“Broadening RPL: Potential for collective action –
promoting redress and social justice”
PROGRAMME
Wednesday 15 October 2008
9h00 -11h00
Registration and Tea
Facilitated by Judy Knock
11h00 – 12h00
Welcome and Opening
Praise singing by Xolani Santi
Address Chairperson of the Board of the WorkersCollege Harold Mdineka
12h00 – 12h15
Introduction
A brief overview of the conference programme and proceedings will be provided.
12h15 – 13h00
Session 1: Exploring the RPL terrain
There are many conceptualisations of RPL. In this introductory session, facilitated by Kessie Moodley we begin a conversation on RPL and its various conceptualisations.
13h00 – 14h00
Lunch
14h00 – 15h30
Session 2: Further Exploration of the RPL terrain
This session is a continuation of the previous session. It will revisit and unpack the conceptualisations of RPL as a means of introducing RPL practices. (Input from all participants)
15h30 – 16h00
Tea
16h00 – 17h30
Session 3: RPL Practice
In this session, participants will explore the challenges relating to their RPL practices. We will examine the idea of prior knowledge and engage with the importance of recognising knowledge gained through activism. In addition we will examine the methodologies of extracting this knowledge, its potential in building organisational capacity and that challenges that this poses. The recipients of the Workers College RPL programme will initiate this discussion with a dramatic exhibition of their experience of an RPL programme. (Further input from UWC and Nunavut)
19h30
Buffet Supper
Thursday 16 October 2008
09h00 – 10h30
Session 4: Engaging with Formal education
One of the most common understandings of RPL is RPL for accreditation. RPL for accreditation may assist adult learners in accessing higher education, but the experiences of many institutions in South Africa and abroad suggests that its true potential has not been fully explored as yet. This session examines the potential and limitations of RPL for accreditation. (Input from WorkersCollege Facilitators; OPSEU; UWC and POPCRU, NEHAWU). Session facilitated by Kuki Ndlovu
10h30 – 11h00
Tea
11h00 – 13h00
Session 5: RPL and Community, Social and Organisational Development
A critical examination of our practice(s) raises debates about whether RPL can/should be applied for the benefit of the collective i.e. communities and organisations. (Input from OPSEU, WorkersCollege, NEHAWU, SADTU) Facilitated by POPCRU
13h00 – 14h00
Lunch
14h00 – 15h30
Session 6: Social Issues and Healing
In many communities people sometimes lose a sense of self, often as a result of oppression and oppressive experiences and this has continued from generation to generation. These patterns will continue until we, as communities become aware of who we really are. Thus in this session we explore the potential of a RPL programme to develop and implement a healing and wellness strategy to heal individuals, families, workers and communities. Facilitated by Dianne Hill
15h30 – 16h00
Tea
16h00 – 17h30
Session 7: ValuingIndigenous Knowledge
Indigenous knowledge systems are often not given the recognition and value that it deserves. In this session we explore the role that RPL can play in validating indigenous knowledge systems so that its potential can be realised in learning institutions, workplaces and in the community. Facilitated by Xolani Santi and Banakonda Kennedy-Kish Bell
Cultural Get-together
Friday 17 October 2008
9h00 – 11h00
Session 8: Developing an RPL Network
This session aims to explore the interest and need for an international Indigenous RPL network.
This workshop will engage participants in a dialogue related to the interest and need for an international Indigenous RPL network. Facilitated by Paul Zakos (input from recipients of RPL)
11h00 – 11h30
Tea
11h30 – 13h00
Session 8: Conference Outcomes
This session critically examines the conference proceedings in relation to its goals.
