Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

The curriculum is understood as the set of objectives, competences (key and specific), contents (stated in the form of basic knowledge), pedagogical methods (through learning situations), assessment criteria and learning outcomes.

The Administration, through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP), after consulting the autonomous communities, establishes the basic curriculum (compulsory minimum teaching throughout the country in terms of objectives, competences, content, assessment criteria and learning outcomes) in order to ensure common education for all pupils. These minimum teachings make up 50 percent of the school timetables in the Autonomous Communities with a co-official language and 60 percent for those without it. Those aspects of the curriculum, regulated by basic regulations, of vocational training qualifications that require revision and updating may be modified by the MEFP, following a report by the General Council for Vocational Training and the State School Council, maintaining in all cases the basic nature of the curriculum resulting from this revision.

The education authorities of the autonomous communities establish the curriculum in their respective administration spheres, in compliance with Royal Decree 1147/2011 and the rules that regulate the different vocational training programmes. In any case, the extension and development of the basic curriculum, established by the Government, must refer to the qualifications and units of competence of the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications included in the corresponding studies, as well as to the training not associated with this catalogue, respecting the established professional profile. The education authorities when establishing the curriculum of these programmes, the socio-economic reality of the territory under their jurisdiction, as well as the prospects for economic and social development, so that the teaching responds at all times to the qualification needs of the socio-productive sectors in the surrounding area, without prejudice to student mobility. To this end, the social partners must be involved.

The curriculum of vocational training education is organised into successive levels of concretion, which  progressively adapt to the specificities of the school environment and the students who attend it. For this reason, educational institutions also play an active role in implementing the curriculum in accordance with the characteristics and expectations of the students, with special attention to the needs of those with disabilities. They also take into account the training possibilities offered by their surrounding area, especially when it comes to the work placement vocational module. Along these lines, they prepare a series of tools for formulating their pedagogic and curricular organisation:

• the school development plan, which includes the application of the established curricula by the education administration;
• the yearly general programme;
• the didactic programmes;
• the written report at the end of the school year, which reflects and evaluates the school activities and the running of the school.

The educational community takes part in the elaboration of these documents through the respective government and coordination teaching bodies of the school. The curricula established by the education administration are set and approved by the school staff, as well as the educational aspects of the yearly general programme.

Structure

In higher secondary vocational education, vocational training corresponds to:

1. Basic vocational training cycles;
2. Intermediate vocational training cycles.

Currently, there are 34 basic vocational training qualifications belonging to 19 occupational families and 62 intermediate vocational training qualifications belonging to 25 occupational families (Source: todo FP).

Vocational training qualifications have the following characteristics:

• They correspond to the training cycles established in Organic Law 2/2006 of 3 May on Education  (LOE). There are currently two intermediate vocational training qualifications proposed in accordance with the General Organic Law on the Education System of October 1990 (LOGSE), now obsolete, which are in the process of being updated and will be replaced by the LOE cycles of the same or similar name.
• Each vocational family groups together various training cycles.
• It comprises a set of training cycles organised into areas (basic vocational training) or modules (intermediate vocational training), of variable duration and with theoretical and practical contents appropriate to the different professional fields in which they are integrated.
• The different training cycles are listed in the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications.

Organisation

Basic vocational training

The basic level training cycles are aimed preferably at those who have the greatest possibilities of learning and achieving the competences of compulsory secondary education in an environment linked to the professional world, taking care to avoid the segregation of students for socio-economic or other reasons, with the purpose of preparing them for the continuation of their training.

The basic level training cycles include three areas:

• Communication and Social Sciences area, which includes the following subjects:
  • Spanish language;
  • foreign language for professional initiation;
  • social sciences;
  • co-official language, in the territories where it corresponds.
• Applied Sciences, with the following subjects:
  • applied mathematics;
  • applied sciences.
• Professional Field, which includes a series of vocational modules that contain, at least, the competence units corresponding to a level 1 qualification in the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications referred to in Article 7 of Organic Law 5/2002 on Qualifications and Vocational Training.

In addition, other teaching that contributes to the development of competences may also be included.

All training cycles will include a dual practical stage of workplace training, with these characteristics:

• It generally corresponds to what is established for these modules in the rest of vocational training of the education system.
• The education authorities decide at which point of the programme students can take this module, depending on the specific characteristics of the programme and the availability of placement positions in companies.
• Its duration must represent at least 12 per cent of the total duration of the training cycle.

All basic vocational training cycles include, as cross-curricular themes, the following aspects:

• teamwork, health and safety at work, entrepreneurship, business and career counselling, which will have as a reference for its implementation the basic education subjects and the requirements of the professional profile of the relevant qualification and the productive context;
• respect for the environment and promotion of physical activity and a healthy diet;
• competences related to reading comprehension, oral and written expression, audiovisual communication, information and communication technologies and civic and constitutional education.

