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Researching PLA: Creating an International Research Agenda

Researching PLA: Creating an International Research Agenda. Dr. Judy Harris, Adjunct Professor, Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia, Canada CAEL, San Diego Thursday 11 November 2010 14.15 – 15.30. Re-theorising the Recognition of Prior Learning.

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Researching PLA: Creating an International Research Agenda

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  1. Researching PLA: Creating an International Research Agenda Dr. Judy Harris, Adjunct Professor, Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia, Canada CAEL, San Diego Thursday 11 November 2010 14.15 – 15.30

  2. Re-theorising the Recognition of Prior Learning

  3. Prior Learning International Research Centre (PLIRC) • Brainchild of Christine Wihak at TRU, BC, Canada • Mission is to stimulate research • Membership from 8 countries • Diverse disciplines

  4. PLIRC Board Members

  5. State of PLA Research Chapters from each PLIRC Board Member (Australia, Canada, England, EU, OECD countries, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, United States) Who is doing the research? What kind of questions are they asking? How are they doing the research? Why are they doing it? Focus on research not findings… Different approaches and understandings of research…..  New edited collection: Researching the Recognition of Prior Learning

  6. Re-theorising the Recognition of Prior Learning: Endword PLA ‘is not only a practice that needs re-theorising, but one which offers the possibility of new theorising’ (p. 326)

  7. Researching the Recognition of Prior Learning What themes have emerged from the book chapters?

  8. Themes: What can we say with confidence about practice internationally? Definitional confusion makes international comparisons difficult Governments embracing PLA as part of LLL policy and Qualification Frameworks Redress  efficiency Implementation is uneven; take up is low; HE remains resistant Greater differentiation in practices Growing concern about quality assurance, reliability and validity, training of assessors and facilitators

  9. Themes: What can we say with confidence about research internationally? Small communities of scholarly research Definitional confusion – what is research? Research has been done but it is fragmented Majority is policy-driven and a-theoretical Mostly qualitative; when quantitative, mostly descriptive

  10. Themes: What can we say about ‘islands of good research practice’ Theoretical and critical research occurring alongside policy research in South Africa Development-focused research in Scotland Large-scale quantitative studies to assess the actual benefits and outcomes of PLA for individuals in the US Small focused studies that could be replicated elsewhere in Canada Specialist research literatures are developing in England and Canada

  11. Themes: What can we say about research directions needed to advance the field? Consolidate the fragments in favour of cumulative research Extend types of qualitative and quantitative research and the way we do mixed-method research Bring more and different theoretical lenses to PLA research Bring social science and economic research into dialogue Strengthen links between policy (research) and scholarly research More nuanced research – particular role-players, particular issues, bringing specialist and generalist research together, ‘knowledge equivalence’ More researchers and research partnerships needed

  12. Themes: What haven’t we said about research needs? • Need for fast, cost-effective, reliable assessment practices • PLA in the voluntary sector • The developing world Large numbers of poorly educated people 4. Cross-cultural issues in PLA – can methods be exported to countries and populations with very different cultural heritages, education systems and work practices?

  13. Thank you!!! • Comments? • Queries? • Discussion…

  14. Stop Press! • PLA Inside-Out • International database • Discussion…

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