologies and innovation in education and training. Her reports in 2020 deal with emergency remote schooling, as well as emerging technologies and the teaching profession.Dr Vuorikari has degrees in education (M.Ed in 1998 in Finland) and hypermedia (DEA in 1999 in France). Her PhD, which was completed in 2009, is from the Dutch research school for Information and Knowledge Systems. She is a member of the programme committees for conferences (e.g. International Conference on Web-based Learning, IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, International Conference on Computers in Education) and for various workshops. She is also invited speaker at events in the field of education (e.f. eTwinning) and a reviewer for research journals (e.g. Computers in Human Behaviour; IEEE Transactions in Education; IEEE MultiMedia, Computers & Education; Computer Journal; International Journal of Learning Technology).