POLICY GUIDELINES ON STANDARD SETTING MAY 2008

Transcription

1 SEYCHELLES QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY POLICY GUIDELINES ON STANDARD SETTING MAY 2008 Version 1.0

2 Table of content Page 1. Introduction 1 2. Rationale 1 3. Role of Seychelles Qualifications Authority with regards to 1 Standards Setting 4. Legal Framework 2 5. Context of Unit Standards 2 6. Value of Unit Standards 2 7. National Unit Standards and the National Qualifications 2 Framework 8. Processes for the development of Unit Standards Classification of unit standards Core Standards Committee Composition and mandate of the Core Standards 3 Committee Appointment of Core Standards Committee Registration of the Core Standards Committee Conditions under which the Core Standards Committee 4 will operate 8.3 National Standards Setting Committees Composition and mandate of the National Standards 4 Setting Committees Appointment of the National Standards Setting 5 Committees Registration of the National Standards Setting Committees Responsibilities of the National Standards Setting 5 Committees 8.4 Method of payment 5 9. Generation of Standards Content of the Standards Content Proposed format of Unit Standards Modality for Standards Setting Approval of Unit Standards for registration Who approves Standards Stages in the approval process Approval of Standards will cover Principles guiding the approval process Review of Standards Development of database 12

3 Table of figures Page Figure 1. Structure for the development of Unit Standards 6 Figure 2. Process for the development of Unit Standards 7 Figure 3. Content of Unit Standards 9

4 SEYCHELLES QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY POLICY GUIDELINES ON THE SETTING OF STANDARDS FOR QUALIFICATIONS IN SEYCHELLES MAY 2008

5 1.Introduction With the new government strategy for doubling the GDP by 2017, the importance of training and obtaining a qualification cannot be taken lightly. The ability of the Seychelles economy to be internationally competitive depends on its capacity to be responsive to the challenges and opportunities flowing from changes in markets, technologies and its competitors performance. Higher productivity is dependent on a nation s ability to produce well-trained workers and organizations which enable employees in all areas and at all levels to develop and contribute to their potential. It is in contexts similar to this that standard setting has become the norm in many countries. It is a means by which education systems are regulated to ensure uniformity and clarity in the process of development of qualifications. In Seychelles today we have recognized the urgent need for education and/or qualifications to be standardized. However, for such a system to be implemented it is necessary for a policy to be established, underpinned by clear procedures which can be easily understood. Standard setting in the context of education and training will determine what a qualification should consist of, including the number of units, credits, objectives and performance criteria, the number of notional hours, and the range. Therefore establishment of standards will help to iron out many discrepancies which have existed in our system in determining the worth of certain qualifications. The approach of standard setting outlined in this policy will bring a dramatic change from the traditional forms of standard setting to agreed national unit standards where industry will need to play an important role. 2. Rationale Unit based standards provide explicit statements of what an individual needs in order to successfully practice as a professional. Having clear sets of standards help to remove misunderstandings both inside and outside the profession. Unit based standards offer a sound basis for judgment about entry to and progression within professions. It also establishes a fairer method for the recognition of previously acquired competencies in an informal setting. In the process of setting standards different bodies must work together to achieve a common understanding. 3. Role of Seychelles Qualification Authority with Regards to Standard Setting The Seychelles Qualifications Authority (SQA) will take the overall responsibility of defining national unit standards in all fields where education and training take place. It will establish policy and procedures for the validation of standards in education and training. At the same time, it is worth noting at the outset that standard setting is to be done jointly with the participation of industry, training institutions and professional bodies which will also form the designated National Standard Setting Committees. To lead the work of standard setting the appointed SQA Standard Setting Officer will take the role of the focal person responsible for coordinating all aspects of work to do with standard setting including liaising with other stakeholders, and the formation of committees to develop, maintain and review the standards. 1

