GOOD MORNING REACTION Recognition and accreditation of experiential learning a way for better access

1
GOOD MORNINGREACTION Recognition and
accreditation of experiential learning a way
for better accessibility of adult education

• 223855-CP-1-2005-1-LT-GRUNDTVIG-G1
• 24 months (starting 1 October, 2005)

2
REACTION Recognition and accreditation of
experiential learning a way for better
accessibility of adult education

• 223855-CP-1-2005-1-LT-GRUNDTVIG-G1
• 24 months (starting 1 October, 2005)
• TALLINN, ESTONIA, 20-23 April, 2006

3
1

• Output
• DRAFT To be decided upon
• Can we publish it already (in our webpage in EN)?

4
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PRACTICES

• To be decided upon
• Can we publish it already (in our webpage in EN)?

5
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PRACTICES

• Higher education in this stage of development
  faces a new task to develop a credit based
  system of life long learning, which takes into
  consideration competencies, and which is in
  congruence with the world of work.

6
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PRACTICES

• Both universities and colleges have to review the
  requirements for adults, who want to join higher
  education, but who find difficulties to do that,
  by offering opportunities of individualized study
  programmes, according to evidences about
  non-formal learning outcomes.

7
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PRACTICES

• Often existing practice of validating competences
  at universities are usually based on support of
  Social funds or any other initiative
  (community/county/state) and applies to
  particular higher education institution rather
  than to the system of higher education.

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OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PRACTICES

• As the situation in the field seems really
  different, here, as it was planed in the
  proposal, a short overview of the situation in
  all countries is presented.
• In developing the document the following methods
  were employed

9
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PRACTICES

• Analysis of legal and political educational
  documents regulating non-formal and informal
  learning achievement assessment area in Ireland,
  Belgium, Estonia, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands,
  and Lithuania.
• Structural interview method of experts (43
  experts Belgium 2 Italy -5 Netherlands -9
  Spain -8 Ireland -8 Estonia 2 Lithuania
  -7) in all the countries mentioned above was
  applied in order to identify priorities,
  strengths and weaknesses of the process. Experts
  constituted of two groups experts members of
  higher education community (6) and experts
  adult educators, who work in NGOs (37).

10
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• In IrelandExamples of positive
  ExperiencesLegislation
• In 2001 the Irish government set up an
  educational advisory body-
• The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland
  (NQAI). One of its principle objectives is The
  promotion and facilitation of access, transfer
  and progression throughout the span of education
  and training provision. In line with this
  objective the NQAI published a document entitled
  
• Principles and Operational Guidelines for the
  Recognition of Prior Learning in Further and
  Higher Education and Training (June 2005). The
  principles and guidelines relate to all prior
  learning encompassing formal learning, no-formal
  learning and informal learning. The recognition
  of experiential learning is viewed therefore as
  integral to the Recognition of Prior Learning
  (RPL) rather than as a separate category.

11
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• The document outlines the following principles
• General Principles
• The recognition of prior learning will give value
  to all learning, no matter how that learning is
  achieved.
• Participation in recognition is a voluntary
  matter for the individual.
• The recognition of prior learning will be part of
  an inclusive approach to learning by education
  and training providers and awarding bodies.
• Recognition of prior learning will provide
  opportunities for access, transfer and
  progression to education and training and for the
  achievement of an award.
• Recognition of prior learning will provide
  opportunities for learners to participate on an
  active basis in society in general and within a
  workplace context.

12
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• In Italy
• Examples of positive Experiences
• Legislation
• Adult Education system in Italy is based on the
  following national laws and regulations
• National Labor Agreement of September 1996
  Treus law no. 196/97 and related decrees
  Bassaninis Law no. 59/97 and related decrees
  Social Agreement 22 December 1998 Law no. 144
  of May 17, 1999.

13
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• The laws and regulation mentioned above were then
  integrated and improved by
• Unified Conference between Government, Regions,
  Provinces, and Cities, which has defined
• Evaluation and certification of the modules of
  Higher Education and Technical Training (IFTS)
• Re-organization and improvement of the adult
  continuing education
• Governmental Decree no. 174/of May 31st, 2001
  (which dictates the guidelines for the
  certification of the training system).
• In particular, in Governmental Decree no. 174/of
  May 31st, 2001, there are two very important
  points on which the system of the Accreditation
  and Recognition of the Experiential Learning lays
  its basis Art. 4 and Art. 5.
• Who certifies (art. 4) the regions, according
  to their own rules, considering the national
  standards, and also by defining common
  procedures.

