From the absurd patent department, "Method and System for Automated Collection of Evidence of Skills and Knowledge." It's a patent pending from an Australian company assigned to a Mr. Smith (seriously) that basically gives them control over online recognition of prior learning (RPL, aka prior learning recognition, PLR or PLAR). According to the company, "Any company that provides a customer with an upload facility requesting information pertaining to a Nationally Accredited Unit of Competency or training programme needs to purchase a license from RPL Central, and use the RPL Wizard." This of course is ridiculous, and the patent should be challenged. There has been a flurry in Australia's online learning sector, including one email stating "If it is contested, then Mr Smith has to prove that the VET sector has NOT been doing this sort of thing for the last ten years, therefore the sector has ‘prior art' and this nonsense should be stopped."
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