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EXAMINATION OF TEACHER COMPETENCES IN TURKEY IN TERMS OF LIFELONG LEARNING COMPETENCES OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Z. Arsal
The of aim this study is to find out the Turkish teacher competences related to key lifelong learning competencies defined by European Commission. The results showed that teachers competences in Turkey consist of using technology, mother tongue, social lifelong learning competences whereas they do not include foreign language, learning to learn and high thinking skills.
Key words: Lifelong learning competences, teacher competences, European Commission
Introduction. Lifelong learning is considered as a goal for education and as an essential workplace component (Kirby, Knapper, Lamon and Egnatoff, 2010). Lifelong learning is a main aim of European Union to decide educational values, ideas and politics of European education systems (Dehmel, 2006). According to the European Commission’s “Memorandum on Lifelong Learning” lifelong learning is an essential policy for the development of citizenship, social cohesion and employment (European Commission, 2000).
Lifelong learning is multidimensional and a complex concept (Nicholls, 2000). Peck (1996, p.645) defined lifelong learning as “the development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills and understanding they will require throughout their lifetime and to apply them with confidence, creativity and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances and environments. Lifelong learning refers to “all learning activities undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competence within a personal, civic, social, and/or employment-related perspective” (European Commission, 2001; p.9).
Key Lifelong Learning Competences of European Commission. People living in Europe need a wide range of key lifelong learning competence to adapt themselves to rapidly changing world. The key lifelong learning competences defined by European Commission (2006) are a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the context. The citizens of European countries need key competences for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment. There are eight key competences which are all considered equally important. The competences include basic skills of language, literacy, numeracy, information and communication technologies, learning to learn and social and cultural awareness. These key competences are follows: (1) communication in the mother tongue is the ability to express and interpret concepts, thoughts, feelings, facts and opinions in both oral and written form (listening, speaking, reading and writing), and to interact linguistically in an appropriate and creative way in a full range of societal and cultural contexts; in education and training, work, home and leisure; (2) communication foreign languages include the ability to understand, express and interpret concepts,
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thoughts, feelings, facts and opinions in both oral and written form (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in an appropriate range of societal and cultural contexts (in education and training, work, home and leisure) according to one's wants or needs; (3) mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology: Mathematical competence is the ability to develop and apply mathematical thinking in order to solve a range of problems in everyday situations; (4) digital competence involves the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology (IST) for work, leisure and communication. It is underpinned by basic skills in information and communication teachnology (ICT); (5) “learning to learn” is the ability to pursue and persist in learning, to organise one's own learning, including through effective management of time and information, both individually and in groups. This competence includes awareness of one's learning process and needs, identifying available opportunities, and the ability to overcome obstacles in order to learn successfully; (6) social and civic competences include personal, interpersonal and intercultural competence and cover all forms of behaviour that equip individuals to participate in an effective and constructive way in social and working life, and particularly in increasingly diverse societies, and to resolve conflict where necessary; (7) sense of initiative and entrepreneurship refers to an individual's ability to turn ideas into action. It includes creativity, innovation and risk-taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives.
The range and complexity of competences required for teaching in the 21st century is so great that any one individual is unlikely to have them all, nor to have developed them all to the same high degree. These competences required for teaching in the 21st century are references for teachers, researchers interested in education, and policy makers. Teachers teach students who have different cultural background, special needs, so the roles of teachers and schools are rapidly changing (OECD, 2009). Students are unlikely to have all of these competences, but teachers need to help students acquire lifelong learning competences defined European Commission.
It is crucial for teachers to gain lifelong learning competences in order to develop their students’ lifelong learning competences. If teachers have key lifelong learning competences while they are in initial teacher education, they can develop their students’ lifelong learning skills. Teachers should understand, deploy and assess key competences, and they should be model about the key lifelong learning competences as well as helping learners to acquire them.
The general teacher competences defined by the EU Commission include lifelong learning knowledge and skills, and are references for both the initial teacher education and the continuous professional development of teachers in Europe (European Commission, 2013). Additionally, the teacher education policy from the EU Commission states that initial teacher training should promote teachers’ lifelong learning knowledge and skills (European Commission, 2006). The teacher competences of the EU Commission are also references for teachers and teacher education programs in Turkey, which is a candidate member country for the EU. Furthermore, the general teacher competences defined by the Minister of National Education in Turkey should include lifelong learning competences defined by European Commission. The purpose of this study is to find out the teacher competences related to key lifelong learning competencies defined by European Commission.
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The Teacher Competences in Turkey. The teacher competences defined by the Minister of National Education in Turkey are organized in six main themes, personal and professional values, knowing students, teaching and learning process, monitoring and evaluating student development, relationship with school, family and society, and curriculum and content knowledge. These six main themes consists of 31 subthemes (MEB, 2012). The following teacher competencies which are direcetly related to the key lifelong learning competences were found.
Table 1
Teacher competences related to key lifelong learning competences of European Commission
Key lifelonq learninq competences of EU Teacher competences in Turkey
Communication in mother tongue Teachers speak Turkish, official language in Turkey, clearly and fluently.
Communication in foreign language
Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology Teachers are interested in scientific research.
Digital competences Teachers have technological literacy (they have concept and practical knowledge and skills related to technology). Teachers follow innovations on communication and technology. Teachers use information and communication technologies in order to share information. Teachers follow professional publications.
Learning to learn
Social and civic competences Teachers have close relationship with civil servant, leaders of society and pedagogy. Teachers take role in cultural and sportive organizations. Teachers make cooperation with teacher organizations.
Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship Teachers have high thinking skills.
Cultural awareness and expression Teachers consider social and cultural values of family and society. Teachers respect cultural values of students. Teachers respect values and beliefs of families. Teachers know social and cultural characteristics of families. Teachers behave to families with different social, economic and cultural background. Teachers behave by considering human rights. Teachers are no discriminative against people, nations. Teachers show democratic behaviors in the classroom. Teachers respect universal and national values. Teachers take role in protecting children rights. Teachers are open new ideas and changes.
Table 1 shows that there are many teacher competences related to key lifelong learning competence such as cultural awareness and expression, digital competences, social and civic competences. Hovewer, there is not enough teacher competences related to sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, mathematical
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competence and basic competences in science and technology, and communication in mother tongue. Furthermore, there is no any teacher competences related to communication in foreign language and learning to learn. Learning to learn skills require firstly the acquisition of the fundamental basic skills such as literacy, numeracy and ICT skills that are necessary for further learning (European Commission, 2006). Learning to learning is very important lifelong learning competence for teachers’ professional development. Hence, teacher competences in Turkey should include competences related to learning to learn. Teachers need communication in foreign language competence in order to share their experiences with collegues in other countries. Some studies in Turkey show that teachers and preservice teacher feel the least inadequate in communication in foreign language (Evin Gencel, 2013; §ahin, Akba§li & Yelken, 2010). The initial and inservice teacher education programs should include learning to learn and communication in foreign language lifelong learning competences. Teacher competences in Turkey should include more lifelong learning competences related to sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology, and communication in mother tongue.
Conclusion. As a result, this study indicated that teacher competences defined by Minister of National Education in Turkey includes some lifelong learning competences but they are not enough for sustainable professional development of teachers. Researchers interested in lifelong learning and teacher education in other countries should examine their teacher competences in terms of key lifelong learning competences of European Commission.
References
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