ePortfolio of competencies. Individuation and validation of non- formal and informal learning in the framework of the adult education in Italy


Abstract

The article describes the research results on the competences ePortfolio for the recognition and validation of non-formal and informal prior learning within the framework of the adult education system in Italy, conducted by the author in the PhD in Theory and research in education, at the Department of Education of the University Rome Tre, between 2014 and 2016. It focuses on presenting the results of the research activity, which can be outlined on three different levels: individual, organizational and systemic. On an individual level, the research results confirm that the choice of the narrative-autobiographical method and the adoption of different narrative tools - as the ePortfolio - is effective for the reconstruction of own history and the valorisation of own competences. The figure of the “Expert in guidance for the identification of competences and the validation of prior experiential learning” reveals itself as the key figure of the procedures. The role of education, training, guidance systems and work organizations, in which the procedures need to be increasingly institutionalized, comes into play. They are called upon to equip themselves with devices specially designed to develop and manage such procedures, made up of dedicated offices, qualified personnel to provide related services, guidelines to be adopted in relation to methods and tools, which can be used. Reflections, in conclusion, can only move on the level of the systems. The research findings confirm that the role and the contribution of the CPIA - Provincial Centers for Adult Education may be crucial to the implementation of this system, to be achieved through the launch of the territorial networks for lifelong learning, provided by Law 92/2012.