IADIS International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age CELDA 2010, “Politehnica” University of Timisoara, Romania

1. IADIS CELDA 2010 – Timisoara, Romania 15-17 October 2010 Sabrina Leone, Giuliana Guazzaroni, Laura Carletti and Tommaso Leo Università Politecnica delle Marche – Ancona, Italy The increasing need of validation of non-formal and informal learning. The case of the Community of Practice “WEBM.ORG”.

10. Validation of competences in the EU Many EU countries (Austria, Belgium, Danemark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain) are stressing the importance of making visible and valuing learning that takes place outside formal and training institutions. Validating non-formal and informal learning is ever more seen as a way of improving lifelong and lifewide learning.

11. Validation of competences in the EU At communitarian level common principles on the validation of non-formal and informal learning were adopted in 2004. In 2009 CEDEFOP published the “European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning”, an evaluation tool for validation for stakeholders’ voluntary use.

12. Validation of non-formal and informal learning in EU: overview (CEDEFOP, 2007) EU COUNTRIES DEGREE OF VALIDATION IMPLEMENTATION SPECIFICATIONS Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom. High Validation has become (or is close to) a practical reality for individuals (from the level of general policy statements to tangible practices). Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Sweden. Medium Validation is emerging as a practical reality (recent set up of a legal or policy framework for validation). Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia, Slovak Republic. Low Validation is an initial stage of development (learning gained outside formal education may be recognised by stakeholders, but there is little in terms of policy or practice to facilitate its validation).

13. Validation: EU vs Italy The “European guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning” are a first attempt to disseminate a common approach in EU countries . In Italy the training system has become complex and multifaced, characterised by regional discrepancies, notably referring to low/medium-skilled workers.

15. Self-organisation in lifelong learning A group of 20 peditricians , over 6 Italian regions, launched in 2005 the WEBM.org CoP to meet their need of professional growth, having no answer from the Italian fragmented education system. The WEBM.org is a closed group, characterised by a web2.0-based permanent exchange of knowledge, information and practices on daily and real criticalities met in their work.

16. The CoP WEBM.org: web 2.0 technologies mix TYPE TOOLS HOW e-Portfolio Google Docs It gathers information about individual professional activity (health cases, training processes, useful scientific articles, web sites). It collects group activities (weekly/monthly online or residential meetings). Blog Wordpress It collects the CoP’s activities. Microblogging, Social Network Twitter, Facebook, For quick signalizing of something members are working at. Cross-Platform Google Wave For brainstorming before creating a new learning project. Social productivity tool Manymoon Learning projects in progress are inserted here to define different tasks, timing and milestones. Virtual classroom DimDim, WebEx Online meeting and discussion. Course authoring Udutu Completed learning projects are published here to have a repository. Devices Smartphone, iPhone, iPad Not structured (reading databases in mobility).

18. WEBM.org: a knowledge learning system The CoP WEBM.org represents a knowledge learning system based on frequent and repeated interactions for members’ self-training and competences acquisition… … though their efforts are not formally recognized by the Italian ECM (Continuing Medical Education) system.

19. Self-appraisal vs official appraisal ECM system in Italy is regulated and structured within the limits of assessable learning, and informal learning is not always assessable. Learning processes within the WEBM.org CoP is recognised by the members as meaningful and relevant, even if it is not officially acknowledged. The European debate on validation of non-formal and informal learning is mainly targeted on recognition of competences of low/medium-skilled workers, even if the LLL is required at all levels in a knowledge-driven society.