About Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
The Information and Communication Technology subject area encompasses infrastructure and components that enable modern computing. It is a broad multidisciplinary field of academic research and professional practice covering many topics ranging from electronics to system and network administration, to software development, cyber security, VR, AR, IoT and AI. Due to its nature, it cooperates closely with such diverse areas as digital media and content creation, eLearning and digital education, health information technology, amongst many others. As contemporary institutions and companies undergo a digital transformation, by which its processes are reengineered to take most of the possibilities offered by the emerging technologies, the contribution of the ICT field has become transversal to all aspects of society. The term ICT which refers to this wide multidisciplinary field differentiates from IT, which applies specifically to the management and use of computer systems to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data.
The goals of ICT technologies are to improve the ways of creating, processing, and sharing data and information, as thus to improve human abilities in different areas of activity, including business, education, medicine, real-world problem-solving, leisure activities, etc. There is no single, universal definition of ICT, as the field is constantly evolving with increasing emphasis on interdisciplinarity.
Consequently, the demand for degrees in ICT is expanding rapidly, even if it fails to keep up with the needs of the job market. It is estimated that over three hundred and fifty thousand new students enrol each year in Informatics bachelor’s programs in Europe, as the total number of enrolled students exceeds one million. The corresponding estimated figure for students enrolled in master’s is more than two hundred thousand. Regarding graduations, around one hundred and sixty thousand students graduate each year in Informatics bachelor’s programs and over sixty thousand in master’s.
Across Europe different terms, such as Informatics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Computing, IT, IST are used for naming ICT-related studies. The Qualifications Reference Framework, presented in this document, addresses main ICT competences, characteristic of different Computer Science Disciplines, as defined in IEEE/ACM Reference Curricula documents: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, IS, IT, Software Engineering.
In ICT, three paradigms - theory, modelling and design - are equally important and fundamental. Information theory deals with those objects and their relationships whose relevance is determined by modelling and design. Modelling deals with the correspondence of theoretical objects and relationships to the real world. Design realises model-checked objects and relationships. In ICT, these paradigms are closely related, mutually conditioning and do not exist without each other. These paradigms are distinct because they are represented by different areas of expertise.
Apart from the complex and dynamical landscape of computing knowledge, as well as the multidisciplinary nature of ICT, non-ICT issues dealing with social, political, economic and environmental concerns, as ethical issues, have become of great importance.
The continuous expansion of the field to new territories of practice is requiring additional knowledge, skills and wider competences acquisition. High volatility of the job market creates the need for very adaptable professional profiles. There is a pressure from the job market for shorter and more job-oriented programmes.
The QRF for ICT is built in a way to flexibly address all this complexity and continuously emerging new requirements. The QRF was prepared by experts from 12 HEI from different countries (Portugal, Lithuania, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Turkey, Finland, Ireland and Romania).
Typical Degrees Offered in the Subject Area of ICT
Due to the varied nature of its typical professional profile, ICT education includes in its curriculum structure three core areas, as follows:
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A solid education in science (STEM or STEAM), specifically in the disciplines core to ICT, as mathematics and physics.
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A set of theoretical and applied knowledge and skills required for specific ICT topics.
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A broad set of skills on communication, leadership, teamwork organisation and management, ethical issues, lifelong learning, societal impact, and others.
The typical degree programmes provided in ICT by European HEI are organised as follows:
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Bachelor, which workload may vary between a total of 180 or 240 ECTS credit points depending on the country considered.
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Master, which may have a total of 60 or 120 ECTS credit points.
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Alternately to A and B, an integrated master with a total of 240 ECTS credit points is offered in certain countries.
A doctorate with a total workload of 180 ECTS credit points.
Map of Typical Occupations and Tasks of Graduates
Graduates in ICT may play very different role in their professional practice in various types of organisations. In general, a bachelor’s degree in ICT provides graduates with a solid foundation in the field, whereas a master’s degree is more specialised and focuses on advanced topics. In terms of responsibilities, a bachelor’s degree holder in ICT is typically responsible for developing and maintaining ICT solutions. A master’s degree holder in ICT, on the other hand, is often responsible for leading ICT development teams, designing complex systems, and conducting research and innovation in the field. As for qualifications, statements of graduate attributes and professional competence profiles for registration as ICT engineers have been developed by many engineering regulatory bodies and vary depending on the country and institution.
The CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) 16458-1:2018 has identified a set of reference European ICT Professional Role Profiles as result of a process aimed to identify core competencies and roles expected from ICT graduates as perceived by the European Union. These profiles provide a generic set of typical roles performed by ICT Professionals in any organisation and cover the full ICT business process. The ICT field of practice is however rapidly evolving, and new competences are continuously emerging as required to cover new areas of expertise or application.
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Overview of typical field related Generic and Subject-specific Competences
The CALOHEE ICT SAG aimed at defining a meta-profile of an ICT professional based on five critical dimensions upon which the relevant competences are organised in order to build the profile of a successful ICT graduate in the contemporary knowledge society. The five dimensions mentioned above are the following:
Dimension 1: Knowledge and understanding.
Dimension 2: Design, development, and management of processes of ICT systems and related processes.
Dimension 3: Informed decision making and learner ethics.
Dimension 4: Communication and collaboration.
Dimension 5: Professional life-long learning and continuous personal development.
The ICT meta-profile categorises, structures, and organises competences into recognisable clusters, illustrating inter-relations among the different aspects of the desired graduate profile. Each dimension is defined by a set of associated competences, attributed to knowledge, skill and autonomy and responsibility (wider competences) competence categories. The following international qualification frameworks were used as reference: the EQF for Lifelong Learning, the Dublin Descriptors, and the ACM and IEEE Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020)
Tables below present the descriptors for knowledge, skills and wider competences for each of the five dimensions represented in the QRFs for first and second cycles in ICT (EQF Level 6 and Level 7), respectively.
Wider competences
Manifest the ability to use, share and contribute to ICT-related knowledge and understanding in professional and societal settings.
Skills
Evidence the ability to contextualise, integrate and compare knowledge which is fundamental for ICT correctly applying the related terminology.
Knowledge
Demonstrate current understanding of core knowledge related to ICT
Knowledge and understanding
EQF Level 6 descriptors for ICT:
EQF Level 6 & 7 descriptors for ICT:
Demonstrate current understanding of core knowledge related to ICT
Knowledge (L6)
Evidence the ability to contextualise, integrate and compare knowledge which is fundamental for ICT correctly applying the related terminology.
Skills (L6)
Manifest the ability to use, share and contribute to ICT-related knowledge and understanding in professional and societal settings.
Wider Competences (L6)
Demonstrate current knowledge and understanding of the generic and ICT-related skills required to operate successfully in diversified contexts.
Knowledge (L6)
Evidence the ability to apply ICT-related and generic skills, which facilitate the development of critical thinking and evidence-based arguments and solving ICT related and societal problems.
Skills (L6)
Manifest an evidence-informed approach to managing technical/professional projects and activities, effectively applying ICT and societal related knowledge and skills, taking initiative, showing responsibility and leadership.
Wider Competences (L6)
Demonstrate current knowledge and understanding of relevant theoretical frameworks, concepts and methodologies and/or practices to gather, evaluate and interpret ICT related and societal information, in an ethical, inclusive and sustainable manner.
Knowledge (L6)
Evidence the ability to apply appropriate theories, concepts, methodologies and/or practices and ICT related and generic skills and competences to analyse, synthesise, and make informed judgments while considering relevant social, cultural, scientific, and ethical issues and challenges.
Skills (L6)
Manifest the ability to evaluate ICT and societal challenges and problems and to reflect on relevant knowledge in order to contribute to ethical decision-making, finding individual and collaborative ways to move forward, ensuring participation and inclusion.
Wider Competences (L6)
Demonstrate current knowledge and understanding of the appropriate means, skills, attitudes, approaches and strategies to effectively communicate and collaborate, sharing ideas, challenges and solutions related to ICT for a variety of audiences.
Knowledge (L6)
Evidence effective communication of different types of information, expressing ideas, problems, challenges and possible solutions by applying technical and non-technical strategies, means and skills tailoring them to a variety of audiences including ICT specialists.
Skills (L6)
Manifest the ability to communicate effectively in predictable and unpredictable workplace and/or societal situations by listening to others and making convincing arguments in order to reach a common understanding of topics and activities involved.
Wider Competences (L6)
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the learning process and methods required for self-directed continuous learning and development in a variety of formats and settings.