14
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• When does someone certify (art. 5) during a term
  or phase of a course in consequence of working
  experience or self-development according the
  needs of the people who want to be admitted at
  different levels of the instruction or to
  acquire a qualification.
• The above-mentioned legislative framework
  characterizes two important points for the
  functioning of the system for the formal
  recognition of the experiences and non-formal
  educational modules, that is
• Delegation to the Regions and to the local
  authorities (i.e. Provinces) of the
  responsibilities in the area of Continuing
  Education, of Adult Education, and of
  certification.
• The possibility of recognition for the individual
  self-education modules, for the non-formal
  educational modules, and for the acquired working
  experiences.
• This local autonomy is more evident and concrete
  when it comes to the recognition of the
  Educational Credits for the higher education
  (i.e. University), where each University has its
  own Statute that regulates the modality and
  procedures for the recognition.

15
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• As mentioned above, the universities have
  autonomy in establishing the procedures for the
  recognition of the Educational credits related to
  the non-formal educational modules and for the
  acquired working experiences. Generally, this
  responsibility belongs to the Academic Senate,
  which establishes the criteria for the
  implementation of such a procedure. The actual
  implementation of the procedure is delegated to a
  specific Committee that reviews each single case.

16
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• Generally speaking, on a national level, there
  are certain cases where the recognition of the
  Educational Credits is applied according to the
  same standards and procedures
• IFTS (Higher Education and Technical Training
  System) according to national laws, each Region
  must provide Higher Education courses (generally
  called IFTS). These courses must be implemented
  through a partnership made, at least, of a
  school, a training agency (non-formal), a
  university, a local public authority, and an
  enterprise.

17
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• A course provided through this system allows the
  recognition
• (In-entrance) of other non-formal educational
  courses and acquired working experiences. The
  quantification of the educational credit
  applicable to the course is made by a specific
  committee formed within the partnership in
  question.
• (In-exit) for eventual future uses (exclusively
  at the partner University) in University courses.
  In this case, the Educational Credits are
  quantified according to the internal procedures
  of the partner University.
• ECDL (European Computer Driver License) the
  system for the certification of the basic
  information technology capabilities (word
  processing, electronic spreadsheet, etc) is
  uniform at the national level and it is managed
  by a national Certification Authority (AICCA)
  which establishes the standards competences for
  the certifications and it is habilitated to the
  Accreditation of the organizations that offer
  such certifications. For this reason, almost all
  the Universities recognize such certifications,
  assigning the Educational Credits accordingly.
• At the individual level, there are many cases of
  recognition of working experiences, which are
  then converted in Educational credits at the
  University. Generally, these credits are
  equivalent to those recognized through
  internships that are part of the requirements for
  a bachelor degree.

18
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• In Spain
• Examples of positive Experiences
• Legislation
• Ley 12/2003, de 4 de abril, de Educación y
  Formación Permanente de Personas Adultas de
  Canarias (B.O.C. nº 79, de 25 de abril)
• Decreto 79/1998, de 28 de mayo (B.O.C. nº 72 de
  12 de junio) currículo de Formación Básica de
  personas adultas.
• Orden de 13 de agosto de 1998 (B.O.C. nº 114, de
  7 de septiembre) instrucciones y orientaciones
  para la aplicación del currículo
• Resolución 20 de mayo de 2005 (B.O.C. nº 107 de 2
  de junio) instrucciones para la organización y
  desarrollo de la Valoración Inicial del Alumno
  (VIA).

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Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• In Spain, under the frame of the National Law
  (LOCE) that regulates the Educational System of
  the Nation, the Autonomies Communities have
  competences in the matter of education.
• Although there isnt either any regulation at a
  Community level for recognition and accreditation
  for adults to access to tertiary education, at
  the Canary Community, for instance, there exists
  a Legislative Framework that regulates, not only
  the organization and curriculum for lower levels
  of adult education to those persons who want to
  return to formal education but also the
  instructions for initial valuation of the student
  (Valoración inicial del alumno-VIA) to authorised
  centres, to guarantee and harmonize the
  application of homogeneous criteria and systems
  of valuation enabling adults to enter to formal
  education at the same conditions, independently
  of the chosen centre to course the studies.

