ECAI 2016 - International Conference – 8th Edition
Electronics, Computers and Artificial Intelligence
30 June -02 July, 2016, Ploiesti, ROMÂNIA
The role of non-formal and informal education
in competences training - transversal
competences
Sofia Loredana Tudor
Faculty of Educational Sciences,
University of Pitesti,
Pitesti, Romania
tudor_lori@yahoo.com
Abstract – In every field of activity, including the
education, the competence/ skill represents the
foundation to ensure the process performance and
efficiency, enabling the transition from knowing and
know how to do towards know how to be and become.
So, the competence can be understood as a synthetic,
specific and integrative combination of capabilities,
knowledge, skills and attitudes. The concept of
pedagogical competence acquires specific valences
according to the concrete educational situation in which
the teacher finds in the sense that the system of
information assimilated during the years of the initial
forming for the didactic career is structured according to
the model of the educative action required.In defining
the concept of teaching competence it is noted that it
should be put in relation with the first objective social
side, on the one hand, given the nature and complexity of
tasks that make up the content of the various spheres of
social activity and the different functions and subjective-
psychological plane which is resultant of knowledge,
skills, abilities and temperamental traits characteristic
which the individual has, in order to fulfill the social
function that he is invested with. (Marcus, 1999). Thus,
the competence means "the ability to behave in a
particular, in a social situation, in order to empirically
prove effective, approved operating environment"
(Rosencrantz, Biddler, 1964 in Marcus, 1999). [1]
Keywords: non-formal education; in-formal education;
transversal competences
I. INTRODUCTION
The profile of the future graduate training is
validated and subsequently carried out in accordance
with the proposed development directions at European
level through the key-competences areas of the
European Qualifications Framework. At the
intersection of these milestones are identified the
following key-elements, fundamental for the personal
and socio-professional development of the graduate:
the communication, the problem solving, the
operations specific to different areas of knowledge, the
socialization and civic responsibility, lifelong learning,
the creativity, the entrepreneurship.
In recent years, there is noticed the trend, having
almost become a rule, to engage students, even from an
early age, starting with pre-school years, in various
978-1-5090-2047-8/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE
categories of non-formal and informal activities. The
school aims to build learning experiences formally
gained and ensure the development of skills discovered
in the student. Or maybe it is easy to recognize that
school no longer meets the current training needs of
students and, to compensate, it is necessary an
additional training that other educational settings offer?
Or should we prepare the student for life, offering him
multiple opportunities for learning? [2]
The training profile involves so a
collaboration between educational factors formals and
non-formal/ in-formal ones, the training directions
having a transdisciplinary character; they are expressed
through seven generic categories and are each
customized by sets of capabilities, attitudes and values.
The training profiles descriptors in relation with the
generic competences, with different levels of
achievement for each level of education (primary,
secondary) and they are: [3]
 the exploration and valorization of some formal/
informal ways in communication, in a variety of
situations;
 exploring some methods of knowledge resulted
from social experience, in order to solve problems;
 active and responsible participation in social life;
 effective use of the tools necessary for lifelong
education;
 the internalization of a value system to guide
attitudes and behaviors;
 the manifestation of creativity and innovative
spirit;
 the organization of personal life and career
evolution.
