The importance of competencies related to learning is highlighted in European education policy documents and global research on the quality of education systems. Participation in continuous professional development (CPD) appears as a key predictor of the quality of interactions between educators and children and is correlated with child development and learning (Jensen & Rasmussen, 2019; OECD, 2018).
To keep pace with the changing paradigms of preschool education and to adapt to new scientific knowledge and needs in a changing environment, preschool teachers need to continuously improve their skills. This includes following the results of scientific research, adapting to new pedagogical principles, and learning from examples of best practice. A commitment to lifelong learning ensures that teachers can continually improve their skills and knowledge, which ultimately benefits the children they teach.
Based on scientific knowledge, the conceptualization of learning-to-learn competence has become part of key documents aimed at educational change. Recommendations from several major international organizations (OECD, 2017; 2019; 2020; UNESCO, 2013/2014; European Commission, 2021) emphasize the importance of the competence to learn how to learn (L2L; European Council, 2006) as a core competence for lifelong learning.
The European Framework for Personal, Social and Learning to Learn Competences (LifeComp) aims to advance the common understanding of this key competence and facilitate its implementation. LifeComp competencies are described as adaptable and acquired through formal, non-formal, and informal learning. Their development is defined as crucial for citizens to become successful individuals who direct their own learning and career paths (Caena, 2019; Sala et al., 2020).
Learning to learn is a competence that can be acquired throughout the lifespan. It is a relevant driver for change in adulthood, promoting employability and competitiveness.
Learning to learn is considered a 21st-century competency that preschool teachers should develop so they can encourage this competence from an early age in children. Although this is still not applied to a great extent for these youngest ages (Brito et al., 2021; Huerta et al., 2020).
Learning to learn is the ability to persist in learning and to organize one's own learning, including effective management. The competence of learning to learn refers to the affective and cognitive elements of learning and implies a mixture of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This competence is related to self-regulated learning, metacognition, and motivation for learning, and implies the acquisition, processing, and adaptation of new knowledge and skills, as well as the use of assistance and guidance.
Knowledge refers to the knowledge of preferred learning methods, education, and career choices. The competence to learn how to learn includes knowledge of preferred learning strategies, awareness of one's own learning process and learning needs, recognition of available opportunities, and the ability to overcome obstacles on the path to successful learning. It is related to knowledge of developmental needs and possible ways to develop competencies, and a focus on education, training, and career development while recognizing developmental guidelines and support.
Skills include managing one's own learning and career in general, persistence in learning, independence, the ability to identify one’s capacities, focus, to deal with complexity, to make decisions, the ability to concentrate, the ability to organize one's own learning, the ability to think critically about the purpose of learning, and the ability to communicate and learn in cooperation with others while seeking help and support. The competence to learn how to learn includes the development of skills in showing tolerance, expressing and understanding different points of view, as well as the ability to create trust and a sense of empathy.
Attitudes and values refer to the self-concept that supports the willingness to change, motivation, confidence in one's own abilities necessary for success, and a positive attitude towards learning. Positive attitudes and motivation to learn are important components of this competence. Individuals should be able to identify and set goals, motivate themselves, and develop resilience and confidence to pursue and succeed at learning throughout their lives. A problem-solving attitude supports both the learning process and the individual’s ability to handle obstacles and change. It includes the desire to apply prior learning and life experiences and the curiosity to look for opportunities to learn and develop in a variety of life contexts.
Learning to learn implies that teachers base learning on prior knowledge and life experiences that they can apply in different contexts: at home, at work, in education, and training. Motivation and self-confidence are necessary for this competence (European Parliament, 2006). A later framework of the competence to learn how to learn has been expanded to socioemotional and interpersonal skills, recognizing it as increasingly important in the modern world in which individuals face the challenges of numerous changes and uncertainties (Council of the European Union, 2018). The broader definition of this competence includes personal competences such as self-awareness and personal well-being, social competences such as interpersonal skills and cooperation with others, and competences related to lifelong learning and career management. With this broader conceptualization, “Learning to learn” can be defined as a meta-competence that includes higher-order competencies necessary for the management and optimal development of other competencies. This competence empowers individuals to deal with innovative solutions to challenges in an increasingly unstable, uncertain, and complex world (Caena, 2019).
