What does the validation of non-formal learning mean? Put quite simply it is the processes of proving – to oneself and to others – that the learning – including abilities and competences identified and recorded. There may be different ways of doing this. One is through evidencing – providing evidence that one really does have the competences claimed. This can be done through providing artifacts – things that the leaner has made. If I claimed to be able to programme in Java (which I cannot!), I might provide examples of that Java code. If I claimed I was able to make furniture I might include photographs of the finished product (and work in progress), a written account of how I did it (or even a video) and details of where my furniture can be seen.
On the other hand, I might want to validate my claim that I successfully undertook work experience in Siemens as a member of a team programming in Java. To validate such a claim I would need verification – i.e. someone else (presumably from Siemens) saying yes this is true and he was good.
Validation can be an valuable tool for reflection. It forces learners to think about whether they really do have the abilities and competences they are reporting and whether they are confident in their abilities. One outcome of the validation process might be the identification of further learning and training needs.
However validation is NOT the same as assessment. Validation is referenced against the abilities and competences identified by the learner – not those by an external occupational profile or qualification. Of course the validation process may assist in a later assessment process (although this will be dependent of different assessment systems). Why is this so important? Quite simply there is no single assessment process in Europe. Different countries have very different processes for the assessment of learning and competence. However the validation process is not dependent on education and training systems. It can be used in every country. The evidence gained through the validation process can then be used in a later assessment process – if learners so wish – and can be adopted through presentations to suit the needs of different education and training systems.