E-TOOL TO DEVELOP HIGHER EDUCATION MODULES BASED ON LEARNING OUTCOMES

The European Higher Education Model is based on competences. A great deal of tentative approaches has been carried out in order to develop this educational model [1]. Competence assessment represents a hindrance to many teachers since they have been used to educational model based on the teacher and contents for a long time. This work proposes some approaches to carry out competence assessment.

Qualifications of every higher education degree are described by a set of specific and general competences [2]. Every subject belonging to a degree is related to a small set of competences. The subject curriculum must be related to these competences and to a specific set of learning outcomes. Thus, every competence can be assessed through a specific set of learning tasks. Consequently, resources such as specific activities, portfolio and rubrics can be used to obtain and assess the specific learning outcomes. This conceptual map lets us implement a structured framework, called E-tool for Planning Learning (EPL), which is based on web-platform and helps teacher planning every subject into the educational model based on competences. This framework allows the interdisciplinary coordination through collaboration and decision making in group. This tool interweaves the different elements that the teacher must take into account to plan the student learning process. [3]

Let be a specific competence, then the teacher can define the set of learning outcomes, activities, portfolio, assessment sings and rubrics, through EPL within an integrated point of view. The characteristics of this model we can summarize below: (1) It identifies different elements involved in the definition of competencies and their assessment; (2) it recognizes the aims for inclusion in the learning process; (3) it displays learning outcomes by linking the indicators of achievement with the activities and assessment processes; (4) it allows apply this model to a coordinated team of teachers, selected in each module, and subject: Associated skills and learning outcomes; its goals and contents from an interdisciplinary perspective; the most appropriate methodology and learning activities; tools and techniques to assess the level of development of these skills.

Likewise the grant by the Ministry of Science and Innovation Project "The Learning Outcomes in the New Higher Studies" (MCIN EA2008-0125. 2008-2009) has meant the possibility of experiencing new procedures to incorporate their findings to the design of new curricula at University of Almería. This experience has enabled us to tackle projects such as the computerization of the teaching guide, with which we have offered teachers a simple web tool to manage and update the contents of their teaching guides, establishing the structure of Web pages which allows to publish teaching planning using the criteria of accessibility and usability.

[1] De Miguel (2006): Modalidades de enseñanza centradas en el desarrollo de las competencias. Madrid: MEC. (Programa Estudios y Análisis).
[2] A. Detmer and J.G. Mora “Developing Qualifications Frameworks at the National and Institutional Level – The Spanish Case” Implementing Competence Orientation and Learning Outcomes in Higher Education Project-Team HE_LeO Ed. by E.Cendon, et al, 2008.
[3] Roca-Piera, et al, Propuesta Formativa para la Planificación y Desarrollo Compartido de Competencias en la UAL. Red Estatal de Docencia Universitaria RED-U-USC(2009)