Unisa and credit for "experiential learning"

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Gert Potgieter, Feb 20, 2002.

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  1. Unisa has formally initiated "recognition of prior learning" as of January 2002: Recognition of Prior Learning.

    I wonder if this is a product of their previously reported collaborative relationship with TESC?

    Prior learning is assessed through portfolio or through challenge examinations:

    • Only learning is assessed - not experience. It does not matter where or how the learning has been acquired. Time, place or duration of the learning experience will be disregarded. It is about what the candidate knows, can do, reflect and apply. It is quality that counts and not quantity or the years in service.
      ...
      Assessment will be done through RPL portfolios or challenge examinations.
    Personally, I'm not at all pleased with this development. The disease is spreading!
     
  2. Dan East

    Dan East New Member

    What disease?

    I think the biggest issue regarding PLA is often with the faculty of a school who state, "PLA will diminish the quality of education, blahblahblah", yet, what does that really mean?

    In order to have an effective PLA program at an institution any course eligible for PLA assessment must be thoroughly defined as to what is the learning outcome(s). What are the precise "bits-of-learnings" that would say to the world, "this student has LEARNED all that is required in, say, Accounting 100. In order to answer this question, the instructor must be able to quantify and qualify each and every "bit" of learning.

    So, a student looks at the "bits-of-learnings" for Acct.100 and can point to several, maybe even all of the stuff and say "I know this stuff!" Why should'nt this person be allowed to prove (objectively) that they indeed know the stuff? AND get credit for what they know!

    Cheers
     
  3. Hille

    Hille Active Member

    Unisa and credit for "experimental learning"

    Hello, I received an e-mail today informing me that the process and procedure for experimental learning will not be ready until the end of the year. I had hopes for something sooner. Have a peaceful evening. Hille
     
  4. Peter French

    Peter French member

    Dont worry - the South African system is based on the Australian system as is the one in Canada.

    The mapping process is pretty rigorous, and in any even don't you sometimes get 'advanced standing'?

    If a person is competenct, it shouldn't be an iissue how they became competent. They either are or they are not. RPL is simply another method of assessment.

    It is mandatory out here but is not used excessively. But the AQF regulations state that it must be available at ALL levels - even up to PhD, and i am yet to see how that works - maybe the '...by publication...' is it.

    If you recognise competency, the level at which it is recognised should not be an issue. I realise the very strong opinions expressed many times amongst this group that it should NOT apply above the bachelor level, but there is no grounds for that unless it is policy. If someone is competent, that is what they are, and they will clearly have to demonstrate or evidence that at the stnadard applicabe at the level of the subject, but they should not be required to in effect 'repeat' a learning experience.

    Pause and think about - throw off bias and preconceived ideas, and don't dwell on how it could be/has been abused. There are ample examples around of how standard teaching and assessing has been abused - forced passes, marks adjusted up and so on ... the risk is no more or no less.
     
  5. Tom Head

    Tom Head New Member

    FWIW: I've always favored examination-based master's programs, and the University of London and Heriot-Watt University seem to agree. Doctorates are another matter, but I seem to remember reading that Japanese universities base the course component of the doctorate on proctored exams.

    My argument about degrees has traditionally been that they don't represent pure learning; they represent a demonstration of learning. Given this, I see no reason why assessment of prior learning shouldn't help someone along in a graduate program--assuming the assessment is sufficiently rigorous, of course. (Which is why I would have difficulty treating, say, an honorary doctorate as the equivalent of an earned doctorate, but would certainly have no problem taking a doctorate by publication seriously.)


    Cheers,
     
  6. Welcome back, Peter.

    I believe that you are correct about South African system being based on Australian system. The terminology is the same, and even the text on the Unisa RPL website is almost identical to that I have seen describing the Australian system.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 1, 2002
  7. Malcolm Jenner

    Malcolm Jenner New Member

    which in turn seem to be based on the Scottish system.

    Malcolm S Jenner
     
  8. Peter French

    Peter French member

    Maybe based on the Scottish system ...

    I have been involved with development of certain aspects of it, and the bulk of the initial work was understandably done at VET level - Ford requested it to get some formal recognition of competencies in ther multicultural workforce here many years ago.

    It was possibly modelled on the Scottish system - my research did not go that way - but the South Africans have been regular visitors out here at both university and VET levels, as have the Canadians. Those I have worked with have been very nice people and eager to grasp the concepts and the operational parameters of how we do it.

    If you can think of it as being a 'means of assessment' it helps. We educate and train people to meet outcomes or competencies, and we assess their progress and achievement in that regard. Despite recommendations by many researchers (Stufflebeam, Kirpatrick etc) we generally don't pretest. This means that the progress a student appears to have made, may have been entry skills, knowledge, attributes or competencies - we really don't know. Consider this, if you did pretest a student in a masters unit and they met the exit requirements, what would you do? Would you make them go through it all formally? Think about it. To meet the exacting requirements at masters level here would be pretty rare - I have worked with some who met part of a subject only - but it doesn't alter the principle.

    Now we tell them that if they believe they know it/can do it, they have the option of presenting evidence of that. One of the problems many of those I train in this aspect face, is to make this process TOO rigorous, and i understand their reasons.

    This doesn't make the award [most have a limit of the amount of RPL as a policy which is a disputable point when you think about it] 'honourary' - it is clearly eaned but the current teachers may not be able to take the credit for the learning.

    I supervised someone getting their PhD [by publication] at Griffith University and it was, as i have recorded here before, a very arduous process. It took over 2 years to assemble what they would accept [the applicant was an LLB(Hon) LLM senior counsel in a very specialised field, and globally revered as a writer and seminar leader] and an additional 100,000+ words ... as we both concluded it would have been easier and quicker to start from scratch.
     
  9. Monkey

    Monkey New Member

    Hi,

    I intended to apply for a Phd program in UNISA under the Credit for "Experience learning". I basically hold two UK professional qualifications, with teaching and writing experience, apart from working experience in business discipline.

    The Phd DL program in US and UK are too expensive for me. I can afford UNISA and their response is quick. I decide to opt for UNISA. Due to uncertainty in the merger lawsuit, I am still hestitating.

    Can any expert give me advice!
     
  10. Hille

    Hille Active Member

    Unisa and credit for "experimental learning"

    Good Morning, I was re-reading old copies of TESC "Invention" and found the article on UNISA. They have had an academic alliance for about one year. Does anyone have any additional information on how that cooperative effort will work? Have a peaceful week.* Hille
     
  11. Re: Unisa and credit for "experimental learning"

    I don't know more than in the Spring 2001 Invention (which incidentally does have a very nice full-page picture of Unisa's Pretoria campus on the cover).
     
  12. Re: Re: Unisa and credit for "experimental learning"

    Somehow I messed up that URL so here it is again:

     
  13. Highly cynical piece from the Mail & Guardian (SA): Up, Up And Away. (Warning: this "opinion" article is mostly trash talk. These kinds of insults are not common in U.S. newspapers. Delicate souls may want to skip! :eek: )

    Snippet:
    • One can't predict how Unisa would respond if its senior patron, Kader Asmal, was dispatched on some international mission devoted to the feverish recommendation of Outcomes Based Education to those countries still enslaved by totally unnecessary competency assessments of their "learners". Kader should be given a hot little 737 flown by an Outcomes Based Pilot who's never had to sit a navigation exam or take a flight test but shows good potential in wearing the uniform.
     

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