20
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• The VIA (Valoración inicial del alumno-VIA) is a
  previous procedure to recognize the competences
  acquired by the person who want to return to
  formal education. This procedure includes
  recognition of previous formal and non formal
  education in terms of credits and the validation
  of informal learning (self-learning,
  professional and social learning) by using a
  double way a direct way to recognize de
  experiential sociocultural and professional
  learning and an indirect way for the other ambits.

21
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• In Belgium
• Examples of positive Experiences
• Legislation
• Every institution for higher education has to
  foresee in an apel-system. In the Decree on
  flexibility within higher education in Flanders
  the governments makes a provision and impose some
  statutory regulations for APEL, such as
• the obligation to foresee in a procedure from the
  academical year of 2005-2006
• the institutions have to create an (coordinated)
  authority (awarding body) who delivers the
  APEL-certificate
• the standards that should be used
• the provision of two systems one for APL and
  another for APEL
• the procedure has to meet some conditions
  (provide guidance provide a possibility to
  appeal against the decision the assessors have
  to be experts, the assessors and counsellors are
  not the same persons the privacy and integrity
  of the student should be protected)

22
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• there should be written rules of regulation
• there should be a quality assurance and
  enhancement system
• the methodology that can be used (portfolio,
  interview, tests, )
• there is set a maximum price
• the exemption of credits does not belong to the
  procedure.
• APEL in the educational field is used as a
  summative instrument. It has some civil effect.
  The formative part is not obliged.

23
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• The existence of a legal framework for
  APEL-procedures in the educational field with
  strong statutory regulations this amounts to a
  broad foundation for APEL.
• The decree imposes that every procedure has to
  meet some conditions such as (provide guidance
  provide a possibility to appeal against the
  decision the assessors have to be experts, the
  assessors and counsellors are not the same
  persons the privacy and integrity of the student
  should be protected). Those conditions contribute
  to a transparent framework that can be
  generalized easily.
• In consequence as apposed to some other countries
  the APEL-landscape is not scrappy. The transfer
  between systems is possible.

24
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• In Netherlands
• Examples of positive Experiences
• Legislation
• The government has chosen for a bottom-up
  procedure for stimulating and implementing
  procedures for experiential learning. The Dutch
  term is EVC, which means literally
  accreditation of acquired competences.
• In 2001 the Government decided to establish a
  Knowledge Centre for EVC to take responsibility
  and stimulate further initiatives. Their role is
  mainly to set up a set of instruments to
  facilitate and assist EVC and to provide the
  development of funding. The implementation of EVC
  has to tie in with the existing structures, and
  the stakeholders from different sectors, such
  as schools, employment agencies, (national)
  education and training institutes, educational
  advisory bureaus, companies, have to come up with
  initiatives (bottom up) and have a share in the
  costs
• The government provides recognition for
  volunteering by financing volunteer organizations
  and in formulating measures in policy papers.

25
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• There are no strict rules and regulations
  formulated, but some preconditions instead, which
  sector organizations can use as guidelines for
  setting up EVC procedures.
• Some of the preconditions are
• Existence of facilities for assessment procedures
• Accessibility towards the procedures
• A system for quality-assurance of the procedures
• Practical qualification standards
• Stimulating a financial and juridical framework
• Facilitation of an (inter)national framework

26
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• The responsible ministries have set up a so
  called project direction team. They will
  facilitate the process and have formulated some
  objectives according to the Dutch policy for the
  next years. The main areas are
• To simulate and empower citizens to function in
  an optimal way in the knowledge society and
  knowledge economy.
• For Citizens it is important to have a
  labour-work career and a learning career in a
  flexible way, during their life life long.
• Create a good infrastructure and tailor made
  services to make learning attractive and
  accessible and fitting in ones working life.
• One of the measures is a project subsidy for
  local authorities, education centres, and
  companies to initiate in regions so called
  learning-working office windows aiming at
  giving access to working people and job-seekers
  to career advice and accreditation and
  validation of EVC, and giving information about
  the possibilities for education for people in
  that specific region. Also in private companies
  there are initiatives for EVC procedures for
  employees, introduced in the human resource
  management (HRM) of companies.

