Assessing Extracurricular Activities: &e Students’ Perspective

Značajan doprinos izvannastavnih aktivnosti u kontekstu razvoja općih kompetencija djece i mladih evidentiran je brojnim istraživanjima u posljednjih tridesetak godina. Paralelno, povezanost ključnih kompetencija za cjeloživotno učenje s akademskim uspjehom i osobnim razvojem, utjecala je na niz razvojnih teorija o studentima. Prateći (obrazovne) politike poticanja cjeloživotnog učenja, uglavnom s ciljem doprinosa uspješnosti studiranja i zapošljavanja studenata, brojna visoka učilišta razvijaju mehanizme vrednovanja izvannastavnih aktivnosti. Istraživanje o vrednovanju izvannastavnih aktivnosti na hrvatskim visokim učilištima, provedeno kroz grupne diskusije na pet poludnevnih deliberativnih radionica sa 102 studenta, donosi njihovu perspektivu i prijedloge vrednovanja u nacionalnom kontekstu. Istraživanje ukazuje na to da studenti prepoznaju važnost zalaganja u izvannastavnim aktivnostima, ali pritom kritički promišljaju o vrstama aktivnosti i kompetencijama koje bi se vrednovale. Studenti nude različite prijedloge vrednovanja izvannastavnih aktivnosti, ovisno o vrsti aktivnosti i još važnije, (ne)povezanosti aktivnosti s područjem studiranja. Najprimjerenijim smatraju evidentiranje aktivnosti u dopunskoj ispravi o studiju, uz navođenje stečenih kompetencija, a dodjeljivanje ECTS bodova jedino ukoliko je izvannastavna aktivnost povezana s područjem studiranja. Mišljenja studenata o potrebi i načinu vrednovanja rada studenata u studentskim predstavničkim organizacijama su suprotstavljena.Many studies conducted in the past 30 years point to a significant contribution of extracurricular activities to the development of generic skills in children and young adults. At the same time, the connection between key competences related to lifelong learning, academic success, and personal development growth affected multiple student development theories. In order to meet the aim of education policy of lifelong learning, with a particular aim of contributing to the academic success and student employment, many universities are developing models of the assessment of extracurricular activities. Research about assessment of extracurricular activities at Croatian universities, conducted through five half-day deliberative workshops with 102 students, brings forward their perspective and recommendations of assessment models. Research shows that students recognize the importance of devotion to extracurricular activities, and, in doing so, critically think about the types of activities and competences that should be assessed. They assume that it is necessary to have a differentiated assessment of activities based on their connection with the field of study and based on the type of activity. As the most appropriate way of assessment, students suggest a model of activity track in the diploma supplement, but if the activity is related to the curriculum, they would like to obtain an appropriate number of ECTS credits. There are conflicting opinions concerning assessments of students’ activity in student governance bodies