Summary

The fact that learning accumulates and exists outside an education or training environment cannot be disputed. Yet traditionally, it is only institutional, certificated learning that carries any status. Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning systems seek to give positive credit for all learning, by placing it within a recognised accreditation framework. In the light of recent legislation, APEL systems offer the key towards more flexible and open delivery systems for futher education. Maggie Challis offers a detailed, practical introduction to the skills and processes of implementing an APEL system, exploring the seven key stages through which learners progress:
* initial counselling
* recognising and identifying skills
* relating these skills to an agreed set of outcomes
* gathering evidence of these skills
* documentation of the evidence
* assessment of the evidence
* accreditation
Detailed guidance is provided on setting up and monitoring services and tutors and managers alike will find advice on identifying appropriate learning programmes for students; access to higher education; redundancy counselling; and the transfer of professional qualifications gained overseas. Most importantly, Maggie Challis shows the potential for APEL across a wide range of learning contexts, in all areas of education and training.