Facilitating access to higher education and promoting academic readiness through digital pedagogical implementation for recognition of prior learning: a South African case study

Abstract

For more than three decades, recognition of prior learning (RPL) has appeared as a pivotal mechanism in widening access to higher education, particularly for mature adult learners whose knowledge and skills have been acquired outside formal schooling. In South Africa, RPL has been embedded in post-apartheid policy frameworks as a strategy for equity, social justice, and epistemic redress. Despite its strong policy orientation, RPL practices have often been contested, unevenly applied, and limited in their pedagogical depth. This article examines the Portfolio Development Hybrid Programme (PDHP), a redesigned model for RPL implementation and undergraduate access at a South African university. Anchored in digital pedagogy, adult learning theory, and activity theory, the PDHP represents a significant curriculum renewal that aims to both validate experiential knowledge and strengthen academic readiness for higher education study. Drawing on a qualitative case study design, the article analyses the rationale, design, and outcomes of the PDHP. The findings suggest that embedding digital pedagogy within RPL delivery enhances candidates’ academic literacy, digital skills, and confidence, while also addressing structural inequities in access. The paper contributes to global debates on RPL by illustrating how digital innovations can transform RPL from a compliance-driven exercise into a specialised pedagogy that is transformative, inclusive, and future-oriented.