Work-Integrated Learning: Good Practice Guide - CHE

3.8 recognition of prior learning in a WIL curriculum
the recognition of prior learning (rPL) is ‘a process whereby people’s prior learning can be formally
recognised in terms of registered qualifications … regardless of where and how the learning was attained.
rPL acknowledges that people never stop learning whether it takes place formally at an educational
institution or whether it happens informally’ (SAQA, 2005:1). Many institutions have policies on rPL
for admission to, and advanced standing within, a qualification. the process of rPL can be summarised
as: 1) identifying what the person knows; 2) matching the person’s knowledge, skills and experience to
outcomes and associated assessment criteria; 3) assessing the candidate’s knowledge against outcomes;
and 4) crediting the person for skills, knowledge and experience acquired in the past. In most rPL cases,
candidates need to be carefully assessed to ensure that they are appropriately placed within a programme.
case study 11 below, takes a somewhat different approach, in that a qualification was designed around what
people in a workplace had learned through experience.
case study 11: Formal accreditation of workplace learning
Description: universities have, on occasion, been involved in designing specific programmes
for the needs of a particular industry or workplace. Such programmes are typical of extra-mural
departments, adult learning centres, continuing education programmes, etc. there is a growing
tendency for such programmes to become formalised and accredited within mainstream programmes
– such as the university of cape town’s trade union Educator’s diploma (dItSELA) programme.
this programme is offered at a site of work (e.g., a manufacturing company) and involves weekly
meetings at the university and the implementation of activities and projects at the workplace.
HEQF: dItSELA is offered at Level 7 – and offers the option for successful students to progress
into a formal teaching qualification at Level 8; depending on their academic results, some students
are accepted onto an M Phil (Adult Education) (Level 9).
Resources: the workplace pays the candidates’ fees, provides meeting spaces at the workplace, and
enables the interventions that are part of the learning programme to be implemented and monitored.
this involves close collaboration between the university teachers and the Hr or training managers.
Source: Winberg, 2006a.
WIL curriculum development offers many challenges, but offers many benefits for student learning and
development. In deciding what kind of curriculum is appropriate, university teachers should ask the
following questions:
1. How does WIL fit with the overall programme objectives/outcomes?
2. How does WIL contribute to the achievement of the programme’s objectives/outcomes?
3. Which WIL modality lends itself to the particular programme? Why?
4. What sort of WIL opportunities can the institution realistically provide?
5. What sort of WIL opportunities can related industries or professional practices provide?
6. What sort of capacity development might the academic staff need (e.g., visits to industry;
Industry placements)?
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