6 4. Legal Framework Standards setting is one of the functions mandated to the Seychelles Qualifications Authority as per the law which established the organization. Standards setting will be an integral element of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). In line with this broad mandate the SQA has been given the responsibility to promote the quality and standards of education and training through a system of accreditation, validation and quality assurance. In developing a standards setting system, the SQA will also facilitate learners access to and progression within the national education and training system as required. 5. Context of National Unit Standards 5.1 National Unit Standards 1 Unit standards are nationally agreed statements of knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and special attributes needed to carry out work roles or sets of tasks in a particular occupation and the criterion to be used to determine the achievement at a specified minimum level of performance. The need for a clear framework for national unit standards is becoming more pressing and training providers need to be assisted in delivering training courses that are relevant to the needs of industry. This will lead to greater portability and transferability of qualifications and competencies. As a result it will create an incentive for individuals to seek training and also facilitate adjustment to structural changes in the economy. A stable framework is also critical in enabling nationally consistent assessment and certification, otherwise both employees and employers will not see the value of working within a standards based system. As industries and organizations are small in the Seychelles context, one has to take a simple and flexible approach to standards setting, so that industry and enterprise performance outcomes can be integrated in the national system of education and training. Flexibility is also necessary to enable standards to evolve as technology, work organization and market structures change. 6. Value of National Unit Standards Standards setting in education and training refers to the systematic classification of qualifications according to their level on the NQF, level descriptors, number of units and the number of credits. Once these have been established, it will then be easier to use those identification strategies to classify specific courses and qualifications and distinguish between them. 7. National Unit Standards and the NQF SQA will align standards on the NQF in the light of information gathered during the development and review process of standards. The NQF will be used to organize the level of unit standards which consist of various levels which are applied to a hierarchy of job classifications, each of which is associated with a specific award naming system. The SQA will need to agree as to whether the standards presented 1 The term National in the context of Standard Setting means unit standards which are designed nationally and have been registered under the framework regulations. 2

7 are equivalent to the levels indicated on the qualifications map, and these decisions should be based on the actual work requirements. The NQF can also be used to consider the relationship between standards within a given industry or occupation, across industries and occupations thus identifying career pathways, skill requirements and training needs. This will also help to achieve articulated pathways, providing for greater efficiency in the recognition of prior learning (RPL), and will facilitate national, regional and international portability of qualifications. Thus national unit standards can be seen as a means of ensuring quality control, industry relevance and appropriate linkages in education and training. 8. Processes for the Development of National Unit Standards 8.1 Classification of Standards For the time being there is no coherent system for the classification of the qualifications/unit standards. It has been the practice to use existing sectors, for example tourism, agriculture, health and social studies, maritime, industry and technology, business studies, art and design, advanced studies. However, these sectors have been found to be too broad a system as it makes classification of qualification standards cumbersome. The SQA will consider the existing sectors and decide on a fields and subfields system that will facilitate classification of the qualification standards once they are developed. The number and type of fields will need to be specified and each NSSC will be responsible for one field. 8.2 Core Standards Committee A Core Standards Committee (CSC) will be set up. It will be responsible to oversee the work of standards development including the review of standards prior to final submission to the SQA for approval. The CSC will also be involved in the development of new standards and ensure that standards developed meet the national requirements Composition and mandate of CSC The Core Standards Committee will comprise members from the SQA, the Ministry of Education and the relevant industry. The CSC will be responsible for the tasks mentioned below: overseeing the work of standards development by the NSSCs reviewing of standards prior to final approval submitting the standards for registration on the qualifications map Appointment The Core Standards Committee will be appointed by the Executive Director of the Seychelles Qualifications Authority Registration period of the CSC The Core Standards Committee will be a permanent committee appointed by the Seychelles Qualifications Authority to oversee the work of standards development. 3

8 The CSC will report all aspects of work related to the development of standards on a quarterly basis to the Board of the SQA Conditions under which the CSC will operate The CSC shall meet on a monthly basis to review the work being done by the Standards Setting Committees. In the event that a particular standards setting committee encounters unforeseen delays, the CSC shall intervene to ensure that the work at hand is completed at the appropriate time. 8.3 National Standards Setting Committees (NSSCs) Various designated committees, which consist of experts of respective occupational fields will form the teams that will be entrusted with the task of setting standards. These committees, using any of the mechanisms described below, will need to analyze materials already available, identify gaps and improve on those shortcomings. The NSSCs will seek to draw on a wide range of understanding of an industry or occupational area. The committees will constitute of members from the industry, Ministry of Education, training providers and professional organizations. Apart from their role of providing overall management of the process, the NSSCs will also work to ensure that the standards developed meet their purpose and are acceptable and useful for the industry or occupation concerned. NSSCs will need to harness a wide range of understanding using representatives, specialist working groups (panels), experts, and practitioners in the industry or occupational area. Moreover, since there are already committees which have been formed to work on the development of new courses, it is viable that those same working groups are used to develop the standards The SQA s role will be to ensure the generation of standards in industry and occupations in line with already established standards in other industries and countries. The SQA has the overall responsibility for the quality of standards developed and to ensure consistency. The NSSCs will have a time frame of up to six months in which to develop and submit the standards for each respective field. Apart from the standards themselves, a quarterly report detailing all aspects of work related to the development of standards shall be submitted to the SQA by each committee on an agreed format and time. Each committee shall also submit a work plan for their activities to the SQA Composition and mandate of the NSSCs NSSCs will include representatives from the following groups at least: employers, employees, education and training providers in the particular industry, professional bodies and the government. NSSCs will consist of members from what are now called the Lead Curriculum Development Teams (LCDs) plus experts of respective occupational fields, who will be entrusted with the task of translating curriculum objectives and standards into national unit standards. Apart from their role in managing the overall process, the 4

