Abstract:

In Europe the work programs of the educational and training systems have long been trying to make learning more attractive and promoting greater mobility of citizens within the European Union as well as improving their skills.
There are several studies, developed over the last decade, which discusses the issue of skills of trainers and instructors and one of the main difficulties to analyze the role of the instructors and evaluate their work, their qualifications and their situation in Europe is derived from that most trainers are not recognized as a distinct category, either in terms of its function or as a professional group.
Instructors have not developed the identity as vocational instructors and therefore do not feel as trainers when issues arise in this regard. This lack of identification particularly affects those aspects related to continuing professional development training and the improving of their skills.
While the technical skills of the trainers are a part of their baggage and even, in countries where the trainers are more considerate, is part of the prerequisites to carry out their work, is not the same when we talk about key skills or management skills.
Most of the pedagogical materials to which we must refer correspond to the different approaches being made to the development of job training centers, where the instructor is a key character: evaluation sheets, tools for monitoring of students, ...
The limitations of these materials for teaching are evident because does not address the differing characteristics of the instructors and can´t ensure that instructors have key competences or transversal skills that enable them to transmit their knowledge and experience to students within the parameters of quality.
This led us to develop a project of transfer of innovation, where five European partners try to adapt, streamline, provide ... ways so the instructors can develop key skills which are necessary for the development of its educational work with students that are incorporated in the enterprises and having, in many cases, their first experience in the working world. Instructors become for the students in the key link between the educational world, from there are moving away to the business world, where they are incorporated.
Throughout the project we have developed a range of appropriate educational supports for the instructors:
If the interest is in assessing what people do, identify the link of consistency between the conceptual and procedural, to understand how their performance occurs in a context and situation specific, or follow the process of acquisition and development of certain forms of knowledge or performance, we found an option in dynamic assessment strategies, focusing on performance. A good example of this type of assessment strategies are the portfolios.
Thus we have developed a portfolio that can serve to the instructor as a tool for self-evaluation and to assist it in assessing the key skills they have and those that can improve and / or increase.
After the use of the portfolio we provide them a series of self-training courses to assist them in the task of training and in the recognition of the role that they play.
This project uses e-learning initiatives and is based on the outcomes and innovation.
The last part of the project is to seek recognition of the training through the certification of instructors.

Keywords:

Education, instructors, key skills, portfolio, self-learning courses.