Recognizing Lifelong Learning Competences: A Report of Two Cases - Edmundo Tovar

1. Grant nr: 2020-1-ES01-KA203-082258
2020-1-NO01-KA226-VET-094190
Recognizing lifelong learning
competences: a report
of two cases
Special Session: Recognition and Microcredentials
edmundo.tovar@upm.es REFERENT Research Group
Bernardo Tabuenca, Wolfgang Greller, Nelson Piedra, Anna Friesel
IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference
Kuwait, on April 29 –May 4 2023

2. Grant nr: 2020-1-ES01-KA203-082258
2020-1-NO01-KA226-VET-094190
Our context
Europe, IEEE

3. A European approach to micro-credentials
• A growing number of people need
to update and improve their
knowledge, skills and competences
• An insufficient supply of relevant
skills in the EU labour market
• People need access to quality
teaching and learning provided in
different ways and settings
• An effective culture of lifelong
learning is key
• Micro-credentials could help certify
the outcomes of small, tailored
learning experiences.
• There is no common definition of,
or standards for, micro- credentials
in Europe
• Education and training systems
should cater for the diverse
individual needs, abilities and
capacities of all learners.
• Micro-credentials can also support
the professional development and
mobility of worker

4. A European approach to micro-credentials
• Micro-credentials certify the
learning outcomes of short-
term learning experiences, for
example a short course or
training. They offer a flexible,
targeted way to help people
develop the knowledge, skills
and competences they need
for their personal and
professional development.
• Shorter forms of learning
opportunities than traditional
qualifications, such as micro-
credentials, are being
developed rapidly across
Europe and around the world.
These opportunities are made
available by a wide variety of
public and private providers in
response to the demand for
more flexible, learner-centred
forms of education and
training.

5. Professional Associations
•

6. Grant nr: 2020-1-ES01-KA203-082258
2020-1-NO01-KA226-VET-094190
Two Projects

7. STEMSOFT and TEASPILS projects: Purposes
• STEMSOFT aims to design an
open learning environment
based on OERs, that facilitates
the development of soft skills for
people with an interest in their
profesional development based
on STEM fields, in particular for
our defined target groups.
• TEASPILS project (Teaching
Environmental Awareness with
Smart IoT Planters) focuses on
creating environmental
awareness towards plants and
greenery, educating young
people and their teachers
towards ecological learning
spaces.

8. STEMSOFT TARGET GROUPS

9. STEMSOFT SKILL MATRIX: PARTIAL VIEW OF
THE STRUCTURE

10. STEMSOFT SKILL MATRIX: PARTIAL VIEW OF
THE STRUCTURE

11. LOs by target groups. Proposal
• Metric proposed to identify the priority skills / Target group
1. Metric proposed:
Number of
“advanced level”
by group (if tied
number of
“intermediate
level”
2. “Select the
preferred LO for
each of the 7
UNITS in the
matrix by target
group” Number of LOs to develop in the STEMSOFT project: 15
7 LOs by target group

12. STEMSOFT TP. Example: Module 9: European
citizenship

13. TEASPILS framework
• Integrates digital literacy with environmental competences.
• Similar approach to SDG and (sub-)targets.
• Encapsulates competences to understand and control environmental
states through digital means.
• The framework is modelled on the goals and objectives of the
TEASPILS project.

14. TEASPILS framework: Description
• Goals are synthesised into areas of applicability in teaching/learning
scenarios. Each generic area of expertise is divided into a number of
subsets that describe a knowledge and competence relevant to this
particular expertise that we are trying to foster. They can be adjusted
to the different educational sectors and age groups.
• Goals are not hierarchical and not organised in levels of achievement.
There is no obligation to fulfil all of the below goals, rather, they can
be used as a guide for designing appropriate and relevant learning
activities which can be evaluated afterwards.

15. Digital Green Competences Framework

16. Foster Environmental Awareness
Project goals into “Digital green competences”.
Potential learning outcomes for pilots
Knowledge/Skills
(declarative and procedural
knowledge)
Context/Autonomy/Responsibility
(conditional knowledge)
Sample
Activity 1
Sample
Activity 2
Goal 1. Foster environmental awareness
PLANTS
1.1 Recognising flora & fauna around yourself
1.2 Understanding the diversity of plants and
their specific requirements
1.3 Understanding the role of plants for natural
habitats and in a regional context
Recognise and name common
plants and how they are
categorised. Indoor plants and
in urban surroundings
(balconies, parks). How do
plants differ from each other,
what are the conditions for
species of plants to grow? How
do plants form a habitat for
people and animals? What are
the regional conditions that
influence plant existence
(treeline border in the
mountains, winterhard vs.
evergreen plants); Protected
plants and habitats; What are
the dangers to our green
environment?
Caretaking for plants,
Gardening project, input-
response activities (e.g.
adding too much/little water,
effects of fertilisers, grow for
harvesting and eating);
Consumer behaviour:
vegetables/fruit local vs
exotic? Protective behaviour
toward local flora in your
garden and indoors; Measure
soil conditions with sensors
and check charts. Using
mobile app (e.g. Plantnet) to
identify plants.
Discovery
learning

