Reconocimiento de Aprendizajes No
Formales e Informales (RANFI)El contexto mexicano y algunas experiencias en otros países
“Estado actual de los conceptos y términos manejados en relación con
los aprendizajes no formales e informales, la investigación de la OCDE”
Dr. Patrick Werquin
OECD – D i r e c t o r a t e f o r E d u c a t i o n
Reunión en la Ciudad de México, 29 y 30 de mayo de 2008
Agenda
-Background
-Recognition
-Formal, Non-formal andInformal Learning
-The formal recognition process
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Agenda
-Background
- Recognition
-Formal, Non-formal andInformal Learning
-The formal recognition process
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Key Elements
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
- Background
-Why do we want to organise recognition programmes? Potential benefits!
-Why it doesn’t necessarily work, yet?Potential obstacles!
-Some preliminary evidence
Background
-Lots of evidence about Recognition° of Non Formal and Informal Learning° (RNFIL), but piecemeal
-OECD activity on Adult Learning°
-OECD activity on the role of national qualifications systems in promoting lifelong learning
-…
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Qualifications Systems
-RNFIL = mechanism to create more and betterlifelong learning
- as well as:
-credit transfer [system]
-qualifications framework*°
-stakeholders involvement
-information and guidance
- …
- Qualifications Systems: Bridges to Lifelong Learning (OECD, 2007)
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
The OECD Activity: Objectives
-RNFIL is high on most countries’ agenda
=> “New” OECD activity on RNFIL:
- 27 countries (23 CBRs, 16 review visits)
- One assumption: not always good (cost…)
- Research
- Visits – fact finding approach
- Data collection – if any
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Participating countries
23 countries on 5 continents(17 in Europe, 23 CBRs, 16 reviewed):
Australia, Austria, Belgium-Flanders, Canada,
Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea,
Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and
the United Kingdom
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Agenda
-Background
- Recognition
-Formal, Non-formal andInformal Learning
-The formal recognition process
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Terms and Concepts: Recognition
Many terms even in English only:
- RPL (Australia), PLAR (Canada), APL or APEL(UK), Ireland uses them all...
- RAS (Recognition of Acquired Skills)
- (Recognition of previous knowledge )
- Recognition of Learning Outcomes
Other languages:
- RANFI (Mexico), RVCC (Portugal), RAC (Chile), EVC (Netherlands), RAS (Belgium-Flanders), VAE(France), Italia (many terms too, regional terms and therefore concepts)…
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Recognition
- In Australia, they even made RPL a verb: “I will RPL you”, “not everybody can be RPLed”... same in Canada with PLAR (“we plar people”)
- I like “Recognition of non formal and informal learning – RNFIL” because it says what it does*° (formal is out, RPL?)
- In fact, I should say: “Recognition of non formal and informal learning outcomes”
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
But…
Recognition of what?
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Agenda
-Background
- Recognition
-Formal, Non-formal andInformal Learning
-The formal recognition process
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Definitions of NFIL
- It’s a nightmare! No consensus whatsoever
-See Werquin (2007) for evolution over time
and discrepancies
-Very tentatively:
-Formal Learning: organised, intentional, with
learning objectives, leading to qualification
(was: education, age…)
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Definitions of NFIL (cont’d)
- Informal learning*: none of the above, what we do
all the time everywhere without even knowing it (key
issue for documenting skills), does NOT usually lead
to a qualification°
- Non-Formal Learning: could be organised, may
have learning objectives or happen alongside other
more formal learning activities, does NOT usually
lead to a qualification°
- Nothing very convincing, some odd definitions
(Statistics), a lot of overlap anyway
- It does not work!!!
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
More About Definitions - Recognition, Validation, Certification: in what order?
Recognition of learning
=> Validation (against standards)
=> Certification (stamp)
=> Social recognition *
- Social value AND social use
- Social recognition not specific to RNFIL, same in theformal learning system: it’s about recognition of aqualification
- And the issue is that in both cases, it should comeFIRST!!!
- (I would keep “accreditation” for institutions )
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
More Terms About Recognition
There is:
-Recognition of Learning (identification)
-and: Social Recognition (of qualification(s) )
-But also: Practical Recognition
- In short, the interesting concept are:
. Recognition of learning [outcomes]
. and Recognition of qualification(s)
(focus of the OECD activity)
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Definitions: Some Pieces of Advice
-Don’t panic
-Don’t waste too much time debating them
-Choose the ones that meets your needs for the following 2-3 years and stop re-addressing the issue all the time
-If/whenever possible, use international definitions (CEDEFOP, 2008; OECD, 2007 and 2008)
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Proposition
- The key issue is “Formal recognition of non-formal and informal learning outcomes”
- So the key word is: VISIBILITY*, (of skills, knowledge and competences )
- But why is “visibility” so important? (Benefits)
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Agenda
-Background
- Recognition
-Formal, Non-formal andInformal Learning
-The formal recognition process
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
The Recognition Process
- Identification
-Production of evidence
-Validation
-Certification
Dr. Patrick Werquin, Conceptos y términos manejados en relación con el RANFI, México DF, 30 mayo 08
Muchísimas Gracias
www.oecd.org/edu/lifelonglearning/nqs
www.oecd.org/edu/recognition