1. Changes in the context of evaluation and assessment: the impact of the European Lifelong Learning strategy Romuald Normand, Institute of Education Lyon, France

2. The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) : an instrument of evaluation - Establishing quantitative and qualitative indicators and benchmarks against the best in the world and tailored to the needs of member states and sectors as a means of comparing best practice - Periodic monitoring, evaluation and peer-review, organised as a mutual learning process between Member States.

3. Five European Benchmarks  an EU average rate of no more than 10 % early school leavers should be achieved.  the total number of graduates in mathematics, science and technology in the European Union should increase by at least 15 % by 2010 while at the same time the level of gender imbalance should decrease.  at least 85 % of 22 year olds in the European Union should have completed upper secondary education.  the percentage of low-achieving 15 years old in reading literacy in the European Union should have decreased by at least 20% compared to the year 2000.  the European Union average level of participation in Lifelong Learning, should be at least 12.5% of the adult working age population (25-64 age group)  Source : European Commission. Commission Staff working paper. Progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training, Report, Brussels, 2005.

4. Participation of adults in lifelong learning (2005) (Percentage of population aged 25-64 participating in education and training in four weeks prior to the survey Source: Eurostat (Labour Force Survey).

5. Key competences for Lifelong Learning : an official definition Source : European Commission, Working group B, « Key competences », Key competences for Lifelong learning. A European Reference Framework, november 2004

6. 8 areas for key-competences (1)

7. 8 areas for key-competences (2) Source : European Commission, DG Education & Culture, Implementation of « education and training 2010 ». Work Programme. Working Group B « Key Competences ». Analysis of the mapping of key competency frameworks, Brussels, November 2004.

8. Recommendation of The European Parliament And of the Council of Europe 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning  initial education and training offers all young people the means to develop the key competences to a level that equips them for adult life, and which forms a basis for further learning and working life  adults are able to develop and update their key competences throughout their lives, and that there is a particular focus on target groups identified as priorities in the national, regional and/or local contexts, such as individuals needing to update their skills  appropriate infrastructure for continuing education and training of adults including teachers and trainers, validation and evaluation procedures, measures aimed at ensuring equal access to both lifelong learning and the labour market, and support for learners that recognises the differing needs and competences of adults, is in place;  coherence of adult education and training provision for individual citizens is achieved through close links with employment policy and social policy, cultural policy

9. Standards of quality : a new regulation  Developing standards and assurance quality mechanisms to improve training systems’ performance : employability of trainees, coherence in employment supply and demand, improvement of skills of vulnerable groups  Assuring a new governance and transparency in training supply and demand at national and local levels  New approaches of training policies where the definition of standards, competencies, formal and informal learning, validation and certification, assessments become essential objectives  Capitalizing knowledge about tools of training quality assurance in private an public sectors, promoting new experiments and new methodologies, providing tools that already exist in quality area (ISO, etc), and disseminating best practices

10. Skills, assessments, and certification : validation processes of non-formal and informal learning

11. Non-formal and informal Learning Intention to learn Structure of the context Learning is intentionalLearning is not intentional Planned learning activities Formal learning Planned activitiesNon-formal Learning No planningInformal Learning Source : Colardyn D., Bjornavold J., The learning continuity. European inventory of validating non-formal and informal learning, CEDEFOP, 2005

12. The dimensions of validation  Validation is the process of identifying, assessing, and recognising a wider range of skills and competences which people develop through their lives and different contexts (education, work, leisure activities)  The dimensions of validation includes : - The learning outcomes - The standards against which the assessment takes place - The process whereby a learning outcome is validated Source : European Commission, Common European principles for validation of informal and non-formal learning, Brussels, 2004.

13. Dimension of standards Occupational standards Educational standardsAssessment standards Where to go ? How to get there ?How to ensure one is there ? Source : Colardyn D., Bjornavold J., The learning continuity. European inventory of validating non-formal and informal learning, CEDEFOP, 2005

14. Different types of assessment of Lifelong Learning Non formal and informal Learning Declarative methods Portfolio Competences check-up Observations Simulations Evidence of work practices Formal learningExams Tests

15. What’s for the future of adult and continuing education ? 5 September 2006 Recommendation of The European Parliament And of the Council of Europe for An European Framework of Certifications in Lifelong Learning : formal outcome, from an assessment and validation process, obtained when a competent authority establish that an individual has, at the end of learning, all the competences related to a given standard. Definition of the Certification : formal outcome, from an assessment and validation process, obtained when a competent authority establish that an individual has, at the end of learning, all the competences related to a given standard.