Professional Documents
Culture Documents
GUIDELINES FOR
PROGRAMME VALIDATION
June 2004
Telephone:
Facsimile
info@bota.org.bw
Website:
www.bota.org.bw
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
FOREWORD............................................................................................................................ 3
II.
III.
DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................................................... 5
1.0
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 12
2.0
3.0
4.0
4.2
4.2.2
4.3
4.4
Validation Panels....................................................................................................21
4.5
5.0
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................... 22
6.0
REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 23
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
i.
FOREWORD
First and foremost I want to express my gratitude to Mrs R G Masisi and Mr V Otsheleng of the
Curriculum Division for having initiated the development of these guidelines.
This document is meant to guide vocational training institutions on quality requirements to be met
when submitting their application packages for accreditation. Programmes and courses submitted
by institutions as part of their application will undergo a process of validation as expressed by this
document.
The purpose of these guidelines is to provide basis for a nationally consistent, high quality
vocational training system that meets the needs of the economy of Botswana and the learner. The
quality requirements underpinned by these guidelines are guided by the accreditation regulations.
The key objective of BOTA is to ensure that institutions continue to meet the quality requirements
by putting in place systems that can support and sustain programmes they offer.
Peter R Fleming
Director, Quality Assurance Department
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
ii.
BNVQF
ACD
BOTA
CD
Curriculum Division
CEO
DQA
ISO
RAD
VT
Vocational Training
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
iii.
DEFINITIONS
Access and equity refers to strategies used to open vocational training to all individuals
in the community, particularly focusing on those groups that have been traditionally under
represented eg access by women and the disabled (ANTA 2003, p. 22).
Aligned curricula refers to the curricula developed following the curriculum alignment
processes as stated in the BOTA Guidelines for Preparing Curricula Linked to Unit
Standards
Assessment refers to identified methods that will be used to indicate whether or not a
person has attained an outcome of learning. It is a process for collecting and interpreting
evidence of ability or competence. It involves:
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
making decisions about what the evidence says about the knowledge and skills of
a person.
The assessor obtains from the unit standard a benchmark against which to make their
decisions. Assessment may take place as and when the learner is ready. Where the
interpretation of evidence is against transparent performance criteria, assessment can be
referred to as standards-based.
Attitudes refer to performance of skills or use of knowledge within the value system of the
company and society (Strong and Vorwerk, 2001).
Attribute refers to the quality belonging to or forming part of the nature of a person
(Strong and Vorwerk 2001).
Award is the conferment of a qualification or unit standard. The award would follow formal
assessment processes and report the attainment of a meaningful and coherent cluster of
outcomes or results of learning or training.
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
individual with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and habits relevant to the
requirements for the award of a unit standard or qualification.
Credit is a value assigned to a unit standard or qualification that represents the notional
learning time required to meet the performance requirements and standards of the unit
standard or qualification. One credit equates to 10 hours of notional learning time.
Element (of competence) refers to an outcome of learning that is a component of the title
of a unit standard.
Flexible delivery refers to an approach to training that enables a variety of ways in which
clients can learn and demonstrate competence. Clients can choose, what, where and how
they learn, and are provided training that suits their individual learning needs and styles
(ANTA 2003, p. 22).
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
Flexible learning refers to the provision of a range of learning modes or methods, giving
learners greater choice of when, where and how they learn.
Formal learning refers to learning that is largely directed by professional educators and
trainers within dedicated learning organisations. Informal Learning has a less formal
structure and sequence and is usually outside of organisations that have education and
training as their core business.
Generic skills refers to (often called core or key skills) the skills required to socialise
and prepare the learner for the ever-changing needs of the world of work (eg Numeracy,
Problem Solving, Team Skills, Entrepreneurship, Information, Communication and
Technology, Communication, Self Management, Work Ready and HIV/AIDS).
Job specification refers to a description of what the job demands of the employee who
does it and the human skills that are required. It is a profile of the human characteristics
needed by the person performing the job. These requirements include experience,
training, education, and physical and mental characteristics (Cohen and Manion 1996).
there are many opportunities for talking, sharing and collaborating (Edwards P.
2003 Home page).
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
Philosophy refers to the external needs to be satisfied (political, economical, social and
technological), which include the graduate profile. In most cases the funding body for a
programme will determine the shape and form the curriculum will take.
