Bringing Formal and Nonformal Learning Closer Together: A Reflection on Crossovers in Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment and Learning Environments

Learner’s development is not confined to the classroom. Nonformal learning plays a major role in the development of knowledge, skills and competencies. This raises fundamental questions regarding the relationship between formal and nonformal learning, which are explored through a review of the literature and the analysis of public opinion survey data. The chapter reviews three contrasting positions on the nature of this relationship: an ‘academist’ position that prioritises the importance of formal education, a ‘pragmatist’ position that prioritises nonformal learning and an ‘integrationist’ position that is primarily concerned with the cross-fertilisation between both. While calls for better integration have been long-lasting, there has been little discussion on how this can be done. To address this gap the chapter identifies four areas for cross-fertilisation (curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and learning environments) and discusses some strategies and practices to bring formal and nonformal learning closer together. These practices problematise the view of an enduring and clear-cut separation between formal and nonformal education and expose a range of evolving models of collaboration. While these are promising in several respects, the chapter concludes with a few warnings, and a discussion of some of the challenges associated with greater integration, both practical and in terms of social (in)equality.