The presentation was held in the framework of a study visit at the Oslo VO Sinsen, Norway organised for the participants of the AVA expert seminar (1-2 February 2016).

1. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of Prior Learning at
Oslo VO Sinsen
Oslo VO Sinsen

2. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of prior learning

3. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Some key-concepts
• Knowledge: the body of facts, principles, theories
and practices related to a field of study or workSource: European Comission, Proposal for a Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning, Brussels, 2006
• Learning: a process by which an individual
acquires knowledge, know-how, skills and/or
competencies; may take place in formal, non-
formal and informal settingsSource: Cedefop and EQF Working group, 2006
• Learning outcomes: the set of knowledge, know-
how, skills and/or competencies; can arise from
any form of learning settingSource: Cedefop 2003 and 2006

4. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of prior learning: Benefits
• Individual
– Opens possibilities for further qualifications inside
the formal education system
– Opens possibilities for better position on labour
market
• Society
– A dynamic qualification system which is better
adapted to the changing of the labour market

5. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of prior learning in Norway:
historical background
• Result of the Realkompetanse Project (a part of The
Competence Reform 1999-2002)
• Aim: to give the adults the right to document their
non-formal and informal learning without having to
undergo traditional forms of testing
• Aim: to establish a national system for the
documentation and validation of non-formal and
informal learning, with legitimacy both in the
workplace and the education system
Source: VOX, "Validation of non-formal and informal learning in Norway; The Realkompetanse Project 1999-2002"

6. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of prior learning in Norway today
• "Realkompetanse": all types of prior learning –
formal, non-formal and informal
• Primary, lower and upper secondary educations:
prior learning is validated against learning
outcomes in national curricula
• The validation is performed by services at county
or community level, in adult education centers
Source: VOX, "Validation of prior learning"

7. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Oslo Voksenopplæring Sinsen
• Adult education center, part of Oslo Adult
Education (Oslo Voksenopplæring)
• Public secondary school for adults since 2002
• Upper secondary education: both vocational and
general studies
• Approximately 85 employees
• around 50 teachers
• 5 educational counselors
• remaining 30 – administration, leadership, etc.
• Between 1400 and 1500 students annually (full-
time and part-time)
Oslo Voksenopplæring Sinsen

8. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Students at Oslo VO Sinsen
• Over 100 nationalities represented
• Up to 70% students with immigrant
background
• Age span 17 – 60 years; most students 25 -
40
• Predominantly women (over 60%)

9. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Education programmes in upper
secondary education
Vocational Education Programmes:
 Programme for Building and Construction
 Programme for Design, Arts and Crafts
 Programme for Electricity and Electronics
 Programme for Health and Social Care
 Programme for Agriculture, Fishing and
Forestry
 Programme for Restaurant and Food Processing
 Programme for Service and Transport
 Programme for Technical and Industrial
Production
Programmes for General Studies:
 Programme for Art, Design and
Architecture
 Programme for Media and
Communication
 Programme for Music, Dance and Drama
 Programme for Specialization in General
Studies
National curricula for upper secondary education

10. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Upper secondary education:
different models

11. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation procedure
The staff at Oslo Voksenopplæring Sinsen involved in different phases of the
validation procedure from application to certificate of competence:
Information
and councelling
Mapping of
competence
Assessment Documentation
Career and
education
counsellors at Oslo
VO Servicesenter
and Oslo VO Sinsen
Career
counsellors at
Oslo VO Sinsen
Assessors/specialists,
appointed by Oslo
VO Sinsen
Career
counsellors;
Consultants;
School
leadership

12. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Methods of assessment
• Dialogue-based assessment
• Practical vocational assessment

13. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Dialogue-based assessment
• Dialogue between assessor and candidate
• Uncovers tacit knowledge
• Maps basic skills (oral, writing, reading,
numeracy and digital skills)
• Duration: 2 – 5 hours

14. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Practical vocational assessment
• Method that gives candidates the opportunity to demonstrate
their overall skills by actually working in a trade or specialist field
• Assessment of practical and theoretical competences based on
the national curricula
• Duration: 5 – 15 hours
– first 1 – 2 hours: identification of skills (interview about background, training, work
experience, language skills and objectives)
– following 3 – 10 hours: practical work and assessment of skills
• Parts or all of the practical side of the vocational subjects can be
approved
• Suitable for
– adults with long working experience in a field of work and no documentation
– Adult students who are considered to be competent enough to take final examination
without 2 years of apprenticeship

15. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of prior learning at
Oslo VO Sinsen
• Annually: around 300 applicants for validation
of prior learning; altogether 1500 subjects
• Approximately 700 subjects defined in the
national curricula get approved through
validation procedure every year

16. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of prior learning at
Oslo VO Sinsen
• Who can apply?
– Residents of Oslo
– Candidates for validation of prior learning in the domain of upper secondary
education must have fulfilled primary and lower secondary education
– Candidates with experience from the field of work in which validation is
desired
• Who covers the costs of validation procedure?
– Candidates entitled to upper secondary education are also entitled to
validation free of charge (the costs are covered by the county authorities)
– Candidates not entitled to upper secondary education have to cover the costs
of validation themselves, or have them covered by the Labour and Welfare
Administration

17. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Validation of prior learning at
Oslo VO Sinsen: an example

18. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Resources
• Upper secondary education
http://www.vilbli.no/?ValgtInteressetest=77&IsHum=77&Falang=&Lan=3
• Validation of prior learning (VOX, The Norwegian
Agency for Lifelong Learning)
http://www.vox.no/English/Validation-of-prior-learning/
• The Norwegian Directorate for Education and
Training
http://www.udir.no/Stottemeny/English/
• Online legal resources
https://lovdata.no/info/information_in_english

19. Oslo kommune
Utdanningsetaten
02.02.2016
Thank you for your attention!
We wish you a pleasant stay in Oslo!