Can Entrepreneurship be assessed through a Prior Learning Assessment Process?

1. Can Entrepreneurship be assessed through a Prior Learning Assessment Process? Jason le Grange, Ph.D. (The Institute for Upskill and Development)

2. Entrepreneurship vs. New Venture Creation • Can it be recognized through prior learning? • Is there any value to this?

3. New Venture Creation • Definition of New Venture Creation • SAQA • Recognition of Prior Learning • -definitions • -challenges • -model for project

4. New Venture Creation • New Venture Creation has become a priority in South Africa due to the high level of unemployment. In response to the need to encourage entrepreneurship a qualification was designed and registered on the National Qualifications Framework to provide formal learning in the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes to encourage citizens that were unemployed or wishing to start their own ventures to do so.

5. NC: New Venture Creation aims to: • Develop appropriate skills and knowledge for the establishment and development of an enterprise. • Address the economic/administrative and behavioural barriers that contribute to failures in starting and sustaining an enterprise. • Create long-term solutions for job creation and SMME development via the building blocks and structure of a qualification that practically addresses the learning requirements of budding entrepreneurs.

6. Competency based assessment • The South African education system is a combination of competency based assessments- outcomes based methodology; and, • Traditional Higher Education where norm based assessment is used

7. South African Qualifications Authority • Act passed end 1995 • Combines education and training • Allows learners to transport qualifications • Improves quality of education • Make provision for various bodies and processes • “To ensure the development & implementation of the NQF which contributes to the full development of each learner & to social & economic development of the nation at large”

8. National Qualifications Framework • Ten level framework • Register of national standards and qualifications • Standards to be developed by industry (SETAs) and SGBs • Learners get credit for standards and qualifications • Emphasis is not on how learner acquires skill - but rather that he has it • Once standards/qualifications are registered any provider can use them

9. Outcomes based methodology • Competence is demonstrated through the assessment of cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains or knowledge, skills and attitudes.

10. Recongtion of Prior Learning -Definition “Recognition of prior learning means the comparison of the previous learning and experience of a learner howsoever obtained against the learning outcomes required for a specified qualification, and the acceptance for purposes of qualification of that which meets the requirements”. SAQA

11. Highlights • Learning can occur in all kinds of situations - formally, informally and non-formally, • Measurement or assessment of the learning must be done in relation to specific learning outcomes • If the RPL candidate meets the requirements, they should be awarded the qualification (or credits).

12. South African intention Objectives of RPL: • Facilitating access to, and mobility and progression within education, training and career paths; • Accelerating redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities.

13. Challenges • Recent OECD report on RPL in South Africa notes more needs to be done in terms of implementation. • “The team was surprised that there was little evidence of systematic use of RPL as a means for recognition of knowledge, skills and competencies towards employment for those who are unemployed or in informal or casual labour”(2009: 23).

14. Recent research findings-similar model • Le Grange, Tome and Botha (2010) Implementing Recognition of Prior Learning in a Blue-Collar Temporary Employment Services Environment. Services Sector Education Training Authority, Johannesburg. • National RPL project conducted by the Institute for Upskill and Development, Production Management Institute and the Services Sector Education Authority. • Various Temporary Employment Services companies over 2008-2009 • Five offices • Four provinces • 898 learners • Manufacturing or Wholesale and Retail industries

15. Recognition of Prior Learning Model (RPL model)Entrepreneurship • Diagnostic assessment to establish knowledge and skills gaps.

16. RPL model cont… • Gap training- • Due to the nature of the qualification the conventional facilitation only approach is not sufficient therefore the delivery of learning takes two approaches.

17. RPL model cont… • Facilitation- Theoretical aspects of the exit level outcome should be explored in addition to the gap training to ensure a standardized approach to learning.

18. RPL model cont… • Mentoring- The learners are provided with mentoring sessions 1:1 where they are able to gain skills from an experienced business coach and necessary knowledge and research opportunities for the exit level outcome being covered.

19. RPL model cont… • Coaching and assessment to ensure that learners are aware of expectations of what evidence requirements can be considered. • Portfolio based where learners will collect evidence against the standards required for the qualification.

20. Key findings • Resourcing of the initiative indicated that a significant amount of time had to be invested in the project working with individual learners. The evidence collection facilitator had to create the framework for the collection of “business” evidence but then also had to manage each learner’s collection process, remedial evidence requirements as well as work pressures.

21. Key findings cont… • The concept that recognition of prior learning assessment is a quicker and cheaper way of awarding qualifications is an assumption that does not match the realities of dealing with adult learners specifically in a workplace, even their own.

22. Key findings cont… • The time associated with the process is as much as in facilitated interventions if each learner is given the support and guidance that they require. In addition, the recognition of prior learning assessment works in terms of meeting a group of learners to discuss basic issues or to contextualize a workplace assignment, but there still needs to be individual attention given to each learner and the reality of a group completing according to one assessment plan may not be as easily realized.

23. Key findings cont… • More focus should be given to the role and training of the evidence collection facilitator who has to understand the process, the learner, the qualification and what evidence is suitable. Currently there is no unit standard for evidence collection facilitators specifically although this is covered in part in helping learners prepare evidence and recognition of prior learning in the assessor unit standard.

24. Conclusion • This is the first in a series of research to be conducted. • Implementation and impact analysis research to be concluded in second phase of project