University for lifelong learning: models and tools

An experience in Padua University

PROGETTO MOIRC - “Modello Operativo Integrato

per il Riconoscimento e la Certificazione delle Competenze” F.S.E. 2007-2013

Regione Veneto – Asse “Capitale Umano” - Linea B

Luciano Galliani - Cristina Zaggia - Anna Serbati

University of Padua

Genoa – 16/17/18 November 2011

OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT

Lead institution: University of Padua, Faculty of Education Science with a collaboration of Career and work placement Service Operating partners : Ecipa scarl, Fiat Sepin scpa Network partners: Anciveneto, CNA Veneto, Confindustria Veneto,

Confcooperative Veneto, Fondazione CUOA, Collegio Geometri e Geometri Laureati di Padova, Associazione Forma Veneto

Scientific Committee members: Aureliana Alberici (University of Roma Tre),

Luigi Filippo Donà dalle Rose (University of Padua), Barbara Light (Middlesex University), Daniele Marini (University of Padua), Agnes Veilhan (University of Paris VI)

N.B. The Scientific Committee had the task of supervising and assuring the quality of the project activities, monitoring the process, providing support for project staff and validating intermediate and final products

PROJECT AIMS

1. To develop a framework of synergies between research in

Universities and practices in the workplace and in training institutions.

2. To offer recognition and certification of competences acquired in non formal and informal contexts in order to enter study programmes or the workplace.

3. To promote pathways and tools useful for gaining credits in formal programmes with high educational value (such as portfolios and “bilan de compétences“).

4. To train advisers with relevant methodological and relational competences who accompany and advise learners within the process of recognition and validation of prior learning .

PROJECT STRUCTURE

To plan and implement a prototypal model for recognition and accreditation of competences acquired in non formal and informal contexts

To plan and implement new tools such as portfolios or “bilan de compétences“ aimed at non-working people who want to enter/re-enter the business world (e.g. recent graduates)‏

To plan and implement a web-based assessment tool for working people that certifies competences acquired in the workplace

to build a proposal for a University lifelong learning centre (Centro per l’Apprendimento Permanente) with services and processes for recognising prior experiential learning, for developing more

flexible courses and creating partnerships with professional orders and associations

PROJECT ACTIVITIES 1) Constitution of a community of practice (at a distance and on site)

2) Preliminary meetings and seminars with Deans of Faculties, Programme leaders and professors

3) Specific workshops with programme leaders and professors involved

4) Analysis of European best practices, design and implementation of a prototypal model of recognition and accreditation of competences acquired within non formal and informal contexts for employed students

5) Analysis of European best practices, design and implementation of a prototypal model of career guidance (“bilan de compétences” and portfolio with evidence) for people who want to enter/re-enter the business world (for non working people, e.g. recent graduates)‏

6) Analysis of European best practices, design and implementation of web-based evaluation for obtaining certification of experiences acquired through working (for working people)‏

OVERVIEW OF GENERAL PROJECT RESULTS

The three experiments and the positive results achieved represented a major innovation in this field for Padua University.

– 14 recent graduates finished the career guidance (“bilan” and portfolio), with

good improvement in their abilities to plan the future, to identify their competences, their strengths and weaknesses, their interests and professional aims, and to present themselves in job interviews. Everybody was satisfied with the activities, tools and adviser support (high grades in the questionnaires)

– 44 working students enrolled on 5 degree/master courses within the University of

Padua prepared a “learning outcomes portfolio” with good results in terms of credits gained (35 people), perceived effectiveness of the process, the products and the adviser support, improvement of self-analysis and self-evaluation and ability to collect evidence related to competences described in the portfolio

– 52 workers (middle managers employed in large enterprises, SMEs, cooperatives,

Public Administration) tried the web-based evaluation, based on the measure of behaviour in a simulated context in order to design people profiles based on their skills

Recognition and accreditation of

competences acquired in non formal and informal contexts

People involved:

Employed students

STEPS OF THE PROCESS

ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES (22nd February 2010 – 10th May 2010)‏

DESIGNING A PROTOTYPAL MODEL OF

RECOGNITION AND ACCREDITATION OF COMPETENCES ACQUIRED IN NON FORMAL AND INFORMAL CONTEXTS

(10th May 2010 – 30th September 2010)‏ MODEL IMPLEMENTATION (1st October 2010 – 25th February 2011)‏

GOOD PRACTICE ANALYSIS

Overview of the European scenario through the key documents

Overview of the scenario in France, United Kingdom and Italy

Bibliographical analysis related to Validation des acquis de l’experience (VAE) and Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL); analysis of some consolidated practices: Middlesex University and Glasgow Caledonian University; Universitè de Paris 3 e Universitè de Paris 8

