Chapter 14: Teaching and Learning in Schools in Europe

Every day, thousands of teachers in secondary education in Europe are facing the challenging task of teaching students the knowledge and skills that our society considers important for their future. Or, in other words, the knowledge and skills that are deemed to be necessary to function in our society (Prick, 2004). In the first instance, this knowledge and these skills pertain to the traditional schooling domains, which are considered as a common body of knowledge that everybody has to possess in order to be prepared for future study and professional development. However, society expects more than this. Students also have to be able to communicate, to collaborate, and to deal flexibly with the challenges of a knowledge-based society, which is rapidly changing and becoming increasingly complex. And if this were not enough, due to the developments in the European Union and the rapid development of the European society, students also have to become prepared to function as a citizen of Europe.