With regard to the expanded understanding of the competence to learn how to learn, two functions can be stressed. The first is to enable the person to progress in learning and personal development, and the second is to enable them to socialize and function successfully in a world of rapid changes, which contributes to the development of successful learning societies. The personal domain includes cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational-affective dimensions and dispositions for learning such as curiosity, perseverance, and creativity. The social dimension refers to the understanding of the learning environment and to social values, interpersonal relationships, and the perception of support from others.
According to the European Framework for Personal, Social and Learning to Learn Key Competence (Sala, Punie, & Garkov, 2020), the Learning to Learn area includes three components: growth mindset, critical thinking, and managing learning. Each component has three descriptors, which you can find in the reference document.
The competence of “learning to learn” is a key aspect of education at all educational levels, including for preschool teachers. This competency emphasizes the ability to take control of their own learning processes, fostering skills that will benefit them throughout their educational journey and beyond.
Preschool teachers should be aware of the importance of this competence, because if they develop their skills, they will be better prepared for all the challenges in the new circumstances of working with children. At the same time, preschool teachers are a good role model for children and encourage the development of this competence from an early age through their example.
In order to stimulate the competence of learning to learn among preschool teachers, it is important to develop an active approach to learning and a positive attitude towards learning, and to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in different situations and contexts. Pre-school teachers are expected to facilitate children’s learning, bearing in mind that their initial education still tends to use top-down approaches that do not act in that direction, which can represent a basic obstacle in the application of this paradigm in the work of preschool teachers.
The most important components of the competence to learn how to learn (Stringher, 2014) point to several key features that should be recognized in fostering this competency in general and also among preschool teachers:
The effectiveness of promoting learning how to learn in children depends on educators' awareness and knowledge about this competence (Demetriou, 2014). In applying this paradigm, it is necessary to go beyond the usual views of educators that lead to misconceptions about the potential of early childhood in the development of learning how to learn competence. When preschool teachers develop this competence, they have to start from a description of their initial conceptions of learning how to learn and their current pedagogical practices and the activities they commonly apply, which could be useful for supporting children's competence in learning to learn.
Child O. is often struggling when tasks require hand–eye coordination. This morning O. chose a jigsaw containing small-scale pieces. Nothing seems to fit! O. looks unhappy. Teacher M. is observing O.’s efforts. M. sees that some pieces do fit already, but O. looks more and more frustrated.
What might happen next? Will M. intervene and help? What kind of help could M. offer? What influence might M.’s own learning experiences have on the way M. offers help?
Teacher M. could encourage child O. by stimulating him to try another strategy. Teacher could stress that some situations are hard to solve, but it is important to persevere. The teacher could offer the child help in exploring a new way of solving the problem together and encourage the child’s belief in one’s potential to continuously learn and progress.
Teachers C. and D. work in a small kindergarten that is situated in an old building. The room was for a shop. Daycare started two years ago. C. and D. talk about their current observations.
“Why does it take parents so long to say goodbye in the morning or the afternoon?” asks C.
D. has an idea: “It might be as simple as that: parents do not know where the ‘border’ is. Our group room is not divided from the entrance area. Look around, imagine you were a parent. Would you know where the group area begins?”
C. smiles: “No, not at all! You might be right! Wouldn’t it be a great idea to talk with children and parents and figure out how we can change the room setting so that children and parents know exactly where the spot to say goodbye is?”
Have you had experience with a similar situation – how did you react, how did you feel, would you change anything? If not, how would you react? How would you feel?