II. NORMATIVE DIMENSIONS ON TRAINING
STUDENTS
Non-formal learning is perceived as
being the opposite of the „formal” educational system,
seen as institutionalized training, which represents
compulsory education, variable as time period from
one school system to another and that ends with a
specific certification of acquired skills. [4]
 WED-46 Sofia Loredana Tudor
The media and informational revolution faces the
Romanian educational system with a choice of long
term effect: are teachers really capable to anticipate the
dynamics of changes in the society or do they stick to
the old patterns? In this latter case they would
contradict the reason to prepare students for an optimal
social insertion. Are teachers prepared indeed, from the
pedagogical competences standpoint, to confront with
updated requests? [5]
Having as premise the European Commission's
finding that "the mere fact of having participated in the
educational process is not enough. In addition, still also
need to be improved considerably the basic literacy in
reading, writing and counting and also must be
developed or consolidated the entrepreneurial skills
and the spirit initiative", the education approach should
focus on the priorities expressed in the Education
reorganization strategy. [6]
 the development of transversal competences -
entrepreneurial and IT;
 introducing a new benchmark for language
learning: by 2020, at least 50% of 15 year olds should
know a foreign language (42% in 2012) and at least
75% should study a second foreign language (61% in
2012);
 stimulating the formal and informal learning
forms by bringing companies in the classroom and
enhancing the learning activities in a professional
environment;
 strengthening links between schools and
employers by building partnerships between the school
environment with the private one for stimulating
innovation and promoting productive exchanges
between academia and business;
 the recognition through specific legislation of the
qualifications and competences, including those
acquired outside formal education and training system;
 intensified use of information and
communications technology (ICT);
 the European documents highlights the need to
strengthen the human capital and the employability by
increasing the level of graduates skills /competences;
[7]
 the overall demand for competences will continue
to increase in the future;
 are required European /national policies
guaranteeing labor adaptability to the needs of
employers;
 it is required the diversification of the continuous
training modalities and learning throughout life;
 the identification of some coherent measures for
solving over qualification /under qualification;
 it is essential the correct assessment of skills, not
just quantitative, but especially qualitative.
The main skills associated to the changes in work
content and which facilitates the adaptation and
employability are: use of information technology
competences, problem solving skills, resources and
communication management skills, including
communication in a foreign language. From the same
perspective, it highlighted the importance of
developing transversal competences and non-technical
competences (soft competences), such as: teamwork,
language skills and communication skills. These types
of skills enable the potential employees flexibility and
adaptability at work.
The school performs its function of educating and
training if the graduate of a study program is able to
demonstrate that it has acquired cognitive skills, a
functional competences and other learning acquisitions
(values, beliefs, attitudes, etc.) by which materializes
the four basic purposes of education [8]:
 knows (knows and understands) - demonstrates
that it has general and specialized knowledge
sufficiently large to understand the rapid changes
caused by the progress of scientific knowledge, by the
democratization of the access to the latest results of
scientific research carried out with modern means of
investigation, communication and transmission of
knowledge;
 knows how to do, namely to (re) act rationally and
efficiently based on gained knowledge, at the various
circumstances of life and work, proving entrepreneurial
spirit and inclination to work in teams and to solve
practical problems;
 knows to be himself/ herself by asserting an
honest attitude of self-assessment, self-awareness and
self-esteem in situations that involve personal initiative
and assuming responsibility for the realization of
useful projects for the community in which they live
and work;
 knows how to coexist, which means to know,
accept and respect diversity in terms of history,
traditions, culture and faith. In achieving this goal, it is
not sufficient language learning, but to promote formal
and informal intercultural communication and the
initiation and implementation of joint projects, in
multicultural communities benefit from each job or
civil society.
The contribution of non-formal education to the
forming /development of student competences aims
two levels: skills as interactional process in various
social contexts and student competences as prescribed
curriculum elements. In school are followed the key-
competences (in various disciplines), but this it’s not
the only way of training/ developing them, the role of
non-formal and in-formal education being relevant and
included in the lifelong education.
Developing the communication skills through non-
formal activities [9]: develops language competences,
create various opportunities for practicing languages,
forming skills of search and information processing,
developing nonverbal communication competences,
use of specialized languages (including in the online
environment, in the public).
Multiple advantages we found in terms of training
transversal competences: facilitating skills of
interpersonal communication, of civic participation,
The role of non-formal and in-formal education in competences training - transversal competences
developing the possibilities of knowledge of children,
socializing, spirit of competition, practical
competences training, and also the possibility of
having a personalized learning path.
III. FORMAL/ NON-FORMAL/ INFORMAL IN
STUDENTS COMPETENCES TRAINING
The approach on education in terms of
competences centered training is considering an
expanded field of training analysis, of which essential
details are [10]:
 the accentuation of following the achievement
way of the assumed finalities at the end of the school
year or at the end of compulsory education;
 granting a new meaning to learning;
 the relation between skills and curriculum
content;
 disciplinary and transdisciplinary dimensions of
training;
 transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary learning
activities;
 certification of training results by multiplying the
ways of assessing the skills.
