APL: Developing more flexible colleges

The keystones for provision in the new era of Further Education will be flexibility of response, open access, equality of opportunity, and valuing and accrediting alternative ways of learning - all linked together within the concepts of providing life-long learning opportunities. The provision of APL, along with the support services needed to ensure its success, can be used as the `acid test' of whether a college is truly open and accessible to a variety of learners. Written by an experienced manager, this book offers invaluable advice for other managers and senior staff engaged in transforming their colleges to meet students' needs.

Introduction 1.The Alternative Focus of Accreditation of Prior Learning 2.The Shaping of Today's Colleges 3.External Pressures for Change 4.College Responses: Teaching and Learning Frameworks 5.College Accreditation and Assessment Services 6.The shape of tomorrows colleges 7.Developing a distinct mission for the college 8.Widening Participation 9.Attracting Potential Students 10.Enabling students to succeed 11.Organisational Factors Affecting Flexibility 12.Managing Change: Assessing the amount of change required 13.Managing Change: Change models 14.Managing the resistance to change