If you're interested in collaborating in creating a platform and workshops on taking-up non-formal education experiences and their evaluation into formal education evaluation, please let me know.
Many countries within the developed world are suffering from declining birth rates, ageing workforces and skill shortages. To address these issues within their labour markets, both the OCED and EU have been acknowledging and focusing on the processes of formal recognition for both non-formal and informal learning. This recognition states that all learning is of value and that non-formal and informal learning are equivalent to formal learning.
This validation or measuring the value of lifelong learning requires a process whereby individuals have their overall skills they have acquired formally acknowledged. This would require systematic documentation for non-formal learning within the workplace or youth organisations, coupled with recognition within the relevant industry for this form of non-formal learning. Moreover, within higher education or universities that non-formal learning is accepted as a formal knowledge within the relevant specialist field. Both the UK and Australia higher education institutions and universities now accept and grant non-formal learning as credit towards a qualification.
Cedefop - "Centre Européen pour le Développement de la Formation Professionnelle" -has created European guidelines to provide validation to a broad range of learning experiences, thereby aiding transparency and comparability across its national borders. The broad framework for achieving this certification across both non-formal and informal learning is outlined in the Cedefop European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning; Routes from learning to certification. [15]
Cedefop also provides a forum for debate and exchanges of ideas on these and related topics.
Different Countries Approaches [edit]
There are different approaches to validation between OCED and EU countries, with countries adopting different measures. The EU, as noted above, through the Cepofd released European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning in 2009 to standardise validation throughout the EU. Within the OCED countries, the picture is more mixed.
Countries with the existence of recognition for non-formal and informal learning (Feutrie, 2007)[16]
| Full Program | Partial Program | Limited Program | No program | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | x | |||
| Australia | x | |||
| Belgium | x | |||
| Canada | x | |||
| Chile | x | |||
| Czech Republic | x | |||
| Denmark | x | |||
| Germany | x | |||
| Greece | x | |||
| Hungary | x | |||
| Iceland | x | |||
| Ireland | x | |||
| Italy | x | |||
| Korea | x | |||
| Malta | x | |||
| Mexico | x | |||
| Netherlands | x | |||
| Norway | x | |||
| South Africa | x | |||
| Spain | x | |||
| Slovenia | x | |||
| Swizterland | x | |||
| United Kingdom | x |
The Future [edit]
With increasing demand for a highly skilled workforce and the movement towards an knowledge economy, recognition of non-formal and informal learning shall become important tools as governments adapt to these demands. This is linked to the ‘lifelong learning for all’ agenda of the OECD, that is reshaping how we learn to better match the needs of the 21st century knowledge economies and open societies.
Suggested Links [edit]
OECD Recognition for Non-Formal and Informal Learning home:http://www.oecd.org/document/25/0,3343,en_2649_39263238_37136921_1_1_1_37455,00&&en-USS_01DBC.html
Directorate General for Education and Culture on Valuing learning outside formal education and training:http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc52_en.htm
Cedefop European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning:http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publications/5059.aspx
Conclusions of The Council of the European Union May 2004:http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/validation2004_en.pdf
Department of Education, Education and Workplace Relations, Australia Government. Country Report:http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/publications_resources/profiles/the_recognition_of_non_formal_informal_learning_aus.htm
