Nordic Competence Profiles of Validation Practitioners and Competence DevelopmentA mapping project 2014 - 15

Conference Copenhagen June 16, 2015

Camilla Alfsen NO, Anni Karttunen FI, Haukur Harðarson IS, Pär Sellberg SE, Kirsten Aagaard DK

Project objectives

To contribute to the development and strengthening of validation of prior learning (VPL) in the Nordic countries by mapping competence profiles and focusing on professionalization of the validation practitioners in their work with validation in all steps of the validation process.

Mapping project 2014 - 2015 followed by a development project 2015 - 16

Essential activities

• Mapping of tasks, roles and competence profiles of validation practitioners in the validation process.

• Identifying the need for competence develop-ment for the validation practitioners and outlining challenges and recommendations for compe-tence development activities at a national and Nordic level.

Frameworks

• Linked to the identified challenges in VPL by the Expert Network on Validation. Competence devlopement one of the main challenges to promote and strengthen VPL

• Linked to European strategies for validation of prior learning ( policy papers, guidelines etc).

Frameworks (b)Nordic approach: Tradition of strong adult education, strong labor unions and political focus on social inclusion.

A strong third sector

Education is structured, almost public and regulated

The roles of VPL practitioners

Counsellors/ guiders offer information, advice and guidance

Assessors carry out assessment processes

Managers manage assessment centers/procedures

External observers external observers of the process

Other stakeholders have an important but less direct role in the validation process without being directly involved in the process

The validation processFactors that need to be in place, for VPL to fulfill demands for quality in the process delivered and for meeting the needs of the individual.

Nordic competence profiles of VPL practitioners

• A generic Nordic description and overview– Built on experience from the Nordic countries,

research and projects. • A clearer overview of competence development

and profiles– It is not certain that all factors identified suit all VPL

systems, but it may be a case of consideration if some of them are missing…

• Inspiration for improving quality

Main conclusions / Key competences

• To be able to promote an motivate for the validation process

• To recognize and be able to validate competences from a vast range of learning arenas

• To be able to analyze and make use of learning outcome descriptions

• To be able to provide necessary and relevant guidance in the different phases of validation

Challenges

The process of validation:involves many different roles

includes many different phases with different competence requirements

involves practitioners with no formal competence requirements in VPL procedures

Recommendations

A variety of training activities are needed to match the different needs for competence development for VPL practitioners as

•Courses•Education in the formal system•Peer learning activities / networking•Development projects /research

The next project 2015 - 16

• Competence profiles – learning outcomes / NQF

• Description of learning activities

• Knowledge platform for VPL practitioners