Summary Form
of linking a completed level of general education/ education phase
to a level of the HuQF
secondary school leaving examination
- Data sheet
1.2. General education phase: secondary general education
1.3.Laws related to linking: no. 1229/2012. (VII. 6.) Government Decision
1.4.Criteria for linking: secondary school leaving certificate
1.5.Justification for selecting the completed level of general education/ education phase:
it closes general education, secondary general education;
secondary school leaving examination;
changing a qualification type: it is the input level for higher education programmes.
1.6Documents used for completion:
Annex to no. 1229/2012. (VII. 6.) Government Decision – the levels of the HuQF
Levels 1-4 of the HuQF: the interpretation of descriptors based on documents concerning general education
2.
2.1 List of documents and background materials collected and used for the analyses:
- Act CXC of 2011 on national general education
- No. 110/2012. (VI. 4.) Government Decreeon the issuing, introduction and implementation of the National Core Curriculum
- No. 51/2012. (XII. 21.) EMMI Decree of the Minister of Human Resourceson the rules of issuing and approval of framework curricula
- No. 100/1997. (VI. 13.) Government Decree on the issuing of the rules of upper secondary school leaving examination
- No. 40/2002. (V. 24.) OM Decree of the Minister of Education on the specific requirements of upper secondary school leaving examination
- Foreign Language Framework
- European Language Portfolio
Collected in a separate document: Problems emerging for the descriptions of Levels 1-4 of the HuQF related to general education and proposals for their solutions
3.
Analysis of text and content
3.1 Which are the elements in the outcome description that evidence compatibility with the adequate level of the HuQF?
a) Knowledge:
Students have elaborate and firm school literacy, which may be underpinned by the final secondary school examination. In certain domains they have knowledge providing the basis of expertise or approaching expertise level. Their abstract knowledge is abundant, however, even so they may be only expected to have limited, partial knowledge on the abstract world. The knowledge schemes becoming more and more abstract allow evaluating novel situations, and using the knowledge and thus they provide the development of skills and independence.
In the topics of language, culture, communication they know language types, as well as basic concepts in semantics, pragmatics and general linguistics. They have knowledge on how media work and their effect mechanisms.
In the knowledge domain of mathematics they have knowledge that needs complicated operations of thinking, for example they know the concepts of a graft, logarithm, trigonometric equation and exponential function.
In the domain of social sciences they know their homeland, motherland and nation, the history of Europe and its characteristic features, the main objectives of European integration, as well as the main features of universal civilisation. They have knowledge on the bases of social-economic life, world economy, national economy, and the essence of the economic-financial institutes and processes determining the life of business enterprises and households. They have basic knowledge related to bank transactions. They know the main rights and obligations of citizens. They know about consumer rights. They know the specific needs of disadvantaged people.
In the literacy domain of sciences they have basic knowledge on the Universe. They know the most important features of electromagnetic waves, their ranges, and the double nature of matter. Furthermore, they know the essence of the structure of the human body and its life functions, the main features of a healthy lifestyle, and the elements of first aid. They know the role of group norms, and the functions of emotions. They know the difference between science and pseudo-science. They know the basic principles of environment and nature protection, the features of environment-conscious behaviour, and the concept of ecological footprint.
Students participating in the VET have higher level professional knowledge falling within the scope of expertise. For example in the trade of antiquarian their knowledge extends to the following: features, establishment, reorganisation, termination of business enterprise forms. In the trade of marketing- and advertising administrator: event decoration. In the trade of commercial manager assistant: quality assurance. In the trade of tour guide: knowledge of etiquette and protocol, basic legal knowledge, political, economic and cultural relationships of Hungary. In the trade of horse tour guide: the technology of horse-keeping, market research, selling services.
b) Skills:
Students use their knowledge creatively in new situations as well, they find relations among the elements of reality at an abstraction level being higher than the previous ones.
Students are able to creatively solve problems in activities involving movement. They are able to develop their abilities of physical condition and coordination and awareness of rules related to specific sports. By means of motoric activities they are able to regulate stress. They are able to manage competition situations, conflicts, and they use stress management methods.
They independently collect information and realise the manipulation of information. They use the services of the library information system. They understand the system of relations of complicated, multifactorial phenomena. They are able to assess the truth contents of statements. They purposefully group and combine their knowledge obtained at different time points and places for the solution of a problem. They are able to use abstraction and concretizing at higher levels, e.g. they make concepts and definitions, or use the learnt train of thoughts as a panel in a new process. They analyse the scope of validity for the results of problem solving, and they are able to examine assumptions.
