Matching formal and informal competences: a technical issue or an issue of judgement?

1. 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

2. 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)

3. 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

4. Debates about forms of learning 2. 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

5. 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

6. 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 modular Systems Learning Outcomes • basis of technicist solution

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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)