Knowledge (L6)
Evidence learning skills and appropriate strategies to advance the continuous learning and development of self and others in order to reflect on, update, and upgrade knowledge, skills and competencies in ICT, and societal developments.
Skills (L6)
Manifest motivation and initiative to organise, manage, and evaluate learning and development activities for oneself and others in order to continually update and upgrade ICT related knowledge, skills, competences, taking into account societal developments.
Wider Competences (L6)
Qualifications Reference Frameworks (QRF)
Click to view and download the Bachelor's and Master's QRF tables.
The first dimension of the ICT QRF for EQF level 6 concerns knowledge and understanding as indicated in level descriptor 6.1. In this context, subset 6.1.1 highlights the importance of Mathematics, Physics, and other STEM as foundational knowledge in the field of ICT. However, given the broad spectrum of the field, as described in the previous sections, subset 6.1.2 also indicates the contribution of operational knowledge which is relevant for ICT. In fact, it is expected that a graduate in this field can acquire and mobilise knowledge competences to design, implement and operate computer systems and networks. For that purpose, a graduate should be able to critically assess specific methodological-operational knowledge to solve problems and configure and manage systems.
As a graduate in ICT typically operates in diverse work environments given the broad nature of the field, the QRF adds competences related to ability to understand the organisation, strategy and policies of institutions and business companies. In fact, a graduate in ICT should be also prepared to start and manage a project in a given organisation or to a startup company.
These competences are also included the QRF for EQF level 7. The main difference is the level of knowledge required, which at the Master level should be of an advanced and more specialised nature. Also, the problems related to ICT systems configuration and management which postgraduates are expected to solve should be of higher complexity. At both levels 6 and 7 attention was given to ensuring that graduates and postgraduates in ICT clearly understand the importance of designing inclusive and sustainable processes in ICT.
The second dimension of the ICT QRF for EQF level 6 is related to the design, development and management of ICT systems and related processes. Here, subset 6.2.1 ensures that graduates can apply appropriate methods and techniques at the different phases of integration of ICT systems in companies and other organisations. At the same time, it also emphasises the need for graduates to be prepared to consider all aspects related to the ethical use of data and IT in these processes. This is an increasingly relevant topic in contemporary ICT work environments.
Following up on the need to ensure the integrity of graduates, subset 6.2.2 includes competencies which highlight their capacity to demonstrate autonomy and responsibility when managing ICT solutions. In the same direction, subset 6.2.3 focuses on the need for graduates to be aware of the transformational impact of ICT and to be able to address the concrete needs of people and organisations.
At the EQF level 7, the ICT QRF adds to these competences a higher degree of complexity. This involves application of advanced and highly specialised knowledge as well as evidence-informed skills in the design, development and management of ICT systems and related processes in multi-dimensional and differentiated work and societal settings. Also, the ICT QRF for EQF level 7 adds innovation, entrepreneurship dimension, research, accountability and leadership dimensions to the graduate capacity to manage complex technical and content related activities, effective ICT solutions and applications.
The third dimension of the ICT QRF for EQF level 6 deals with informed decision making and work ethics. This is another emerging major concern when taking into consideration the expanding landscape of the ICT field of practice. In fact, the rise of Data Science has changed the perception of ICT resulting in increasing relevance of ethics. ICT is being recognised as the main knowledge centre in the digital transformation of society. As such, subset 6.3.1 addresses the reciprocity of interaction between ICT and society, highlighting how graduates should be prepared to identify and apply inclusive, sustainable, and ethical approaches to planning and managing ICT-related tasks. This considering the interdisciplinary contexts in which they are expected to operate. The preparation of graduates to operate in such complex environments is also addressed by the competences included on subset 6.3.2. It focuses on the need for graduates to understand the norms, regulations and codes ruling the professional practice in ICT. However, the competences are formulated in a way to stress an autonomous, ethical, and socially responsible conduct by graduates. This focus on ethical responsibility is reinforced in subset 6.3.3 which concerns the capacity of graduates to identify and apply the best methodologies and practices to manage data.
On the ICT QRF for EQF Level 7, the competences of informed decision making, work ethics, understanding of norms, regulations and codes as well data management level are augmented. This is achieved by strengthening the capacity of graduates to reflect on new specialised knowledge and skills, as well as on professional, ethical and social responsibilities in taking decisions and formulating judgments. The ICT QRF for EQF level 7 tries to ensure that graduates can identify relevant inclusive and sustainable approaches as well as understand the value of diversity in their activities.