27
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• Tertiary institutions
• Universities and Institutions for Higher
  Education are experimenting with educational
  programmes with an EVC-quality. There are also
  initiatives on this Higher Education level that
  are aiming at building a broad Service Centre
  with an advise and guidance function for EVC.
• Non formal Good practise in volunteer sector and
  active citizenship
• Training courses for volunteers are more and more
  certificated and volunteer organizations are
  experimenting with port folios as a service to
  their volunteers and for recruiting better
  qualified volunteers, but in an experimental
  phase. First research/good practises
  disseminated.
• Individual approach
• Projects civic skills
• Volunteers are active in neighbourhood teams
• Prevention and reducing violence,
• Learning civic skills cooperation with local
  authorities, and institutes, responsibility as
  citizen etc.

28
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• In Estonia
• Examples of positive Experiences
• The Adult Education Act provides the basis for
  adult education and training and the legal
  guarantees for adults to be able to access the
  learning they desire during their lifetime.
• The act provides the definition of adult
  education institutions, provision of learning
  opportunities, classification of adult education
  depending on its objectives and regulates the
  financing of adult education. The act does not
  provide the age of the target group. The adult
  learners are those for whom studying is not the
  primary activity.
• The Adult Education Act regulates also granting
  study leave to adult learners.

29
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• The provisions of the Basic Schools and Upper
  Secondary Schools Act, the Vocational Educational
  Institutions Act, the Institutions of
  Professional Higher Education Act. The
  Universities Act and the Private Schools Act
  extend to the activities of educational
  institutions, which provide formal education
  acquired within the adult education system.

30
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• The Institutions of Professional Higher Education
  Act and the Universities Act provide the council
  of a university/board of the institution of
  professional higher education the obligation to
  approve the fields and format of and procedure
  for continuing education provided at the
  institution. Universities established conditions
  and procedure for taking account of the previous
  study results and professional experience of
  students no later than by 1 September 2004.

31
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• Lithuania
• Document analysis revealed that the following
  acts and laws comprise a legal basis for the
  system in Lithuania
• Act on Non-formal education of adults (1998)
• Order No. 1353 issued by the Minister of
  Education and Science of the Republic of
  Lithuania Concerning the temporal procedure and
  documentation of validation and recognition of
  knowledge acquired non-formally or informally in
  colleges and vocational education, or certain
  stages of the education, or completion of modules
  (in., 2001, No. 88-3111).
• Order No. 70 (31 May, 2002) of the Minister of
  Social Welfare and employment Concerning the
  procedure of selecting enterprises, labor market
  exchange agencies, institutions of vocational
  education for the examining process on the basis
  of extern (in., 2002, No. 58-2357) and
• Order No. 38 (22 March, 2002) of the Minister of
  Social Welfare and employment concerning the
  procedure of organizing and implementing
  non-formal vocational education by Labor marker
  exchange agencies (in., 2002 No.33-1259).

32
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• Analysis of documents reveals that existing laws
  and acts do not contradict or constrain the
  development of the system, however, they are of a
  fragmented nature, and do not describe the whole
  system.

33
Analysis of the situation in countries of the
REACTION partnership enables to provide the
following information

• Social partnerships enable balance between
  different systems, and ensure quality of
  functioning of validation processes. Experience
  of other countries shows the importance of
  involving social partners into discussions about
  development of the system for validation and
  recognition of non-formal and informal learning
  outcomes. Social partners can contribute in
  developing methodics for validations that meet
  both requirements of educational system, and need
  of the world of work. However social partnership
  and relations with labour market are still not
  sufficient in higher education.

34
SWOT

• In your files, WORD version
• Further all strengths and weaknesses are
  collected into one list
• What seems universal more weaknesses that
  strengths

35
Strengths and weaknesses

• High flexibility of the system, along with a
  positive predisposition (normatively) to the
  recognition of the experiential learning and
  certification (non-formal)
• Local autonomy in same cases, and within certain
  limits, this allows a better customization of
  the system to the real needs of the local
  community.

• Discrepancies between what defined by the
  legislative framework (positive predisposition)
  and what done and realized, and what felt by
  the responsible people at the University level
  (in same cases negative predisposition)
• Local autonomy it causes the different Regions
  to run at a different speed in a context
  (education) that should guarantee equal
  opportunity to all citizens. This system
  penalizes the citizens of certain regions that,
  because of the inefficient or even absent
  application of the existing laws and regulations
  in their Region, do not benefit of the potential
  opportunity to access the higher education system.

