Technological Aids to the Efficient Assessment of Prior Learning - E-Infrastructures and Technologies for Lifelong Learning - page 334

ACKNOWLEDGMENT Re-using seems to be possible for existing instru-

ments such as competence profiles, e-portfolios,
and rubrics specifications. The educational model
for assessment seems to be a promising approach
that will increase the efficiency and effectiveness
of APL procedures. However, further elabora-
tion on this model resulting into more advanced
metadata for general descriptions of the objects
is definitely needed.
Considering the question of technical solutions
from a more aggregated level result into at least
two challenges that need to be considered in the
development of effective APL (see for a more
comprehensive discussion Miao et al, 2009).
First, APL allows the storing of various informa-
tion from different sources and different types of
sources in a candidate's e-portfolio. It is likely
that information fusion technologies may support
the (human) assessors in their task of accurately
assessing one's portfolio. Second, if we want to
support candidates in the process of matching their
own prior learning to one or more competence
profiles then the application of spatial index and
browsing structures together with visualization
of competence information objects need to be
seriously considered. These techniques provide
accessible information that make explicitly clear
how one's personal competency profile match to
a profile applied in an APL procedure, which will
definitely support candidates in making informed
decisions on enrolment in APL procedures.
Unfortunately, although some technical solu-
tions are available, the absence of generally ac-
cepted competence profiles inhibits the exchange
and re-use of some of the main APL instruments.
If educational institutes and associations like
federations of employers and unions are not able
to adjust competence profiles to one another, the
issue of maximizing Interoperability becomes an
insurmountable problem. Nevertheless, with the
educational model for assessment, we are one
step closer to fulfil our life long learners' needs.

We like to thank Yongwu Miao and the anony-
mous reviewers for their helpful comments on a
previous version of this topic chapter.

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