Current Challenges in Validation of Informal Learning (VINFL) in Europe (original) (raw)

Validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe: research, policies, legitimacy and survival.

context sensitive -both politically and socially-manner. The chapter raises questions regarding the way in which the Directorate General Education and Culture (DG EAC) is presented as a purely neo-liberal agent in much of the education literature, and validation practices as radically exclusionary practices. It also argues that the EU's future actions in validation will need to take a more prescriptive dimension than they have done so far, and this in turn will require the generation of greater national reporting and evidence on those issues where the EU can have greater influence.

European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning (2014). Country Report: Switzerland

Practices related to the validation of non-formal and informal learning (validation) in Switzerland have evolved progressively, albeit slowly, in past years. This evolution can be broken down into three main phases: 1) forerunner projects before the 1990s; 2) pilot projects developed at a local level in the 1990s; 3) diffusion of projects in the VET sector based on the VET Act of 2002 that are more institutionalised and extended to a national level. Individuals with at least five years of experience can engage in validation and receive a federal VET title upon completion of the procedure. As of 2013, validation is expected to enter a new phase in Switzerland. The first step in this new phase commenced with the reorganisation of the educational policies management bodies (from 2013) that led to the creation of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Before this, the various educational sectors were managed by different bodies. Within the programmatic texts that underlie this reorganisation, the principles of validation in all educational contexts are integrated. The aim is to increase permeability between education sectors and to remedy the lack of specialised workers in some professional sectors. In the meantime a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is being elaborated and should be introduced in 2014. However, due to the principle of subsidiarity, which regulates the consensus-building at all levels of government, we can expect the diffusion and the detailed definition of this complete validation framework to take several years. (Excerpt from Introduction)

A Social Framework for Supporting, Evaluating and Validating Informal Learning

Validation of informal learning has been a hot topic in the European Union the past few years. A number of guidelines and proposals have been published providing competence catalogues for direct transition from informal to formal learning. In our work, we propose the usage of a more social and dynamic framework for validating and promoting a learner´s informal learning.

The 2014 European Inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning. Prospects and trends on validation in Europe

Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis, 2014

The European Inventory is a tool produced under the auspices of the European Commission and has been in place since 2004. It presents an overview of the situation regarding validation in European countries. The 2014 Inventory investigates 33 countries through 36 country reports. After describing the political context for the validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe, namely the European Council Recommendation of December 2012, the article explains the main features of the European Inventory and presents selected findings.

Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning in Europe: Key Developments and Challenges

Quality of Higher Education, 2009

Šis straipsnis remiasi "Europos neformalaus ir savaiminio mokymosi aprašu", kurį nuo 2002 m. kartu ruošia Europos Komisija ir Cedefop (Internetinis adresas: http://www. ecotec.com/europeaninventory/2007.html). Šiame apraše pateikiama detali informacija apie pokyčius, vykstančius kiekvienos iš 32 šalių, dalyvaujančių, Švietimo ir mokymo 2010 procese, valstybinio ir privataus sektoriaus švietimo institucijose.

Assessing, Recognising and Certifying Informal and Non-Formal Learning (ARCNIL): Evolution and Challenges

European Journal of Vocational Training, 2009

Certifying non-formal and informal knowledge may be a consequence of separating education and training from other social and economic activities. Specialisation and formalisation of education and training both aim to increase learning efficiency. In the emerging knowledge society, this has attracted particular attention among researchers and politicians involved with human resources. There are increased efforts to expand knowledge, including explaining and certifying non-formal and informal variants. Faster knowledge cycle turn-round speed makes the education market an insufficient mediator between demand and supply, increasing inconsistencies between education and work and raising questions of transparency. Offering a second chance of better education attainment and diminishing the effects of closed internal labour and training markets are also important. While favouring certification of non-formal and informal knowledge and skills, the author identifies those who might lack interest and warns against simplifications that discredit certification or create illusions that it might replace formal education.