How to personalize the learning path?
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) processes and systems vary widely across different countries, sectors and institutions. In particular, RPL for regulated professions (such as nurses) are highly dependent on the processes and regulatory frameworks defined by national authorities and entities. While the FCN EU Curriculum fulfils all requirements to support RPL, it cannot prescribe one particular RPL process that must be applied. Therefore, this document aims to outline common features of many RPL systems, provide guidance on identifying relevant RPL processes in your country, and illustrate what RPL can look like through a series of practical examples.
The RPL process can be a lengthy process, which requires complete dedication and commitment by:
As a result of the RPL process, learners together with the institution may create personal/individual learning paths because the common elements of a different study programme they previously attended can be easily transferred to the one they are applying for. Similarly, other forms of learning obtained through different life experiences, working environments, work based learning, and training courses etc. may equip the individual with a set of knowledge, skills and competences, which are relevant to the said qualification. Recognition of Prior Learning is therefore a tool for validating the skills that an individual possesses and transforming them in tangible credit, which they can apply to facilitate the progression of their studies.
Why is RPL useful?
RPL supports Lifelong Learning through:
The foundation for applying RPL in the FCN Curriculum
The FCN EU Curriculum fulfils the requirements to support RPL because:
The main elements of the RPL process
In this section we identify 3 MAIN STAGES that will support you in identifying the RPL system established in your country (and/or your institution).
Beside the identified 3 stagess, the very first step (STAGE 0) should be the IDENTIFICATION of possible RPL processes in place in your country , since the various stages and steps explained here should be part of them.
NB: You can find out more about these processes in the Country Reports of the Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training). In addition, European Country Profiles have been developed in the European VINCE project and it may provide some insights into the RPL processes in place in your country:
The legal basis for RPL in Regulated Professions such as Nursing is provided by the European Parliament and needs to be taken into account:
What is RPL?
RPL, often also referred to as Validation of Prior Learning – is a process by which the prior learning of an individual, gained in formal, informal or non-formal settings is validated against a set of criteria and is assigned a credit value.
Such credit, obtained through RPL, may
- grant access/entry to specific programmes of study and/or;
- be used to claim achievement of parts of a qualification.
- the applicant – in order to submit the information required and to answer any clarifications requested by the organisation, and;
- the organisation – in order to verify the authenticity of the elements within the applicant’s claim and to provide the necessary guidance to the applicant throughout the process.
RPL supports Lifelong Learning through:
- Permeability: RPL may provide an opportunity to individuals to follow programmes, which otherwise they would not have had access to.
- Accessibility: Opportunity to reduce the time needed to complete a programme by marking specific Unit/ Modules as obtained through RPL. This is mostly relevant to individuals in employment, whose time is therefore limited and cannot follow full-time education.
- Mobility: RPL facilitates the mobility of workers in Europe, as they will be able to have their prior learning count towards an additional education or employment in another country.
The FCN EU Curriculum fulfils the requirements to support RPL because:
- it matches the occupational standards and is based on learning outcomes - meaning, it is competence-based and provides transparent descriptions of what a learner knows and is able to do upon completion of the learning process.
- it informs about the assessment of these learning outcomes (criteria, indicators, assessment procedures): this will help you to compare the prior learning of an applicant to which competences FCNs will have after completion of your curriculum and what to look for when examining the documentation of prior learning provided by applicants.
In this section we identify 3 MAIN STAGES that will support you in identifying the RPL system established in your country (and/or your institution).
NB: You can find out more about these processes in the Country Reports of the Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training). In addition, European Country Profiles have been developed in the European VINCE project and it may provide some insights into the RPL processes in place in your country:
- Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualification
- Directive 2013/55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 amending Directive 2005/36/EC
- In line with the Directive 55, a database for regulated professions has been created that provides information on access, qualifications, regulatory bodies etc. of nursing professions:
- Click HERE to see the A STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION OF THE 3 STAGES
- Click HERE to see some EXAMPLES of implementation
- CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD THE CONTENTS OF THIS SECTION IN A PDF DOCUMENT
Last modified: Thursday, 29 April 2021, 6:28 PM