1Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Credit and Quality Assurance: APEL/RPL and Europe

Professor Bob Johnson

European Council for Business Education, ECBE

SEEC Professional Development Event, 23 January 2008, CEPLW, London

2Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

3Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Advancing the recognition of prior learning is proving to be a slow and difficult process!

4Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

5Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

6Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

7Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

8Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Formal learning

Learning that occurs in an organised and structured environment

Informal learning

Learning resulting from daily activities related to work, family or leisure

Non formal learning

Learning which is embedded in planned activities not explicitly designated as learning

CEDEFOP 2003

The recognition of prior learning

9Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

• wherever• however• whenever• whatever

The recognition of learning

10Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

‘all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence, within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective’  (European Commission)

Lifelong Learning

pre-school to post-retirement, everything in between 

11Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Recognising prior learning

benefits:

• all ages and backgrounds can receive formal recognition for the skills and knowledge they already possess

• mature adults and socially excluded minority groups returning to learning

• students of all ages who wish to study overseas, broaden their expertise or change careers

• students who wish to return to their studies after a learning break

• anyone seeking professional qualifications

• recognition of learning through work or leisure-related activities

12Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

benefits for the learner • adds to self esteem

• assists personal development

• increases job satisfaction

• increases career prospects

• certificates learning gain

• accumulates credits towards an award

Recognising prior learning

13Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Recognition of Prior Learning

• Legal and Regulatory issues

• Other issues

- qualifications and credits

- academic structures

- inputs v. outcomes

- delivery

- contact time v. notional learning time

- assessment tools

- quality assurance

14Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

RPL: Challenges for quality assurance

• RPL challenges traditional views about education

• the range of RPL tools, techniques and approaches, including assessment

• several good practice guidelines - but little known and used

• Clear national schemes e.g. Finland, France, Ireland, Scotland, Canada and England/Wales/Northern Ireland.

• QA is embedded in existing processes

…….

15Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

RPL: Challenges for quality assurance

…..

• HEIs need to have transparent RPL processes

• over-complicated APEL systems (most have none!) that are time-consuming/expensive/rarely used

• many academics are conservative about RPL

• the shift to learning outcomes is incomplete

16Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Barriers to Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning

occur at three levels• European

• National/Regional

• Institutional

17Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Current Developments

Europe meta frameworks• Qualifications Frameworks• ECTS/ECVETS• ENQA

National• SCQF, France, QAA

Regional Consortia• SEEC• NUCCAT

18Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Bologna and Quality Assurance

• Enhance quality• Quality in HEIs and QA agencies• Policies, management and guidance• Quality Management• Globalisation• Building European Higher Education Area• Democratisation of Higher education• Mutually shared criteria and methodologies• Consistent with institutional autonomY• Accountability lies with the institution• Quality in HEIs and QA agencies within national QA systems

19Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

National Quality Assurance

• Definition of responsibilities • Evaluation of programmes/institutions• System of accreditation/certification• Peer review• International co-operation

20Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Higher Education Institutions

• Enhance quality

• Internal mechanisms– Cornerstone of QA in HE– own Quality culture– related to own situation and ambition– fair information

• Correlated to external quality assurance– Evaluators: independent, transparent and relevant

21Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Higher Education Institutions:Internal Quality Assurance

• Policies• Monitoring and review• Assessment of students• QA of teaching staff• Learning resources & student support• Information systems• Public information

22Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Overcoming Barriers 1

• Europe – Bologna

– Qualification framework– Credit framework– Promoting learning outcomes– Promoting RPL

23Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Overcoming Barriers 2

• National– Credit and qualification framework(s)– Guidelines on RPL– Guidelines on Credit– Learning outcomes– Level descriptors

24Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

Overcoming Barriers 3

• Universities

– Credit-based Curriculum

– Quality Assurance

– Flexible Delivery modes/Structures

– Staff/Faculty Development

• Awareness,

• Understanding

• Expert

– Management and Recording

25Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

26Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk

27Professor Bob Johnson, Education and Management Consultant

Email bobjohnson@northwoodha6.fsnet.co.uk