SACPLAN WORKSHOP ON EDUCATION

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SACPLAN WORKSHOP ON EDUCATION TRAINING ISSUES

• 6 September 2007
• OR Tambo Airport
• Gauteng
• Facilitated by Pravin Amar
• Chairperson of the Education Training Committee
  of SACPLAN

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Programme

• Welcome and Apologies
• Purpose of the Workshop
• The National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
• Key Observations on Planning Education from
  Participants
• SACPLAN Mandate on ETC Issues
• Key Questions and Issues
• Record of Outcomes of Workshop

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Purpose of the Workshop

• Gain an introduction to the National
  Qualifications Framework (NQF)
• Gain a clear understanding of SACPLANs legal
  mandate on Education Training (E T) issues
• Through the above, make key observations on
  planning education from particpants own
  expereinces and identify key issues in planning
  education as it relates to SACPLAN
• Identify an action plan to address the key
  planning education issues

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Methodology of the Workshop

• Presentation provides framework to guide the
  sequence
• Participants to feed into each others
  understanding
• Facilitation not Teaching approach
• Open Debate

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The NQF

• What is practiced actually ?

• What it is ?

• It sets the principles guidelines which provide
  a vision, philoshpical basis and an
  organisational strcuture for a qualifications
  system as a national resource
• Qualification records of learner achievement

• There is no national vision for qualifications
  in sectors
• Fragmented and varies between institutions
• Education not seen as national resource but as
  serving parochial interests
• Qualification no national record of achievement

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Key Issues Identified by Participants
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Key Features of the NQF

• A national education training system that
  provides quality learning
• Responsive to ever-changing influences
• Commitment to life-long learning
• Has clear learning pathways with access to
  mobility progression within career pathways
• Learner profile of the 21 Century to be flexible
  generalist (Christopher Ball)
• With skills knowledge values to adjust readily
  to multiple career changes
• Shift from education for employment to education
  for emplyability i.e. the notion of adaptive
  workforce

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Key Issues Identified by Participants
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Objectives of the NQF

• Create an integrated national framework for
  learner achievements
• Facilitate access to, mobility progression
  within E T and career paths
• Enhance the quality of E T
• Accelerate the redress of past discriminiation in
  E T and employment opportunities
• Contribute to full personal development of each
  learner and the social economic development of
  the nation

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Key Issues Identified by Participants
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The NQF outcomes based education

• Qualifications standards registered on the NQF
  are described in terms of learning outcomes that
  the qualifying learner must demonstrate
• So it more than just acquiring knowlegde but the
  biliity to apply that relevant knowledge to
  demonstrte that the learner can DO in terms of
  defined outcomes of that qualification
• Precedents of a NQF linked to outcomes based
  education in Europe Pacific Rim Australisia and
  South America

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Key Issues Identified by Participants
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Comparison of OLD NEW

• The New Knowledge

• Traditional Knowledge

• Emphasis on language through writing
• Open process of communication
• Formal and discvoipline-bound conventions

• Knowledge through action
• Skill
• Vocationalism
• Transferability
• Competence Outcomes
• Experiental learning
• Capability and Enterprise

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Comparison of OLD NEW

• Traditional Knowledge

• The New Knowledge

• Single site of learning school or university
• Qualification awarded before any practical
  competence is demonstrated and assessed
• Once qualification is awared, learning is over
  qualification as destination

• Sites of learning varied many
• Competence is assessed against learning outcomes
  and the qualification awarded applied
  competence
• Learning is life-long qualification as journey

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Critical Cross-field E T Outcomes

• Outcomes describe the qualities which the NQF
  identifies for development in learners within the
  E T system regardless of the specific area or
  content of learning
• Those outcomes deemed critical for the
  development of the capacity of life-long learners
• These outcomes are meant to direct the policy
  makers curriculum designers facilitators of
  learning as well as learners

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Critical Cross-field Outcomes

• Identify and solve problems using critical
  creative thinking
• Work effectively with others as a member of a
  team, group, organisation and community
• Organise and manage oneself and ones activities
  responsibly and effectively
• Communicate effectively using visual,
  mathematical and/or language skills in the modes
  of oral and/or written presentation
• Use science technology effectively and
  critically showing responsibiliity towards the
  environment health
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a
  set of related systems

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Critical Cross-field Outcomes

• Intention underlying any learning programme
• Reflect explore a variety of strategies to
  learn more effectively
• Participate as responsible citizens
• Be culturally and aesthetically sensitive in a
  range of social contexts
• Explore education and career opportunities
• Develop entrepreneurial opportunities

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Key Issues Identified by Participants
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An NQF Qualification must

• Represent a planned combination of learning
  outcomes with defined purpose, intended to
  provide qualifying learners with applied
  competence and a basis for further learning
• Add value to the qualifying learner by providing
  status, recognition, enhancing marketability and
  employability
• Provide benefits to society and the economy
• Comply with the objectives of the NQF
• Include both specific critical cross-field
  outcomes
• Where applicable, be internationally comparable

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An NQF qualification must

• Incorporate integrated assessment so that the
  purpose of the qualification is achieved (use
  both formative and summative methods)
• Indicate that the qualifications may be achieved
  in part or whole or in part through RPL
• KEY TO THE NQF APPLIED COMPETENCE

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Applied Competence

• Foundational understand what is being done
  why
• Practical demonstrated ability to do a
  particular thing
• Reflexive demonstrated ability to integrate or
  connect performance with the understanding
• CHALLENGE MEET SOCIETY NEEDS AND INDIVIDUAL
  NEEDS NOT THE NEEDS OF LEARNING INSTITUTIONS

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Key Issues Identified by Participants
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The NQF Levels Bands
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What is SAQA
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The SAQA Structures
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SACPLANs Legal Mandate on E T issues

• Contained in S4
• (a) Responsible to determine competency standards
  (with SAQA etc)
• (b) conduct accreditation visits to ANY
  educational institution offering planning
  programmes at least once every 5 years
• (c) May grant, conditionally grant, refuse or
  withdraw the accreditation of planning programmes
• (d) deal with matters wrt higher education with
  the HEQC
• (e) establish mechanisms for RPL

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• (f) liaise with the National Standards Body (NSB)
• (g) may enter into an agreement with any person
  or body, within or outside the RSA, with
  recognition of any examination or qualification
• (h) to advise and assist educational
  institutions, voluntary institutions, etc wrt to
  educational facilities for training of registered
  persons
• (i) prescribe assessment procedure for the above
• (j) facilitate the provision of continuing
  education training

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Key Issues Identified by Participants
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Summary of Key Issues Identified by Participants
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Action Steps to Address the Key Issues Identified