Cedefop Conference Explores the Impact of Learning Outcomes on Teaching and Learning in VET

Experts and stakeholders gathered to debate how the use of learning outcomes shapes teaching and learning, with three 3s members actively contributing to the event.

Cedefop’s recent con­fe­rence The impact of learning outcomes on teaching and learning: policy choices ahead marked the con­clu­si­on of the three-year study The shift to learning outcomes: rhetoric or reality?. The event brought together European poli­cy­ma­kers, rese­ar­chers, and prac­ti­tio­ners to reflect on how learning outcomes are trans­forming voca­tio­nal education and training (VET), both in schools and in work-based settings such as apprenticeships.

Findings from Cedefop’s extensive research show that learning outcomes are incre­a­sing­ly used to guide VET curricula, but with signi­fi­cant variation in how they are under­s­tood and imple­men­ted. The con­fe­rence served as a platform to explore impli­ca­ti­ons for teaching, assess­ment, and stake­hol­der engagement.

Participants joined focused sessions on:

• Engaging stake­hol­ders in adopting learning outcomes for ensuring under­stan­ding and ownership;
• Empowering teachers and trainers in using learning outcomes;
• Aligning teaching and learning with assessment;
• Tools for sharing practices and improving imple­men­ta­ti­on of learning outcomes in practice.

The closing panel brought together diverse per­spec­ti­ves from policy and practice, high­light­ing the need for continued dialogue, teacher support, and alignment of learning outcomes with real teaching and learning processes.

Karin Luomi-Messerer con­tri­bu­ted as speaker, Monika Auzinger and Mariya Dzhengozova played an active role as rap­por­teurs from breakout sessions.

All pre­sen­ta­ti­ons are available for download.