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This paper makes the key points: that recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a widely supported concept but the potential of RPL has not yet been delivered; that there is general consensus that RPL is an individual assessment process/pathway; that while significant amounts of RPL are being attempted in vocational education and training (VET) it is not equally applicable to all learners and VET programs; that assessment is a quality issue for VET; that the RPL process is in itself a valuable learning experience; that funding and reporting arrangements and high administrative costs for RPL may act as disincentives; and that clear, concise definitions of RPL, removal of funding disincentives and improved support services for students and assessors are required for more effective RPL. A policy briefing on RPL provided by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) to the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) in March 2004 is included.

The collected proceedings are indexed at TD/TNC 78.626; the collected PowerPoint presentations are indexed at TD/TNC 78.627; available papers are indexed from TD/TNC 78.628 to TD/TNC 78.651. Show less

The aims of the study reported here were to investigate the nature of recognition within individual enterprises, the processes employed, the strategies in place for promotion and support of recognition, and the perceived benefits for individual employees and the organisation more broadly. A further goal was to determine the barriers and facilitators of recognition - why employees chose to engage or not to engage in the skills recognition process, given their expectations and the expectations of their organisation. Six medium-to-large organisations with large workforces, often dispersed across Australia, were invited to participate in this research. Information for the study was gathered using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. These were conducted with the managers responsible for training in each enterprise as well as with workplace assessors and employees.

The research found that the enterprises and their employees involved in this study provided significant information about how the recognition of prior learning process can operate within enterprise-based training organisations, demonstrating that a ‘one size fits all’ approach is inappropriate in developing such recognition processes. The study found that the place of recognition of prior learning in the enterprise’s overall business and training plans will always evolve according to the needs of the organisation. Recognition is therefore part of broader organisational processes, including the enterprise’s assessment and training agenda. As well, recognition processes within the enterprises studied were complex, requiring extensive infrastructure and a significant commitment to the process from all stakeholders. Where employees had a reasonable level of support in undertaking the process from their employer, there were rarely complaints about any aspects of it. Enterprises see whole-of-organisation benefits in implementing recognition processes, which confirm employees’ skills developed over a period of time and represent significant corporate knowledge. Employees see both organisational and personal benefits from the process, including: having existing personal skills recognised and certified; accessing a process that offered a high degree of flexibility; identifying skill gaps; achieving nationally recognised and portable qualifications which are recognised outside the enterprise; and having opportunities for networking with other staff within their organisations. Show less

This study, using a case study methodology designed around a series of interviews with key personnel, set out to provide insights into the way eight private registered training providers in Australia understand, promote, use, support and value processes for the recognition of prior learning (RPL).

Key messages revealed by the study, which relate to access to information, costs, policy issues, and assessment and auditing processes, are: the RPL process and supporting information need to be clear, concise and jargon free; the administrative costs associated with RPL, both in time and money, appear to be a significant disincentive for both candidates and providers and may be adding to the disadvantage experienced by equity groups; effective RPL requires experienced professional assessors able to make informed professional judgments; the ‘shelf-life’ of qualifications and experience used for the purpose of RPL needs to be addressed, particularly in those industry areas like information technology where change is both rapid and pervasive; there is concern regarding the differences in standards of assessment among training providers, which may be a problem if a student is seeking a significant amount of RPL towards a qualification carrying the name of a new provider; the focus for assessment of RPL candidates should be on their capacity to perform ‘the task’ in the workplace to industry standards, not the elements of competency underpinning the task; the RPL process itself has the potential to provide students with positive outcomes, such as helping them understand their strengths, weaknesses and interests, and improving their confidence and motivation to learn; and information gained through the RPL process can be useful in assisting employers to maximise the potential of the candidate (their employee) within the business, and has the potential to aid the development of learner-centred training programs. Show less

[This guide] has been developed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff working in the [vocational education and training] VET system to access recognition of prior learning (RPL). Although at first glance RPL may seem intimidating, it has a lot to offer in terms of advanced standing and potential career advancement. This guide can help you prepare for the process and gain better access to employment opportunities as well as your ongoing learning and personal development. This guide aims to: outline the steps of how to prepare for RPL; suggest ways to overcome any difficulties in applying for RPL; give you information about how the RPL process works; acknowledge the value of your cultural background.

Excerpt from publication. Show less

This guide is designed to assist [recognition of prior learning] RPL assessors and workplace supervisors to deliver RPL to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff working in the vocational education and training (VET) system. It aims to provide culturally appropriate advice and strategies to ensure that the process is undertaken in a positive and accessible way.

