International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
Future Learning and Prior Learning Assesment and Recognition in Vocational
Teacher Education
Päivi Aarreniemi-Jokipelto a *
ª Dr., HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences, School of Vocational Teacher Education
Abstract
The paper examines future learning and technologies available to be utilized in future learning. It illustrates
personalization, collaboration and informalization as core terms of future learning. Technologies such as
wearable computers and haptic and human-integrated technology are described from a future-learning point of
view. Furthermore, the paper reports the results of a study that examined how individualization of learning
processes and recognition of prior competences can respond to students’ needs and to the requirements of future
learning. The context of the study was provided by the HAAGA-HELIA School of Vocational Teacher
Education and a group of teaching students studying for their certificate in an online vocational teacher
education programme. A design science approach was used in the study. A design scientist attempts to engineer
innovative educational environments and simultaneously conducts experimental studies of those innovations. In
this context, the innovations are related to future learning and prior learning assessment and recognition.
Keywords.
Introduction
The Europe 2020 strategy acknowledges that a fundamental transformation of education and training is
needed to supply the new skills and competences that will be required by the future European society (European
Commission, 2010a). There is a need to promote active learning in both work- and school-based vocational
education and training (VET) and give individuals the opportunity to control and develop their own learning.
Issues related to work-based learning are central to the future of education in the knowledge society. Workbased
learning has become an area of interest in higher education as a means to support students’ personal and
professional development and the acquisition of knowledge and skills (Brennan & Little, 2006). Work-based
learning facilitates the development of the learning outcomes approach in VET with the shift towards
competence-based learning and competence-based qualifications and assessments (European Commission,
2010b). Competence-based approaches have been seen to have potential not only in the way in which
employment-related skills are assessed and recognized, but also in influencing the structure and delivery of
formal education and training programmes (Bowden, 2004). One reason for the importance of competence-based
learning in VET is the underlying idea that vocational education should enable students to acquire the
competences needed in their future professions and in society in general (Biemans et al., 2004). In addition to
that, while working as professionals, lifelong and life-wide learning are important to develop the competences
required for future development of one’s work. Future learning demands recognition of competences acquired in
non-formal and informal learning, but so far models that recognize those kinds of competences in higher
education are missing; only competences, skills and knowledge acquired from formal learning are traditionally
recognized. Therefore, there is a need to study where previous competences acquired outside of formal
education are recognized in higher education, and determine what kind of personalized learning paths are
available.
METHODS
The research method was constructive, and the study aimed at adding to the body of scientific knowledge of
prior competence recognition and individualization of curriculums. Design science consists of two activities:
building and evaluating (Järvinen, 2001). Building refers to the process of constructing an innovation or model
for a specific purpose. Evaluation determines how well the innovation is performed; i.e., it can be asked whether
the new innovation or model is better than the old one. The main condition of validity for a model is that it
E-mail address: Paivi.aarreniemi-jokipelto@haaga-helia.fi
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