Skolverket: Validation work in theory and practice - an introduction

In the spring of 2017, we collaborated with Skolverket to develop a basic education on validation – a process that involves evaluating and acknowledging what people have learned – no matter where, when and how this learning has taken place. Validation can be an effective and resource-efficient tool for utilising skills, and helping people faster in the labour market. The solution was a web-based education based on four real-life cases depicted in dramatised film.

Our challenge

In the specification we received from Skolverket, there was a long list of knowledge requirements that the education would help the participants to achieve. The subject of validation is broad and, for a beginner, it is a lot of information to take in to be able to get started. The practical part of the validation process also requires practice. We needed to find a solution that combines facts with relevant and simple exercises. In turn, these needed to capture the aspects of the content that the participants might need to train more on. In addition, we wanted the content to reflect how the reality could look.

Our solution

We started from the different parts of the validation process and built up a web-based education based on four real-life cases depicted in the dramatised film. By answering questions and solving problems through the case, the participants took on the training, and thus continuously tested their knowledge. From this came an introductory and closing section with a presentation of the program or a final test. The four basic sections served as a broad introduction to validation. There was also a knowledge bank filled with additional in-depth material in the form of animated fact sequences, articles and literature tips for anyone who wants to learn more. The knowledge bank also served as a support for when the participants had to carry out exercise tasks in the education via direct links to relevant support material.

Our strengths

David Lundgren was Skolverket’s project manager for the initiative and worked in close collaboration with Learnify’s team during the work on the education. He was impressed by the scriptwriters’ ability to quickly familiarise themselves with a new topic and appreciated the pedagogical structure of the real-life cases. Another positive factor with working according to Learnify’s method was that we acted as partners rather than suppliers which David emphasised. This gave us both the opportunity to discuss internally, learn from each other and become strengthened as an organisation.