Folkuniversitetet UppsalaDepartment for International Cooperation

Ali Rashidi & Yevgeniya Averhed

Quality Assurance in (A) VET andLabour Market training

CQAF-VET

Changes in labour force by age up to 2020: 15 - 24 - /- 4 million 25 - 34 -/- 1 million 35 – 44 - /- 2,5 million 45 – 54 + 2 million 55 – 64 + 6 million

Demographic tendencies: Northern Europe: stable decrease

Result: additional constraints on organizations policyNeed: adapt HRM policy

Qualifications level of population: year 2000 up to 2020:Low qualifications: 43,3% 25,2%Medium qualifications: 41,1% 48,2%High qualifications: 15,6% 26,6%

Qualification level of jobs , 2010 – 2020:Low qualified jobs: 20% 15%Medium qualified jobs: app 50% app 50%High qualified jobs: 29% 35%

And: participation of adults in learning is stagnatingNeed: adapt HRM and HRD policy

All efforts at individual side? All initiative at individual side? Or Forced learning? Individual choices, motives <–> organizational context, goals; Flexibility (broad) versus specialism; Lack of expertise building, clear career paths; Need for security and stability of worker; Who’s problem?

ISO, EFQM typical frameworks (all areas of an organization)

Investors in People, addressing HRM/HRD area (UK)

Baldridge Award for Educational Excellence (US)

CQAF (A)VET (EU)Specific for content and methods, organizing and learner

Need for (international) competitiveness Need EU and national labour market Need customer side Need of organizations Need of staff

But does everybody automatically participate in skills upgrading and LLL ??

Why do we need QA and QA frameworks as an organization?

Question 3

Customer satisfaction (did you get what you asked for, needed) Stakeholder satisfaction, awareness Increase competitiveness Continuous improvement Warning system for change Creation of joined focus on ambition and goals Positive motivation for learning, learning environment Was chosen training useful?

Educational process

input

Regulations legislationEthics

Out-comes

Employability

It is not an alternative for ISO, EFQM etc It is not a new complete QF model (all processes) Its is not meant for organization’s in all sorts of areas It is not an official report system for meeting national or

regional requirements It is not a model with fixed standards and fixed measures It is not a Costly Model

QA in education and training; specialists model; Provider based, (inter)national requirements; What providers think what matters regarding QA; Outcome oriented; QA focused on real evidence; A vehicle and help for more general models like ISO and EFQM; A process approach for continuous improvement; A model for checking the adequacy of protocols and policies; Framework for comparing quality of similar programs between

different EU countries; Contribution to mobility between EU countries; Easy to start with QA (self assessment).

Themes Outcome

Learner

Context : organization

Nat. Context

Quality: The capacity to achieve prior set targets (CEDEFOP, 2003)

1.Content and Learning 1.The organization 1.The Learner

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

Curriculum

Learning methods

Intake and entrance level

Coaching, mentoring and tutoring

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

Leadership

Outcome and accountability

Staff development and staff allocation

Social responsibility

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

Accessibility

Guidance and care structure

Apprenticeship and work based learning

Examination

Axe Theme Indicator

2. Organization Leadership Vision

Performance indicators

Systematic evaluation

Outcome and accountability

Valuation

Transparency

Staff development and staff allocation

Competence profile

Competence development

Staff allocation

Social responsibility Passing on awareness

Attitude of organization

Exercise:

Assess the QA for a new (or recently developed) curriculum or training of your institute by answering the questions that have been referred to in the table:

Have you taken care of this aspect ? At what level? What is your evidence for this? How could you improve this and what evidence do you then need to show?

Time: half an hour

1.Content and learningIn this paragraph the axe of Content and learning will be explained and for each of the discerned themes indicators will be presented.

1.CurriculumWithin the model good quality assurance is achieved if an organization can prove that design and content of the curriculum[1] reflect purpose as well as future demands of relevant stakeholders, an understanding of the learner[2] and a proper balance between efficiency and effectiveness.To demonstrate quality assurance on this theme an organization can give prove of actions taken according to (some of) the following indicators:

[1] General term used within this context, referring to a curriculum as well as a training program[2] Learner: in this text word learner is used in a general sense meaning “he” as well as “she”

1.1.1

Content development

1 The organization can prove that aim, content of the curriculum are documented and meet the requirements by law (if applicable).

2 The organization can prove that the stakeholders (f.i. national or regional authority, employer representatives, a company etc) are committed to the aim, content and structure of the curriculum.

3 The organization can prove that the aim, content and structure of the curriculum reflect the actual status of the profession, the related knowledge and skills it addresses.

4 The organization can prove that aim, content of the curriculum are in balance between current situation and the future development of the profession, the related knowledge and skills.

Exercise:

Assess the QA for a new (or recently developed) curriculum or training of your institute by answering the questions that have been referred to in the table:

Have you taken care of this aspect ? At what level? What is your evidence for this? How could you improve this and what evidence

do you then need to show?

1.2 Learning methodsThis theme covers attention areas related to the learning methods that are used and how these relate to the purpose of the curriculum as well as to the learner.

Within the CQAF-(A)VET model good quality assurance is achieved if an organization can prove that the methods chosen are evidence based in respect of the constraints of the content and purpose of the curriculum as well as to the constraints of the learner.

To demonstrate quality assurance in respect of this theme an organization can give prove of actions taken according to (some of) the following indicators:

1.2.1

Didactical approach

1 The organization can prove that it has formalized its teaching methods.

2 The organization can demonstrate that their teaching methods are selected on the basis of content, outcome and effectiveness.

3 The organization can demonstrate that the teaching methods used within the curriculum reflect the current standard in teaching and training.

4 The organizations can demonstrate that their teaching methods are a result of practice based evidence and are considered as leading in the field of teaching and training.

Exercise:

Assess the QA for a new (or recently developed) curriculum or training of your institute by answering the questions that have been referred to in the table:

Have you taken care of this aspect ? At what level? What is your evidence for this? How could you improve this and what evidence

do you then need to show?

Thank you for your attention