The fourth dimension of the ICT QRF for EQF level 6 concerns communication and collaboration. Again, the increasingly multinational and multicultural nature of work environments in ICT stresses the importance of communication. As such, subset 6.4.1 includes competences related to communication tools and strategies, including the ability to express in English or another relevant foreign language, as subset 6.4.2 focusses on the capacity to address effectively diverse and multicultural environments, including the knowledge of ICT-related terminology. Finally, subset 6.4.3 is related to collaboration competences, highlighting the capacity of graduates to lead and conduct simple or medium complex tasks in multidisciplinary and/or multinational teams.
The ICT QRF for EQF Level 7 strengthens and broadens the communication and collaboration competences, adding the capacity to communicate proficiently, to employ different sophisticated communication strategies, media, means and skills, to lead complex projects in ICT-related field.
The fifth and final dimension of the ICT QRF for EQF level 6 concerns an ever more important aspect of current and future ICT practice which is professional lifelong learning and continuous personal development. Subset 6.5.1 addresses the need for graduates to be able to continuously assess their own professional competences bearing in mind how their own work trajectory is evolving and technologies also changing. On subset 6.5.2 the QRF highlights the capability of graduates to organise and conduct autonomous informal or non-formal learning activities and on section 6.5.3 to pursue further studies, namely more advanced levels of qualifications.
At the EQF Level 7, the competences of professional lifelong learning and continuous personal development included in the QRF for ICT are broadened by adding the capacity to demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the learning process and methods. In addition, postgraduates are expected to manifest continuous personal and professional development in individual, team-based and societal settings.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Higher ICT Education and Examples of good practice
Learning, Teaching and Assessment
ICT as a subject or course of study has a very complex content and interdisciplinary context. Therefore, the challenges of transferring knowledge and skills in this area are very high. In terms of learning theory, methods and didactics, several theories, methods, concepts and tools are used in combination to ensure the optimisation of teaching and learning processes, including assessment, both physically and digitally.
This means that the transfer of knowledge and skills is based on multidimensional, hybrid models and concepts, which is also reflected in the forms of assessment. It should be noted that the specific forms described below will contribute to the harmonisation of the diversity of opportunities in Europe as a generalised representation but will also be influenced by the social and cultural environment in the regions in the future.
Experts in ICT have a wide range of important tasks in society, with social responsibility and awareness of diversity being key considerations. Some of their most significant tasks include:
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Developing and maintaining secure systems. This includes implementing encryption protocols, firewalls, and other security measures to protect sensitive data from cyber threats.
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Designing and implementing robust infrastructure. This involves selecting appropriate equipment, establishing connections, and troubleshooting network issues.
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Managing data and information. This includes adhering to regulations such as data protection laws and ensuring proper backup and disaster recovery measures.
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Providing technical support. ICT experts provide guidance on system operation, software usage, and problem resolution, ensuring the smooth functioning of systems and minimising downtime.
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Facilitating digital transformation. This includes automation of repetitive tasks, introduction of innovative technology solutions, and adoption of emerging technologies like the IoT or AI.
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Promoting digital literacy and inclusion. This includes providing training and educational resources to individuals, businesses, and underserved communities.
A quick analysis of this list shows that almost every conceivable learning activity is mentioned. However, this does not mean that they can and should be used in any way. The focus of the intellectual and social activities must always lie with the students if higher-level learning outcomes are to be achieved.
The decisive consequence of this is that consumable learning situations such as lectures and presentations must be minimised in favour of active, product- and solution-oriented and creativity-based forms of learning. At least as far as economic and organisational restrictions allow.
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Active and experimental learning
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Autonomous learning
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Cooperative learning
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Design-based learning
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Flipped classroom
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Formative self- assessment
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Group learning, presentations, work
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Impulse presentations
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Informal learning
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Lectures, webinars
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Literature reviews
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Non-formal learning
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open educational practices / MOOCs
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Project-based learning / problem solving
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Role-playing
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Self-directed study
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Synthesising insights
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Work-based learning
In view of these tasks, ICT cannot be regarded primarily as a technical study, but as preparation for a highly effective social practice. Accordingly, the learning activities required of students are extremely diverse. The table below provides an overview of this.
