VALIDATION OF NON FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING

IN EUROPEComparative approaches

Challenges and possibilitiesMichel Feutrie

Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille (France)

In brief

A proposition of classification based on the results of several European surveysConvergences and divergences between national frameworksChallenges and possibilities

General inventoriesJens Bjornavold/CEDEFOP: « Making learning visible », 2000, 15 countriesDanielle Collardyn/Jens Bjornavold: « National policies in validation of non formal and informal learning. European inventory » 2004, 14 countries + 10 candidate countriesECOTEC: « European inventory on validation of non formal and informal learning » 2004 and 2005, 30 countriesUNESCO draft report « Recognition, validation and certification of informal and non formal learning » 2005, 38 countriesOECD-studies on Recognition of non formal and informal learningR. Duvekot, K.Schuur, J.Paulusse: « The unfinished story of VPL. Valuation & Validation of prior learning in Europe’s learning cultures » 2005,

Higher Education Analysis

N. Evans (eds) « Experiential Learning around the world : employability and the global economy”, 2000C. Corradi, N. Evans, A. Valk (eds): « Recognising experiential learning. Practices in European universities » 2006

A long story

Starting at the beginning of the eighties in UK and France influenced by North American experiencesRelayed by Nordic countries in the ninetiesCarried on by numerous European projects in Leonardo, Socrates or Grundtwig programmesFull part now of the European Commission policy papers : LLL, Common principles, EQF, Adult learning,…

A proposition of classification

Six groups of European countries

Criteria

Existence of regulatory frameworks: from intentions, projects or recommendations to laws Top down or bottom up initiativesLevel of implementation: from limited or local experimentations to global systemLevel of impact and development: from sectoralapproaches to implication of all stakeholders, from few institutions involved to all institutions concerned

1 Nothing happening…

3 countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus and GreeceRecent apparition of this preoccupation on political agendaFirst, there are conditions to meet, for instance definition of standards and references or to overcome resistancesLevel of feasibility to reach

2 First tries…

7 countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and SloveniaGlobal acceptationRecommendations, strategic papers, creation of pre-conditions for a global systemBut no « system », no global arrangements, no systematic provisionsExperimentations, initiatives at different levels with no real convergence or initiatives concentrated on specific sectorsResistance and obstaclesNo piloting, no monitoring, no evaluation

3 Limited initiatives

3 countries: Austria, Germany, LiechtensteinNo legal framework, federal regulations Not yet really perceived as a needScepticism from social partners and difficulty of implementation because of the Dual systemInitiatives at early stage, mainly to offer « second chance » to non qualified populations

4 Emerging arrangements

6 countries: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Iceland, Italy and SpainNational regulations or documentation, validation policies emerging as a priorityIncreasing interest for validationCreations of standards and references, butLow level of implementation (low awareness from learning and training institutions and stakeholders), limited experimentationsNeeds for methodologies, trained staffFew or limited (for instance to a category of population) impact, low level of demand

5 Bottom up approaches

3 countries: the Netherlands, Ireland and UKLong traditionGeneral principles butDispersed initiatives and practices

6 Global systems

8 countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Luxemburg, Norway,Portugal,SwedenThree main levels of development in these eight countries

- General framework, implementation at a starting point

- General framework, limited results (mobilisation of institutions, impact on populations)

- General framework, large developments

Convergences

Factors declared as influencing the emergence of validation frameworks

The lifelong learning perspectiveThe impact of the European Commission policyThe economic competitiveness imposing to manage human capital in a more efficient way

Common arguments from promoters

All our activities give us more and more opportunities to learn because :

- They require more reflective activities, less and less prescribed, standardised

- They require to combine more and more parameters

- They require more initiative and prospective attitudes

The main problem is that this learning is :- not formalised, less codified than traditional

knowledge,- not organised as traditional knowledge in

disciplines, domains,…- rather unconscious- hidden in action- contextualised, attached to a specific

environment- built of elements more or less coherent, specific

to an individual

But this experiential learning can be assessed and recognised as equivalent of traditional learning

More or less common procedures

Information and counsellingGuidance and preparation for assessmentAssessment Running follow up

Insistence on individual effects

Possible social recognitionIdentification by individuals of their own potentialMaking learning visible for employers, for others

Divergences

Factors influencing specificities in models

Impact of « learning cultures »Existence or the need for national regulationsExistence of National qualifications framework and/or standardsInfluence of social partnersLevel of resistance from learning or training institutions and teachers or trainersDegree of implication of Higher Education

Possible resultsof validation process

Access to programmesAccess to examsAdapted complementary programmesExemptions Award of credits, units, modulesAward of full qualifications

What is assessed ?

Prior learning or knowledge gained through experienceSkillsLearning outcomesGlobal capacities

Tools?

Portfolio as accumulation of evidencesDossier presenting organised experience in reference to qualification’s requirementsObservation at work or simulationsTraditional tests or examinations

Authority

Pedagogical responsible, responsible of a programmeInstitution or organisationNational, regional or sectoral authority

Challenges

Validation an important challenge for the future

Challenge for States and Regions

Meet the need of a knowledge economyTake part of the opportunities offered by validation, consider validation as a vector for new developments in educational policiesTake into account the necessity of standards and referencesSet up quality assurance procedures and global guaranteesMonitoring and evaluationFinancing (?)

Challenge for learning and training institutions

A new institutional positioning to adopt: - from teaching strategies to assessing

strategies- new administrative, financial organisation- new pedagogical provisions

New competences for staff or new staff (more advisors, less teachers)Individualisation

Challenge for companies

Validation: a tool for the management of competences: anticipation of evolution in products, equipments, organisations, updating competences,Validation: a new internal tool for staff evaluationValidation: a tool to re-think the internal training policy

Challenge for individuals

In some countries validation of non formal and informal learning has become a right for individualsTo be aware of what they learnt wherever they live and workTo be recognised by their employers, their family,…To become able to build personal educational or study plansTo manage their personal and professional pathways

Possibilities

Lifelong learning for everyone

Validation of non formal and informal learning as the essential instrument of a lifelong learning perspective:

- cumulative and developmental process,- officially recognised and certified by social

markers of competences,- facilitating mobility- offering more chances to face new challenges or

to seize the opportunities in his/her professional or personal life

To meet the needs of disadvantaged and excluded groups, migrants,…

The education level is growing for a larger part of the population, But at the same time a part, which does not decrease, remains out of this movement,Validation is positive, as you start from a real experience, there is always something to assess Validation could be a first step towards social inclusion or re-integration

New roles for learning and training organisations

Learning is no longer restricted to a defined space and time (schools, universities, training organisations, periods of life)It becomes a continuous process including formal periods (initial and further education), but also non-formal and informal learningIt requires new roles and attitudes for teachers or trainers (organising, mentoring learning gained through experience )

Towards a new learning model

“Validation supports the competence development of people…

The question is not whether there will be learning but how to value and use this…

People learn anyway !”

(The unfinished story of VPL, Ruud Duvekot eds)

Thank you for your attention