Benefits Realisation

The University of Plymouth investigated the process for Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) and developed a toolkit called the PINEAPPLE Core https://sourceforge.net/projects/pineappletool/ that built a process model for APEL and guided college staff through the process of assessing a claim. They also developed several resources and case studies that could be used by other institutions to investigate their own APEL processes.

To further test and inform the development of the toolkit and resources a pilot was undertaken with the University of Staffordshire to see how they could be applied to model their APEL processes. The institutional policies at Staffordshire were found to be very different to those at Plymouth on the integration of a competence based APEL tool. However they were able to create processes to mirror the existing APEL routes and incorporate an additional route based on the new tool.

This pilot with Staffordshire revealed that the challenge was not putting the process in to APEL tool but understanding the precise detail of APEL at a micro level within the institution.  No matter how carefully guidance, regulations etc. are written there seem to be assumptions, ambiguities and omissions that are put in place by the staff implementing APEL policies and processes.

The pilot showed that the APEL process builder and the resources that the project has developed can be used wholly or partially by other institutions. As a result the tools and resource were further developed to be made more usable by other institutions.

Interested has been raised in using the toolkit through several presentations and workshops. Sustainability and support has been addressed by the institution for at least the next 12 months. Further information on the APEL Toolkit and resources can be found at http://www.pineappleproject.org.uk/.