ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

TTnet / Trainers Network Workshop

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

Nora MT Byrne

28th February 2008

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

PurposeTo give:

• An overview of certification in Ireland

• An overview of the FETAC Quality Assurance

agreement process

• An overview of current ISO Standards

• Future ISO standard

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAININGEstablishment of:

NQAI - The National Qualifications Authority of Irelandwas established on 26 February 2001 under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999. The Authority is an agency of the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. It has responsibility for developing and maintaining the National Framework of Qualifications.

Aim:– wide recognition of outcomes of learning– improved access for learners to quality learning

opportunities (www.nqai.ie)

Awarding Councils– FETAC (www.fetac.ie)– HETAC (www.hetac.ie)

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

The National Framework of Qualifications – (www.nfq.ie)

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

The Certification ProcessStandards for the Awards –

Learning outcomes setting out the knowledge, skill and competence

Programme – Delivery, duration, learner profile, context, value added

Award – Parchment issued by Awarding Council to a learner who

has been assessed as having achieved a standard

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

Learning Providers

• Organisation or individual that has agreed its Quality Assurance with an Awarding Body

• Is a registered learning provider

• Provides programmes leading to awards

• Design / modify programmes to fit the learning outcomes and assessment methods outlined in a module descriptor

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

FETAC Provider Quality Assurance

• Providers register with FETAC via agreement on policies and procedures in how their programmes and services will be quality assured

• Registered learning providers have access to FETAC awards (up to level 6)

• FETAC monitor and evaluate effectiveness of a provider’s quality assurance system

• Review of agreement – maximum period 5 years

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

FETAC Quality Assurance Requirements

• QA agreement required (Section 18 Qualifications Act)• Relates to all providers of education and training offering

FETAC awards • Agreement process operative since January 2005• All providers can register - public and private• Policy and procedures for

– Communications– Equality– Staff recruitment/development– Assessment– Access,Transfer & Progression– Protection for Learners– Self evaluation– Subcontracting– Programme design & development

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

Guidelines

Criteria

Policies and Procedures for

Quality Assurance

Agreement Process

Registered Provider

Award(s)

&

Standards

Programme

Validation Process

Provider

FETAC

Key

Verification & Certification

Delivery & Assessment

National Monitoring

Internal Monitoring

& Self Evaluation

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

ISO – International Organisation for Standardization

ISO 9000 Family of Standards

ISO 10015 Quality Management

- Guidelines for Training

Instrument to improve performance of in-service training

Covers the development, implementation, maintenance, improvement of strategies and systems of training that affect the quality of the products supplied by an organisation.

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

ISO – International Organisation for Standardization

ISO 9000 Family of Standards

Learning Service Providers –

International new standard under

development

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

ISO Standard for Educational Services

Scope: Suitable framework for preparing standards in the field of educational services

• Standards in specific areas of non-public training and education

• Initial focus: - vocational (further) education- in-company training

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

Why vocational education and training?

• There is a special need for specific vocational training

• Advancement of knowledge becomes more and more a key to successful corporate management

• Lifelong learning and vocational training are now decisive factors determining competitiveness

• Companies must use new ways of imparting knowledge to meet the challenges of ever shorter innovation and knowledge cycles

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

Why vocational education and training?

A number of factors determine the quality of further education and training:

• the extent to which it builds on existing knowledge

• the degree to which it is tailored to company needs and practice

• the successful transfer of the acquired knowledge or skills to the place of work.

Thus, quality assurance requires maximum cooperation between educational establishments and companies or students.

Standards ensure this interaction

ASSURING QUALITY IN THE PROVISION OF TRAINING

Enjoy your time in Ireland,

Thank You