Building on Competency

1. Building on Competency Dr Mike Nicholls Senior Lecturer Department of Education & Community Studies University of Greenwich – Avery Hill Campus Dr Jane Barnard Senior Lecturer Department of Education & Community Studies University of Greenwich – Avery Hill Campus Andy Gould Lecturer Centre for Work Based Learning University of Greenwich at Medway

2. Building on Competency • Aims of this workshop are to : • Explore the perceived gap between competence based learning and achievement and higher education intended learning outcomes; • Describe a general model whereby competency based outcomes can be aligned within higher education programmes • Propose a method by which credit awarded retrospectively (APL/RPLO) for such learning already achieved; • Explore issues around this topic and practice in other HE organisations.

3. Competence based assessment “Competence-based vocational assessment allows for a simple 'can do' approach in which the student can be assessed continuously either by an assessor or through self-assessment”. (CILT 2005)

4. Building on competency • Why are competence based outcomes important? • National Occupation Standards are designed in terms of competence based outcomes. • Previously these have been assessed as NVQ (or SVQ) awards. • Often “license to practice” has been vested in achivement of NOS / NVQ • New Apprenticeship Frameworks as proposed by Sector Skills Councils. • Essential to include these in relevant HE awards such as FDs.

5. (Mis-)Understandings? • Emphasis on practical skills • “Little evidence of knowledge & understanding” (Smithers, 1993, cited in Purcell, 2001) • No need to understand “why” ! • Only appropriate at vocational/technical level • Not at higher/professional level (Purcell, 2001) • “Many in the academic community view ‘competence’ as denoting a minimum standard which is not seen as compatible with Higher Education’s concern for excellence.” (Welborn, 1996) • “Academics in particular tend to see the highly prescriptive competence based approach as being antithetical to learning and teaching, …” (Singh, www.swap.ac.uk/learning/AssessSW4.asp) • What are your experiences?

6. e.g. HLTAs • Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) work alongside the teacher, providing support for teaching and learning activities. • Must demonstrate a set of 30 Occupational Standards (competencies) assessed in the workplace to achieve HLTA status • Professional Values and Practice • Knowledge & Understanding xxx • Teaching & Learning Activities • BUT need not demonstrate why!

7. HLTA professional standards • E.g. Planning and expectations • Those awarded HLTA status must demonstrate, through their practice, that they: • use their area(s) of expertise to contribute to the planning and preparation of learning activities • use their area(s) of expertise to plan their role in learning activities • devise clearly structured activities that interest and motivate learners and advance their learning • plan how they will support the inclusion of the children and young people in the learning activities, and • contribute to the selection and preparation of resources suitable for children and young people’s interests and abilities.

8. The framework for higher education qualifications • For Level 4 students must have demonstrated: • knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles associated with their area(s) of study, and an ability to evaluate and interpret these within the context of that area of study • an ability to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of their subject(s) of study. • (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), 2008)

9. Learning outcomes-emphasise “higher order cognitive skills” At the end of this module/course you should be able to……. analyse appraise apply calculate choose compare contrast create criticise demonstrate derive describe design develop differentiate discuss explain evaluate extrapolate formulate identify plan postulate predict present propose utilise (HE Academy http://www.physsci.heacademy.ac.uk/publications/primer/learnout.pdf)

10. Incorporating competence based occupational standards into Foundation Degrees A Dilemma ! Achievement of Occupational Standards represents valuable work based learning But - wrong “kind” and often wrong level (2,3 not 4,5) of learning.

11. Incorporting occupational standards within HE qualifications An example - Fd in Policing Kent Police / Canterbury Christ Church University partnership Synonymous with Probationary training Some Police Forces favoured an NVQ route

12. ...must incorporate 22 PSSO (now Skills for Justice) competence based Occupational Standards into a Foundation Degree structure Do you have examples from your own institutions?

