validation of non-formal and informal learning leafter semin… · validation of non-formal and...

Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning

Information Leaflet

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ECVET Leafter Seminar 2019_To Print 3mm bld CMYK.pdf 1 29/11/2019 10:11:27

This lea�let was prepared by the team of national ECVET experts in Malta in coordination with the National Commission of Further and Higher Education (NCFHE). This publication has been printed with the support of the Erasmus+ programme for the European Union. The content of this publication is covered by the provisions of the Copyright Act, the Laws of Malta, policies, regulations and international agreements entered into by the NCFHE. The information is available for noncommercial public use. No part of this publication shall be replicated and represented as an of�icial version, nor as having been produced in af�iliation with or without the endorsement of the NCFHE, without prior permission from the NCFHE.

Date of issue: December 2019For further information on ECVET in Malta, please contact the NCFHE.Email: validation.nc�[email protected]: www.nc�he.gov.mtTelephone number: 00356 2598 1450

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Information Leaflet

AbbreviationsCEDEFOP European Centre for the Development of Vocational TrainingECVET European Credit System for Vocational Education and TrainingEQF European Quali�ications FrameworkMQF Malta Quali�ications FrameworkNCFHE National Commission for Further and Higher EducationNOSs National Occupational StandardsRPL Recognition for Prior LearningSSU Sector Skills UnitVET Vocational Education and TrainingVNFIL Validation of non-formal and informal learning

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Contents

Introduction and Mission Statement

Defining Different Forms of Learning

What is VNFIL?

VNFIL in Malta

What are the benefits of VNFIL?

The National Occupational Standards

Validation

Malta Qualifications Framework

Use of the terms ‘Qualification’ and ‘Award’ in Malta

Learning Outcomes

The purpose of ECVET

ECVET in non-formal, informal, work-based and lifelong learning

The Maltese VET system: a competence-based approach integrated with the European tools

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This information lea�let is intended to help you better understand what Validation of Non-formal and Informal learning (VNFIL) is, and how this may be applied to access different forms of learning. It is intended to help you identify the bene�its of VNFIL and understand the current practices and progress in terms of the application of validation in different vocational areas and on the job competence.

Introduction

The National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) was of�icially launched on the 14th September, 2012 and is legislated by the revised Education Act which came into force on the 1st August 2012. Our mission statement is:

Mission Statement

"to foster the development and achievement of excellence in further and higher education in Malta through research, effective licensing, accreditation, quality assurance and

recognition of qualifications established under the Malta Qualifications Framework."

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“Learning is a process by which an individual assimilatesinformation, ideas and values and thus acquires knowledge,

know-how, skills or competence.” - CEDEFOP, 2014

Defining Different Forms of Learning

may be described as learning which takes place in a structured manner and within an organised environment, such as a university, educational institution or at the workplace. Formal learning is intentional from the learner’s point of view and leads to a quali�ication.

is normally gained from various activities in everyday life such as the place of work, leisure and/or family activities. Objectives may be achieved unintentionally, and without the candidate’s awareness or perspective.

is de�ined as learning which takes place within the context of other planned activities outside the formal educational system. Usually non-formal learning is not necessarily intended as learning but contains an important learning component.

Formal Learning

Informal Learning

Non-formal Learning

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What is VNFIL?Validation of non-formal and informal learning is a process that identi�ies, assess and formally certi�ies the knowledge, skills and competences that you have earned throughout your life through non-formal and informal learning. The ultimate goal for validation is to enable skills, and competences to be validated against de�ined occupational standards. Validation of non-formal and informal learning is an alternative pathway through which you can get an award for your experience similar to the awards you get after completing formal studies.

VNFIL in Malta.Validation of non-formal and informal learning in Malta is regulated by Subsidiary Legislation No 327.432 of 2012. This legislation allows validation of non-formal and informal learning to take place up to Level 5 of the Malta Quali�ications Framework, based upon occupational standards developed by various sector skills units.

What are the benefits of VNFIL?1. Recognition: A validation award adds value to all the skills and competences you have acquired throughout your life.

2. Employability: When interviewing an individual with a validation award, employers �ind it easier to identify what a person is able to do, as all the skills and competences available have been mapped. Validation is also a tool for promotion of employment and career advancement.

3. Mobility: The need for validation of skills has long been felt, especially with the increase in the prevalence of mobility across EU countries and differentt occupations.

