a proposal for a way to acknowledge and validate informal -, non formal - and formal learning through open badges, edubadges or microcredentials, in order to foster student mobility and worker mobility

1. A proposal for a valuation canvas
May 18 2021
Robert Bouwhuis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbouwhuis/

2. Context: The need for future-proof education and training
• Recognition traditionally refers to the process of issuing, accepting and acknowledging accredited
certification or titles that have formal value for mastery of skills or knowledge
(https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/recognition-validation-accreditation)
• Formal (institutional) recognition: it takes the form of diploma and degree certification. However, to
become a true pillar of a lifelong learning strategy, recognition must expand to areas that are as yet
underserved, such as accreditation schemes for prior training, non-technical or vocational experience,
and compatible international certifications. Internationally, there has been broad acceptance for the
notion of qualification frameworks (QFs) as an instrument to classify qualifications at every level by
minimum expected learning outcomes. Zie https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/qualification-
frameworks/global-inventory-regional-and-national-qualifications-0
• Source: Skills for Industry Curriculum Guidelines 4.0: Future-proof education and training for manufacturing in Europe FINAL REPORT – PWC
January 2020

3. Context: Formalising non formal and informal learning in the European Education Area
“Higher education institutions should be competent to award credits for learning outcomes acquired outside
the formal learning context through work experience, voluntary work, student participation, independent
study, provided that these learning outcomes satisfy the requirements of their qualifications or
components. The recognition of the learning outcomes gained through non-formal and informal learning
should be automatically followed by the award of the same number of ECTS credits attached to the
corresponding part of the formal programme.
As with formal education, the award of credits is preceded by an assessment to verify the achievement of
learning outcomes. The assessment methods and criteria should be constructed to measure the
achievement of the required learning outcomes at the appropriate level, without reference to specific
learning activities or workload.”
Source: European Commission. ECTS Users’ Guide2015, p.46. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015

4. Our mission: to organise the recognition of learning in such a way that lifelong
learning is attained and that free movement of workers (between sectors and
countries) and students (between studies and countries) is possible.
• The challenges humanity faces, those resulting from the climate crisis and from technological and
demographic change, not to mention those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inequalities it has
exacerbated, call for societies that understand themselves as learning societies and people who identify
themselves as learners throughout their lives.
• Realizing this vision requires a learner-centric, demand-led approach to education that enables learners of
all ages and backgrounds to codesign actively and use any learning process and its outcomes to achieve
their full potential.
• Accordingly, learning to learn and managing one’s own learning journey must become basic competences.
Source: Embracing a culture of lifelong learning – Contribution to the Futures of Education initiative – Unesco Institute for Lifelong Learning,
Hamburg. 2020

5. “use any learning process and its outcomes”, a proposal for a classification of learning processes
• Informal learning: learning occurs unintentional from the learner’s perspective and the learning process is unplanned
o Informal learning may include learning activities that occur in the family, workplace, local community and daily life
(character development, experience)
• Non formal learning: learning is intentional from the learner’s perspective and goal oriented.
o The learner participates in a learning process that is institutionalized and planned by an education provider that is
not part of a country’s formal education system.
o The learner is a student from a formal education programme and engeages intentionally in learning activities outside
the formal programme (extracurricular activities)
• Formal learning: learning occurs within the context of a formal education programme
o The learning programme is institutionalised and planned through public organizations and recognised private bodies
that are recognised by the relevant national education authorities as part of the formal education system of a
country.

6. “use any learning process and its outcomes”, a proposal for acknowledging and recognizing learning
• Any outcome of learning: increase in insight, knowledge, skills, competentences as a result of delivering a
performance.
• ‘performance’: an accomplishment that is the result of an action or process.
• occupational: professional activity that is work-related and leads to a result that can be assessed
• Personal: ‘character reference’ where the reference is inferred from an action in the private domain (for instance
caring for another person or rescuing an animal)
• Acknowledging and recognizing a ‘performance’:
• Customer appreciation (benefactors of the performance, could be social recognition as well)
• Peer recognition (social recognition, crowdsourcing)
• Institutional examination (educational institution or regional or sectoral examination board)

