The search for self-identity is a key determinant of postmodern society while correlating with the independent learning being conceptualized by the higher education students; it refers their intensions to express the ‘self’ and be identified. Most researchers have studied independent, self-directed, self-regulated and self-managed learning by paying attention to the different aspects covering learning styles, interactions, cognition, emotions, or volition, learning processes, metacognitive control system with the focus on students’ ability to direct, regulate and manage their independent learning. However, there is no research with the intention to explore the structure of the independent learning in higher education. Research results showed that despite perception of the independent learning structure the achievement of its outcomes cannot be ensured.

Purpose The present study aims to reveal common and diverging trends in the development of pedagogical competences of vocational education and training (VET) teachers and trainers in Italy and Lithuania. Design/methodology/approach A structured survey was administered to Italian and Lithuanian teachers. The collected data were analysed and compared. Findings Results show that there are many common challenges and problems in the development of pedagogical competencies of the VET teachers in both countries; e.g.: the marginalisation of the VET teacher's work and working conditions, especially the dissatisfying wages and poor career opportunities, and the absent or weak institutionalisation of the VET teacher's qualifications and training. Originality/value The emerged results can be useful for directors of VET-centres and VET-schools to manage training and pedagogical growth of teachers both in Italy and in Lithuania. Moreover, the outputs can be considered as a set of suggestions also by the policymakers both at national and European level.

Santrauka. Ugdant vaiko emocinį intelektą negalima pasikliauti vien intuicija-čia, kaip ir visuose moksluose, reikia remtis sukauptomis žiniomis ir įgyta patirtimi. Tai mums padės priimti pagrįstus sprendimus, ugdant mažuosius ikimokyklinukus. Lietuvoje jau kuris laikas taikomos adaptuotos užsienio valstybių praktikos, nukreiptos į socialinį ir emocinį vaikų ugdymą. Tačiau ne visos ugdymo įstaigos jas adaptuoja ir taiko, nes patys pedagogai turi nepakankamai žinių, kaip lavinti vaikų emocinius gebėjimus. Straipsnyje pristatomi interviu su ikimokyklinio ugdymo pedagogais rezultatai. Atliekant kokybinį tyrimą, buvo siekta nustatyti pedagogų vaidmenis ugdant vaiko emocinį intelektą. Šis tyrimas parodė, kad, norint ugdyti vaiko emocinį intelektą, svarbu pasirinkti tinkamus metodus. Pedagogai atskleidė, jog jie dažniausiai įtraukia vaikus į meninę ugdomąją veiklą, tačiau retai kada pasitelkia specialiai sukurtas programas. Raktiniai žodžiai: emocinis intelektas, gebėjimas, kompetencija, lavinimas, socialiniai įgūdžiai, ugdymas, vaidmuo. Summary. In the development of a child's emotional intelligence, one cannot rely solely on intuition. Instead, as in all sciences, we need to build on the knowledge gained from the lessons learned in order to make informed decisions in educating small preschoolers.Lithuania has already been adapting foreign practices aimed at the social and emotional development of children, but not all of them. Only a few percent of educational institutions follow them, as educators themselves do not have enough knowledge to develop children's emotional abilities. B. Elkjaer (2009) claims that experience is primarily related not to knowledge but to human life as a process. Human life is a continuous relationship between the human and the environment. This relationship has the same importance and meaning as an experience, but it also includes emotions, aesthetics, ethics and knowledge. When one is seeking to obtain knowledge, experience is not enough. Essential learning, according to R. Usher (2009), is based on practicing the way or style of life. This claim rejects the idea that learning originates from the experience. Nevertheless, experience and learning are interrelated, interactive and dynamic processes. Taking these issues into consideration, the following research question is suggested: How do teachers integrate the development of children's emotional intelligence into practical activities when planning the educational process?

Profesorė socialinių mokslų (edukologija) daktarė Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Edukologijos katedra K. Donelaičio g. 52, 44248, Kaunas El.

In today's life, the formation of a new twenty-first century society structure, which is changing people's personal, professional and social conditions of existence, more and more frequent are demands from the public and there is a trend of social competence development. First of all, thinking about the teachers, who often run initiatives, internal motivation, knowledge, sometimes in interaction with students in strengthening the social competence phenomena such as communication and cooperation. It is never too late to improve communication and cooperation culture. The article seeks to reveal the importance of social competence for self-assessment process. The article presents the theoretical background of self-assessment process. In order to reveal social competence, a model which illustrates the parts of social competence such as communication (reciprocity) and cooperation (activity) is presented. That's why teacher-teacher, teacher-student, student-student, student-teacher have been chosen as research subjects who reflect the characteristics of reciprocity and activity in the process of learning. The instrument of the research is a questionnaire. The research participants were 49 Lithuanian teachers, 142 students and 23 Belgian teachers and 86 students.