1. Understand what is meant by ‘key competences’ also often referred to as ‘21st century skills’, and why developing them at school is so important in today’s world; 

2. Understand that the definition of competences as well as national and international frameworks vary but share common points; 

3. Be familiar with the basic key principles for teaching and assessing key competences, and self-assess your current practice and identify areas for improvement; 

4. Be familiar with how various countries across Europe have implemented a key competence approach in school education, particularly in Ireland which is the case study country used throughout the course.

European Union’s Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32006H0962&from=EN

UNESCO framework: http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/15_62.pdf

OECD DESECO framework: http://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/definitionandselectionofcompetenciesdeseco.htm

Partnerships 21 framework: www.p21.org

ATC21S framework: http://www.atc21s.org

Microsoft 21st Century Learning Design: http://www.pil-network.com/pd/21CLD/Overview

UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachershttp://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002134/213475e.pdf

ATC21S professional development module: Teaching and learning 21st century skills : https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/atc21s/Resources/PD_Module%205_for%20web_V2.pdf

ATC21S professional development module: ATC21S: Examples of teaching 21st century sub-skills in existing lessons: https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/atc21s/Resources/ATC21S%20Examples%20of%20teaching%2021C%20subskills%20in%20existing%20lessons_V2.pdf

1. Understand the principles behind Project Based Learning, including inquiry-based and problem-based methods;

2. Be familiar with the preliminary checklist, basic steps and strategies recommended to design a Project Based Learning activity;

3. Understand how to set-up a collaborative problem-solving task;

4. Understand the cognitive and social skills learners need to apply and teachers need to observe during a collaborative problem-solving task;

5. Be familiar with a range of Project Based Learning examples developed by teachers and students from different countries, targeting various competences and age levels;

6. Be able to design a Project Based Learning Plan to effectively develop one or more of learners’ key competences or transversal skills.