European Association of History Educators

Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission organised  on 5 October 2009 a Seminar on the Assessment of Key Competences in the framework of the Lifelong Learning: School Education Policies and Programme with specialist cluster groups on Key Competences, Teachers and Trainers, Maths, Science and Technology, and Learning Outcomes. The seminar was opened by Ms Hélène Clark, Director of the programme and chaired by Mr Adam Pokorny, Head of Unit. A variety of imputes discussed why addressing assessment is vital for the process of implementing the EU key competences for school education: communication in the mother tongue; communication in foreign languages; mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology; digital competence; learning to learn; social and civic competences; sense of initiative and entrepreneurship and cultural awareness and expression. Plus the underpinning transversal competencies critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, initiative, risk assessment, decision-taking and management of one's own feelings. Experts seem to a large extend agree that such assessment should be based on required learning outcomes.