The three approaches identified in the pedagogical
literature and relevant in terms of competences
centered training are (Burns, Squires, 1987; Seels,
1990; Ramsden, 1992; Brown, 1998; Killen, 1998)
[11]:
 the approach focused on learning outcomes in
curricular design promotes the focus of the educational
process on the anticipated student learning outcomes,
they having the role of a guide to the educational
process;
 the standards centered approach (Sahlberg,
2010) promotes the design on standards that students
must achieve in the various school subjects and in
different stages of schooling. It contributes
substantially to the development of competence-based
curriculum;
 process-centered approach necessarily promote
the importance of students learning (Knight, 2001;
Hussey, Smith, 2003; Maher, 2004). It is an approach
that emphasizes on the student, on his individual
characteristics (cognitive, affective-emotional and
psychomotor) and on the specificity of his learning
process.
IV. THE COMPETENCE AS A EDUCATIONAL FINALITY
The key-competences are defined as educational
finalities of the educational process in the National
Education Law [12]:
 "The main aim of education is the training of
competences (defined as "a multifunctional and
transferable set of knowledge, skills/ abilities required
in different situations) "(art. 4);
 "(...) lifelong learning is a guaranteed right;
this key-competence becomes in this way a major
educational goal" (art. 13);
WED-47
 "The National Curriculum for primary and
secondary education focuses on eight areas of key-
competence determining the profile of the student
training (...)" (art. 68-1);
 "High school education is centered on the
development and diversification of key-competence
and on the training of specific competence, depending
on the profile, specialization or qualification" (art. 68);
 "The school virtual library and the e-learning
platform includes programs, lessons examples, guides,
sample tests, it represents a concretization of the key-
competence - TSI" (art. 70 par. 2);
 "The assessment focuses on competences"
(art. 70).
The competence defining in the Romanian
curriculum documents highlights the emphasis on
structural elements of competence which are required
to be formed /developed and subsequent evaluated by
specific educational approaches. So:
 "(...) Education main finality is the forming and
development of a competence system, including
knowledge, competence, attitudes and values that
allow the active participation of the individual in social
and economic life." (Education Code, art. 11);
 "the proven ability to select, combine and
appropriate use knowledge, skills and other acquisitions
consisting of values and attitudes for successful
resolution of a certain category of work or learning
situations, as well as for the professional or personal
development in terms of effectiveness and
efficiency."(Education Law);
 "(...) a set of knowledge, skills and abilities,
organized to solve a task or set of tasks corresponding
to social demands" (curriculum Biology);
 "(...) an assembly /integrated system of
knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes acquired by
students through learning and mobilization in specific
contexts of achievement, appropriate to the age and
cognitive level of students, in order to solve some
problems that they may face in real life" (Chemistry
curriculum);
 "(...) an qualitative result of a contextualization
process, appropriate use of all purchases provided by
education (knowledge, skills, attitudes) in order to
solve everyday problems in an practical way"
(Geography curriculum);
 "(...) an assembly /integrated system of
knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes, acquired by
students through learning and mobilization in specific
contexts of achievement, appropriate to the age and
cognitive level of students, in order to solve some
problems that they may face in real life" (curriculum in
Mathematics /Physics);
 "(...) Sets of knowledge, skills, attitudes and
values formed and developed through learning, which
can be mobilized to identify and solve problems
specific to a particular area of human activity"
(Informatics Curriculum).
Non-formal and informal environment offers
various contexts to develop key-competences in
 WED-48 Sofia Loredana Tudor
various fields, but also transversal competences:
management competences, organization and
management of its own affairs, time management,
critical thinking, decision making, problem solving.
The flexibility of the learning context by providing
opportunities for capitalizing the learning experiences
in an affordable, personalized rhythm is one of the
advantages that the non-formal /in-formal education
offers.
