EVC Centrum

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Validation of Prior Learning as a gateway to empowerment and development

Ruud DuvekotINHOLLAND University & the Empowerment Centre EVC

the Netherlands

Lahti, Finland

September 30, 2008

EVC Centrum

Validation of Prior Learning as a gateway to empowerment and

development

But for whom, why and how?

And is it innovative or revolutionary?

Key questionE

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1. VPL explained

2. Aims, culture & portfolios

3. the 4 ‘highways’ of learning

4. a roadmap

5. Questions & debate

6. As a dessert: CH-Q as a solution

ContentE

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general context

Society is in transition …

… no more lifetime employment & qualification …

… causing the labour market and the learning system to change and adapt to the new playing field.

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Leading questions

So, what is happening now?

TOP: authorities and social partners respond to the problems and adapt their systems of learning and working,

Meso: HRM and VET/HE focus more on output,

Bottom: and I have to create a new security in the flexible world

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Two approaches

Top-down is …- collective institutions and structures,- focus on standardisation of learning- Lifelong learning for the economy- diploma's for careers

Bottom-up is …- the self as primary agent- focus on holistic, flexible learning- Liberation of learning- portfolio's for careers

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Leading questions

What’s the function of VPL in this changing context?

- VPL is about my learning and working

- VPL is about all stakeholders- VPL is integral- VPL is about matching top-down and

bottom-up

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“A competence is to know how to act

adequately.” (Lyotard 1988)

Write down in keywords:

2 of your social-communicative

competences

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Thesis

So:

VPL is where diploma and portfolio meet

-Diploma is the system (top)-Portfolio is my life (bottom)

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Statements on VPL:

1. The Glass is always Half Full

2. Two main perspectives: summative & formative

3. It’s about me, the labour market and the learning

system

4. It is based on learning outcomes

5. what’s new? It’s me !

Setting the sceneE

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The process

VPL is the integral process of ….

1. Raising awareness / information

2. Recognition of competences

3. Valuation of competences

4. Development of competences

5. Embedding VPL in HRM, VET/HE

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aims

The diversity of aims of VPL in Europe

1. Qualification

2. Employability

3. Empowerment

4. Personal development

5. Activating citizenship

6. Professionalisation/innovation

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targetgroups

Targetgroups

1. Young people (under 21)

2. Workers (21+)

3. Jobseekers

4. Older people

5. Employers

6. Professionals (personell officers, teachers, assessors,

guiders, etc.)

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Write down in keywords:

1 of your technical competences

+

1 of your computer-skills

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History

Learning culture changes:

Target: from initial to lifelong learning

Targetgroup: from the young to all of us

Control: from top-down to –also - bottom-up

Status: from summative to formative

Mobility: from static to flexible

Learning: from input to output

Qualification: from diploma to portfolio

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Portfolios

Types of portfolio:

1. Dossier-portfolio

2. Development-portfolio

3. Personal portfolio

4. Extra: the Organisation and its portfolio =

competencemanagement

It’s all about managing diversity of learning & working

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Write down in keywords:

1 of your artistic or creative

competences

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4 highways

Highways of Learning:

1. Qualification model

2. Upgrade model

3. HRD model

4. Lifelong learning model

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Model 1

Qualification model:

Target getting a qualificationTargetgroup young, workers, jobseekersStandard vocational or HE standardEffect diplomaVPL - dossier-portfolio

- co-makership, ? Harmonicalearningroutes?

Examples: big steel, health sector

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Model 2

Upgrade model:

Target the need for upskilling and upgradingTargetgroup workers, job-seekersStandard sectoral, vocational or HE standards Effect employability, empowerment & qualificationVPL - personal portfolio - advice on perspectives

- showing the necessary development steps

Example: banking, small metall, education sector

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Model 3

HRD model:

Target the learning organisationTargetgroup workersStandard company-, sectoral or vocational/HE

standardsEffect employability & empowermentVPL - developmentportfolio

- setting the target for portfolio-based development

Example: building sector, army, telephone companies

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Model 4

Lifelong learning model:

Target recognizing and valuing one’s personal learning opportunities, school- or work-independent

Targetgroup all targetgroupsStandard any standard will doEffect personal effects, enjoyabilityVPL - personal portfolio

- personal enrichment- extra job opportunities

Example: trade union volunteers, citizenship

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Roadmap for the Learning Society:

- Put the learner in the centre (portfolio & PDP)

- Offer Self-management of competencies

- Responsibility of demand-articulation

- Match competence-systems

- Create a standard based on learning outcomes

- Make the process portfolio-steered: qualifying,

updating, upgrading, enriching

building blocksE

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Write down in keywords:

1 of your organisational-logistic

competences

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Coming back to the key question:

1. The Learning Society in itself is a revolution. It

is a silent one, offering more equality of

chances and co-makership to the learner.

2. VPL is innovative as a product (instrument) but

revolutionary as a process (integral approach)

See the differences between: highways 1 & 2 and

highways 3 & 4

Innovation or revolutionE

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challenges

So, the main challenges:

1. How to motivate people to invest in themselves?

2. How to make education customer-oriented?

3. Can organisations adequately formulate their need

for competences?

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Your setting

What about your organization?

1. Does it motivate you to invest in yourselves?

2. Are they making education customer-oriented?

3. are they formulating their need for your

competences?

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Time-out

Do you have extra time and energy?

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A major key in activating the

Learning Society is my portfolio:

1. a focus on selfmanagement of

competencies

2. Starting up bottom-up process of lifelong

learning

3. Stimulates school and organisation to

innovate as well

SolutionE

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How to do my thing and selfmanage my

competencies?

1001 instruments

Not many - however - as integral and personal as CH-

Q

SelfmanagingE

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- Biographical method

- Takes 20-30 hours

- Empowerment: who am I and where can I go?

- Groupsupport: save setting for training

- Bottom-up

- Fills in my role in the Learning Society

- It challenges the roles of the organisation (HRD)

and the ‘school’ (flexible learning)

- After CH-Q less problems in motivating ‘me’ to

invest in myself

CH-QE

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Take Nokia:

- Example of a learning company (from rubber bots

to mobile phones)

- Their need for competences changes quickly

- A learning employer needs learning employees

- work-security is offered instead of job-security

- Stimulating learning is a need for both sides

exampleE

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Specify Proof

Social competencesOrganisational competenc.Technical competencesComputer skillsArtistic competencesLearning competencesOther competences

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1. Learning for the future starts at my

potential = my portfolio

2. Selfmanagement of competencies

stimulates schools and organisations

to take a look at the future too

3. It happens anyway; be prepared

ConclusionE

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