Teachers could seek out examples of how other kindergartens have handled similar challenges. They can share lessons learned with parents and children, adapting them to the unique needs of their space. Teachers can acknowledge that even small improvements, like clearer boundaries or smoother transitions, can improve their relations. They can use positive reinforcement to show children and parents that their efforts are valued.
Teachers X. and Y. and a group of children are starting a media project. During a discussion circle, X. and Y. talk freely about things they don’t know about some brand-new media tools. They share their thoughts with the group. They let everybody know that they don’t feel embarrassed about things they don’t know. They point out how glad they are to learn some new skills in this project.
Have you had experience with a similar situation – how did you react, how did you feel, would you change anything? If not, how would you react? How would you feel?
Teachers X. and Y. show curiosity about unfamiliar media tools and model lifelong learning. They share personal learning goals with the children, such as "“By the end of this project, I’d like to understand how this tool works.”" They invite children to explore together and see what they can discover. They model self-awareness and openness to new knowledge. Teachers openly admit what they don’t know, normalizing uncertainty as an opportunity for growth. They can say: "“It’s okay not to know everything right away. What matters is being willing to find out.”" Teachers could use humor to reduce anxiety about making mistakes.
Q. wants to set up a new bookshelf in the kindergarten. During a team discussion, some colleagues point out that there already are book boxes near the sofa in the reading corner.
Q. replies: “I have another approach in mind. Yes, we use read-aloud books in recreation time, which is great and important for the development of language. But I have noticed that children don’t use books and other media to explore topics or to collect information on project themes. They simply wait and love to cuddle in and listen to the teacher reading aloud (which is, like I already said, great). But I was thinking about an ‘explorer-book-shelf’ to invite children to see media as an interesting resource.”
Have you had experience with a similar situation – how did you react, how did you feel, would you change anything? If not, how would you react? How would you feel?
Q. explains how this initiative supports learning-to-learn competencies: "“By exploring on their own, children learn how to gather information and make connections.”" Q. could incorporate the use of the shelf into project-based activities, encouraging children to share their discoveries.
Teacher X. has been on the job for eight years. She/he never attended further training since her/his job training. X. has been working in a new kindergarten since last June. The head of the kindergarten acts quite pushy about further training and wants every teacher to partake regularly in different training sessions. She/he has set an appointment with X. to discuss the topic and decide about the next steps.
Why might X. have missed further training? Which feelings might she/he have concerning the meeting? How should X. prepare themself for the appointment with her/his superior to make it a success?
X. decides to actively plan their professional development. X. adapts their learning goals and plans as needed. If a chosen training session doesn’t meet expectations, the teacher has to explore alternative options and research local or online courses, workshops, and conferences. Goals could be updated based on evolving interests, challenges, or opportunities in the workplace. It is important to remain flexible and adaptive in learning strategies. Teachers can discuss training options with the head of the kindergarten or colleagues to ensure relevance.
It is springtime. The kindergarten outdoor space looks grey and odd. Some children have the idea to plant flowers. A new project has been born! Teachers B. and C. have a lot of experience with project work. Overall, they want the children to participate when decisions are made. At the project group meeting, B. and C. invite all children to get involved. They also set out main steps to master the idea of successful gardening in kindergarten.
Why does it make sense to sketch out project steps? Which steps are important? Why are B. and C. so interested in including children in decision making?
Both teachers can outline specific learning objectives for themselves and the children. They can define what they hope the children will learn (e.g., teamwork, understanding plant growth, or taking responsibility). They can reflect on their own learning goals. Teachers can acknowledge that they are also learning (e.g., exploring new gardening methods or sustainable practices).
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
All contents, in particular texts, pictures and graphics, are protected by copyright. Unless expressly stated otherwise, copyright is held by sel.eduskills.plus and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution - Non-commercial - Distribution under the same conditions 4.0 International license. They may be subject to the terms of the license.
© 2024-2026 sel.eduskills.plus | Impressum