Facilitated by Kibbie Naidoo
13h00 – 14h00
Lunch
14h00 – 15h30
Closing
CONFERENCE ON RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)
Wednesday, 20 August 2008 06:07
OVERARCHING THEME
“Broadening RPL: Potential for collective action – promoting redress and social justice”
The Workers’ College will be hosting a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) conference at the Sunnyside Park Hotel, Princess of Wales, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa from Wed. 15 – Fri. 17 October 2008. (tel. : (0)11 643 7226; fax : (0)11 642 0019)
The conference aims to bring together organisations and individuals that should make use of / benefit from, and those who engage in, the RPL practice, to promote and exchange ideas, solutions and experiences of RPL and further explore its potential for collective action, redress and social justice. This is particularly important given the uneven social and economic impact of globalisation in the modern capitalist societies.
In addition, in South Africa, as in many parts of the world, unemployment, poverty, discrimination, racism, xenophobia and HIV/AIDS are major social issues. The aim of this conference is to explore the role and potential of RPL in attempting to address these issues.
The expectation that through RPL we can begin to develop collective action and address social problems raises a number of important questions:
• What do we mean by RPL? • How can RPL, which has traditionally been used to affirm individuals, be used to benefit the collective? • What are the key organisational and institutional sites of experiential / indigenous knowledge? • How do we identify organisational and institutional / community beneficiaries of RPL? • What methodologies and philosophical perspectives might allow us to think about RPL in this way? • How does our experience and practice of RPL compare to that in other countries; what lessons can we learn/share? These questions relate to the following sub-themes:
RPL formal and informal education
• RPL and accreditation • What is valued as knowledge in education and in the community? • The value of academic knowledge in community • Knowledge and power • Valuing prior learning in formal education • Valuing indigenous knowledge • Role of academia vs grassroots’ movements • Facilitating RPL RPL and the promotion of social justice/democracy/liberation and redress
• Validating prior learning • RPL challenge status quo and dominant ideology • Methods for validating prior learning • RPL and its potential for healing • Solutions from prior learning • Education for liberation • Valuing indigenous knowledge • RPL in the context of xenophobia
RPL developmental, strengthening civil society and the collective
• Sustainable community development • Individual and collective validation • RPL community and trade union education • Organisational forms; RPL and change • Developing activists • Role of environment
RPL in the global economy
• Local vs global • Globalisation as facilitating RPL
Developing an RPL Network
• Global RPL social movement –RPL as a tool for developing a new cadre of activists
Who should participate?
• This conference attempts to focus mainly on the people and organisations that need to be affirmed through RPL • The voices of workers, community based activists and recipients of our RPL practices need to be heard (in the form of presentations) • Local and international RPL practitioners who will share their experiences. • Invited academics • The target is for about sixty (60) persons attending, with the majority coming from organisations that are engaged in bringing about social, political, economic change. This conference will provide the opportunity for participants to engage with RPL and the conference will try to be interactive and structured to promote such engagement. Proposed Structure of the Conference
• Theme setting session - maximum of 90 minutes long, but delivered in a way that engages with participants and raises some of the pertinent issues • Preferably all sessions will be plenary so that we can move along as a group – and at times break into smaller groups • Presentations need to be done creatively and joint presentations will be encouraged so that similar practices and experiences can be shared Potential Outcomes of the Conference
realisation of the potential of RPL
understanding of the different applications of RPL
determining whether RPL can serve the collective interest, and whether redress and social justice can be achieved through this process
establishment of links between organisations that can collaborate on common programmes
re-enforcement of a network
Possible Programme:
Day 1
Day 2
Day3
9H00 – 11H00
Registration
Session 3
Session 7
11H00 – 11H30
Tea
Tea
Tea
11H30 – 13H00
Keynote
Session 4
Session 8
13H00 – 14H00
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
14H00-15H30
Session 1
Session 5
Session 9
15H30 – 16H00
Tea
Tea
Tea
16H00 – 17H30
Session 2
Session 6
Session 10
This First Notice is sent out to :-
o give notice of the conference o invite suggestions and contributions to the shaping of the conference o attract potential participants and presenters
Should you be interested in attending, shaping the conference structure, presenting in a creative way your own experiences and practices, or wanting to know more about the conference or the RPL practice, please communicate as follows :-
E-mail :
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Fax :
(0)31 3040 239
Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 September 2008 15:00
