Page 256 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 256
ing in order to raise awareness of its intrinsic worth and to reward learning.’
(Cedefop, 2004 and Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Educa-
tion and Training, 2011; European Commission, 2001; cf. Tissot, 2004: 159; Termi-
nology …, 2008: 201).
In searching for solutions for underachieving adolescents, knowledge as-
sessment turns out to be one of the tools that could be applied to beneficial-
ly transfer motivation, based on adolescents’ non-formal and informal knowl-
edge, to learning situations within the school.
If it is established how much effort and motivation was required for
this non-formal and informal knowledge to be acquired by adolescents in
the first place, then positive learning experiences can also be transferred to
school work. Topics are integrated, adolescents’ motivation for school work is
strengthened and, most importantly, their positive self-concept is developed
and boosted; with non-formal and informal knowledge evaluated in a positive
way their self-concept is undoubtedly greater than in relation to (possibly less
successful) school work. Negative life experience in particular, possibly in the
form of poor academic success, negative peer relations and difficult relation-
256 ships with adults, will have a dramatic impact on a child’s self-esteem (Long,
2004, as cited in Cornwall and Walter, 2006: 49).
For these reasons it is also necessary for teachers to be familiar with the ba-
sic principles of recognition of non-formal and informal knowledge in relation
to adults. As previously stated, national vocational qualifications have been in-
troduced in some countries, however the existence of non-formal and infor-
mal knowledge, and the need for its recognition, needs to be understood in a
broader sense. The recognition of non-formal and informal knowledge should
not be limited to national vocational qualifications. Teachers should be ac-
quainted with basic guidelines and ideas in relation to non-formal and infor-
mal knowledge and learning, as well as its recognition.
Non-formal and Informal Knowledge and Adolescents
As previously stated, adolescents have a large amount of non-formal and in-
formal knowledge and also a certain amount of non-formal and informal ex-
periences, and they are often encouraged to record them. Many schools (ei-
ther independently or within projects) encourage youths to create their own
portfolios or to record their non-formal and informal knowledge in other ways
(cf. Paris and Ayres, 1994; Irvine and Barlow, 1998). The reason why schools and
teachers try to persuade adolescents to do so is of particular importance.
It is quite common that adolescents are still in school when they are
coaxed into thinking about their non-formal and informal experiences and
non-formal and informal knowledge and skills. However, for the most part, the
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
(Cedefop, 2004 and Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Educa-
tion and Training, 2011; European Commission, 2001; cf. Tissot, 2004: 159; Termi-
nology …, 2008: 201).
In searching for solutions for underachieving adolescents, knowledge as-
sessment turns out to be one of the tools that could be applied to beneficial-
ly transfer motivation, based on adolescents’ non-formal and informal knowl-
edge, to learning situations within the school.
If it is established how much effort and motivation was required for
this non-formal and informal knowledge to be acquired by adolescents in
the first place, then positive learning experiences can also be transferred to
school work. Topics are integrated, adolescents’ motivation for school work is
strengthened and, most importantly, their positive self-concept is developed
and boosted; with non-formal and informal knowledge evaluated in a positive
way their self-concept is undoubtedly greater than in relation to (possibly less
successful) school work. Negative life experience in particular, possibly in the
form of poor academic success, negative peer relations and difficult relation-
256 ships with adults, will have a dramatic impact on a child’s self-esteem (Long,
2004, as cited in Cornwall and Walter, 2006: 49).
For these reasons it is also necessary for teachers to be familiar with the ba-
sic principles of recognition of non-formal and informal knowledge in relation
to adults. As previously stated, national vocational qualifications have been in-
troduced in some countries, however the existence of non-formal and infor-
mal knowledge, and the need for its recognition, needs to be understood in a
broader sense. The recognition of non-formal and informal knowledge should
not be limited to national vocational qualifications. Teachers should be ac-
quainted with basic guidelines and ideas in relation to non-formal and infor-
mal knowledge and learning, as well as its recognition.
Non-formal and Informal Knowledge and Adolescents
As previously stated, adolescents have a large amount of non-formal and in-
formal knowledge and also a certain amount of non-formal and informal ex-
periences, and they are often encouraged to record them. Many schools (ei-
ther independently or within projects) encourage youths to create their own
portfolios or to record their non-formal and informal knowledge in other ways
(cf. Paris and Ayres, 1994; Irvine and Barlow, 1998). The reason why schools and
teachers try to persuade adolescents to do so is of particular importance.
It is quite common that adolescents are still in school when they are
coaxed into thinking about their non-formal and informal experiences and
non-formal and informal knowledge and skills. However, for the most part, the
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