As all these contents are cross-curricular, the competences and contents involved must be clearly specified within the different learning and evaluation activities.

On the other hand, the education authorities have to ensure the certification of training in health and safety at work when the productive sector corresponding to the professional profile of the relevant qualification so requires. This training can be provided as a specific training unit within the work placement module.

Intermediate vocational training

The curriculum of the training cycles will be in aligned with the requirements defined in the National System of Qualifications and Vocational Training.

The curricular contents of the training cycles are organised into different types of vocational modules:

• modules associated to competence units from the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications specific to each training cycle;
• work training and professional guidance module;
• business and entrepreneurship module;
• work placement vocational module.

They may also include other professional modules not associated with the units of competence.

The education authorities of the autonomous communities may organise the teaching of the vocational modules into training units of a shorter duration in order to promote lifelong learning.

The professional modules associated with units of competence of the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications are made up of theoretical-practical knowledge areas according to the professional, social and personal skills to be achieved.

Regarding the work training and professional guidance module, all training cycles include the necessary training to be aware of learning opportunities, employment opportunities, work organisation, company relations, basic labour legislation, as well as the rights and duties deriving from labour relations, in order to facilitate access to employment or reintegration into the labour market on the basis of gender equality and non-discrimination of people with disabilities. Its curricular specification is contextualised according to the characteristics of each professional family or the productive sector corresponding to the degree.

This module incorporates training in occupational risk prevention, without prejudice to its transversal treatment in other professional modules, as required by each professional profile. The training received enables the holder to carry out professional responsibilities equivalent to those required by the basic level activities in occupational risk prevention, established in Royal Decree 39/1997.

In reference to the business skills and entrepreneurship module, all the training cycles include the necessary training to know the mechanisms for the creation and basic management of companies, self-employment opportunities and social responsibility of companies, as well as innovation and creativity in the processes and techniques of the relevant work activity. This training may, exceptionally, be incorporated transversally into several professional modules when required due to the educational consistency of the training associated with the professional profile Its curricular specification is contextualised according to the characteristics of each professional family or the productive sector corresponding to the degree.

With regard to the work placement vocational module (FCT), all training cycles include this module, which is not considered to be of a work-related nature. It has the following purposes:

• to complete the acquisition of professional skills specific for each degree attained at the educational institution;
• to acquire a motivating professional identity and maturity for lifelong learning and for adapting to changes that generate new professional qualification needs;
• to complement knowledge related to production, marketing, economic management and the system of socio-labour relations in companies, with the aim of facilitating entry into the labour market;
• to evaluate the most relevant aspects of the professional skills attained by the student in the educational institution and to provide accreditation of the aspects required in employment which can only be verified in real working environments.

The education administrations decide at which point of the programme students must enrol in this module, depending on the specific characteristics of each training cycle, seasonality, job vacancies or availability of placement positions in companies. In any case, the royal decrees that establish the vocational training qualifications may determine the minimum vocational modules that must have been successfully completed in order to be able to take it. In turn, the teaching of this vocational module is the responsibility of the teaching staff of the vocational training specialities teaching in the training cycle in vocational modules associated with the units of competence of which it is comprised.

The duration of intermediate level training cycles ranges between 1,200 and 2,000 hours, distributed over two academic years.

These courses can be flexible, being offered in different ways:

• full-time or part-time;
• classroom-based, distance or part-attendance;
• for a specific period of time during the year, so that students can combine education and training with work as well as to take into account any other personal circumstance which may render it difficult to combine studying and training in a classroom-based setting;
• through examinations leading directly to the vocational qualification (free examinations).

Teaching methods and materials

Teaching methods

The teaching methodology is the set of strategies, procedures and actions consciously and thoughtfully organised and planned by teachers with the aim of guaranteeing student learning and the attainment of the stated objectives.

The MEFP establishes the methodological principles that must guide the teaching practice in vocational training. They feature the following characteristics:

• Educational activities in vocational training must be adapted to the specific characteristics of the students, adopting an organisation of the curriculum from an applied perspective.
• Special attention must be paid to students with specific educational support needs, maintaining educational inclusion as one of the principles of these programmes. To this end, the organisational and methodological alternatives and measures to cater for diversity must be established in order to facilitate these students' access to the curriculum.
• It must be guaranteed that students acquire skills related to digitalisation, career management, innovation, entrepreneurship, technological versatility, knowledge and professional project management, commitment to sustainable development and the prevention of occupational and environmental risks, and professional responsibility.

Within their pedagogic autonomy, schools are in charge of defining the teaching methods in the classroom, according to these pedagogic principles. They also decide on curricular materials and didactic resources. In this regard, they must develop their pedagogical proposals for all students, taking into account their diversity. Likewise, they must adopt methods that take into account the different learning paces of students, favour their ability to learn on their own and promote teamwork.