In their language use they creatively express notions, ideas, experiences and emotions. They are able to have an overall view. They are able to reveal complicated relations in a text being unknown to them, and they are able to realise and identify the relations between a text part and the whole text; to draw conclusions from one or more parts of the text. They interpret the whole text, a given text part in the reflection of the whole text, the text parts with one or more interpretations, and the ideas being contrary to what is expected in relatively long and complicated texts. Based on their background knowledge, they are able to critically evaluate the features of content and form of a complex text, interpret linguistic nuances, evaluate the whole text or a part of it from a critical aspect, and make assumptions related to the text. They can properly apply the practised operations in the case of texts of unusual forms as well. Their wording is accurate, they use special terms adequately.
In a foreign language they are also able to exchange thoughts, tell their opinions and argue in the topics of their selected fields of interest or in general topics, and they understand complex arguments as well. In a foreign language they are able to explain their opinions clearly, contradict arguments simply, and explain the advantages and disadvantages of different alternatives. They can manage everyday situations (e.g. in a bank, travel agency, shop, office, claim, complaint). In a foreign language they understand official letters, and the information included therein for their arrangement. In a foreign language they are able to understand important information in radio and TV programmes.
They are able to use their IT knowledge in a wider and wider range.
In order to manage a situation described in words, or to solve a problem they choose, search, or prepare a mathematical model. They are able to generalize their knowledge, which they use confidently in solving a novel problem. They prepare simple sketches and flowcharts related to the given information. They illustrate statistical data in a well-arranged manner. They argue logically, and communicate their thoughts and interpretations related to their problem solving appropriately.
They acknowledge the consequences of the economic decisions affecting them, and able to prepare a financial plan related to their own lives. They are able to have an overall picture of the most important rules of the national economy, bank system, and business enterprise forms. They are able to have an overall picture of the system of the tax, health and social insurance obligations and services in connection with entering into an employment, and related to the employment relationship. They use the indicators of economic development, and the methods of comparisons. They have an overall picture of the regional differences of economic development, and their relation to the life standard.
They interpret the data for the terrestrial environment. They realise natural values and damages, as well as environmental damages, and able to assess the possible actions related to these. They apply their environment-conscious knowledge for sustainability. They are able to consider the options to reduce the ecological footprint. They are able to join and actively participate in activities for the protection of environment, and implement the principle of endeavouring for sustainability in their lifestyles.
They understand the relation between the physical and mental health of a human, as well as between the normal cell function and human health. They are able to form their environment and lifestyle with the aspects of health preservation taken into consideration. They recognise dangerous conditions and substances, and able to manage unexpected situations.
In the trades examined by us (e.g.: manager in tourism literacy domain, innkeeper) at this level students are able to make decisions, control other people’s work, and solve conflicts. They use computer at a high level in their professional work (ECDL 7). They understand the heard and read professional texts in a foreign language as well. In most of the trades examined by us they are able to describe the processes related to their trade in a foreign language as well.
c) Attitude:
The behavioural (cognitive) component of students’ attitude becomes dominant, which refer to the behavioural intentions related to the object.
Students are open and sensitive to other cultures.
They endeavour to preserve health, and consider their own and their social environment’s health valuable.
They would like to evolve their skills. They express their emotions (e.g. sympathy, empathy) more and more genuinely. In addition to social sensitivity they consider cooperation, problem solving attitude, voluntary undertaking of tasks important as well. They take up the challenges related to their personal, professional and/or business activities. They show a reasonable and responsible approach in their consumption habits.
They accept that their performance and act involve consequences.
They positively evaluate the emotions of belonging to a community, loving the homeland, and the concept of Hungarian nationality. They are interested in problems affecting local and wider communities, and they show solidarity during solving them. They consider it important to preserve, and further develop national, European and universal heritage. They appreciate the abundance of life forms, diversity, as well as respect human and natural values. They are committed to an environment conserving and value protecting behaviour, sustainability, and the conscious use of resources.
They show criticism in their behaviour to pseudo-scientific, as well as anti-scientific and anti-technical phenomena.
In the training and education of the vocations examined by us they are open to new tasks, and able to consider risks for the result to be achieved. They are committed to their professional development. This behaviour is balanced and determined, which can be characterized by emotional stability, patience, self-discipline and helpfulness.
d) Autonomy and Responsibility:
At this level students’ responsibility for themselves and others becomes more evolved.
They think independently, they elaborate independent strategic decisions and action routes. They solve tasks fully independently based on their knowledge and skills. They collect materials fully independently.
They are aware of the fact that they are responsible for their performance and have to take the consequences.
In a new situation they independently create own, new texts.