17. Educate towards ecological learning spaces
Project goals into “Digital green competences”.
Potential learning outcomes for pilots
Knowledge/Skills
(declarative and procedural
knowledge)
Context/Autonomy/Responsibility
(conditional knowledge)
Sample
Activity 1
Sample
Activity 2
Goal 2. Educate teachers and young people towards ecological learning spaces
LEARNING
2.1 Impact of the presence of plants on learning
and well-being
2.2 Precautions for contact with plants
2.3 Using plants to good effect in learning
spaces
2.4 Collecting and interpreting observation and
sensor data from plants and people
Green vs. lean learning
spaces, offices, homes, etc.;
plant defences and other
potentially negative effects
(e.g. pollen, thorns, poison);
Potential uses for plants in
classrooms and other
learning spaces (e.g. room
divider, decorative, live
learning object); Effects on
air quality
Adding plants to classroom or
learning space – planning
optimal setup; Respecting
plant needs and sharing
responsibility for plant survival
(e.g. in times of vacation);
measuring and collecting data
on plant well-being; observing
student/teachers emotional
response to plants (plant diary
for human happiness,
reduction of stress and
absence, social climate);
generating activities for active
learning with plants; collect
and analyse sensor data from
air and planter
Presentations,
Project
based
learning

18. Stimulate knowledge and appreciation of
plants
Project goals into “Digital green competences”.
Potential learning outcomes for pilots
Knowledge/Skills
(declarative and procedural
knowledge)
Context/Autonomy/Responsibility
(conditional knowledge)
Sample
Activity 1
Sample
Activity 2
Goal 3. Stimulate knowledge and appreciation of plants
HUMANS
3.1 Understanding the role of plants to
humans and society
3.2 Human plant relationship
3.3 Plants as abstract symbol in our cultures
Source of food and feed,
climate regulation, ornamental
feature (e.g. in gardens, parks
or public spaces), importance
of agriculture, sustainable and
unsustainable forms of plant
usage (e.g. urban tree cover,
rain forest destruction,
reforestation); depictions of
plants and their meaning,
history of organic art and
plants in art history
Local agriculture vs. natural
habitat (e.g. national parks
and wild areas) in your region;
cultivated green spaces, e.g.
parks and other recreational
zones (review and critique);
natural garden project (insect
friendly, bushes for cover of
singing birds, etc.), Citizen
Science activities (e.g.
bird/insect counting); museum
or city tour project on plant
depictions in art & architecture
Inquiry
based
learning

19. Explore plant data in classrooms and learning
spaces
Project goals into “Digital green competences”.
Potential learning outcomes for pilots
Knowledge/Skills
(declarative and procedural
knowledge)
Context/Autonomy/Responsibility
(conditional knowledge)
Sample
Activity 1
Sample
Activity 2
Goal 4. Explore plant data in classrooms and learning spaces
DATA
&
TECHNOLOGY
4.1 Interpreting environmental datasets
4.2 From data to ecological green thinking
4.3 Green education
What data shows relevant
indicators on environmental
states (soil, air, humans)?
Environmental parameters we
can measure with
instruments/sensors; plant
features we cannot capture in
data – e.g. human joy induced
by flowers; How can internet
technology help in sustainable
development? How can
learning analytics map
interactions and relationships
between students and plants?
Tracking data from planters
and weather/air conditions;
Concluding causes and
effects of environmental
evidence from the datasets;
Practice scientific thinking
based on plant evidence
data; changing learning
behaviours to become more
ecological; Interacting with
plants and the effect on data
evidence
Technology
enhanced
learning,
scientific
thinking

20. Teaching environmental awareness with
Smart IoT planters (TEASPILS)
Telegram
Messenger
Spike
SD Card
Spreadsheet
TEASPILS ecosystem
Plants
Mobile human2plant interaction
Cloud IoT platform
Visualization dashboard
SPOC Online Course
Repository of learning activities
Plantagotchi
Avatar
database, rules, alarms, dashboard
Teacher
Students
Moodle
ilde+
CSV log file
Thingsboard

21. Teaching environmental awareness with
Smart IoT planters (TEASPILS)

22. Grant nr: 2020-1-ES01-KA203-082258
2020-1-NO01-KA226-VET-094190
Recognizing lifelong learning
competences: a report
of two cases
Special Session: Recognition and Microcredentials
edmundo.tovar@upm.es REFERENT Research Group
Bernardo Tabuenca, Wolfgang Greller, Nelson Piedra, Anna Friesel
IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference
Kuwait, on April 29 –May 4 2023
THANKS!!