9 NSSCs will also work to ensure that the standards developed meet the intended purpose, and are acceptable and useful for the industry or occupation concerned. These committees, using any of the mechanisms described below, will need to analyze materials already available, identify gaps and improve on those shortcomings. The work of NSSCs shall be as follows: undergo training on the development of standards translate the objectives and standards from the curriculum development programme into national qualifications standards submit the national standards to the CSC for review and approval submit the final national standards for registration Appointment of the NSSCs The National Standards Setting Committees will be appointed by the SQA in consultation with the Core Standards Committee following approval from the SQA Board Registration of the NSSCs The National Standards Setting Committees will be appointed by the SQA for a period of up to one (1) year for the work of standards development after which the authority will review their mandate for possible re-election Responsibilities of the NSSCs In the standards setting activity the NSSCs in consultation with other stakeholders will have the overall responsibilities for: General project planning Consultation and communication Establishing parameters for the activity and considering a framework for standards development Establishing a methodology for unit standards analysis, validation and review Developing recommendations for endorsement and review Considering a mechanism for conflict resolution (all decision making will be based on consensus Ensuring that all standards will have national application 8.4 Method of Payment Payment will be made to the committees on a monthly basis based upon an agreed contract. The payment will be effected upon submission of groups of standards for individual units and/or qualifications as per agreed contract. 5

10 Seychelles Qualifications Authority Approve standards and ensure their implementation and compliance to regulations Core Standard Setting Committee (SQA, MOE) Training of NSSC and oversee the development of standards for approval by SQA. Designate NSSC to develop new standards LCD NSSC Develop standards for approval LCD NSSC Develop standards for approval LCD NSSC Develop standards for approval LCD NSSC Develop standards for approval Figure 1: Structure for the Development of Standards 9. Generation of Standards National unit standards will be generated using the following modalities: Via the existing Competency Based Approach process By generating new standards By adapting existing international standards CBA The CBA is already being implemented in various training institutions to develop new courses. The aim of such an approach is to take into consideration the needs of the industry prior to the designing of a course so that the learner can join the profession with the right competencies required to perform the job. Generating New Standards There are some areas where there are virtually no standards available. In such cases standards will need to be developed using the entire process. This will entail conducting a job analysis of the industry or occupation and deriving the competencies from which the standards will be developed. Adapting Existing International Standards For some particular occupations where it is not viable to develop new standards due to the size of the workforce, standards that already exist internationally will be used and adapted to suit the local context. 6

11 After completing the exercise and from the information obtained the various designated committees will derive the unit standards which will then be presented to the SQA for approval. NSSCs develop standards as per agreed guidelines NSSC submit standards to core committee Core committee reviews standards Recommends necessary changes Standards and qualifications are approved Core committee submits standards and qualifications to SQA for approval and registration on NQF Figure 2: Process for the Development Of Unit Standards 10. Content of the Standards National unit standards are expressed through an agreed standard format. For standards to be able to foster transferability of competencies across different contexts, the links between different standards need to be visible to avoid possible duplication of standards. Using a consistent standards format helps meet this aim Content Unit Standard A unit standard is a registered statement of a discreet area of competence and desired education and training outcomes and its associated assessment criteria together with administrative and other information (e.g. standard and level numbers, number of credits etc.). 7

12 A unit standard consist of the following: a) Element of Competence Each unit standard includes a number of elements. An element is a precise description of what a person should be able to do in an occupational area. It is also a description of action, behaviour, or outcome which the person should be able to demonstrate. (i) Performance Criteria There are several performance criteria associated with each element. Performance criteria are evaluative statements which specify the required level of performance. They provide the outcomes by which the elements of competency and units can be judged by an assessor as being performed to the level acceptable in employment. They consist of general statements where the activities, skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding, that prove competent performance, are specified. (ii) Range Statement Range statements elaborate the statement of competence by making explicit the contexts to which the elements and performance criteria apply. Also, they put limits on the requirements to ensure a consistent interpretation. In particular they should be used to define the breadth of competence required, and may also act as a reminder of conditions under which the competence is expected but may not be immediately obvious. 8

