<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Valentin Cosmin  Blândul</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adela Bradea</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE STATUS OF OPTIONAL DISCIPLINES IN THE SCHOOL BASED CURRICULUM OF UPPER-SECONDARY SCHOOL: A CASE OF ROMANIA</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">extracurricular activities</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">optional disciplines</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">school-based curriculum</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">February/2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2015/457-1430136755.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">63</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Discontinuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The school curriculum includes the learning experiences students are invited to go through in an organized and systemic way. The curriculum has two main parts, the core curriculum and the school based curriculum (SBC) respectively. The latter one concerns the learning experiences, which school provides in addition to the minimum experiences that all students should gain and it can be achieved through optional school disciplines. However, education research has shown that the way these optional disciplines are chosen often expresses the teachers' options rather than those of the students. The main aim of this study was to analyze the subjective perception of upper-secondary school students with regard to the status of optional disciplines within the SBC. The sample consisted of 121 students, who study in 4 upper-secondary schools from Oradea, Bihor County, Romania. The instrument used was a questionnaire, and the implementation period was October-December 2014. The results show that the reasons why students choose a certain optional discipline are related to their need for personal and professional development. The most important subjects students want to study are foreign languages and sports activities, and the favored forms of organization include extracurricular and applied activities.</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">7-16</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adela Bradea</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Karla Peter</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE ROLE OF OPTIONAL DISCIPLINES IN DEVELOPING TRANSFERABLE COMPETENCES: A CASE OF ROMANIA</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">learning results</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">optional disciplines</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">transferable competences</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2015/457-1423570400.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">62</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Discontinuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">In Romania, the curriculum is traditionally strongly based on disciplines, the teachers being primarily specialised in one discipline only. Developing transferable competences requires new ways of teaching and learning, which transcend the traditional boundaries among disciplines. As they are being developed, these competences become important factors in the process of learning competences specific to certain disciplines, while also help the individual to adapt to the dynamics of a complex reality. Thus, given the importance of transferable competences, along with the reform of the curriculum, in the Romanian educational system optional disciplines were also included. The aim of this study was to analyse that, although there is a legislative framework, the development of activities that include multiple learning objectives or results that cross the traditional boundaries among disciplines, is still poor. The strategy used for the study was a complex one. It combined both quantitative research methods and qualitative ones: literature review (framework documents on educational policies), a statistic analysis, a questionnaire-based survey. The results have demonstrated the need for change in school organization and culture, so that the transferable competences acquired become indeed competences for life.</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">21-28</style></section></record></records></xml>