4. Competitiveness: With a validation award, you will have equal opportunities as your peers with formal quali�ications. For example, you may apply for the same job as an individual with a formal quali�ication.

5. Further studies: With validation, you can also choose to continue studying via recognition of prior learning.

6. Satisfaction: Validation will give you a sense of ful�ilment and personal achievement.

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National Occupational Standards (NOSs) outline a set of criteria that indicate the level of knowledge expectancy within a particular job, area or sector. Occupational standards may be revised from time to time to re�lect the needs of the industry. These occupational standards have been published by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) and are available on our website. 1

1 https://nc�he.gov.mt/en/services/Pages/All%20Services/vin�l_nos.aspx

The National Occupational Standards

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The National Occupational Standards (NOSs);

1. Direct the curriculum development.

2. Specify competences which workers need to possess.

3. Help certify workers through the validation of non-formal and informal learning.

4. Promote the mobility of workers.

5. Facilitate the recruitment process for employers.

6. Help employers carry out skills-audits and direct the professional development of

the workforce.

7. Set quality standards within sectors and occupations.

8. Promote mobility of workers within the European labour market and beyond.

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ValidationThe validation process has been designed with you (the candidate) at the centre. It has been designed to be clear, fair, transparent and confidential. You shall be given the necessary guidance along the

process in order to facilitate your validation experience.

The validation process includes four main stages1:

1. IdentificationThis is where assessors identify the range of knowledge, skills and competences you have in the particular sector.

2. DocumentationThis involves providing the evidence mentioned above. This is where the aforementioned portfolio becomes very important, as through it the assessors will have an idea of how much learningoutcomes you have acquired over the years of experience. The portfolio may include personal details, work experiences, resumes, references from employers or other professionals, documents related to formal quali�ications, photographs and audio and video clips relevant to the validation being sought.

3. AssessmentThis is the stage where your knowledge, skills and competences are compared against the national occupational standards.Assess ment methods may include:a. Debate or interview – You present your knowledge through communication and social skills;b. Declarative methods – You discuss the portfolio and thus including evidence-based statements in your presentation;c. Observation – You carry out a simulated or a real-life work scenario while being observed by the assessors;d. Tests and examinations – You demonstrate your competences orally or in writing regarding a speci�ic subject. For the lower MQF levels, the written examination is in the form of multiple choice questions. Alternative arrangements may be provided upon request.

4. CertificationIf all the necessary criteria stated in the national occupational standards have been met, you will receive an of�icial validation award certi�icate issued by the NCFHE both as a hard copy and now also on the Blockchain for ease of use.

1 http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/�iles/3073_en.pd

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Annotationsi. A Full VET Level 1 quali�ication should enjoy the same parity of esteem as a Full Secondary School Certi�icate and Pro�ile (SSC&P) Level 1. ii. A Full VET Level 2 quali�ication should enjoy the same parity of esteem as 4 Secondary Education Certi�icate (SEC) subjects at Grades 6 and 7. iii. A VET Level 3 Quali�ication should enjoy the same parity of esteem as 6 Secondary Education Certi�icate (SEC) subjects at Grades 1 to 5. iv. A VET Diploma should enjoy the same parity of esteem as the Matriculation Certi�icate.

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AB

Doctoral Degree

Master’s DegreePost-graduate Diploma

Post-graduate Certi�icate

Bachelor’s Degree

Undergraduate DiplomaUndergraduate Certi�icate

VET Higher DiplomaFoundation Degree

Matriculation Certi�icateAdvanced Level

Intermediate LevelVET Diploma (iv)

VET Level 3 (iii)

VET Level 2 (ii)

VET Level 1 (i)

General EducationSEC Grade 1-5

General EducationLevel 2

SEC Grade 6-7

General EducationLevel 1

School Leaving Certi�icate

Introductory Level B

Introductory Level A

Malta Qualifications Framework

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An Award in Malta refers to the title of certi�ication of learning achieved through courses which do not have the required number of credits at the speci�ic MQF Level to be considered as a Quali�ication.

A Quali�ication is achieved when an Awarding body determines that an individual has achieved learning outcomes to the standards in terms of level descriptors on the MQF and a number of credits as speci�ied in the Referencing Report. A Quali�ication is the formal outcome of an assessment process.

Awards

Qualification

Use of the terms ‘Qualification’ and ‘Award’in Malta.