13 Statement of competency Unit of competency 1.1 Performance criteria + range statement 1 Element of competency 1.2 Performance criteria + range statement 1.3 Performance criteria + range statement 2.1 Performance criteria + range statement 2 Element of competency 2.2 Performance criteria + range statement 2.3 Performance criteria + range statement Figure 3: Content of Unit Standards 11.0 Proposed Format of Unit Standards Title Main outcome for which an individual can be recognized (statement of competency). Type of competencies Whether specific, essential or elective competencies Standard Number Registration Number Level Number Standard Level on the NQF Number of Credits Credit attached to the level 9

14 Field / Sub-field Specifies the field under which the unit standard falls Issue Date Date when the standard is approved and registered on the framework Review Date Date by which the standard will be reviewed Purpose Summarizes the sub-outcome of the standard and gives an indication of who would benefit from the standard and/or the field of study which it is intended for Elements Provide more detailed information of the expected outcome and specify the components giving a clear understanding of the nature of the title Performance Criteria Defines the requirements that make it possible to judge the attainment of the elements of the competency Range Statement Specifies the context under which the element can be expected to be achieved 12. Modality for Standards Setting One of the strategies used in establishing national unit standards is the Job Analysis. This involves a detailed analysis of the tasks and competencies of an occupation. A process for the development of competency-based (CBA) courses where the analysis of an occupation is performed is already established. The aim of such an approach is to take into consideration the needs of the industry prior to the designing of a course so that the learner can join the profession with the relevant competencies required to perform the job. Therefore, the CBA will be the prescribed process that will be used in the development of unit standards by NSSCs. However, the following key points should be kept in mind when setting standards. The process used should: 1. Analyze the functions of an industry or occupation and the knowledge, skill, attitude etc. of individuals that enable professional work to be carried out competently; 2. Involve the labour market; 3. Be practical and cost effective; 4. Lead to wide endorsement / approval of the standards by the industry or occupation; 5. Produce standards that can be assessed effectively; 6. Be guided by the sort of information relevant to the field being investigated. 10

15 13. Approval of Standards for registration Standards developed will need to go through a process of approval before they are recognized as national unit standards for the area being investigated. They are thus approved as such for the profession, occupation or industry. National unit standards will be approved by the SQA Who approves Standards Once the standards are developed, they are reviewed by the SQA for approval and eventually for registration on the framework. It is the responsibility of the Core Standards Committee to appoint a representative who will forward the standards to the SQA Stages in the Approval Process The National Standards Setting Committee comprising members from the Ministry of Education (MoE), industry and professional bodies have the responsibility for putting standards forward for SQA approval. In their proposal NSSCs should recommend the appropriate level on the NQF at which the standards should be registered. The SQA will consider the standards and the level at which they should be registered Approval of Standards will cover: The groups of standards brought together to comprise national unit standards at given levels The alignment of standards with the NQF The method used for the alignment of standards 13.4 Principles Guiding the Approval Process As the authority considers the standards presented for approval, the following areas will be examined: The consultative arrangements followed The type of standard being presented (industry, enterprise or professional) Content and format Development process of the standard The proposed alignment of the standard Implementation issues The extent to which the standard takes into consideration people with special needs The articulation of the standard with other standards within the framework 13.5 Review of Standards The ongoing review of standards by the NSSCs is a critical aspect of ensuring that standards respond to the changing needs of the industry or occupation and that the SQA s policies for national standards continue to be observed. The following guidelines are to be observed in respect of review of standards: 11

16 i. the maintenance of national standards is the primary responsibility of the SQA through NSSCs ii. all standards will need to be reviewed within a certain period not exceeding 5 years from the date of their initial approval iii. the purpose of the review is to validate the standards in the light of experience derived from implementation and having considered changes in the structure, technology, economic environment and workplace organization common to the industry iv. the review should consider the following: - the technical quality of the standards - industry use and acceptance of the standards as benchmarks for vocational training arrangements and recognition of prior learning - consistency and overlap with standards in related industries - the possible existence of bias in the standards - the reliability of the standards when used as a basis for assessment - the appropriateness of the alignment with the NQF 14. Development of Database The SQA will be required to develop and maintain a database of standards. This will record endorsed standards and their alignment to the NQF. SQA may not have to create a new database as there are existing facilities in some government department. To avoid duplication of information storage, the qualifications authority will liaise with relevant stakeholders to establish a centralized data base system which will be accessible to everyone for their particular needs and ensure that people make the right choices as regards academic advancement. It is also important that the issue of security is well discussed so that personal information on candidates achievements are not accessible to the public. 12

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