Pragmatism at work in Britain: Some reflections on attempting to introduce the assessment of prior experiential learning.

Abstract

The Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) involves students or prospective students documenting their learning from life and work experience in such a way that they can use such documentation to gain access and advance standing in tertiary education institutions. For the past ten years, the author has been centrally involved in introducing the idea of assessing prior experiential learning in Britain, most recently as Director of the Learning from Experience Trust. In this paper he reflects on his personal experience of the issues involved, the barriers which were faced and the ways in which the idea has been accepted.