Chapter 2 in the Referencing Report describes the national education system in Malta and the Malta Qualifications Framework.

The process of accreditation of Qualifications and Awards by differenteducation and training providers and institutions are described on page 53.

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Learning OutcomesThe Malta Quali�ications Framework is based on the principles and objectives of learning outcomes that are subsequently linked to Validation of non-formal and informal learning and, where appropriate, to credit systems.

All learning outcomes are assessed and the learner obtains credits allotted to the units within the programme in order to achieve the award or quali�ication. Institutions determine the workload needed to achieve the particular group of learning outcomes. The total learning hours are determined by the number of credits assigned to the Unit. In Malta, 1ECVET credit is considered to be equivalent to 25 total learning hours. The learning hours are divided into contact hours, supervised practice hours, self-study and assessment hours. This is subject to the national minimum accreditation requirements of 5 hours of direct contact teaching hours per credit assigned.

ECVET in Malta is used for programmes from MQF/EQF Level 1 up to MQF/EQF Level 4. Each programme varies in duration depending on;

1. the amount of ECVET points assigned to it and;2. whether it is a full-time or part-time quali�ication.

A full-time level 3 programme is normally composed of 60 credits spread over one academic year. On the other hand a full-time Level 4 programme is spread over 2 academic years and it is typically valued at 120 credits.

1 ECVET point / ECTS. More details can be found in the NCFHE Referencing Report, 2016

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The purpose of ECVET

In brief, ECVET is a technical framework which aims to facilitate the recognition of an individual’s learning outcomes. ECVET relies on three core concepts, namely:

1. Transfer of learning outcomes;2. Recognition of learning outcomes;3. Accumulation of learning outcomes.

ECVET aims to support the mobility of European citizens, facilitating lifelong learning and providing greater transparency and portability of achieved and assessed learning outcomes.

ECVET in non-formal, informal,work-based and lifelong learning

ECVET facilitates the development of �lexible and individualised pathways, and also the recognition of those learning outcomes which are acquired through informal and non-formal learning. For the application of ECVET to learning outcomes achieved in a non-formal and informal learning context, the competent accredited institution which is empowered to award units/quali�ications or to give credit should establish procedures and mechanisms for the identi�ication, validation, and recognition of these learning outcomes through the award of the corresponding units and the associated ECVET points.

ECVET facilitates the validation of non-informal and informal learning because it describes the knowledge, skills, and competences required for an award/quali�ication and the associated units. This makes it easier for the competent institution to identify what learners have already achieved in comparison to what is required in view of an award/quali�ication. This may serve to avoid duplication of learning processes, where a learner might have already achieved a set of learning outcomes in an external context. Moreover, it can also be used to enable learners to achieve some units through recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning and others through formal learning, hence completing all the learning outcomes required for a particular quali�ication without the need for re-assessment.

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The Maltese VET system: acompetence-based approach integratedwith the European tools

The Maltese VET system is rooted in the Maltese Quali�ication Framework, which is mapped to the European Quali�ication Framework (EQF). Quali�ications are composed in units of learning outcomes, quanti�ied in workload hours or ‘credits.’ One credit is equivalent of 25 hours of learning workload. Credits are labelled as ECVET points for EQF levels 1 to 4 and ECTS points as of level 5. ECVET principles play a key role in the Maltese VET system. Identi�ication of groups of learning outcomes, separate assessment of groups of learning outcomes, and accumulation and transferability of learning outcomes are used to design Maltese VET quali�ications.

The Maltese system allows for the validation of learning acquired in a non-formal and informal context. The validation process is based on National Occupational Standards (NOS), which de�ine skills, knowledge and the assessment methods. The assessment is carried out by Jobplus,¹ the Maltese Public Employment Service. Moreover, the use of the ECVET principles allows for the possibility of transfer and recognition of learning outcomes acquired during VET learner mobility.

ECVET mobility tools and Europass are largely used by Maltese VET institutions for learning mobility. The Learning Agreement (LA) is used to ensure a common understanding of the content of learning outcomes and the responsibilities of sending and hosting institutions. The Europass Diploma Supplement and Learning Transcripts are used to document the learning outcomes acquired.1

1. ECVET Case Study, October 2019

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For more information, send an email to; validation.nc�[email protected]: www.nc�he.gov.mtTelephone number: 00356 2598 1450


Information Leaflet

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