36
Strengths and weaknesses

• Transparency of certifications and
  qualifications even though the system is based
  on the autonomy of the local authorities, almost
  all the formal level of education acquired are
  recognized at the national level.
• Financial autonomy of the Universities the
  competition between Universities (often labelled
  as rich or poor, and consequently, good or
  bad) fosters, especially in the smaller
  Universities, activities for the recognition of
  the experiential learning and certifications,
  along with a positive predisposition towards the
  individual potential student.

• Almost total absence of collaboration and
  dialogue between Universities and the non-formal
  education providers (mainly NGO).
• Financial autonomy of the Universities because
  of their financial autonomy, almost all the
  Italian Universities can and offer non-formal
  Adult Education. This creates competition between
  the Universities and the NGOs, and subsequently
  fosters the tendency of the University to not
  recognize the certification released by the NGOs.
  
• Lack of a associative system between the NGOs
  (non formal education provider)
• Lack of funding for the design of specific models
  and methodologies for the recognition.

37
Strengths and weaknesses

• Prevents replication of learning and content
• Accelerates students progress in degree
  programmes
• Provides access route
• Strengthens self-esteem
• Process for gaining AP(E)L encourages more
  reflective thinking than taught courses.

• General Weaknesses
• Too time consuming
• Lack of grading
• Restricted to documentary evidence
• Methods of presenting learning may not be
  acceptable to traditional academics
• Requires high level of conceptual skills from
  students that may not be required in taught
  courses
• Documentation for staff support can be time
  consuming
• Procedural weaknesses
• Lack of resources
• AP(E)L not available for all modules
• Course transfer is difficult
• Extra workload for staff
• Decisions for claims may come after course has
  started

38
Strengths and weaknesses

• There is no link between the educational field
  and the labour market in regard to APEL. This
  makes that there is little civil effect.
• APPEL in Flanders is  supply  and not
   demand  oriented.
• As it is imposed by the government to foresee in
  a system, there sometimes is little feeling of
   ownership .
• No possibility for the institutions to get an
  external fund to pay the costs.
• Within the APEL system in higher education, the
  decree does not foresee in a direct link with the
  exemption procedure.
• The pressure to implement, set by the government
  makes that conditions are not fulfilled yet.
• Field is not ready yet. There still is a
  diploma-oriented culture in Flanders.

• The existence of a legal framework for
  APEL-procedures in the educational field with
  strong statutory regulations this amounts to a
  broad foundation for APEL.
• The decree imposes that every procedure has to
  meet some conditions such as (provide guidance
  provide a possibility to appeal against the
  decision the assessors have to be experts, the
  assessors and counsellors are not the same
  persons the privacy and integrity of the student
  should be protected). Those conditions contribute
  to a transparent framework that can be
  generalized easily.
• In consequence as apposed to some other countries
  the APEL-landscape is not scrappy. The transfer
  between systems is possible.
• The decree gives a hold (financial, juridical,
  content-wise)

39
Strengths and weaknesses

• There is a small group of universities, Higher
  Education Colleges, Regional Vocational Training
  Centres and private schools and institutes who
  offer EVC aiming mostly on the accelerated inflow
  of workers in specific vocational

• The offer of EVC services is not diverse. There
  is a need for more diversity, fitting services
  for different target groups.
• EVC is not overall known as method of recognizing
  competences in a broader way then diplomas not
  within the educational institutes in the broader
  sense private institutes for adult education for
  instance, are not working with EVC, just in a few
  cases and experiments and many clients, adult
  learners are not familiar with experiential
  learning and the methods to recognize and use
  competences for further (higher)education and
  job-seeking or job rotation.

40
Strengths and weaknesses

• There are some good practices to be followed up
  in different voluntary sectors. More cooperation
  with Higher Education Institutes is needed for
  progress to education.
• Competences described in so called port folios
  have to be stimulated and taken seriously

• There is no cooperation between the different
  suppliers of EVC, so the routes, the different
  pathways and the mutual adjusting are not clear
  and transparent.
• There is not enough awareness of experiential
  learning gained through voluntary work.
• There should be more awareness and initiatives in
  the field of labour EVC can be used as
  development in functions.

41
Summary

• Analysis of all provided SWOT analysis enables to
  conclude that several strengths and weaknesses
  are most common
• (please, identify, what can be added into each
  lest?)