Designing a format for good practice analysis

Identification of relevant elements for planning the model of University of Padua

RELEVANT ELEMENTS OF THE MODEL PROPOSED

Solid link to European documents and evaluation of studies and experiences abroad, especially carried out in France (Feutrie, Veilhan, Aubret) and England (Costley, Portwood, Garnett, Walsh)

Training for the teamwork by CTS members (Light, Veilhan)‏ Involvement of 5 degree courses within the University of Padua in different

scientific-disciplinary areas with a relevant number of working students and completion of the alignment matrix which matches Dublin descriptors with all the subjects within each programme

Predisposition of the procedure and the tools for recognition of prior learning Use of the learning outcomes portfolio organised with forms which help to

identify knowledge, skills and competences – past and current – gained in professional and educational past experiences and to transform subjective experience into statements of objective learning and learning outcomes that can be formally recognized within a programme

Evidence: portfolio should contain evidence which demonstrates the knowledge/skills for which people seek credits

Use of Europass tools (CV e European Languages Portfolio)‏

Support of the adviser, who is an educational counsellor and must be well trained

Continuous meetings between the advisers for guaranteeing equity and homogeneity and continuous quality monitoring of the process through specific indicators

Examination board for the portfolio evaluation and for an interview (if needed) and final decision of credits awarded

Administrative agreement with Student Secretariat for updating (only for the students involved in the project) the career by adding new credits gained; a special form was prepared to be added to the traditional one

Holistic assessment of the portfolio comparing the learning outcomes identified and demonstrated by the students and the learning outcomes expected at the end of the programme

RELEVANT ELEMENTS OF THE MODEL PROPOSED

ALIGNMENT MATRIX WHICH MATCHES DUBLIN DESCRIPTORS WITH ALL THE PROGRAMME

SUBJECTS

THE PROCESS

ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS

Project activities • First briefing with the Programme Leaders of 5 Courses with a high

percentage of working students (September-October 2010)‏

• Editing/Compilation of the learning outcomes portfolio and 3

individual meetings with the adviser (on line and face-to-face,

October-November 2010)‏

• 20 hours average for each student

• Board for each of the 5 Courses for the assessment of the portfolios

(sometimes with a short interview)‏

Results: • 44 working students completed the learning outcomes portfolio

• Almost all working students have some CFU recognised by the

Students’ Secretariat

• Participants gave a general positive evaluation of the path, the tools

and the academic support in terms of efficacy and usefulness

• Participants gained significant improvement from the description/ demonstration/evidence of their own competences

MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE PROCESS

Evaluation dimensions and indicators were established before the process and related tools were built in order to monitor it ex ante, in itinere and ex post:

Personal data form Administrative documents (ESF - Regione del Veneto) Initial and final questionnaires identifying prior knowledge related to the

process of APEL and tools used, the perceived effectiveness of the process and finally the initial expectations and results

Questionnaires in itinere (at the end of each portfolio form) and time schedule of the portfolio writing process

Adviser diary for reflection on the process Periodic meeting of advisers Supervision of the final products: the learning outcomes portfolios Final discussion in teamwork about the all process Special form for recognized credits made by the assessment board to be

sent to Student Secretariat

WEAKNESS AND ELEMENTS TO BE IMPROVED

• More time needed to complete the learning outcomes portfolio

• It will be important to build an academic centre for APEL processes and lifelong learning, with offices, staff and tools for giving support to students

• It’s important to have well trained people in order to mediate and guide the analysis/synthesis of the student’s storytelling

• There should always be a final interview with the student by the Board

• It’s difficult to retrieve evidence/proof/facts in order to demonstrate competence

• It’s difficult to compare the Dublin’s descriptors with the courses (lack of transversal/cross competences)‏

THE PORTFOLIO STRUCTURE (with a guide for filling forms and for reflection)

1. Personal data

2. My professional and educational path

3. Summary of my path

4. My educational path (formal), summery of thesis, left or interrupted studies, formative path (informal, non-formal, e.g. courses at work, voyages, lectures…)‏

5. My professional path (professional experience)‏

6. My extra-professional path (sport, hobbies, charity work…)‏

7. European Languages Portfolio

8. Summary of knowledge, skills and competences acquired by professional and extra-professional experiences

9. From learning to competences in use

10. Scheme of self-evaluation about learning outcomes of the Course

11. Curriculum Vitae Europass

12. Records of documents (highlights)

Project publication

Editor:

Pensa Multimedia 2011

Book: “Adulti all’Università. Bilancio, portfolio e certificazione

delle competenze”.

with the portfolios attached:

•competence portfolio

• learning outcomes portfolio