13. PSSO (now Skills for Justice) standards 1A1 Use Police Actions in a fair & justified way 1A2 Communicate effectively with members of communities 1A4 Fostering people’s equality, diversity and rights. 1 B 9 Provide initial support to individuals 2A1 Gather and submit information 2C1 Provide an initial police responses to incidents. 2C2 Prepare for, and participate in, planned policing operations. 2C3 Arrest, detain or report individuals 2C4 Minimise and deal with aggressive and abusive behaviour 1D4 Contribute to the protection of children from abuse 2G2 Conduct Investigations 2G4 Finalise Investigations 2H1 Interview victims and witnesses 2H2 Interview Suspects 2I.1 Search Individuals 2I2 Search vehicles, premises and land 2J.1 Prepare and submit case files 2J2 Present evidence in court and at other hearings 2K1 Escort detained persons 2K2 Present detained persons for custody 4C1 Develop one’s own knowledge and practice 4G2 Ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety 4G4 Administer First Aid

14. Integration of learning outcomes with practice outcomes through assessment In no more than 2000 words: 1. Refer to an incident (for example a road traffic offence), which you encountered during Foundation Patrol (in OD3, or earlier) in which you conducted an investigation. 2. Briefly describe this incident and its outcome. 3. Refer in detail to the legislation that was used to identify the offence disclosed and also the procedure that was followed. 4. Demonstrate that your actions were justified, auditable, proportionate, authorised and necessary and that you considered diversity 5. Plan actions for future events 6. You must include full references to academic and /or professional literature in your answer. This task integrates LO 3 with 1A1.1, 1A1.2, 1A1.3 and other Practice Outcomes as appropriate.

15. What if competence-based awards have already been achieved? What if workers in a sector already have a vocational award, as “license to practice”? Can we give credit exemption (APCL) ? NO! as wrong “kind” of learning and probably wrong level (level 2,3 rather than 4,5). SOLUTION Fd structure can include a module which transposes “kind” and “level” of learning.

16. Building on Competency Janet - I think it gave us an awareness of the mental processing we already did when we did the HLTA. Chere - I will say that, for example, I’m going to evaluate this, and then I’ll write the outcomes and then I realise, no really, that I can’t evaluate that, so I’ll go back to re-write them – it might take me a while to work out what I really am going to do, but I get there. At the end of this course Students will have: Identified and reflected upon the learning outcomes and/or occupational standards of selected vocational competencies already achieved and which contribute to professional practice; Described and analysed significant past experiences and critical incidents in which these vocational learning outcomes have been practiced and which have subsequently influenced their professional behaviour, actions and thought processes; Identified and reflected upon the knowledge and understanding embedded in these past experiences and critically appraised the learning gained from this reflection; Present the evidence of this process of reflection, evaluation and audit in a written account which clearly articulates their learning in the body of knowledge of their chosen discipline and presented this in an academically referenced portfolio. THESE ARE HE1 (i.e Level 4) LEARNING OUTCOMES Chere- I think the thing is you do a lot of it and you don’t even realise you’re doing it, do you, and when you start to write it down you say, well actually, we really have progressed - it makes you aware of what you really have done, because you take so much for granted

17. Back to the HLTA Janet - Starting the programme was quite scary, but the Building on Competence was a good way of easing in, because you’re exploring something you really know about. • Within the Foundation degree in Applied Professional Studies • HLTA = 0 credit at Level HE4 • Building on Competence = 15 credits at HE4 • HLTA + Building on Competence = 45 HE4 credits • Because they can demonstrate they know why • – reflective practitioners! Do you do anything similar?

18. References • CILT (the National Centre for Languages) (2005) http://www.cilt.org.uk/home.aspx (accessed 24th October 2011) • Nicholls, M.K. Bryant, R. Kennett, R. Underwood, B. & Butterworth, D. (2005) Validation & quality assurance of Foundation Degrees- a case study of a Foundation Degree in Policing. Forward, issue 5 pp. 48-53. Foundation Degree Forward • Purcell, J (2001) National Vocational Qualifications and competence-based assessment. Education & Training, 43, 1 pp 30-39. • QAA (2008) The framework for higher education qualifications • http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/FHEQ08.pdf (accessed 24th October 2011) • Welborn, S. (1996) Management NVQs: a Developmental Route for Continuing Professional Development? http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/resources/heca/heca_pc15.pdf (accessed 24th October 2011)

19. Contact Dr Mike Nicholls m.nicholls@gre.ac.uk Dr Jane Barnard j.m.barnard@gre.ac.uk Andy Gould a.f.gould@gre.ac.uk