42
SWOT

• Provides flexible trajectories for career and
  learning
• Legal framework is exceptionally important in
  order to have a balanced system
• Individual universitys initiatives are important
  as impetus for further developments
• Social partnerships are crucial for further
  developments

• General
• Lack of awareness in the field
• Lack of balanced and rational legal framework
• Social partnerships are still not strong (both
  with labour market and NGOs)
• Specific
• Staff needs education, additional workload
• Financial restrictions for initiatives,
  development of methodologies

43
Conclusions

• The analysis of available sources, also experts
  and learners opinions enables formulation of
  several conclusions.

44
Conclusions

• The validation and recognition of non-formal and
  informal learning outcomes are regulated by laws
  and legal acts, however, in many cases (in
  countries like Lithuania, Estonia, Spain, Italy)
  they are fragmentary, do not embrace the whole
  system substantially and do not provide
  foundation to functional relations of its
  separate parts. However in other countries (like
  Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands) some weaknesses
  that prevent system from functioning in a stable
  way, were identified

45
Conclusions

• Lack of sufficient and well coordinated links
  between social partners and labour market
• Lack of awareness about these opportunities both
  among academic communities, and the learners, and
  labour market
• Need to support initial training (what are the
  competence and ethics of an assessor- because the
  process has to be psychologically, behaviorial,
  experience in other field the fact you work in
  university DOES not mean yuo can asess
  AUTOMATICALLY) and professional development of
  staff in the field.

46
Conclusions

• Therefore as the final remark of this overview it
  should be noted that initiative as this project
  under EC Socrates/Grundtvig 1 programme
  Recognition and accreditation of experiential
  learning a way for better accessibility of
  adult education (REACTION No. 223855-CP-1-2005-1-
  LT-GRUNDTVIG-G1) are extremely useful to
  countries that just started the procedure,
  however, they are also useful to countries that
  have experiences, as there are still many
  objectives for the future.

47
2

• Output
• Presented by Margarita
• Are we happy with our product? DRAFT to be
  decided what should be added, are we ready to
  translate (NL, EE, ES, IT, LT) by 10 May?

48
3

• output

49
FRAMEWORK

• DRAFT are we ready to publish it (In our webpage,
  in EN)?

50
Framework

• The FRAMEWORK for validation and recognition of
  prior earning experiences can include at least
  two pathways.

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FRAMEWORK

• FIRST pathway is to have validation and
  recognition implemented at a university itself.
  In that case validation and recognition is
  implemented at the university, by a department
  design for the function. This approach can be
  called learner focused, as the competencies
  acquired by an individual within a wide variety
  of contexts should be considered, validated, and,
  possibly, recognised.
• SECOND pathway is via NGOs if they have one or
  two or several courses accreditated at
  university. In that case, learner, after
  completing such course, gets a certificate that
  automatically signifies for a university that one
  competence or a set of competencies is acquired,
  and that a candidate may be directed to further
  stages of studies. This approach can be called
  NGO focused, as NGO and universities negotiate
  these issues without a direct involvement of
  individual learner

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FRAMEWORK
53
MODEL (Learner- focused, 1st)

• The FIRST approach, takes very specific steps
  that have been identified by the partnership as
  necessary, even if several other actions might
  also be important in other contexts

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MODEL (Learner- focused, 1st)
Responsibility Institutions
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MODEL (NGO focused, 2nd)

• Concerning the second approach, the partnership
  noted the importance to link NGO and formal
  education, as noted that sometimes it is
  difficult, as these systems are not always
  willing to listen to each other. Quality of
  courses in NGO is a central issue, also, their
  structure, as it should be both relevant to
  individuals needs (as it is delivered by NGO),
  and university settings (as university will have
  to accept the certificate after its completion).
  In linking NGO and formal tertiary education
  governments role is essential (either
  legislation, or funding).
• Qualification framework-map-translation device,
  accordig to which these
• Role of governemnt to establish?? A body
  acrrediting so as the power does not lie in NGO
  or University, but some external body-agnecy

56
Framework

• Framework for developing ANY model of
  experiential learning is actually a set of
  managerial steps
• 1. Situation analysis, that includes- what
  methods picture that exist already exists,
• 2. Analysis what are pluses and minuses (for
  institutions and individuals) of already exists,
  and which of the best practces are ake for
  background of our activity
• 3. Decisions

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4

• Output
• DRAFT to be decided what should be added, are
  we ready to translate (NL, EE, ES, IT, LT) by 10
  May?

