RPLO for all?

I recently attended a one-day conference organised by Prof. John Konrad and hosted by the Newcastle College's Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training. - A quick note of thanks to the in-house caterers - 'Wow! Thanks for a really 5-star buffet lunch!'

The meeting was well-attended, to capacity, and delegates came from a variety of backgrounds, all experts in their own fields. I will not here pre-empt the proceedings which, I anticipate, will be published shortly. Click here for the RPLO website. However, two observations I feel are worth noting:

Firstly as every speaker presented their case and throughout the several discussions I repeatedly felt, sentence by sentence, that the real solution to the documentation, justification for a learner's RPLO, the ability to better provide for inclusion etc were all best able to be resolved through the medium of an e-Portfolio system such as eFolio. In simple terms, eFolio allows the learner to express themselves as they choose through any form of media, page organisation or choice of 'cosmetic' features.

One of the points which really attracted my attention was the statement:

The RPLO Project will pilot these Guidelines in the Vocational Education and Training [VET] Teacher and Trainer Sector using the Lifelong Learning UK Standards through the development of user-friendly tools, methods and support materials.

Wow! I thought, just the sort of project for which I want eFoilo to be the solution!

However, in retrospect, is not the recognition of prior learning what any teacher does anyway? Apart from any formal qualifications that a student might have acquired, is it not just plain common sense to find out more about a student's background, their personal learning styles, their interests and hobbies etc? So, returning to the title, 'RPLO for All?' I wonder if the lessons learnt from this pan-European exercise will help to reinforce good practice throughout all sectors of education?

Quality, Choice and Aspiration

Or as the subtitle reads, "A strategy for young people’s information, advice and guidance." At 52 pages this is a serious read that all involved in the education of children should be aware of. Click here to download the .pdf file.

The document outlines yet more initiatives to be included within an already crowded curriculum. That said, it identifies issues that most schools are taking on board or have had as part of their Careers responsibilities for some years. Careers teachers and counsellors will probably shout out, 'What do you think we've been doing for the past 20-30 years? It talks, correctly about the need to help young people to be aware of the opportunities available to them and repeatedly encourages teachers, parents and students to "think outside of the box".

As the introduction says: "Young people need high quality information, advice and guidance (IAG) to help them find their way in the world and make decisions that will set them on the path to success. We want young people to access the support and opportunities they need to:

• succeed in education and continue participating in learning until the age of 18
  
• make informed choices about their careers and be prepared for the demands of working life
  
• raise their aspirations and fulfil their potential
  
• overcome barriers that may be preventing them from releasing their talents."

Taken as a set of guidelines, this is basically a common-sense document about communication skills, how schools and employers relate to each other, how parents and pupils are encouraged to gain impartial and appropriate advice.

Every page is about communication, BUT, as with many government documents it leaves open the question of how best to encourage processes of communication. For me, every single page is shouting out, 'Why not use an e-Portfolio?'

What can we learn from others?

For quite some time I have been following Sarah Stewart's blog see:
http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com/

She is a highly competent and adventurous New Zealander working in midwifery and has recently taken up a post in Australia where she is developing some astounding work in Second Life. However, I was very impressed by a recent SlideShare presentation:
http://www.slideshare.net/sarahs/eportfolio-for-health-professionals?

Apart from being a very useful presentation in its own right, I wonder how many other professionals in other fields are using some sort of e-Portfolio - and if they have presentations which might extend our thinking even further?

Coincidentally, I also read Kevin Brace's Midlands Eportfolio Group blog which adverted to a most interesting list of the perceptions of those involved in Work-Based Assessments:

http://rscwbl.jiscinvolve.org/files/2008/07/wbl-providers-eportfolios.doc
The document was produced by Carolyn Lewis (RSC National Work Based Learning Co-ordinator) with information sourced from feedback to RSCs, The Excellence Gateway, ALP and City and Guilds.

I am conscious of, nay humbled by, the fact that there are so many of you readers out there, over 1400, from 61 countries, and counting. It therefore strikes me that there could well be good examples of e-Portfolio practice that might help our understanding and application e-Portfolios in schools.

Please be so kind as to add any suggestions either as comments to this blog or directly to me at: support@maximise-ict.co.uk