A key aspect of inclusivity is to establish the ways in which learners are supported to bring their knowledge and understanding into an educational environment. At the ePIC 2024 Open Recognition conference in Paris (6-8 November 2024), the ideas of recognition, qualifications and learning journeys were debated and discussed. For me there are three concepts I’m taking away: recognition as pedagogy, doorways in learning journeys, and uncomfortable truths about the educational system. I’ve written a separate post on how my thinking on microcredentials has evolved.
Pedagogy, programme design and recognition
In my presentation, I shared how Online Learning at the University of Leeds has adopted a range of approaches to enable transfer of prior learning, unbundling courses to provide ways into the subject matter, and pedagogy that directly connects to the workplace. All this comes though programme design led with strategic direction focusing on the interplay between formal and professional learning (see slide deck and narrative). Recognition of prior learning (RPL) was also well-evidenced by Christine McCabe of Atlantic Technological University, Ireland. In this case recognition is formalised through assessed portfolios for admission, with the result of a student being able to enter the third year of undergraduate study. Students are supported with workshops towards completing their portfolio and this enables significant recognition of experience, practical and professional learning. Finally, from the presentations I saw, Tannis Morgan and Adrian Lipsett from Vancouver Community College, Canada echoed my sentiments exactly with a pedagogical design approach explained as ‘recognition as pedagogy’. Their key action is to design multiple paths of recognition and learning that enable learners in professional disciplines to meet their goals. They challenge the idea that microcredentials alone can offer these pathways without acknowledging the learning that comes before and after, and how learners are supported to navigate these paths.
Opening doors
In an off-programme discussion group, Jeremy McQuigge (Council Advancing Work-Based Learning, Canada) used the metaphor of doors in describing the learning paths which are known and open to individuals. Credentialing, as in assigning a verification to learning, such as a qualification, is a known door. In the way that doors open to possibilities, they are by their nature also deliberate barriers. I find this such a useful concept and one that can be interrogated in a range of ways. For instance, who creates the doorway in the first place: educational institutions, professional and industry sectors, learners? Educational institutions have clearly defined doors and keys to unlock them in the form of pre-requisites, entry criteria and nomenclature of qualifications. Industries have professional accreditations, standards and role-based competencies. For individuals, they would need a high level of self efficacy to create doorways that have recognition that enable them to progress onto their next stage of learning. Indeed it is this self efficacy challenge that requires learners outside of an established pathway or educational system to have to identify not just which door to go through, but what is needed to unlock it in the form of pre-requisites and recognised prior learning.
It’s worth considering also that recognition can take many forms. Across the conference there were ideas of individual, peer and community recognition that go beyond formally assessed recognition and qualifications. As someone who works predominantly within formal qualification settings and short courses, learning is designed in a way to enable learners to be able to demonstrate their ability against learning outcomes. The recognition comes through assessment, in all its forms. Yet, as was shared by conference delegates, recognition within communities also has a place. I discussed this with Doug Belshaw who gave the example of social recognition (a thumbs up from Matt Cornock), which amongst those in the know had value and came with it meaning (in this example, you’ve been outstanding to earn such a distinction). What’s key here is that recognition is intrinsically linked to context. Recognition in one situation may have more or less value in another.
Going back to the door metaphor, for learners to continue their learning journey they need to be equipped with the ability to identify what recognition is required in order to pass through the door. Learners as well as employers need ways of knowing what has value.
The uncomfortable truth
What has value in terms of qualifications is largely down to the educational system in play. There were two presentations that made me feel uncomfortable, quite rightly so, and in doing so made me realise that my world view of education is far from a ‘world’ view. My approach to education is defined by the system in which I operate, in my current context this is higher education in the UK. This system places high value on defined qualifications and a type of learning that is intended to be quantified and standardised.
Susan Forseille from Thompson Rivers University, Canada presented her ongoing work with indigenous peoples of Canada and shared a comparison of Western and Indigenous world views (see this summary shared as an example). The visual of the Western hierarchical and the Indigenous holistic view encapsulates the structural, societal and philosophical differences that inform and embed in ways of learning in the two world views. The very ideas of truth, what is true to whom, the compartmentalisation (Western) or interconnectedness (Indigenous) of knowledge, and even the perception and value attributed to time differ in shaping the educational context. Forseille was quite open in discussing unconscious bias which comes through applying, not necessarily deliberately, a worldview onto the education of the Indigenous learners she works with. Inadvertently that can lead to a lack of trust, marginalisation and lower self-worth in learners we are trying to be inclusive towards, but without fully knowing their context. This point about learners being implicitly or explicitly forced into an educational culture and system that doesn’t match their worldview was highlighted in the way one student, supported to gain recognition for their indigenous knowledge, was assessed in a 90 minute, structured and standardised Q&A. That process met the educational institutional needs, but didn’t respect the view of knowledge, sharing and respect embedded in the student’s culture.
This real example has struck me how practices to support inclusion are potentially still framed by the educational system. In my privileged position, like other leaders, I have a responsibility to operate within policies and national standards, but also a responsibility to challenge myself and my own beliefs about why and how education is provided. To really push forward recognition of learning of all kinds, it may be that we need to see more educational institutions coming to meet the learner, rather than learners having to fit themselves into the structures of educational institutions.
Acknowledgement
My attendance at ePIC 2024 Conference was funded by the University of Leeds in my role as Head of Online Learning, Digital Education Service.
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