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• DRAFT to be decided what should be added, are
  we ready to translate (NL, EE, ES, IT, LT) by 10
  May?

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• Experience and survey of this partnership, also
  inputs of experts, and analysis of recent
  document in the field enable to conclude that
  there are several issues to be addressed in near
  future in order to make learning (especially, in
  higher education, as it higher education that is
  at focus of this partnership) more accessible to
  more learners.
• As a situation in countries of the partnership
  shows, the degree of implementation varies a lot,
  however, even representatives in advanced
  countries in the field point out certain issues
  that need further attention.
• Therefore this partnership suggests that
  following issues have to be taken into
  consideration

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• 1. A systemic approach is needed, which enables a
  sustainable development of the system of
  validation and recognition at individuals,
  individual institution of higher education,
  economy, educational system and national policies
  levels. Sufficient, well defined and articulated
  legal basis is needed.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• As even if the validation and recognition of
  non-formal and informal learning outcomes are
  regulated by laws and legal acts, however, in
  many cases (in countries like Lithuania,
  Estonia, Spain, Italy) they are fragmentary, do
  not embrace the whole system substantially and do
  not provide foundation to functional relations of
  its separate parts. However in other countries
  (like Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands) some
  weaknesses that prevent system from functioning
  in a stable way, were identified. Policy makers
  should take these issues into consideration while
  formulating long term strategic goals.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• However, measures at national levels are too
  complex, and therefore this partnership focuses
  on suggestions at the level of individual
  organisation (university and NGO).

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• 2. Policy makers at the level of individual
  organisations should emphasise openness of
  organisations (universities) rather than elitism,
  as in many cases university is an autonomous
  organisation, and it is in the hands of
  university authorities, what path will university
  choose. Whether to open up and provide learners
  with opportunities of validation and recognition,
  or further ignore the possibility that learning
  outcomes in different context can be relevant to
  university studies.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• 3. Concept of competence is both at focus of
  contemporary European documents and meets
  interest of labour market better, as ir embraces
  personal features, value orientations and
  attitudes. However, use of learning outcomes is
  difficult in higher education, because knowledge
  in higher education was not traditionally
  attributed to measurable occupational competence
  standard. Competence based learning is learner
  focused, however, in some cases it remains a
  challenge for higher education to establish
  procedure for its validation and recognition.
  Therefore authorities and communities of
  universities should pay more attention to the
  system of guides and validators training.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• It is necessary to design a unified methodology,
  guide and validator training programme embracing
  theory and practice, including awareness of the
  laws, instructions and legal acts, terminology,
  selection of methods and instruments to evaluate
  adults competencies. As evaluators have to
  ensure the quality of content, they have to be
  observed and their education should be constantly
  developed.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• 4. Creating and implementing the system of
  non-formal and informal learning validation and
  recognition, social partnership and cooperation
  of all the stakeholders is an essential factor
  which can ensure the quality of validation.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• 4.1. Therefore closer links between higher
  education organisations and NGOs should be
  promoted in order to provide mechanisms for adult
  learners to join universities later in heir
  lives. Accreditation of courses at NGOs,
  successful completion of which as a consequence
  leads to an advanced start or other procedures
  within universities may be one of the important
  examples of such mechanisms. This mechanism may
  both serve as a tool increase quality of NGOs
  educational services, and a tool for providing
  flexible learning opportunities for learners.
  This mechanism is relatively easy to implement.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• 4.2. Another example of linking higher education
  with social partnerships is contracts with
  employers. A closer interaction between these
  entities may lead to a more evident support of an
  employer to apply for validation of work based
  learning outcomes.

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SUGGESSTIONS FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND DECISION
MAKERS

• 5. It seems that validation and recognition of
  learning outcomes should be considered a complex
  and integrating process within the national
  policy, within sectors, and cooperation between
  institutions, as legal basis at the EU level
  seems more advanced than some of the measures
  implemented at an individual university, however,
  those mechanisms that can be initiated and
  promoted by an individual university (as normally
  it is a university that is more difficult to
  engage in activities of adult education) are
  emphasised.

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Comments, questions

• Thank you