Non-formal activities recommended for training
/development of students competences: social activities
(games, talks, walks), for spending free time (TV, chat,
rides) activities carried out in relation to the family
objectives (tutoring, camps, development activities /
completion of personal competence - theater, music,
dance, sports, household activities, etc.).
A radiograph of educational offers provided by the
school environment and social environment highlights
various non-formal and informal activities in which
students can be integrated. Their selection depends on
many factors: family financial possibilities to support
these actions, skills and personal interests, age level,
regional specifics etc. Some of these belong to the
schools offers (participation in cultural and sporting
events - performances, book launches, school
competitions, school visits, school trips, events in the
library, cultural projects; civic actions - debates;
volunteering; free time actions - trips, hiking, reading,
cinema and theater, professional and career
development actions- symposiums, practical activities,
activities for personal development - best manner
courses, modeling, sports activities, partnerships -
participation in school projects), others from the
community institutions offers (creative workshops,
competitions on specific topics, courses dance/ music/
acting/ languages/ musical instruments/ sports
branches).
At national and European level in the manual
Classification of learning activities, 2006 it is proposed
a map of categories of activities that allow the
formation of communication competences [13]:
1. Formal education
2. Non-formal education
2.1. Non-formal education programs
2.2. Courses: 2.2.1. Courses conducted by
classroom training (including readings) 2.2.2.
Combined courses theory - practice (including
workshops) 2.2.3. Courses conducted through open
and distance education 2.2.4. Private tutoring (private
lessons)
2.3. Vocational conducted training
2.4. Random non-specific education
3. Informal education
3.1. Learning that is teach 3.1.1. Taught learning.
Training /informal tutoring 3.1.2. Guided visits
3.2. Non-taught learning. 3.2.1 Self-learning 3.2.2.
Group learning 3.2.3. Practice. 3.2.4 Non-guided visits
The educational aims formulated in the school
curriculum for the different levels of education are
supported by formal, non-formal and in-formal
education.
For primary education, educational aims, defined in
terms of competences in the school curricula aims:
training the child's personality, respecting his level of
development; equipping the child with the knowledge,
skills and attitudes that boost the creative and effective
reporting on social and natural environment allowing
further education.
For secondary education are taken into
consideration: building the capacity to communicate
effectively in real situations, using Romanian
language, mother language, foreign languages and
various specialty languages; training and developing
the capacity to adapt and integrate into the community;
formation of positive attitudes in relation with the
social environment: tolerance, responsibility,
solidarity, etc.; building capacities and motivations
necessary for learning in the conditions of a changing
society.
For high school education, the goals aim to:
building the capacity to reflect on the world, to
formulate and solve problems based on relating
knowledge from different fields; value their own
experiences, for an optimal vocational guidance for
employment and/ or higher education; developing the
capacity to actively integrate in different sociocultural
groups: family, professional environment, friends etc.;
development of essential functional skills for social
success: communication, critical thinking, decision
making, processing and contextual use of complex
information; cultivation of the expressiveness and
sensitivity in order to personal fulfillment and to
promote a quality life; formation of moral autonomy.
The school curriculum offers suggestions of ways
of teaching approach of the skills in teaching and
learning process: discussion on a given topic, how and
where they learned about an author, a historic event, a
geographical area, a scientific experiment etc.; account
of their own formal or informal experiences of learning
which are associated with new acquisitions (what they
noted in a trip/ vacation in the mountains on the flora
and fauna specific to this area, in what movies or books
seen or read they learned something new about the
topic addressed etc.); reflections on how the exploit
new knowledge, skills, attitudes, internalized in their
daily activities in formal education.
V. CONCLUSION
Capitalizing the non-formal /informal education in
a school context is positive for prescribed skills
training, but also in the personality development of the
students: students feel valued, gain confidence in
themselves, learn to communicate with others, have the
chance to learn authentically and deeply from several
perspectives on an issue, to internalize several learning
experiences and to clarify their own values and
attitudes toward knowledge, internalizes a continuum
between what they learn in school and what they learn
in other contexts, formal or informal.
The role of non-formal and in-formal education in competences training - transversal competences WED-49

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WED-50 Sofia Loredana Tudor