Learning
The order of the different forms of teaching attempts to reflect the degree of student activity and responsibility (in ascending order). However, this is only possible as an approximation because it depends on the specific organisation in each individual case.
In line with the comments on learning activities, the guiding principle here is also that teaching has a central function: to create situations in which students can acquire knowledge, develop skills and build up complex competencies with a high level of cognitive and social participation. From this perspective, teaching is less about providing information and more about organising opportunities for constructing knowledge and personal development.
Confrontation with open questions, problems and tasks are therefore the means of choice - especially if they do not take place in the lecture hall, but in authentic environments such as companies or organisations.
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Lectures
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Webinars
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Impulse presentations
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Reading assignments
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Flipped classroom
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Seminars
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Workshops
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Group work assignments
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Experiential learning
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Design-based learning
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Work-based learning
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Informal learning
For students and teachers in the field of ICT in particular, connectivism is becoming increasingly important alongside traditional learning theory perspectives of constructivism.
Professionals who are ICT-affine and highly qualified in the field of ICT have a low entry threshold for networked and thus hybrid learning and teaching as a combination of formal and informal learning.
At the same time, attempts are being made to optimise the variety of options through models of hybridization to ensure the best possible teaching and learning success. ICT professionals are predestined for this per se.
Teaching Approaches for Knowledge, Skills and Wider Competencies
Teaching
Assessment
According to the comments on learning and teaching (see respective sections) assessment also must meet the challenges of the field. The first consequence of this is the need to apply practically all known forms of assessment. Obviously, this depends on the fit between the intended learning outcome and the assessment method.
Assessment Approaches for Knowledge, Skills and Wider Competencies
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Online Tests (advanced MCQ)
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Offline Tests (advanced MCQ)
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Including SAQ: explaining methods, procedures, relationships, limitations
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Structured
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Semi-structured
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Unstructured
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Programming tasks amongst others
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With a collection of evidence of learning outcomes achievement (short paper, videos, blog posts, podcasts, etc.)
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Related to further studies in emerging technology
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On essays, practical work, etc.
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On reviews of ethical, sustainable and inclusive issues
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On reviews of technical solutions for application problems.
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Different kinds of papers
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Videos and podcasts
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Objects
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The list includes question-based exams as well as problem and task-based forms of assessment. Question-based examinations are suitable for recording knowledge and understanding as the basic levels of the taxonomy of learning outcomes. They can therefore be used as formative assessment or self-assessment.
However, the problem-based and therefore product-oriented assessment methods, which are suitable for recording the higher-level learning outcomes of applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating, are much more important. They are therefore presented in more detail in the following table.
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Competition-based assignments (Comparative assessment of)
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Reflective assignments
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Reflective practical assignments: reflection added to projects and other practical work in relation to their own learning
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Assessment of participating in informal communication, posting and interacting (Assessment of) amongst others
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Explaining self-assessment methods needed for personal development
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Identifying and justifying appropriate learning strategies and methods
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Listing intended and argued learning outcomes, time planning, appropriate learning formats, quality standards
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Assessment of participating in informal communication, posting and interacting (Assessment of) amongst others
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For instance, about practical cases / implementation
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Comparing general principles of learning and my individual ones
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Short essays reflecting on specific issues (Producing of)
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New developments in the ICT-related field
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Assessment: reports, tests
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Lab work assignments, including virtual/remote labs (Assessment of)
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New developments in the ICT-related field
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Video Podcast
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Audio Podcast
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Practical work Assessment: e.g. exercise, demonstration, structured enquiry, open ended enquiry, report
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Practical exercises (Conducting of)
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Collaborative reports (wikis or in other formats) (Writing of)
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Practice reports: concerning trans-or multidisciplinary contexts
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Progress report: continuous self-assessment of own professional competences
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Project presentations
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Project-based assessment: reports, presentations
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Competition-based projects (Comparative assessment of)
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Developing projects on practical ICT problems in teams and presenting their results in public events
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Developing projects on practical ICT problems individually and presenting their results in public events
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Final project Assessment
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Final Thesis
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Dissertation
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Video podcast
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Video-recorded presentation
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Video feedback for assessment
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Intended learning outcomes, learning activities, teaching methods and forms of assessment must harmonise if the best possible result is to be achieved (constructive alignment). For this reason, it is not possible to provide more detailed information on which assessment would be appropriate when. These decisions can only be made by the curriculum planners in close consultation with the lecturers. However, the principle is generally valid: the higher ranking the learning outcomes, the more complex the tasks to be completed must be within a range from a one-day task to a multi-semester project.
