Validation

Validation is the process of

• identifying,• assessing,• documenting and• Recognising

knowledge, skills and competences acquired in formal,non-formal and informal settings.

CEDEFOP glossary, EU Communication on LLL:„Validation is the process of identifying, assessing and recognising a

wider range of skills and competences which people develop through their lives and in different contexts…“

Validation

Validation

Educational/System level„The purpose of validation is to make visible the entire scope of

knowledge and experience held by an individual, irrespective of the context where the learning originally took place.“

„Lifelong learning requires that learning outcomes from different settings and contexts can be linked together.“

„In lifelong and life-wide learning, ‘validation’ is a crucial element to ensure the visibility and to indicate the appropriate value of the learning that took place anywhere and at any time in the life of the individual.“ (Colardyn/Bjornavold 2004)

Validation: Idea / Vision / Goals

Policy level:• Fostering European Mobility• Acknowledgement of qualifications• Transparency and comparability of knowledge, skills and/or competences

Validation

Validation Instruments of the EU

EUROPASS -> EU Curriculum Vitae

Qualification Framework -> Meta-Reference Systems

ECTS -> Credit Transfer in HE

ECVET -> Credit Transfer in VET

To be presented in the next slides

Validation

The Europass CV enables you to makeyour skills and qualifications visible,

and other Europass documents can be attached to the CV.

There are systembuilt links to ECTS and ECVET

EUROPASSEUROPASS

Validation

EUROPASSEUROPASS

CV Personal data

ECTS

ECVET

Other formal certificates

Higher Education

VET

Languages

IT-skills

Social Skills & Comp.

Personal Skills & Comp.

Other formal certificates

Orga. Skills & Comp. ?

?

?

Sector/Section Certification System Reference System

EQF/NQF

EQF/NQF

different

IT-Sys

Formal

Informal

Validation

The Concept of Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process (see the 2008 Recommendation on the European Qualifications Framework - EQF2).

Learning outcomes are described along the three dimensions:

• Knowledge• Skills• Competences

Validation

COMPETENCES (social, personal)

Personal, social and organisational competencesTeamworkCommunicationFlexibilityAutonomyProblem SolvingClient orientationProject managementDiversity managementNetworkingIntercultural communicationLearning to learn (personal professional development)….

Validation

KC6 A:Social

competences

KC6 B:Civic

competences

KC7: Sense ofinitiative and

entrepreneurship

KC 8:Cultural

awarenessand expression

KC5Learningto Learn

4/8 Key-Competences**

Key COMPETENCES*

*European Reference Framwork 2006** + language (mother tongue, foreign language), numerical and ICT competences

Validation

• Validation in AE still is under developed• ECVET aims at standardised qualifications• No possibility to include personal, social and‘

organisational competences• No link to key competences• Also EUROPASS does not consider these competences

adequately • CPD (continuing professional development)

of educational staff is difficult to connect

which makes it difficult to use the system for the validation requirements of KA1 in ERASMUS+

Conclusions

Validation

As additional approach to validate competences

Validation

(Our) Competence Definition

A competence is the ability to apply a synthesis of• Knowledge,• Skills and • Attitudesin a particular situation* and with a particular quality**.

* Context** LEVEL

Based on this definition also Learning Outcomes have to be describedAlong these three dimensions (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes)

Validation

An approach and instrumentto document and visualise (evidence)competence developments

Especially:• Personal,• Social and• Organisationalcompetences

Validation

The LEVEL5 Cube as core element visualising the development of Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes in a learning project (activity)

Validation

LEVEL KNOWLEDGE SKILLS ATTITUDES

5Know where else…(knowledge for Transfer)

Developing/ ConstructingTransfering

Incorporation(Internalising)

4Know when…Practical knowledge

Discovering/acting independently

Affectiveself-regulation

3Know how…Theoretic knowledge

Deciding/selecting

Appreciation

2Know why…(Distant understanding)