They have a realistic body image, self-knowledge and self-assessment. They know that it is important to establish a positive self-image. They can be characterized by the culture of social relationships, and social sympathy.
They are ready to manage conflicts, as well as to protect and correct own opinion. They manage communication disorders. They follow the known rules in both familiar and new situations.
They can be characterized by conscious self-representation (profile, CV, employment).
They consciously and critically analyse conflicts, behaviours and solutions presented in works and programmes in a manner that they compare them to their knowledge on reality. They control their own use of the language.
They use computers and the Internet independently, consciously and critically.
They make independent decisions for the result to be achieved.
They play an active citizen role, and intend to act for themselves, for their families and the community; they know that they have to make important decisions related to citizenship.
They know their individual responsibility in healthy lifestyle. They take personal (moral and health-related) responsibility in connection with sexual life.
In some trades students are expected to be capable of organising; control and responsibility for others.
3.2 Counter-verification:
The method how the National Core Curriculum and the features worded in the framework curricula are built on one another reflects the difference between the levels and makes a distinction between the output level and the levels that are below. The achievement of this level is bound to obtaining a secondary school leaving certificate, which makes a categorical and definite distinction.
3.3 Summarized result of the analysis:
3.3.1 Level and cycle of the qualification:
Based on the level descriptors revealed by the analysisthe end of secondary phase can be linked to Level 4 of the HuQF.
3.3.2 Strength of the qualification level: 1.
[Use the following standard evaluation:
1 –It can be definitely linked to the level
2 –It can be rather interpreted at this level
3 –It cannot be interpreted only at this level
4 –It cannot be interpreted at any levels, it is independent of the levels]
3.4 Additional remarks, observations, recommendations:
The knowledge and skills elements are dominant in linking, there is insufficient information related to the attitude and autonomy descriptors
4.
Analysis of other evidences (including: social analysis)
4.1 Do laws and other documents give an unambiguous guidance for the level of the qualification?
Yes, it can be unambiguously assessed as a result of the analysis. The regulation and system of requirements of the secondary school leaving examination give an unambiguous guidance for this.
4.2 Social stakeholders’ opinions on the level of the qualification
Dissemination happened at several professional forums such as:
- the professional programme held on 10 May 2013, and the positive feedback given on it,
- opinions on the development and implementation of framework curricula expressed at conferences on general education;
- users’ opinion on VET.
[if required; if it is not required, skip to point 4.4]
[please, record the sources, methods and scope of receiving results, as well as the results and how these help level assessment or the exclusion of lower/higher levels]
4.4 Summarized result of the analysis of other evidences
[the degree of concordance of evidences, i.e.how firm justification they give for linking the qualification to a level; in the case of different opinions which should be take into consideration and for what reasons; the recommended level and its justification?]
4.4.1 Level of the qualification: 4.
4.4.2 Strength of the qualification level: 1.
[Use the following standard evaluation:
1 –It can be definitely linked to the level
2 –It can be rather interpreted at this level
3 –It cannot be interpreted only at this level
4 –It cannot be interpreted at any levels, it is independent of the levels]
4.5 Additional remarks, observations, recommendations
[What strengths and weaknesses of the qualification do evidences highlight, and what further development would the qualification need for a stronger and unambiguous synthesis, and for a more complete description and characterisation?]
5
International comparative analysis
The linking of outcomes in general education is different in foreign documents, however, in most national qualifications frameworks Levels 1-4 belong to general education. In compliance with the Bucharest Communiqué, the secondary school leaving examination to serve as a basis for admission to higher education is uniformly linked to Level 4 of the EQF by the EU member states.
Additional remarks, observations, recommendations: -
6.
Summary of the linking process
6.1 The HuQF level recommended for secondary phase: 4.
6.2 Strength of the level of linking: 1.
[Use the following standard evaluation:
1 –It can be definitely linked to the level
2 –It can be rather interpreted at this level
3 –It cannot be interpreted only at this level
4 –It cannot be interpreted at any levels, it is independent of the levels]
6.4 Brief summarizing justification:
In the linking we basically relied on the description of knowledge and skills elements.
6.5 Additional remarks, observations, recommendations:
Background material titled “Problems emerging for the descriptions of Levels 1-4 of the HuQF related to general education and proposals for their solutions.”If the documents, mainly the laws (National Core Curriculum, the decree on the framework curriculum, the rules of secondary school leaving examination, and the system of requirements for the secondary school leaving examination) serving as a basis for linking are amended, level descriptions and recommendations for linking shall be revised as well.
14 February 2014
Linking has been carried out by the expert team in general education of the HuQF