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This study investigated issues relating to current recognition of prior learning (RPL) practice and the potential for innovative RPL models and practice for mature age job seekers. Recent Australian research suggests that the dominant outcomes-based, ‘credentialing’ model of RPL does not meet the needs of this group. The research used quantitative and qualitative methods to document current RPL practice within community-based organisations providing labour market programs (LMPs) to mature age job seekers in Queensland. It addressed the following research questions: What are the current forms of practice for RPL within these organisations? What do the organisations perceive to be the key issues for mature age job seekers and for employers in employing mature age job seekers? What types of innovative recognition practice would be most likely to be taken up by these organisations? The findings suggest that the current process of RPL application is difficult and requires applicants to gather print-based evidence that may cover long periods of time and past employers, organisations and situations. Other requirements include high levels of self-confidence and recent documentation to show competence. These requirements are a challenge for many mature age job seekers and are further complicated by a lack of recent experience in formal education and training and extended periods of not being in the paid workforce. The study makes recommendations for improving RPL practice so that it meets the needs of mature age job seekers. These include: (1) exploring innovative approaches to, and alternative models of, RPL for mature age job seekers; (2) informing government departments that fund LMPs for this group of these alternative approaches and models of RPL in order to broaden the perspective on what constitutes RPL and what forms of RPL best suit the current needs of mature age job seekers; and (3) implementing an awareness campaign aimed at employers which promotes the value of an age-diverse workforce. Show less

Recognition of prior learning [RPL] is acknowledged as a crucial element in lifelong learning, in the development of training cultures within enterprises and as a mechanism to assist mature age workers obtain formal recognition and certification of skills gained through work, learning and life experiences. It is noted that one of the overarching national initiatives outlined in the [Australian National Training Authority] ANTA report 'A national marketing strategy for VET: meeting client needs' [indexed at TD/ANTA 65.03] is the simplification of recognition processes in order to, amongst other things, encourage the completion of qualifications among key industry sectors. While recent research has looked broadly at recognition implementation and practice across a range of Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and sectors, there is much less detailed information about skills recognition within industrial settings. Therefore, the outcomes of this study were intended to fill a gap in our existing knowledge about the valuing, utility and effectiveness of recognition within some of the key organisations in [vocational education and training] VET-enterprise RTOs. The study was undertaken by [the Centre Undertaking Research in Vocational Education] CURVE at Canberra Institute of Technology [CIT] and the Assessment Centre at the University of Ballarat. The study looked at five medium and large sized enterprise RTOs that provide training and skills recognition services for their employees, and one enterprise that is in a partnership with its local TAFE institute for assessment purposes. The enterprise-based RTOs were selected on the basis of their willingness to participate in the research and the range of training packages and [Australian Qualifications Framework] AQF qualifications that they offer. The enterprise RTOs included a mix of public agencies and private enterprises. The enterprises involved in this study provided significant information about how recognition within enterprise RTOs can operate. As key players in VET they demonstrate various modes of commitment to recognition and clearly indicate that it is neither a static nor a simple concept, but evolves according to the needs of the organisation.

Excerpt from published abstract.

The collection of refereed papers is indexed at TD/TNC 78.501. Available refereed papers are indexed from TD/TNC 78.502 to TD/TNC 78.518. The collections of non-refereed papers are indexed at TD/TNC 78.519 and TD/TNC 78.520. Available non-refereed papers are indexed from TD/TNC 78.521 to TD/TNC 78.556. Show less

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) was introduced into Australia as part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). A major tenet and driver of RPL relates to social justice and its promise to act as a mechanism for social inclusion. RPL was seen as a means to offer those groups who traditionally did not participate in postcompulsory education and training an opportunity to have their work and life experiences recognised. Initially, the rhetoric was full of promise however, over the 10 or so years since its inception, recent research paints a different picture The identified barriers to the uptake of RPL, who applies for it, at what qualification level and in what sectors, attests to the fact that the promise has not been realised (Wheelahan, et al, 2003; Bowman, et al, 2003). Show less

Recognising the prior learning of students undertaking vocational education and training [VET] can make a significant contribution to providing the sort of responsive, relevant, and integrated learning frameworks necessary for the present and ongoing maintenance of a quality Australian workforce. This paper discusses the outcomes of a study, funded by [the National Centre for Vocational Education Research] NCVER, that was designed to provide insights into the way that registered private providers of training from across Australia understand, promote, use, support and value processes for the recognition of prior learning (RPL). The study found that there are significant advantages of RPL that lie in the potential use by students, trainers and employers of the information gained through the process itself, not just in the advanced standing that RPL may provide towards a qualification or program of study. It also was clearly identified, however, that effective RPL requires experienced professional assessors who are able to make informed professional judgments and who are allowed to make those judgments.

Published abstract.

The collected proceedings are indexed at TD/TNC 78.626; the collected PowerPoint presentations are indexed at TD/TNC 78.627; available papers are indexed from TD/TNC 78.628 to TD/TNC 78.651. Show less

Recognising the prior learning of students undertaking vocational education and training [VET] can make a significant contribution to providing the sort of responsive, relevant and integrated learning frameworks necessary for the present and ongoing maintenance of a quality Australian workforce. This paper asserts that to date, [recognition of prior learning] RPL in the VET sector generally has been conceptualised by practitioners and policy makers in Australia as a one-dimensional model or continuum based around the notion of where the RPL assessment takes place. It is argued that under a one-dimensional conceptualisation, administrative and educational factors relating to RPL become confused and confounded and that as a consequence, it is difficult for practitioners and policy makers alike to give clear meaning and overt emphasis to the processes and procedures necessary for effective RPL. This paper explores the use of a two-dimensional model for RPL assessments that defines the interaction between mode of decision-making and focus of assessment in terms of the co-existence, rather than separation, of the resulting permutations within a holistic framework for RPL.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

Volumes of papers are indexed at TD/TNC 90.162 and TD/TNC 90.163. Selected individual papers are indexed from TD/TNC 90.164 to TD/TNC 90.211. Show less