Primary research refers to the research that had a direct physical relationship with the
events being reconstructed. This category would include the written and oral testimony
provided by actual participants in, or witness of, an event, but also the participants
themselves. Documents considered as primary source include manuscripts, charters, files,
letters, official publications etc (Cohen and Manion 1996).
Relevance refers to being pertinent to the matter at hand or applicable to social issues
(Your Dictionary.com 2003 home page).
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
Research refers to the range of approaches used to gather data which can be used as
basis for inference and interpretation, for explanation and prediction (Cohen and Manion
1996).
Secondary research refers to the research that does not bear a direct physical
relationship to the event being studied. It is made up of data that cannot be described as
original. Secondary research would thus be one in which the person describing the event
was not actually present but who obtained descriptions from another person or source
(Werther and Davis 1993).
Skill refers to the ability to do, consistently, confidently and accurately (Strong and
Vorwerk 2001).
brigades,
technical
colleges,
colleges
of
education,
private
training
establishments, government training establishments, work based and work place training.
Unit is a single element, section or item, regarded as the lowest subdivision of a whole.
Unit of learning is a statement of the training and learning approaches, context and
content, resources and the range and number of assessments. An institution develops
these delivery details for training purposes.
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
10
Unit standard refers to a registered statement of the outcomes of learning assessed, the
type and quality of evidence that represents performance worthy of the award of credits,
and the contexts in which that evidence should be demonstrated.
Validity refers to the programme/curriculum having value or a strong firm base, that
curriculum development can be used to defend. It is appropriate in kind and, within that
kind, sufficiently complete and addresses the identified needs.
Vetting Committee refers to the BOTA committee that evaluates decisions emanating
from the DQA quality assurance processes.
Web-based training refers to the training that is available in the web site.
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
11
1.0
INTRODUCTION
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
12
2.0
INPUTS
Learners
Trainers
Curricula
Society
Learning Resources
Graduate etc
PROCESS
Learning
Training
Work placement
Research etc
PRODUCTS
Artisans
Technicians
Operators
Caterers
Receptionists
Clerks
Soldiers
Miners etc
Feedback loop
International Standards Organisation 9000 Standard of the year 2000 (ISO 9000:2000) is a quality
management system that most manufacturing and service providing companies, locally and
internationally, have adapted. BOTA as a service-providing organisation has also adapted the
system to ensure that the services provided are of international standard. It is an ISO 9000
requirement that every process is documented hence the production of this document.
ISO 9000:2000 places more emphasis on involvement and commitment of management. In VT as
in the manufacturing industry, quality assurance is usually driven by senior management, who
pass it through managers of training and finally cascade it down through a step-by-step process.
The ISO system for managing quality recognises that the starting point of managing quality is full
understanding of process approach. The illustration above is the perception of process flow in
curriculum development and delivery for VT.
Inputs are usually the elements that have gone through a certain stage of processing, but
sometimes raw - ie having not undergone any form of relevant vocational training. Various
elements are combined and processed to make up a product. In the case of VT, inputs are
learners, trainers, resource centres, facilities, funds, curriculum, and society just to list but a few.
The society sees curriculum as a way in which skilled human resources for industry/employment
can be made available, hence the need for curriculum developers to identify the knowledge, skills,
and attributes (KSA) required as building blocks for curriculum. Learners as they will be subjected
to the curriculum see it as a way of developing themselves to meet what ever their interests are,
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
13
and most importantly their expectations should be fulfilled. It is therefore important that curriculum
development continues to identify the critical KSA needed for a quality workforce and successful
employment in an occupation (industry) and for the learner as an individual.
The process is facilitation of change from one form to the other. Learning is a process in which
the KSA of an individual can be moulded to meet certain job specifications and societal roles. One
needs to acknowledge that learning can be influenced by a number of variables such as personal
ability (physical or mental), prior learning, learning approaches and society. These variables
should be identified and harnessed for successful implementation of curriculum and should not be
used as barriers for training/learning.
The product is determined by the input and the process hence the need to have a well balanced
mix of the two. It is important to predetermine and continuously review an ideal product of
learning, for VT to meet the ever changing needs of industry, society and learners as individuals
hence the continuous development of curriculum. The product of training/learning can also be
used to inform curriculum developers on the validity of the programme through tracer studies. In
other words the process flow diagram shown above is cyclic in operation rather than linear.
