Our research for LSC and QCA reveals a pattern in the issues faced: in the struggles of providers with the qualifications system; in the absence of understanding and use of APL for learners at work; in First Steps learning being characterised as a ‘bottom end’ funding stream rather than a learning experience for all tentatively starting again; in the failure of curriculum and qualifications to reach those without them; in patchy IAG services; in a lack of systematic ongoing review of progress and achievement.
We responded with recommendations which coalesced in 2006 into a manifesto for learners. We proposed a simple set of entitlements - which are now included in LSC requirements for providers engaged in the live trials of the FLT with adult learners. However we believe this manifesto should be extended to all learners, learning at any level, whether they pay for their learning or not.
Learners should be entitled to:
- Personalised Learning as follows:
- Personalised choice - which will include using credit-based units to design and compose programmes and qualifications which enable learners to pursue validated progression pathways within a credit and qualifications framework according to their abilities and interests.
- A Personalised learning experience - which means personalising the experience of learning; so that an individual experiences learning and achievement in a way which suits their preferred learning styles, promotes personal ownership, autonomy and control of their learning and achievement.
- Recognition of achievement and access to progression pathways from the outset of their learning journey. All achievements will have currency and validity and have the potential to count towards qualifications in the credit and qualifications framework.
- Access to a coherent curriculum which develops and integrates functional literacy and numeracy; personal and social development learning which ‘unblocks’ obstacles to progression; vocational and subject learning which provides skills and knowledge for employability.
Delivering on these entitlements cannot happen overnight. But we believe that if learners were aware of and understood how to exercise these entitlements that this would help to create upward pressure on the system for reform.
You can browse this website and read our reports for more details of what these entitlements mean and we believe needs to change to deliver them.
