A software suite for efficient use of the European qualifications framework in online and blended courses

Abstract

Since introduction of the European qualifications framework (EQF) as one instrument to bridge from learning institutions to competence driven lifelong learning, it remains a challenge for instructors and teachers in higher education to make efficient use of this framework for designing, monitoring, and managing their lessons. This paper presents a software suite for enabling teachers to make better use of EQF in their teaching. The software suite extends course design based on well-defined learning outcomes, monitoring performance and competence acquisition according to the EQF levels, assessment using scoring rubrics of EQF levels and competences in a 360-degree feedback, as well as visualizations of learning analytics and open student models in dashboards for different social perspectives in social planes. This paper includes a case study with 20 teachers who used the software suite in all phases of the course lifecycle for three programming courses. The results show that integrated applications for adopting the EQF in teaching practice are strongly needed. These results also show that the suite can assist teachers in creating contextual awareness, kindling reflection, understanding students and course progress, and inferring patterns of success and failure in competences development

The authors thank the University of Valle for funding the research of Beatriz Florian-Gaviria. The presented work was partly sponsored by the ARrELS Project (TIN2011-23930) and funded by the Spanish Government. Further, they thank the University of Valle and University of Girona for the support in conducting the classroom study with their staff. Last but not the least, they thank Hendrik Drachsler and Marcus Specht from the Open University of the Netherlands for their kind support and collaboration with the related research throughout 2011 and 2012