Some lessons for practice from the international

VPL research and scholarly literature

Dr Judy HarrisThompson Rivers University

Canadajudithanneharris@yahoo.co.uk

Companion volumes

Geographical boundariesTheoretical orientations

Prior Learning International Research Centre (PLIRC) http://www.tru.ca/distance/plar-ol/plirc.html

Aim of the Handbook

To encourage new RPL practices to build on the existing research base rather than reinvent the wheel

As RPL practices develop and change around the world, there is a need to keep sight of research that has taken place over the last few decades, as well as to capture new research and new scholarly activity

What do we mean by ‘research’ and ‘practice’

• RESEARCH: systematic empirical research and non-empirical scholarly literature

• PRACTICE: research, policy and actual practice

‘Research into practice’: what does this mean?

PracticeResearch

INSPIRES illuminatesSUPPORTS INVESTIGATESEXPLORES CATALYSES

INFLUENCES INFORMS IMPACTS REDEFINESCHALLENGESCONFIRMS

REFUTES STIMULATES

Organised by themes or sub-fields: literature reviewed, analysed, synthesised – and directed towardsimplications for practice

Overview chapters (2) Policy-oriented chapters (2) Issues-based chapters (7) Context-based chapters (4)

Overview chapters

Researching the Recognition of Prior Learning: The emergence of a field (Christine Wihak)

Advances in Theorising RPL (Judy Harris)

Policy-oriented chapters Lifelong Learning Policy and RPL in the

Learning Society (Ruud Duvekot)

RPL, Labour Markets and National Qualifications Framework (Patrick Werquin)

Issues-based chapters RPL and Workforce Development (Ros Cameron) Treading a Fine Line: Expectations and ambivalences in

trade union engagement with RPL (Linda Cooper) RPL and Social Justice in Higher Education (Angie Wong) Quality in Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

(Joy van Kleef) Trends and Issues in the Professional Development of

RPL Practitioners (Nan Travers and Judy Harris) Exploring the Learner Experience of RPL (Helen Pokorny

and Ruth Whittaker) Technology and RPL (Ros Cameron, Nan Travers and

Christine Wihak)

Context-based chapters RPL in Higher Education: Past, present

and potential (Dianne Conrad) RPL in Further and Vocational

Education and Training (Per Andersson) Life after PLAR: The post-assessment

success of candidates (Joy Van Kleef) Prior Learning Assessment for

Immigrants in Regulated Professions (Leah Moss)

So what have we got inthis book?

Compendium of research and scholarly literature, organised thematically, in one text

Extension of that literature in terms of its implications for ‘practice’

Resource for academic researchers, postgraduate students, policymakers and practitioners interested in researching and developing RPL

Resource for practitioner training Huge reference lists: references, abstracts and some

full-texts will be entered into the PLIRC database A useful and timely resources as RPL continues to

develop around the world

How does this tie into the theme of the biennale?

There will be no social and economic ‘promise’ unless we heed lessons from the past

Research and practice need to work together to address this ‘promise’ – and as a ‘prerequisite’ for ‘systematic knowledge production’

‘The professional development of RPL requires both experiential learning and research-based learning and knowledge’

Encourage research and researchers!!!

Other PLIRC-related resources

PLIRC database: http://ideasketch.tru.ca/

Knowledge exchange via online journal Prior Learning Assessment: Inside out PLAIO: http://www.plaio.org/index.php/home

THANK YOU