Flexible learning pathways ________________________________ opportunities and food for thought The power of Life Long Learning Antoinette van Berkel Lucie te Lintelo Centre for Recognition of Prior Learning Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences 17/18 June 2010

Contents  Setting the scene: a short introduction  Life Long Learning in Amsterdam  Government policy on RPL and LLL  Issues related to »the national RPL policy »the national law of HE »the government funding of HE »accreditation in HE

A short introduction Hogeschool van Amsterdam:  University of Applied Sciences  Bachelor and master degrees in a professional field  Business Administration – Engineering - Built Environment - Social Work – Education – Communication – Law – Health – ICT  All degree courses are competence based  A bachelor degree course: 240 EC (4-year)  About 50 bachelor degree courses for working adults studying on a part-time base

Life Long Learning: for whom? Joop S. Team manager IT at a housing corporation Attained a bachelor degree in one year on the base of RPL Present: just finished his master cognitive information engineering at the University of Amsterdam

For whom? (2)  Alex H. (41)  IT Risk manager Deu. Bank  18 years of experience  Chose for an individual work based learning route (BBA) ‘I am very enthousiastic about the way I can use my experience at work. I learn to analyse my actions and how I could have done things differently, in a better way.’

Life Long Learning in Amsterdam (1) Focus on the individual and his learning needs »for upgraders, professionals, switchers »tailored to individual career perspective »taking into account formal, non-formal and informal learning (RPL) »creating an optimal balance between private situation - job - studies

Life Long Learning in Amsterdam (2) LLL-products and services »Flexible learning pathways in degree programmes  Diversity in content (within learning outcomes framework)  Diversity in form: individually/groups, work based learning, blended learning  Diversity in time: timestretch, individual pace of studying, timetable »Continuous pathways and intermediate diplomas  Associate Degree, Bachelor, Master  Piling certificates and diplomas (implies: accrediting (informal) programmes and courses in European Credits) »Facilities to support tailor-made learning  competence-based intake, RPL, career counselling, coaching and supervision (in education)

Flexible learning pathways: a framework Indivi- duals Demand steered learning routes Groups LEARNING OUTCOMES MODEL Individual work based pathway PARTNERSHIP MODEL (work based) pathways for a group of employees of a company FLEXIBEL PROGRAM MODEL Personalized pathway within curriculum, based on exemption and choice GROUP CUSTOMIZATION MODEL Fixed pathways for specific target groups Supply steered learning routes

Life Long Learning in Amsterdam (3) LLL products and services require: »Client- and market-oriented organisation  A central portal for LLL targetgroups and questions  Universities and employers (and other educational providers): partners in education  Marketing and accountmanagement: on faculty level and for university as a whole  Flexibility in logistics and registration (of results) »Room for innovation, pilots and experiments »Professional lecturers, tutors and coaches in education  experts with a wide (practical) experience  flexibility

Government policy on RPL and LLL  Government funding for Universities of Applied Sciences for LLL: » : development of RPL system » : development of RPL and tailor made work based learning » : development of LLL-universities  Requirement: commitment from the whole university on LLL  Only the best applications get funding (seven universities; now joined in a national LLL-network)  National quality code on RPL »Accreditation as an RPL-provider

Issues related to national RPL policy  RPL procedures should meet the national quality code (for accreditation) »note: an audit is costly and time-consuming  The quality code prescribes »RPL standard = the national competence standard of a degree programme (open and abstract)  Government considers RPL a self-supporting product »RPL takes place before enrolment at a degree programme »candidate pays (no university funding allowed) »universities should be able to offer (individual) flexible learning pathways on the basis of an RPL-report issued by any accredited RPL-provider »for employers (and employees) an RPL report should give insight into an employee’s level (bachelor or other)

Issues related to the national law of HE  Max. 80 EC of a bachelor degree programme can be obtained through work based learning »What exactly is meant by ‘work based learning’?  Students should be able to start a bachelor degree programme at any moment in time »Requires organisational flexibility (often not realised in practice) »Note: for government funding a student should pass the date of 1 October  Exam boards leading in allowing and justifying flexible learning routes »Less conservative thinking and more expertise is needed (more focus on learning outcomes instead of a fixed curriculum)

Issues related to government funding HE  Max. 4 years for a bachelor degree + diploma bonus »How to handle students who followed part of a degree programme elsewhere (2/3 years?) and now enrol at a different programme at your university?  Only one degree is funded »does not encourage universities to admit LLL students for a second bachelor- or master degree  Academic masters are government-funded; professional masters are not  If you want to offer tailor made programmes for a group of employees from one company: no government funding allowed

Issues related to accreditation in HE  Extensive procedures to obtain accreditation for new degree programmes  A university’s education- and examination-regulation should cover the diversity of all learning routes within degree programmes »Full-time courses, work based courses, part-time courses »Transparency is needed