1. Recognition of Experiential and Accredited Learning (REAL)
Project
Sarah Galloway (University of Stirling)
Jackie Howie (Learning Link Scotland)
Project number:  LLP UK-GRUNDTVIG-GMP

2. Partners Scotland Estonia Ireland Romania University of Stirling
Learning Link Scotland
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership
Estonia
Tallinn University
Ireland
Limerick University
Romania
Romanian Institute for Adult Education (IREA)

3. Project Aims
To investigate ways in which the skills, knowledge and competences of adult educators can be assessed and recognised across the varying national contexts within Europe
To support adult educators so that they might have their experiential and informal learning formally recognised
To place adult educators at the centre of the project and work with them throughout the its development
To explore possibilities for ‘credit exchange’ systems so that adult educators’ experiential and informal learning might be recognised on a more general basis by national awarding bodies

4. What we have done
Developed a prototype toolkit to support the recognition of adult educators’ prior learning
Prototype developed in Scotland and reflects Scottish context for adult education
Transferred the Scottish toolkit to European partners (Estonia, Ireland and Romania)
Utilised European partners’ experiences of the Scottish Toolkit to develop a European Toolkit that might be helpful for adult educators across Europe

5. European contexts for adult education What varies?
Routes towards qualification and the level of the qualifications
The existence and character of national standards for adult educators
Processes and provision for RPL
The labour market is not uniform

6. European contexts for adult education What is similar?
Non-Profits
Tutor
Coach
Library
Private Sector
Trainer
Workplace
Development worker
Public Sector
Your organisation?
Instructor
Charity
Community Centre
Teacher
Educator
Prison
Trade Union
Your job title?
Teaching people how to bake bread
Deliver sexual health workshops to young adults
Workplace trainer
Teaching sculpture and painting in prison
Aerobics and yoga teacher
Giving study skills support to mature students
Tutoring languages to refugees
Tutoring reading and writing to adults
Distance learning support in a library
You?
Your learners?
Instructor in bicycle maintenance and road safety
Train volunteer mentors
Young adults
Students
Ex-offenders
Families
Retired people
Trade Unionists
Adults with disabilities
Workers
Refugees

7. How the Scottish Toolkit was designed
National Occupational Standards
Placing adult educators at the centre
Piloting the Toolkit
The European toolkit

8. Scottish Toolkit : The context
Community Education (CLD)
(Includes Adult Literacies)
Community Learning and Development Council for Scotland owns
National Occupational Standards and an RPL Process = i-develop
Further Education (FE)
‘National Occupational Standards for Lecturers in Scotland’s Colleges’ are set out.
Teaching Qualification (TQFE) encouraged and course entry takes RPL into account
Adult Education
No RPL process
Some routes to qualification
No distinct identity
Some overlaps with CLD and FE
Adult Literacy Education
Formal routes to qualification
Teaching English as a Second Language
Formal routes to qualification

9. Scottish Toolkit : the purpose
Formative assessment
By gathering evidence to be used for:
Making the case for entry to a college or university course
Content of Job application forms and job interviews
Continuous Professional Development processes
Set goals to improve practice

10. National Occupational Standards
Scottish Toolkit Design: Adult educators at the centre
National Occupational Standards
Lifelong Learning UK, (2006),‘Overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector’
National Occupational Standards for Adult Educators

11. Scottish Toolkit: Design: Adult educators at the centre
V 1 LEARNER NEEDS AND GOALS
Demonstrate commitment to the goals and aspirations of all learners and the experiences they bring to their education, ensuring that learners’ voices are heard and influence educational provision
V2 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Demonstrate commitment to the need for equality, diversity and inclusion in relation to learners, the workforce, and the community
V3 DEVELOPING YOUR OWN VALUES
Demonstrate commitment to reflecting on, evaluating and challenging your practice, values and beliefs as an adult educator, with the aim of furthering the potential for education to transform lives
V4 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Demonstrate commitment to taking up opportunities for professional development as a teacher and as an expert in own subject specialist area and its teaching.
V5 RELATIONSHIPS IN EDUCATION
Demonstrate commitment to building positive relationships with colleagues and learners in the interests of learners’ progress and development
V6 INSPIRATION AND ENTHUSIASM
Demonstrate how learners might be inspired, motivated and have their aspirations raised through your enthusiasm and knowledge
Values
REAL Toolkit – Scotland includes educational materials designed for adult educators
Design principle
The values understood and practiced by adult educators must be incorporated into the REAL toolkit design

12. Scottish Toolkit: Design Adult educators at the centre
Exercises to encourage adult educators to reflect critically upon what they have learned

13. Scottish Toolkit Design: Adult educators at the centre
Reflective exercises to encourage adult educators to develop their own values

14. Scottish Toolkit: Design Adult educators at the centre
Exercises to support the writing of reflective accounts
Reflective accounts are recognised by the Scottish Credit and Curriculum Framework (SCQF)
as a valid process for gathering evidence

15. Scottish Toolkit Pilot: Adult educators at the centre
The Pilot was run with Learning Link Scotland members
We had interest from 27 individuals
The participants were from organisations from across Scotland, for example:
Voluntary Action Lochaber
Glasgow Women’s Library
Workers’ Educational Association
Pilton Equalities Project, Edinburgh
Cantraybridge College, Inverness
Most tutors worked in community based settings but some were in prison and one was from the private sector.

16. Scottish Toolkit Pilot: Adult educators at the centre
I see enormous potential in this. I think that my colleagues both in [name of company] and [name of company] may find it helpful to examine their own skills and experience as educators. I have found it personally useful in highlighting skills and experiences.
At first I was reluctant to get on board. However by the end of the day I can see that this would be a great programme for people like myself who don’t see the value in what or how they perform at work, and being able to show that value in a physical format.

17. Scottish Toolkit Pilot: Adult educators at the centre
The toolkit would be useful to me as I have no qualifications in adult literacy (my current job!) and it would be useful to get recognition of my abilities and a measure of my level of skill. It would also help my CPD and force me to self-evaluate and encourage me to further my learning.
For me this toolkit has really made me think about and recognise what I have learned during my working life – much more than I had appreciated.

18. REAL Workshops, Edinburgh
Aim:
To offer workshops to adult education tutors to help identify what they have learned from their practice and to represent this in ways that other people, including managers, employers and universities, might recognise and understand.
Method:
Workshop was conducted as an educational experience for adult educators that might inform their continuous professional development (CPD).
Subsequently…
We will keep in touch with the participants to explore what they want to do next.

19. REAL Workshops, Edinburgh
32 tutors in Edinburgh expressed an interest in the workshops.
They were from Edinburgh Council and voluntary sector organisations in Edinburgh.
They taught a range of subjects:
Literacy
Cooking
Literature
History
Media
Numeracy
Tai Chi
A range of languages
Art
Flower Arranging

20. REAL Workshops, Edinburgh
The knowledge, skills and understanding of tutors is very high.
Tutors teaching advertised paid classes also taught in free community based classes.
We explored ideas of vocational and non-vocational education.
Non had teaching qualifications for adult education apart from introductory tutor training or volunteer training courses.

21. The European Toolkit

22. The European Toolkit
Need to slot into range national systems of qualifications and standards for adult educators
Tool for workshop leaders and mentors to support existing routes to RPL

23. REAL Toolkit(s) for Adult Educators
Available on-line at