Training programme MODULE IV Project number 2016-1-BE02-KA202-017389

Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Produced by

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) MODULE’S STRUCTURE Introduction Barriers Enablers Business model for implementing methods for validation of non-formal and informal learning

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) PEDAGOGICAL OBJECTIVES Identify the enablers that promote the use of innovative assessment methods for VNFIL Identify the social and technical barriers of innovative assessment methods for VNFIL Understand how to overcome social and technical barriers Understand what business models are and how they can be applied to the use of innovative methods for VNFIL

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) INNOVAL Online Consultation on Barriers and Enablers TECHNICAL BARRIERS - Connected to the implementation of innovative methods for VNFIL Technical barriers identified: Difficulty of training human assessors to ensure reliability, Cost of administering alternative approaches, Need for more effective frameworks/criteria in order to capture transversal skills Lack of transparency

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) INNOVAL Online Consultation on Barriers and Enablers (Cont.) TECHNICAL BARRIERS: REPORTED BY SECTOR Higher education - Cost of administering alternative approaches and the difficulty of training human assessors to ensure reliability. Adult education - Difficulty of developing ICT-based assessments that capture dimensions of non-formal and informal learning and the difficulty of training human assessors to ensure reliability. Occupational training sector - Difficulty of training human assessors to ensure reliability and the need for more effective frameworks/criteria in order to capture transversal skills. Public authorities – Cost of administering alternative approaches. Employment counselling sector - Difficulty of developing ICT-based assessments that capture dimensions of non-formal and informal learning. Non-formal and informal sector - Difficulty of aligning assessments with EQF/NQF.

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) INNOVAL Online Consultation on Barriers and Enablers (Cont.) SOCIAL BARRIERS - Those connected to the perception/acceptance that stakeholders have of innovative methods for VNFIL Regarding social barriers, these were the ones identified by respondents: Lack of acceptance by educational institutions (71.6%) Lack of acceptance by employers (44.4%) Lack of interest and uptake by potential candidates (43.2%)

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) INNOVAL Online Consultation on Barriers and Enablers (Cont.) SOCIAL BARRIERS: REPORTED BY SECTOR Higher education and Public authorities – the biggest social barrier identified by 73.3% of the responders from these sectors is the lack of acceptance by educational institutions. Adult education and Occupational training sector – the majority of participants from these two sectors (64.7%) reported lack of interest and uptake by potential candidates as main social barrier. Employment counselling sector and Non-formal and informal sector – Lack of acceptance by employers were reported by 60% of respondents from these sectors

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) INNOVAL Online Consultation on Barriers and Enablers (Cont.) ENABLERS SUGGESTED BY PARTICIPANTS OF THE ONLINE CONSULTATION “VNFIL assessment should be more closely aligned with national qualifications” – in some European countries the results of VNFIL assessments are already aligned with national (and even European) qualifications. “Stakeholders should be more involved in the development of assessment” – it may depend on the dissemination and communication of innovative methods made by Practitioners and entities for validation and their advocacy towards stakeholders. “Outreach and communication with stakeholders regarding the role of VNFIL should be improved” “Programmes should be aimed at the acquisition of validation recognised by companies”. “Implementation of Mozilla Open Badges to certify informal learning”

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) INNOVAL Online Consultation on Barriers and Enablers (Cont.) ENABLERS SUGGESTED BY PARTICIPANTS OF THE ONLINE CONSULTATION “Acceptance by the formal learning/governments”. “A more transversal and official top down involvement [of stakeholders] is required to have a wider social acceptance”. “Training assessors in specific professional sectors”. “Better involvement of employers and education institutions”. “Explain and communicate on how it can be important in social and economic people’s lives”.

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) Business model for implementing methods for VNFIL REASONS WHY STAKEHOLDERS MAY FEEL LESS COMPELLED TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF METHODS FOR VNFIL The cost involved in implementing innovative methods for validation of non-formal and informal learning Concerns regarding the quality of alternative assessments (they need to be valid and reliable) Concerns that alternative assessments are considered as "Class B" assessments “Mobility" concern - that assessments in a given country are not the same as those in other countries, and so mobility is undermined

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) Business model for implementing methods for VNFIL (Cont.) ELEMENTS OF VALIDATION IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY TO TAKE IN TO ACCOUNT: Who are the beneficiaries of the process Expected volume of candidates Infrastructure, human resources and processes Costs regarding set up and maintenance Partners in operating processes Long-term forecasts for validation, candidate numbers and costs.

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) Business model for implementing methods for VNFIL (Cont.) BUSINESS MODEL: DEFINITION A business model is a plan that aims to bring revenues to the entity that put it in practice, minimising costs and exploring possibilities for future development. in Harvard Business Review (2015)

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) Business model for implementing methods for VNFIL (Cont.) BUSINESS MODEL Business models can help assure the cost-efficiency of innovative methods of validation so they can be less expensive, which is something that needs to be provide in order for stakeholders to be compelled to put them into practice and for individuals to have an opportunity for validate their knowledge and skills and to have a chance to certify them outside the formal learning contexts, even if learners have to pay for it.

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) Business model for implementing methods for VNFIL (Cont.) POTENCIAL SOURCES OF SUSTAINABLE FUNDING Government support on financing research and validation pilot schemes Government funding to validation processes that contribute to social inclusion of unemployed people or to the development of inclusive policies for migrants, for example Private funding of projects linked to business needs from larger companies and/or sectoral representative bodies Funding from institutions, charities and voluntary bodies to open access to programmes and qualifications and to document non-formal and informal learning acquired from voluntary work Financing from individuals willing to put themselves forward for validation European inventory on validation of informal and non-formal learning (2007), in Cedefop (2009)

MODULE IV – Barriers and Enablers to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) Business model for implementing methods for VNFIL (Cont.) EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROVIDERS: SUGGESTIONS Attracting both new and experienced learners Teachers can learn from candidates about development in workplace and gain insights from them into different and non-dominant cultures of knowledge, which help them developing new ways of thinking pedagogy, knowledge and curricula Their curricula can improve links to the community they seek to serve using VNFIL Validation processes encourage staff to understand what their curriculum requires from candidates and helps them realize the meaning of some levels and notions of academic coherence and equivalence

FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRES

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