1. Initial situation

Vocational training in the European countries continually has to face the new challenges resulting from global economic and social change. Routine tasks in enterprises focus increasingly on changing tasks, functional change and teamwork. People who can follow a train of thought, plan jointly and solve problems independently are in demand. Ability and receptiveness to ongoing further training is becoming a major challenge, both for people and organisations. A new learning culture has arisen from this which targets integral active learning and the development of active competence.

This active competence must be reflected

· in active ability, i. e. being able to act through knowledge, ability and skills (cognitive aspect)

· in the readiness to act, i.e. the willingness to act through motivation (motivational aspect)

· in the intention to act, i.e. being allowed to act for a certain purpose (intentional aspect).

The main task of vocational training must therefore be to enable trainees to acquire active competence and prepare them for the rapidly changing conditions in their life and profession.

The approach to competence thus represents the educational basis for vocational training. Any training which is formulated on these lines will equip the trainee for self paced, lifelong learning.

The orientation on the approach to competence also has consequences for the choice of teaching and training methods. On the basis of psychological learning studies, the following aspects in particular should be taken into account:

· An initial approach to learning which, where possible, centre on practical training.

· The action must be linked to the experience of the learners and appeal to their motivation.

Many individuals / groups have little or no motivation. The subject, mode of delivery, work placement element, method of assessment, progression routes and employment

opportunities are directed by staff and fully supported to stimulate the learner and raise the motivation levels.

· It must, where possible, be independently planned, implemented, corrected and assessed by the learners (self evaluation).

· It should allow the inclusion of as many senses as possible in addition to the reality (many learners want to tackle a study subject with mind, heart and hands).

· The learning processes must be accompanied by social and cooperative communication.

· The results should be reflected with regard to their social usefulness.

ICEBERG MODEL

VISIBLE SKILLS The technical knowledge

and skills required to meet

specific labour market needs Waterline

EMPLOYABILITY SOFT – SKILLS

SKILLS People who are confident creative

and have the capacity to learn and

re-learn through out their lives. Helping to

drive productivity and enterprise in the economy

‘Learning to Work’, Scottish Executive

Soft – Skills:- Effective Time Management, Planning and Organising, Effective Oral Communications, Problem Solving, Creative Thinking, Networking, Innovation, Leadership and Risk Taking.

It is necessary in the development of active competence to prepare practice orientated projects or to create situations in which the learners are able to explain the entire operation. An integral learning programme should therefore include the following didactic approaches:

· Problem solving and analysis, data collection and bench marking;

· Planning, implementation and assessment processes;

· Strategic and Operational Planning;

· Monitoring and Evaluation, Achievement, Attainment and Progression.

In addition, the diverse nature of the learning group can be put to use for the acquisition of social skills, because the learners are dependent on joint learning in very different initial study situations and the organisation of a part of the their everyday life. Initial learning approaches are not only indicated by different levels of performance; they are also rooted in dissimilar family backgrounds and cultural and environmental influenced forms of socialising.

In a diverse group, learners exhibit these differences in various ways:

· in learning, working, thinking and solution strategies which they can include in their own thinking world and cooperative ways of working;

· in emotional dispositions;

· in motivational behaviour and adjustment to school/college, performance, classes, school community;

· in the expression of the individual compatibility or divergent behaviour of the learners.

In particular, in discussions with this widely diversified heterogeneity of the group, the trainees learn the importance of their own conduct among their colleagues. They acquire or consolidate their abilities which, after conclusion of their vocational training, are indispensable for socialising and successful integration into a heterogeneous composite society.

Those training facilities who wish to meet the set requirements need a system which enables them to react to future changing requests and frameworks. In addition, it is essential that they see themselves as a learning organisation. The setting up of such a learning organisation can be underpinned by a quality assurance system. "Quality" is therefore currently a key concept in European and national educational debates too. These discussions centre primarily on the "how" of a suitable quality control.

A quality culture on the basis of a quality assurance system as a suitable "tool" offers many advantages to vocational training facilities, including:

· a thorough, structured, flexible and transparent approach to further improvements in the training services;

· an assessment based on facts instead of subjective perceptions;

· a means of targeting what must be done in all vocational facilities to achieve the jointly agreed aims. This means that all participants should target the same concept;

· a powerful diagnostic instrument which makes a statement right from the outset on the strengths and the longer-term quality of the facilities;

· a means of measuring the progress made during the allotted period by periodical self assessment;

· a means of increasing the motivation of participants by involving them as deeply as possible in the improvement process;

· an opportunity to exchange outstanding approaches on the same basis within and outside the field training.

Such tools are examples of total quality management approaches e.g. EN ISO 9000:2000, European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), Six sigma (American procedure of General Electric)

The differences arise from the various origins, the approach, the range and the different input fields.

However, there are also country specific systems such as:

· the Scottish Quality management system SQMS, Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA);

· Learning Orientated Quality Model (LQS) in Germany.

2. The aim of the comparative study

The aim of the comparative study is to offer an overview of the status and prospects of the applications and procedures of quality assurance in the European partner organisations involved in the "DIQUAS" project. In addition, the individual quality control approaches are compared according to predefined main points. The following questions are relevant:

· Which quality assurance procedures are applied by the vocational training institutions?

a) Reference No 4 Summary of the analysis results in the partner facilities.

· Which elements of quality assurance are observed by the vocational training institutions?

b) Reference No 4 Summary of the analysis results in the partner facilities.

· What experience have the vocational training institutions gained in the application of quality assurance procedures?

· Structured framework in line with Strategic and Operational Aims and Objectives;

· Implementation of action towards educational aims and objectives;

· Achievement of educational aims and objectives;

· Internal and External measured response to performance;

· Focus on learning;

· Benchmarking against National Performance;

· Means to establish relevant resourcing and staff development;

· Currency of Qualifications and continuous Professional Development (all staff);

· Staff commitment to improve the quality of the learner experience;

· Staff commitment to improve the quality of evaluation through review and action planning;

· Teamwork;

· Client Care;

· Identifying and sharing of good practice;

· Staff awareness and responsiveness to the Colleges’ educational aims and objectives;

· Clarity and currency of staff remits.

· What suggestions and recommendations do the vocational training institutions offer for the further development of quality?

· Scottish systems is well established and embedded through out VET institutions;

· Nationally and Internationally recognised system;

· Well Structured;

· Well Tested;

· Rigorously Reviewed;

Continually developed and improved.

3. Summarising analysis of quality approaches in the partner facilities

In the institutions as well as in the partner countries different institutional frames let themselves seen for the vocational education and quality control.

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