There are two reasons why assessment today is not a purely internal matter for teachers, as follows:
Integrity checks: On the one hand, digitalisation has meant that the integrity of examinations and their results can be corrupted - even more easily than in earlier times. Identity checks, plagiarism checks and the detection of pure AI products, may therefore become necessary under certain circumstances. At least if the education provider has not succeeded in convincing the students that the competences and qualifications, they themselves are striving for can only be created through their own activity. Skills development cannot be delegated. For this purpose, HEI should apply automatic and smart fraud detection measures.
External, non-formal, informal: On the other hand, for reasons of both time and content, it is not possible to acquire all the skills required for a well-rounded skills profile for experts in ICT as part of a formal degree programme. It is therefore also necessary to recognise external certificates and the results of non-formal and informal learning.
Product Oriented / Evidence-based Types of Assessment (in alphabetical order)
Examples of good practice:
During the research that led to the design of the QRF for ICT bachelor’s and master’s degrees, many good practices of teaching, learning and assessment in the field were identified in different European universities. Such good practices comply with the dimensions and sub-dimensions of this QRF for ICT. Click the university emblems below to view some examples of good practices which exemplify this compliance.
Immersing Students in Collaborative Project Work in Authentic Environments
University of Ghent (Belgium)
Implementing “Open Flipped Classroom” Teaching and Learning
University of Bremen (Germany)
Integrating Course Content with an OER Slides Playlist
Universidade Aberta [Open University of Portugal] and
Universidade de Trás-os Montes e Alto Douro (Portugal)
Engaging Students with Professional Communities of Practice
Universidade Aberta and Universidade de Trás-os Montes e Alto Douro (Portugal)
Student workload & ECTS
The EQF (see) is a reference framework with transpositions to the different national frameworks of the European Union, allowing transparency, comparability and movement of people who have acquired qualifications according to EQF. These learning outcomes support the development and implementation of the curricula of the different degrees, specifically those that define the competencies for professions associated with ICT disciplines. As part of the EQF, the ECTS was introduced, which defines the units of measurement of student effort in hours, thus providing an indicator for effectively comparing the student workload of different programmes/degrees. It should be remembered that the Tuning methodology is based on the student-centred and active learning approaches it has promoted since the start.
Typically, bachelor’s programmes in the EHEA have between 180 and 240 ECTS credits points. Master programmes usually vary between 90 and 150 ECTS credit points, with 60 and 120 ECTS credit points being the more typical association. It is normally considered that 60 ECTS credit points should be earned in one academic year of the degree, regardless of whether one talks about level 6 or level 7 of the EQF framework. When specified, Doctoral/PhD programmes (EQF level 8) usually have associated three years and have 180 ECTS credit points. Some countries, like the United Kingdom, use a different credit system. However, the education level and experience are comparable.
A range of 25 to 30 hours per ECTS credit point is generally used (except in the UK, which uses a standard of 20 hours per ECTS credit point). The cases of Austria, Ireland, Italy, Malta or Spain can be indicated as examples. One ECTS credit point corresponds to 25 hours of student workload, while in Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden, it’s 27 hours of study. In the Netherlands and Portugal, 28 hours is typically considered as the standard. The most extreme case of the above range is Germany, which uses the factor of 30 hours per ECTS credit point.
Click below to read the full section:
Examples of good practice:
During the research that led to the design of the QRF for ICT bachelor’s and master’s degrees, many good practices of teaching, learning and assessment in the field were identified in different European universities. Such good practices comply with the dimensions and sub-dimensions of this QRF for ICT. Click below to view some examples of good practices which exemplify this compliance.
Quality Enhancement
Quality assurance plays a critical role in HE and specifically in the field of ICT. In such a rapidly evolving field, it’s of the utmost importance that degree programs not only be academically sound but also relevant. For that, they must be adaptable and responsive to the dynamic nature of the ICT field, remaining updated with society and industry trends, tools, and emerging technologies. This relevance is vital for ensuring the credibility and reputation of degrees and HEI both at national and international level.
