ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR LEARNING - IS IT WORTH IT - AN EVALUATION OF APILOT SCHEME

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is a relatively new process for both students and colleges of nursing and claims to offer many benefit s (Open University 1990, Fox et al 1992). This paper describes the fin dings of a study undertaken to determine students' experiences of the APL process and their perceptions of how the APL process developed the m. A sample of 14 students reported on the use of APL to obtain academ ic credit for a Level I Welsh National Board Framework Module. The res ults indicated both some difficulties and benefits associated with usi ng the APL process. The majority of students experienced difficulty in reflecting on prior learning and practice. This seemed to be due in p art to the students' reluctance to value their clinical learning exper iences. Many of the sample also reported difficulty in maintaining mot ivation over the period of time allocated to complete the APL process. All the students undertook the process in their own time and had to s ubmit the module summative assignment in addition to the APL evidence required. These factors may have further influenced motivational level s. Clear positive outcomes were that APL was felt to be a worthwhile p rocess, even increasing self-esteem for some individuals. It also enab led students to develop reflective writing skills and to value clinica l experience.