Abstract Living in learning societies encourages learning outside the classroom. Alongside this reality, higher education institutions have been incorporating policies and procedures that support recognition of prior learning (RPL). This development means establishing adequate RPL assessment practices. Our empirical study at the Aalto University Language Centre investigates the networked nature of prior learning among RPL seekers as a means to inform the RPL of English assessment. To examine this, we gathered anonymous data on the type and range of prior learning among 273 students seeking RPL of English. This preliminary study showed three elementary prior learning types: work experience, self-study and leisure activities – which primarily involved using English as a lingua franca. To discover and visualise frequently co-occurring activities, we employed data mining. The analysis revealed the networked nature of prior learning of English. Moreover, the common working-life tasks that emerged from the data differ greatly from those in the RPL of English test. The difference implies that a learner-centred assessment, such as a portfolio, would be a better alternative for RPL than formal testing. It also implies that the English curriculum needs to be updated to align it better with industry needs.

中文翻译：

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认可英语学习能力：测试还是评估？

摘要生活在学习型社会中鼓励在教室外学习。伴随着这一现实，高等教育机构已经纳入了支持承认先验学习（RPL）的政策和程序。这种发展意味着建立适当的RPL评估实践。我们在阿尔托大学语言中心进行的实证研究调查了RPL寻求者中先前学习的网络性质，以此作为向RPL提供英语评估的一种手段。为了检验这一点，我们在273名寻求英语RPL的学生中收集了有关先前学习类型和范围的匿名数据。这项初步研究显示了三种基本的先验学习类型：工作经验，自学和休闲活动-主要涉及使用英语作为通用语言。为了发现并可视化经常发生的共同活动，我们采用了数据挖掘。分析揭示了事先学习英语的网络性质。此外，从数据中得出的常见工作生活任务与英语测试的RPL中的任务有很大不同。两者之间的差异意味着，以学习者为中心的评估（例如组合）将比正式测试更好地替代RPL。这也意味着需要更新英语课程，以使其更好地适应行业需求。