Each teacher can make their own methodological decisions, which must respect both the agreements made at school level and what the relevant education authorities establish.

Curricular materials and teaching resources

Textbooks and teaching materials do not require the prior authorisation of the education authorities for their adoption and publication. In any case, they must:

• be adapted to the scientific rigour adequate for the pupils’ age group and to the approved curriculum set by each education administration;
• reflect and promote respect for the principles, values, freedom, rights and constitutional duties, as well as the principles and values set out in current educational laws and in Organic Law 1/2004 on Comprehensive Protection Measures against Gender Violence, with which all educational activity must comply.

In the exercise of pedagogical autonomy, it is up to the educational coordination bodies of each public educational institution to decide on the textbooks and other materials to be used in the development of the different areas.

The supervision of textbooks and other curricular materials is the responsibility of the education authorities and constitutes part of the ordinary process of inspection carried out by each of them on all the elements composing the teaching and learning process. In any case, it is necessary to ensure respect for the principles and values contained in the Constitution and the provisions of all regulations in force.

Students pay for textbooks and school materials. The education authorities offer grants and financial support for post-compulsory education students, including students enrolled in vocational training studies, in order to contribute to this expenditure. There are also some municipal or regional grants to cover these costs.

Finally, although various initiatives have been carried out to regulate the homework that students must do outside school hours, in Spain there is no specific legislation regulating this aspect. It therefore remains at the discretion of each teacher or whatever arrangements are made at the school.

Information and Communication Technologies

Education authorities and management teams at public schools should promote the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the classroom as an appropriate and valuable educational medium for carrying out teaching and learning tasks. Additionally, the education authorities must establish the conditions that make it possible to eliminate risk situations arising from the inappropriate use of ICT in the school environment, with special attention to situations of on-line violence. In accordance with the law, confidence and safety in the use of technologies must be fostered, paying special attention to the elimination of gender stereotypes that hinder the acquisition of digital competences under equal conditions.

Within the framework of the Digital Culture Plan at Schools developed by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP), the initiative Espacio Procomún Educativo  has been being developed, aimed at educational and learning purposes, mainly for the teaching community and students, but also for the general public.

Currently, Procomún is a network of open educational resources (OER), where you can search, display and download learning objects in standard formats and with open licenses for use in pre-university education. It integrates a social network as a meeting point for the educational community, which facilitates interaction with other users, creating communities, sharing, valuing and disseminating all kinds of educational resources. At the same time, it incorporates semantic technology linking it to other similar digital networks (Europeana, Redined, National Library, Prado Museum, Hispana y Dbpedia).

These OER are under open license (Creative Commons España), which allows free access, as well as their use, modification and redistribution by others without any restriction or with limited restrictions.

Meanwhile, the EDIA Project (Educational, Digital, Innovative and Open) of the National Centre for Curriculum Development in Non-Proprietary Systems (CEDEC) promotes and supports the creation of digital and methodological transformation dynamics in schools to improve student learning and promote new models for educational institutions.

EDIA offers a collection of educational content for primary education, among other educational levels. These open educational resources (OER) are curriculum-referenced and offer proposals for active methodologies and the promotion of digital competence in the classroom. The resources include all the templates, guides, rubrics and documents necessary to implement the didactic proposal in the classroom.

The OER are created with the eXeLearning, authoring tool, so that any teacher can access them to use them directly, but also download them and modify them according to their classroom context. The OER of the EDIA project have generated networks of teachers who discuss the use of resources and technology in the classroom. This virtual faculty constitutes a framework for experimentation to propose new educational content models that develop aspects such as accessibility and topics such as gender equality or digital citizenship.

Dual vocational training

The Spanish Education System's Dual Vocational Training is the set of training actions and initiatives that, in joint responsibility with companies, are aimed at the professional qualification of people, harmonising the teaching and learning processes between educational institutions and workplaces.

It is the Government's responsibility to regulate, after consulting the autonomous communities, the basic conditions and requirements that allow the education authorities to develop dual vocational training within the education system. This regulation is contained in Title III of Royal Decree 1529/2012. This establishes the framework for the development of dual vocational training projects in the education system, with the co-participation of educational institutions and companies, when there is no contract for training and apprenticeship.

The characteristics of the training programme are as follows:

• The education administration approves and authorises each dual VT project. If more than one autonomous community is involved in the implementation of a project, it is the MEFP which authorises it.
• The company must participate in a minimum of 33 per cent of the training hours established in the qualification. This percentage may be increased.
• The duration of the training cycle can be extended to 3 years.
• Before carrying out their training at the company, students have to receive the training required.
• The training activity of the company and the educational institution is coordinated and controlled on a monthly basis, with both the institution and the company monitoring and tutoring students.
• Student evaluation is the responsibility of the teachers of the educational institution, taking into account the contributions of the trainers of the company and the results of the placement activity.