3.0
Upon submission of the application pack for accreditation from a VT institution, BOTA records it in
the BOTA files and database, before passing it to the Finance Office. It is a requirement that for
an application pack to be processed, an application fee at prevailing rate must be paid.
From the Finance Office where the application fee is recorded, the application pack is passed to
RAD to be evaluated against set criteria. This division will then pass the application pack for
further processing to CD and ACD to have input on issues related to curriculum/programme
development and assessment respectively.
CD will be expected to validate programmes, which form part of the application pack using the
validation criteria (see section 4.3). Validation process will be verifying whether the development
of programme(s) followed quality curriculum development processes eg Guidelines for
Preparing Curricula Linked to Unit Standards. The outcome of validation is communicated to
RAD, any supplementary information required is communicated to the VT institution in question
through the Director of Quality Assurance. Access to information on application is restricted to
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
14
authorised persons only. RAD will aggregate its findings with those from CD and ACD to
determine whether or not an institution should be accredited.
4.0
PROGRAMME VALIDATION
4.1
What is Validation
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
15
4.2
As part of accreditation, RAD submits the application pack from VT institution to CD for the
purpose of validating the programme(s). The programme and documentation of programme
development would normally form part of the accreditation pack. CD signs for recieving the
programme package and/or documentation of the programme received from RAD. A list of
contents of the package is compiled by CD for record keeping.
BOTA Curriculum Development Specialist would scrutinise the document(s) against the
programme validation check list. The document(s) submitted will provide evidence to determine if
an institution can provide a suitable vocational training and institutional/industrial environment for
implementing the proposed programme(s).
The key areas to be considered include identification of needs and input sources, programme
development, piloting of the programme, revision and amendment, programme implantation, and
programme evaluation. At present, an institution is required to have been registered or in the
process of being registered for validation to be undertaken.
The CD Specialist or a panel engaged by BOTA will make a recommendation with respect to
approval or non approval of the programme on the programme validation check list at the close of
validation. Once validation is done, the report is submitted to CD Coordinator to check if quality
procedures were followed and report the outcome to RAD Coordinator. The CD Coordinator may
recommend redoing of validation if any inconsistencies or irregularities are noticed.
Once validation is done the programme package is handed back to RAD and signed for.
4.2.1
When unit standards are developed they will express outcomes of learning and VT institutions will
be expected to link their curricula to the available unit standards. BOTA has provided guidance on
curriculum alignment and development process through the Guidelines for Preparing Curricula
Linked to Unit Standards (BOTA 2004), which should be followed.
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
16
4.2.2
During this transition period when unit standards are being/to be developed it is recommended
that programmes be developed such that they explicitly express expected outcomes of learning.
4.3
CD or programme validation panel will scrutinise the submitted programme(s) using the criteria
below.
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
17
BOTA Requirements
Evidence Required
1.
Identification of Needs
and Input Sources
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
18
Area
2.
Programme
Development
BOTA Requirements
Evidence Required
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
19
Area
BOTA Requirements
3.
Piloting (trial run of the
programme)
4.
Revision and
Amendment (ie as a
result of the piloting
process)
5.
Programme
Implementation
6.
Programme Evaluation
Evidence required
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
20
assess before implementation that the programme will meet the expectations and quality
requirements of BOTA;
ensure that learners will be provided with the opportunity to achieve identified and
agreed outcomes of learning;
explore issues relating to validity and appropriateness of the structure and content of the
programme;
A validation panel may be comprised of members from the industry, trainers, assessors, and
institutions of higher education.
weeks before the Vetting Committee meeting, which takes place once a month.
The time required for completing the validation predominantly depends on the size of the
programme(s), organisation of material submitted for accreditation and whether the institution is
likely to meet the validation criteria. It is estimated that validation of one programme where all
required materials submitted would take one to two days.
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
21
5.0
CONCLUSION
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
22
6.0
REFERENCES
g) Cohen, Louis and Manion, Lawrence (1996); Research Methods in Education. 4th ed;
London; Routledge.
h) Edwards Pamela (2003); Student Centred Learning [Online];
http://www.tedi.uq.edu.au/TEN/TEN_previous/TEN6_97/ten6news1.html; Accessed
[November 2003].
i)
j)
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
23
BOTA will be recognised nationally and internationally for creating a quality vocational training system
24