Matching formal and informal competences: a technical issue

or an issue of judgement?

Presentation for:

The TIPEIL Project Final Conference

 

 

Dr David Guile

Centre for Learning and Life-chances in the Knowledge Economy/Society

Institute of Education

University of London

Aims

To argue

• matching formal & informal learning & competence always been a conundrum• first attempt found in Anglo-Saxon Adult Education via notion of “Learning Outcome”• subsequent attempt in EU policies for Formal, Non-formal & Informal Learning perpetuates this “technicist” solution• Socio-cultural conceptions of relation between context & practice provide basis to do avoid relying on technicist solutions• offer “how to” examples from “Putting Knowledge to Work” (Evans, Guile & Harris, 2009)

Debates about forms of learning 1.

Starting point – Resnick (1987) Learning in & Out of School“In” “Out”

• individual shared cognition• pure mentation tool manipulation• symbol manipulation contextual reasoning• generalisable skills situated skills• civic values occupational values

Explicit recognition:• learning occurs outside “school”• different types of competence developed

in each context• value of both

Conclusion: • not offer solution to the conundrum

Socio-cultural theories from 80s/90s

(Lave, Rogoff & Engestrom)• arguments in favour of importance

of “informal” learning (Situated)

• concepts & methods to research informal learning

• identification of new kinds of competence (participation/knotworking)

Conclusion:• not offer solution to conundrum

• focus on context constitutes basis of solution

Debates about forms of

learning 2.

Parallel Developments

Anglo-Saxon Adult Education (A-SAE) • interested in recognition & accreditation of Non-Formal & Informal Learning & competence

Strategies:• Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)• Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning

(APEL)

Anglo-Saxon Higher Further & Education (A-SFHE)

• concerned with pressures (drop out/switching etc) on traditional courses

Strategies:• Modularisation• Learning Outcomes• Credit Systems

Reconciling formal & informal learning 1. - technicist solution

Non-formal learning:• ‘credentialised” in relation to F/HE modules’ Learning Outcomes

Informal learning:• converted via “reflective” strategies

into written product • written product “credentialised” via Learning Outcomes F/HE modularSystems

Learning Outcomes• basis of technicist solution

Post Lisbon Memorandum Developments

Definitions of Formal, Non-formal & Informal Learning:• affirmed recognition of all 3 modes of

learning

Bologna Process: shift from focus on• content & process of learning, TO• outcome of learning (Learning Outcomes)

Learning Outcomes provide basis for • credentialising In/Non-formal Learning

European Qualification Framework • mechanism to support portability of qualifications

Reconciling formal & in/non-formal learning 2. - technicist

solution

Non-formal learning:• ‘credentialised” in relation to post-Bologna

Learning Outcomes

Informal learning:• converted via “reflective” strategies into written product

Written product:• “credentialised” in relation to post-Bologna

Learning Outcomes

Informal Competence:• informal competence incorporated in

qualifications

Conclusion: • perpetuates technicist solution• original conundrum still not solved

Reconciling formal & in/non-formal learning 3. – reframing

the conundrum

Conclusion counter-intuitive• definitions of learning enable

recognition/accreditation of competence

Problem• definitions based on site & organisation of learning• Formal/non-formal & informal

learning/competence separate not related to one another

Challenge - how to• support people to mediate between different modes of learning• credentialise mediated learning/

competence

Reconciling formal & in/non-formal learning – way forward

Shift from viewing modes of learning & competence as:

• different from one another

To recognising they have:• relation with one another

Relationship based on:• process of recontextualised

Recontextualisation is:• pedagogic process (Evans, Guile & Harris, 2009)

Recontextualisation strategies:• occur prior to process of

recognition/accreditation

Examples:• Industry Educators • Learning Conversations

Reconciling formal & in/non-formal learning – way forward

(continued)

Industry Educators • move between education & work

Use conceptual & practical knowledge to:

• support cohorts of learners to relate academic & workplace knowledge in relation to one another

Learning Conversations• one-to-one “assessment”strategy to

support learner to relate experiential

learning to academic texts

Conclusion

EU policies & mechanisms:• provide a technical & dualistic solution

to conundrum

PKtW recontextualisation

Strategies:• provide examples of centrality of social

practices (pedagogy) to matching of competences

• hallmark of pedagogy process of inference (what follows)