Transcript Document

Validation of non-formal and
informal learning: EU Initiatives
29 September 2006
Martina Ní Cheallaigh, DG EAC
The Copenhagen Declaration (30
November 2002)
Recognised that the promotion of enhanced European
cooperation in vocational education and training required
“developing a set of common principles regarding
validation of non-formal and informal learning with the
aim of ensuring greater compatibility between
approaches in different countries and at different levels”.
Validation of non-formal and informal learning
Benefits
• It is key to lifelong learning – aimed at making visible and
valuing the full range of a person’s knowledge and competence,
irrespective of where or how they are required
• It records and makes visible the individual’s learning
outcomes. It does not result in a formal certificate or diploma,
but it may provide the basis for such formal recognition
or
• it is based on assessment of the individual’s learning
outcomes and may result in a certificate or diploma
•It takes place inside and outside formal education and training,
in the workplace and in civil society.
Changement de direction dans les
politiques d’éducation et formation
Learning
outcomes
“INPUT”
+ duration
+ type (IVT, CVT …)
+ place
+ programme
+ institution
towards
Ce qu’on attend d’un
individu à l’issue
d’une expérience
d’apprentissage : ce
qu’il sait, ce qu’il sait
faire …
Transparency
Quality
Comparability
Responsibility
Common European principles for identification
and validation of non-formal and informal
learning (2004)
• Individual entitlements– validation is voluntary
but with equal access and equal and fair
treatment for all individuals
• Obligations of stakeholders – to establish the
systems and approaches
• Confidence and trust – systems/approaches
must be must be fair, transparent and
underpinned by quality assurance
• Credibility and legitimacy systems/approaches respect the legitimate
interests and balanced participation of
stakeholders
Initiatives
Initiativessoutenues
supportedpar
by the
le Conseil
Council
A European Inventory on the identification and validation of
non-formal and informal learning to support the exchange of experiences and
mutual learning
All Member States of the EU are in the process of developing systems and
procedures for validation
Inventory available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/
http://www.ecotec.com/europeaninventory/2005.html
Initiatives supported by the Council
• Development of coherent and comparable ways of
presenting the results of the identification and validation
of non-formal and informal learning at European level
• Consideration of how the existing instruments in the
Europass framework for transparency of qualifications
and competences can contribute to this
• Consideration of how the common European principles
could support ongoing work on credit transfer and
accumulation, quality assurance and guidance and, in
general, contribute to the development of a European
Qualifications Framework
European Qualifications Framework
(EQF)
• Recommendation on EQF approved by the
Commission on 5 September 2006;
• Based on a Europe-wide consultation in 2005;
• Joint Decision of the Council and Parliament
expected in Spring 2007
• Based on learning outcomes, it will facilitate the
validation of non-formal and informal learning
EQF - A shift in focus towards
Learning Outcomes
Learning
Outcomes
Reflects ongoing reforms
at national level
The 8 Reference Levels and their
different dimensions
Knowledge
Skills
Competences
For Each
Reference
Level
EQF :
Key
elements
8 levels
Credit systems
(ECTS, ECVET)
ECVET: ‘perspective ECVET:
a ‘LLL perspective’ & a
‘person centred system ’
informal
Formal
Non formal
1:
knowledge, skills, competences
KSC1 capital
Formal
ECVET & LLL Routes to
Qualification
Academic learning context
‘On the job’ learning context
All relevant life experience learning context
Or: Mixture of all the above learning context
ECVET & LLL Routes to
Qualification
Academic learning context
‘On the job’ learning context
All relevant life experience learning context
Qualification
Or: Mixture of all the above learning context
Aspects which will not present
problems
• The construction of qualifications based on
outcomes is widely practised in VET
• Qualifications have long been developed
together with the sectors, professional
organisations and social partners
Why is Validation important for the
construction sector?
Construction is:
• A large and diverse sector (building, restoration,
engineering)
• Transversal
• Problems to be resolved on the job
• Continual change – materials, tools and
equipment, environment, etc.
• Insecure and atypical contracts
• A long tradition of apprenticeship with
placements at work
Good example of a sector which requires lifelong
learning
• Construction – a sector that requires flexibility
• Workers are sent to a variety of sites and must
respond to problems and challenges on a daily
basis
• Managers and foremen must coordinate,
communicate, and work in a team
• Subcontracting in on the increase
• A significant number of construction workers
have a low level of qualification
Regular updating of competences
necessary
For
• Health and safety
• Specialisations
• Management (career progression)
• Geographical and occupational mobility
Disadvantaged groups in the sector
• Workers with a low level of training
• Older workers : need to move to less
strenuous work
• Migrants
• Workers without permanent contracts
Leonardo da Vinci and ESF
projects
• Construction sector well represented in
projects
• Often with projects that promote nonformal and informal
• Sometimes include validation of prior
learning
• Many concern the development of training
modules for workers, often managers (e.g.
in SMEs)
Leonardo da Vinci and ESF
projects
• The content of the training modules often
concerns:
• Use ICTs
• Restoration of buildings
• Health and safety
• Sensitisation of workers to environmental issues
• Migrants: language courses, recognition of their
qualifications
• Training for the poorer skilled to improve their
employment chances