INTGRTY ARTICLES WRITTEN BY OUR LEARNERS
This year we piloted the Advanced Certificate on Occupational Learning: Learning and Development Advisor, on NQF Level 7. Learners had to submit more than 50 practical assignments to be declared ready for the EISA. This gave me the idea to share their products with other learning providers and learners in occupational and vocational learning. So, I asked the learners who achieved a distinction for assignments for permission to publish their submissions as articles on our Intgrty website. Articles are published unanimously for obvious reasons.
Describe the system and practices for a learning organisation offering RPL
1. Pre-entry
• To apply for RPL, the candidate must be over the age of 25. Along with having a minimum of 3 years in the field (this must be relevant to what the candidate wishes to RPL)
• The most vital part of this stage is to let people know exactly what is available and how to go about apply (if the requirements are met)
2. Candidate profiling
• A detailed CV (or other relevant document that outlines the experience of the candidate, that would be relevant to the RPL’ed programme/s.
• This stage includes the candidate developing their profile, based on their experience, and whether they might be successful utilising this route.
3. Initial guidance
• This will be done by the RPL coordinator, with regards to what is applicable evidence, what is outstanding. Aswell as guidance on what the process entails for the candidate.
• As stated by Author J.P. Nel (2010) the coordinator (facilitator) must create realistic expectations: Time saving aspect, flexibility, gathering evidence, support available, workload, procedures and financial implications.
4. Recognising and identifying skills
• Looking at the requirements of the programme to identify which skills the candidate already has with relation to the needs of the programme.
• Focus will be on the learners most relevant experiences and accomplishments. During this stage the facilitator will work closely with the candidate.
5. Relating skills to criteria
• This involves the RPL coordinator checking the identified skills and knowledge of the candidate, and relating it to the criteria stated in the programme design/description.
• This stage will illuminate any gaps in skills, and will be addressed during the top-up learning stage.
6. Gathering evidence
• After relating skills and knowledge to criteria, the candidate and the RPL coordinator will start collecting the evidence of performance (skills/tasks/practical) over the 3-year period of entry requirement experience.
• The facilitator will guide the learner on evidence and the ‘proof’ of said evidence that is required for the candidate to be successful.
7. Documentation of evidence
• All the gathered evidence will be documented in the form of a portfolio, there are many types of documentation of evidence: Self-oriented portfolio, outcome-oriented portfolio etc.
• This portfolio will/might include documents, supervisor letters, pictures, CV’s etc.
8. Assessment
• This stage of assessment includes the assessor making a judgement about the candidate’s portfolio, and whether they have met the requirements for granting credits or certificates.
• The assessor’s judgement will be based on many variables, including Policies and Procedures, quality assurance body (QA body) requirements etc.
9. Top-up learning
• During this stage, gaps that have been previously identified will be addressed and filled.
• This can either be done through means of formal learning or gathering missed evidence of competence against certain criteria.
10. Quality assurance
• During this stage there will be four role players (excluding the candidate), namely: facilitator, assessor, moderator and verifier.
• The role players will work to make sure the RPL assessment/process meets the requirements of the QA-body, the principles of assessment (validity, fairness, reliability etc.) and checking that all the correct and legal routes have been utilised by the learning institute to prove competence.
11. Accreditation
• This will likely be the ‘final’ stage of RPL, as the credits will be granted.
12. Certification
• After accreditation has been awarded, the candidate will be issued with an accredited certificate.
13. Progression and post-assessment guidance.
• The candidate and coordinator can at this stage consider progression routes the candidate has available to them and whether they wish to participate in furthering their qualification/s.
References:
• Nel, J.P., 2010. The concepts and procedures governing the recognition of prior learning. 1st ed. Pretoria: Mentornet Pty (Ltd), pp.50-96.
• University of South Africa (UNISA), 2023. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for module credit. [online] Recognition-of-Prior-Learning-(RPL)/RPL-for-module-credit [Accessed 8 October 2024].
• South African College of Business (SACOB), n.d. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). [online] Available at: https://www.sacob.com/recognitionof- prior-learningrpl/#:~: text=All%20recognition%20of%20prior%20learning%20results [Accessed 8 October 2024].
• South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), 2019. National Policy and Criteria for the Implementation of Recognition of Prior Learning (Amended in March 2019). [pdf] Criteria-for-the-Implementation-of-RPL-Amended-in-March- 019.pdf#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRPL%20candidate%E2%80%9D%20mean s%20the%20person%20seeking [Accessed 8 October 2024].
• University of Johannesburg. (n.d.) Recognition of Prior Learning. Available at: https://www.uj.ac.za/admission-aid/recognition-of-priorlearning/ [Accessed: 9 October 2024].