| Contribution |
Project
approach
This
new Leonardo project, which started at the beginning of this year, picks
up the subject of evaluation and accreditation of competences acquired
in a non-formal way. The project aims at developing new methods of assessment
and validation of competences acquired primarily outside formal training
systems. It refers to the results of the former Leonardo project on 'tacit
forms of key competences for changing employment opportunities'. Because
the previous project has shown that individuals are mostly not aware of
their non-formal competences, which can be often addressed as key competences,
there is a need for appropriate methods particularly for self-evaluation
on the one hand and for their integration within continuing vocational
training (CVT) on the other hand. The project will develop methods for
self-evaluation of non-formal competences as an integrative part of CVT
measures on a transnational basis.
Basic
philosophy
A main
result of the previous project was the development of a generic approach
to competences as a five-dimensional model (starfish-model), including
the following dimensions: methodological competences, social competences,
content-related competences, learning competences and competences with
respect to attitudes and values. Against this background not only an accumulation
of these competences could be identified but also their importance for
individuals according to different personality clusters. As a preliminary
conclusion from this project, CVT curricula have to be developed in a new
way and have to refer much more to the personal prerequisites of the individuals
and their equipment with competences.
The
starting point of the project SELF-EVALUATION can be understood as a bottom-up
approach. As many people and particularly women after a family phase are
often not aware of the competences which they have acquired during their
everyday life experience and within activities not considered as 'official'
work, the project focuses on a life phase prior to application for a concrete
job. It aims at enabling people to discover their own competences, to make
them 'visible' and to make use of them with respect to new employment opportunities,
including chances for self-employment. Self-evaluation means to support
people in evaluating their own possible competences. Thus the project addresses
particularly unemployed people and women returners with the aim of improving
their personal employability by making them aware of their competences
and thereby enabling them to find suitable employment. The innovative aspect
of this project is the development of new methods and CVT curricula for
self-evaluation of non-formal competences.
Work
programme
Based
on an inventory of existing or recently developed attempts for evaluation
of non-formal personal competences the project will develop new methods
and curricula models particularly for self-evaluation and for the use by
small and medium enterprises. The proposed project will consist of five
main work sections:
-
inventory,
analysis and evaluation of existing approaches aiming at evaluating non-formal
personal competences based on the starfish-model;
-
analysis
of requirements towards such an evaluation instrument from the point of
view of individuals and employers;
-
development
of concrete methods and, simultaneously, of a curricula module that integrates
evaluation methods;
-
practical
realisation and test of evaluation methods and curricula modules in co-operation
with social partners and CVT institutions;
-
dissemination
activities on regional, national and European level particularly with respect
to a contextualisation within the European debate on strategies for validation
and certification of non-formal competences.
In methodological
respect the project will combine characteristics of action research with
methods of qualitative evaluation research. While action research can be
characterised as participatory and self-reflective, initiating systematic
learning processes, formative evaluation can be used as external corrective
with respect to the reliability of the applied starfish-model.
Outcomes
First
short national surveys have been written by the partners, more extensive
national surveys and a common comparative report are expected in early
autumn of this year. The preliminary outcomes of the project have been
presented at ECER 2002 in the symposium on 'development of a European methodology
for accreditation of prior experiential learning' and at a roundtable on
the project.
Comments
on the project are welcome. |