ApplyingImitating

Perspective taking

1Know-that… Perceiving

ListeningSelf orientionNeutral

Co

nte

xt

LEVEL5 Reference systemLEVEL5 Reference system

The general reference system• Is the basis to create a reference system for each competence

(e.g. networking, teamwork)• In the next step descriptors and indicators support the contextualisation and• The adaptation to the learning situation

Validation

Integrating LEVEL5 in a learning activity (2)Integrating LEVEL5 in a learning activity (2)

Validation

European Qualifications Famework (EQF)

• A Meta-System to describe quality stages ofprofessional competences on 8 levels(from helpers with basic skills to PhD level)based on the three dimensions

• Knowledge• Skills and • Competences

• Based on this system professional qualifications can be described (e.g. via the ECVET system)

Validation

European qualifications framework (EQF)

Validation

Knowledge[1] Skills[2] Competences[3]

LEVEL 1

basic general knowledge basic skills required to carry out simple tasks

work or study under direct supervision in a structured context

LEVEL 2

basic factual knowledge of a field of work or study

basic cognitive and practical skills required to use relevant information in order to carry out tasks and to solve routine problems using simple rules and tools

work or study under supervision with some autonomy

LEVEL 3

knowledge of facts, principles, processes and general concepts, in a field of work or study

a range of cognitive and practical skills required to accomplish tasks and solve problems by selecting and applying basic methods, tools, materials and information

take responsibility for completion of tasks in work or study >adapt own behaviour to circumstances in solving problems

LEVEL 4

factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work or study

a range of cognitive and practical skills required to generate solutions to specific problems in a field of work or study

exercise self management within the guidelines of work or study contexts that are usually predictable, but are subject to change >supervise the routine work of others, taking some responsibility for the evaluation and improvement of work or study activities

LEVEL 5

comprehensive, specia-lised, factual and theoreti-cal knowledge within a field of work or study and an awareness of the boundaries of that knowledge

a comprehensive range of cognitive and practical skills required to develop creative solutions to abstract problems

exercise management and supervision in contexts of work or study activities where there is unpredictable change >review and develop performance of self and others

Validation

Knowledge[1] Skills[2] Competences[3]LEVEL 6 advanced knowledge of a field of work or

study, involving a critical understandingof theories and principles

advanced skills, demonstrating masteryand innovation, required to solvecomplex and unpredictable problems ina specialised field of work or study

manage complex technical or professionalactivities or projects, taking responsibility fordecision making in unpredictable work or studycontexts >take responsibility for managingprofessional development of individuals andgroups

LEVEL 7 highly specialised knowledge, some ofwhich is at the forefront of knowledge in afield of work or study, as the basis fororiginal thinking and/or research >criticalawareness of knowledge issues in a fieldand at the interface between differentfields

specialised problem solving skillsrequired in research and/or innovation inorder to develop new knowledge andprocedures and to integrate knowledgefrom different fields

manage and transform work or study contextsthat are complex, unpredictable and require newstrategic approaches >take responsibility forcontributing to professional knowledge andpractice and/or for reviewing the strategicperformance of teams

LEVEL 8 knowledge at the most advanced frontierof a field of work or study and at theinterface between fields

the most advanced and specialised skillsand techniques, including synthesis andevaluation, required to solve criticalproblems in research and/or innovationand to extend and redefine existingknowledge or professional practice

EQF levels 6-8

Validation

ECTS

European credit transfer and accumulation systemin Higher Education• based on time• 1 year = 60 credits• EQF Levels 6 (Bachelor), 7 (Master), 8 PhD

Validation

ECVET

VET (Vocational Education and Training)Based on LEARNING OUTCOMES

• First workgroups in 2002• Feasibility studies in 2007 (NA BIBB, DE)• EQF-Levels 1 to 5• In contrast to ECVET not based on time but on

learning outcomes

European credit system forvocational education and training

Facilitating the compatibility, comparability andcomplementarity of credit systems used in