The main purpose of quality assurance systems in HE is to foster a positive learning environment and to enhance the social value and the personal transformational impact of the learning experience. An experience that should be as comprehensive, engaging and effective as to lead to student well-being and success. To ensure the quality of HE programs in ICT it’s therefore paramount to build employers' trust on graduates' competences, knowledge and skills.
Quality assurance effectively contributes to establishing standards and benchmarks which are critical for ensuring consistency in education provision across different institutions and countries. This standardisation is vital for employers to understand the expected level of knowledge, competence and skills from graduates.
Qualifications reference frameworks are key in carrying out this core mission of quality assurance systems and agencies across Europe and the world. These frameworks establish clear standards and benchmarks for ICT qualifications, ensuring consistency and comparability across different institutions and programs. They also provide a basis for quality assurance mechanisms, allowing HEI to evaluate and align their programs to meet predefined criteria and standards. In the case of the CALOHEE QRFs for ICT it facilitates international recognition and comparability of degrees, promoting mobility and facilitating recognition across borders.
By aligning qualifications with European industry needs and standards, the CALOHEE QRFs ensure graduates possess skills relevant in a rapidly evolving ICT landscape, enhancing employability across the continent. They aid in the development and review of curricula, ensuring that programs cover essential knowledge, skills, and competencies required in the ICT field today. By using these frameworks as a guide for accreditation processes, European HEI may ensure that their programs meet established standards, as the ones set by EQANIE, and are recognized as reputable and valuable by relevant accrediting bodies.
The CALOHEE ICT SAG recognises the fact that HE students increasingly tend to follow complex trajectories. These trajectories include changing courses, taking breaks, combining subject areas, or moving between different courses or modalities (distance, hybrid and face-to-face). HEI must adapt their policies to this emerging phenomenon. As such, these QRFs enable the creation of clear pathways for lifelong learning, allowing professionals to upskill, reskill, or pursue further education in ICT based on standardised levels and qualifications.
We believe that the CALOHEE QRFs for ICT contribute to ensure that HE degrees meet defined standards, align with industry needs, facilitate international recognition, and promote ongoing learning in a rapidly evolving field such as ICT. They may serve as a roadmap for HEI across Europe to deliver high-quality education and for students to acquire valuable skills and knowledge. In recent years, quality assurance bodies have been setting quality standards for the accreditation of HE provision which share many similar elements. Accordingly, the CALOHEE QRFs for ICT can be used as a set of directrices for quality assurance national and international bodies, as EQANIE, in their reviewing processes on ICT-related programs given the specific nature of these frameworks. The same may apply to professional associations who issue standards for the ICT field of practice and the practitioners.
The ICT Subject Area Group (SAG)
Antonio Moreira Teixeira
Universidade Aberta [Open University of Portugal] (Portugal)
Veerle Ongenae
Ghent University (Belgium)
Christian-Andreas Schumann
Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau (Germany)
Daiva Vitkutė-Adžgauskienė
Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania)
Gottfried Csanyi
TU Wien (Austria)
Sevgi Özkan Yildirim
Middle East Technical University (Turkey)
Enzo Mingozzi
University of Pisa (Italy)
Rafael Pastor Vargas
UNED [Spanish Open University for Distance Education]
Costas Tsolakidis
University of Aegean (Greece)
Ángeles Sanchez Elvira Paniagua
UNED [Spanish Open University for Distance Education]
Dr. Sarah Bennett
Alexandru Luca
Students' League of the Faculty of Automatics and Computers
Timisoara Polytechnic University (Romania)
Antti Piironen
Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
Mark Brown
Dublin City University (Ireland)
Wider competences
Manifest the ability to use and share specialised knowledge and understanding which allow for the development of new knowledge, policies and strategic decision making in complex and unpredictable ICT-related and societal settings.
Skills
Evidence the ability to contextualise, compare, critique, and integrate specialised knowledge utilised to advance thinking and ideas relevant to ICT.
Knowledge
Demonstrate a depth and breadth of understanding of STEM related to ICT which offers a foundation for developing original thinking and new ideas.
Knowledge and understanding
EQF Level 7 descriptors for ICT:
Each of the competences is further described in a more detailed form by formulating corresponding sub-descriptors. The complete description of EQF Level 6 and Level 7 competences is presented in the tables below.