7. Examples of performances deserving reward, honor or esteem that could be awarded with a
certificate (open badge, edubadge, microcredential)
• Informal learning: non intended learning outcomes
o character: a quality ascribed to someone inferred from observed behavior, e.g.
helping others
o conduct: the proven ability to deliver a performance (e.g. arts, literature, sports)
and/or to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve problems
in a (voluntary) working context
• Non formal learning: intended learning outcomes
o course or training delivered by an education provider that is not formally recognised
by the relevant national education authorities or equivalent authorities
o extracurricular activity: activities falling outside the scope of a regular curriculum
performed by students of education providers that are formally recognised by the
relevant national education authorities or equivalent authorities (e.g. membership
student board, honors programme)
• Formal learning: intended learning outcomes as part of a formal education
programme
o curriculum components (e.g. modules, minors)
o college awards and honors (e.g. ‘cum laude’)

8. A proposal for certification of learning: valuation canvas
open badge open badge edubadge microcredential * reference
educational framework educational framework educational framework educational framework national legal frameworks
name of study
programme
name of study
programme
name of study
programme
name of study
programme
national register of
qualifications and
study load study load (hours )
study load (hours or
credits)
study load (credits) EU (ECTS)
EQF-level EQF-level EQF-level EQF-level EU /UN (ISCED 2011)
language language language language
expiration period (if
applicable)
expiration period (if
applicable)
expiration period (if
applicable)
expiration period (if
applicable)
national legal frameworks on
qualification and accreditation standards
issuer issuer issuer issuer
national reference frameworks on
study programmes and
earning criteria earning criteria earning criteria earning criteria
european (EQF) and UN (ISCED 2011)
reference framework (public)
description (learning
outcome)
description (learning
outcome)
description (learning
outcome)
description (learning
outcome)
international reference framework
(IMSGlobal, private)
name name name name desirable
informal learning (e.g.
work based learning)
non formal learning
(training & adult
learning)
non formal learning
(VET & HE& Adult
learning)
formal learning (VET &
Higher Education)
open badge metadata
v.2.0
colour code
* A microcredential could be issued in the form of an Edubadge (https://www.surf.nl/en/edubadges-issuing-digital-certificates-to-students)

9. Basic ideas underlying the valuation canvas proposal
• Validation is defined as ‘a process of confirmation by an authorised body that an individual has acquired learning
outcomes measured against a relevant standard’ (Council, 2012, p .5 in Cedefop, 2019, p.13). According to Cedefop,
‘relevant standard’ includes occupational as well as qualification standard.
source: Cedefop (2019). Coordinating guidance and validation. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Cedefop
research paper; No 75. p.13. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/801290
• Badges (digital certificates) and microcredentials are increasingly popular tools to recognise achievements.
• There are several reference frameworks that describe the metadata used in open badges and edubadges.
• Depending on the degree of formality of the recognition process it is possible to use more metadata to describe the
learning achievement when the recognition process becomes more formal (subject to external quality standards and
external review).

10. Some useful resources on recognition and validation of learning
• International frameworks:
• Unesco frameworks: http://uis.unesco.org/en/isced-mappings
• EQF: http://ecahe.eu/w/index.php?title=European_Qualifications_Framework
• ECTS: https://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/education/ects/users-guide/index_en.htm
• ESG 2015: https://enqa.eu/indirme/esg/ESG%20in%20Dutch_by%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education.pdf
• Microcredentialing:
• https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/default/files/document-library-docs/european-approach-micro-credentials-higher-
education-consultation-group-output-final-report.pdf.
• https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210224114309588
• https://microcredentials.eu/
• Recognition of learning:
• https://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/recognitionofnon-formalandinformallearning-home.htm
• https://www.nuffic.nl/sites/default/files/2020-08/practitioners-guide-for-recognition-of-e-learning.pdf
• https://www.unideusto.org/tuningeu/images/stories/archivos/TUNING%20METHODOLOGY%20PARA%20LA%20WEB.pdf
• Glossaries of learning:
• http://uis.unesco.org/en/glossary
• https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/validation-non-formal-and-informal-
learning/european-inventory/european-inventory-glossary