ILM Recognition of Prior Learning Guide and Toolkit. V October 2012

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1 ILM Recognition of Prior Learning Guide and Toolkit

2 Contents Document Change History 2 Scope 3 Definition 4 Equivalences 5 Counting uncertified and/or un-assessed learning or achievements 6 Bringing in certified and assessed achievements from outside the QCF 7 Underlying principles of RPL 8 Requirement around who can grant RPL at an ILM Centre 9 RPL process 10 Ways of recognising prior learning 13 Outcome of RPL 14 Possible sources of evidence 15 Potential users of RPL 15 Benefits of RPL 16 Examples of how RPL can be used within Centres for their Learners 17 Supporting Learners in the RPL process 18 Evaluation 20 Understanding how people can learn through experience 21 Glossary 22 Appendix 1 - Toolkit activities 23 Appendix 2 - Toolkit hand out 24 Document Change History As part of an ILM branding review the appearance of this document was amended in May The content of this document shall be subject to a three year review cycle or as necessary as outlined under continuous improvement. 2 of 55

3 Scope ILM is the UK s leading provider of leadership, management and coaching qualifications, and a City & Guilds Group Business. ILM offers a specialist suite of qualifications ranging from Level 2 to Level 7, which are awarded by The City and Guilds of London Institute. ILM also specialises in assessment, learning content, and the accreditation of high quality training in the fields of leadership, management and coaching. The Recognition of Prior Learning aims to help you as a centre in providing information to assist learners in identifying their formal recognition for the knowledge, understanding and skills they have. This will help them take forward their career and job opportunities. The tools will help you to assist the learners in putting together evidence of their skills with the support of the records of the training they have completed and their job history. In addition to supporting the learners to gain recognition, you can show them how to complete a new CV and training plan if they aim to undertake further training or achieve new qualifications. We hope this guide and toolkit helps you and your learners to gain the most useful outcomes from this process, it is a generic toolkit which can be used by any organisation to support learners or employees in the recognition of prior learning process. In a market where employees change jobs with increasing frequency or may face redundancy, there are incentives for learners to have their achievements and acquired skills formally recognised within the qualifications framework. The motivation for learners may include: Recognition of the skills/knowledge that learners have already Avoid learners duplicating learning or training that they have already done If learners wish to evidence their skills/knowledge to apply for jobs or make a career change Recognition for learners that will boost their self-esteem, particularly when circumstance may dictate a career change Enable learners to gain a qualification more easily by having recognition for any skills/knowledge that they have already. The RPL process will introduce the learner to more details of the units that are building bricks of qualifications and how to understand the process of meeting the evidence requirements to be awarded units or qualifications. Thus if learners are seeking recognition for units or qualifications, it helps it they understand how they are constructed and are familiar with some of the technical language within qualifications. 3 of 55

4 Definitions RPL is A method of assessment that considers whether a learner can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge, understanding or skills that they already possess and do not need to develop through a course of learning. RPL enables learners to record the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired from their work experiences and training. Where appropriate this can be used to claim credit for their achievements. This process can give them either a part or full qualification irrespective of how their skills and knowledge were learnt. This recognises that learning occurs in many different contexts as well as from formal learning or training or from the work place. This includes the knowledge, understanding and skills that individuals acquire through life and work experiences or have gained in school, college or university. In the context of the QCF, the definition of RPL is quite specific and relates to assessment leading to the award of credit. Assessment for RPL is conducted against the learning outcomes and assessment criteria of a unit and is subject to exactly the same quality assurance requirements as any other kind of assessment within the QCF. There are two contexts of RPL; one is where a portfolio of evidence is put together by the learner showing the prior learning undertaken the learner would then need to complete the ILM assessments in order to gain the qualification. The second is where the learner has evidence of their learning which also shows they have completed an assessment (non-ilm) which can be 100% mapped to the ILM assessment criteria. This piece of assessment like our ILM ones would have been assessed and internally quality assured by the centre. The RPL process must be agreed by the centre and must be claimed by the learner as part of a course. The centre is responsible for assessment and claiming credit. There is no difference between achievement of the required standards by RPL and achievement through a formal programme of learning. 4 of 55

5 Equivalencies Equivalency is similar to but distinct from RPL; it is the transfer of credit from a unit, or units, from within the QCF. To be counted as an equivalency a unit must have the same credit value (or greater) and be at the same level (or higher) than the unit, or units, to be claimed. Equivalencies are not recognised by the award of credit and appear on certificates without a credit value. So if a learner has successfully completed a QCF unit and goes on to another qualification that contains the same unit, they can count credit for their original success towards the new qualification. Acceptable equivalencies will be included in the rules of combination of a qualification and are available from your ILM Quality and Compliance Manager or External Verifier. 5 of 55

6 Counting uncertified and/or un-assessed learning or achievements Working with a Centre a Learner may claim to have undertaken formal, informal or workplace learning that was not assessed. This can be a perfectly valid, but in this situation you have to: Explain the knowledge, skills and performance requirements are for the QCF unit(s) to the learner and ensure they completely understand them Give the learner a copy of the unit(s) so that they can assess themselves against the unit(s) learning outcomes and assessment criteria Identify and document what assessment the learner needs to undergo, and/or what evidence they need to submit, to satisfy the QCF unit(s). Explain the use of a learner CPD log. Use professional discussion possibly framed around the mapping documents to back up the learner s assessment and/or evidence submissions and validate their claim If the evidence submitted is valid, complete and current then credit can be awarded. If it isn t, or if there is any doubt, the learner must complete assessment for the missing elements. This process would be supported and verified by the ILM External Verifiers. 6 of 55

7 Bringing in certified or assessed achievements from outside the QCF This is where the learner wants to claim QCF credit for achievements that were certified and assessed but are not covered by the QCF. You map the completed non-qcf study programme and its associated learning outcomes to the learning outcomes and associated assessment criteria of the appropriate QCF unit(s). To help with this you can get a range of mapping documents from your local Quality and Compliance Manager or External Verifier. If the mapping covers all unit learning outcomes the learner s prior learning is formally recognised and they can be given RPL. If the mapping to QCF unit(s) is incomplete and some learning outcomes or assessment criteria are not met the learner completes assessment of the missing elements in order to provide evidence that they meet the learning outcomes. 7 of 55

8 Underlying principles of RPL The RPL process must be negotiated with your local Quality and Compliance Manager or EV and must be claimed as part of a course. The centre is responsible for assessment and claiming credit. There is no difference between achievement of the required standards by RPL and achievement through a formal programme of study, therefore RPL appears on certificates as credit-bearing. RPL enables learners to record the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired from their work experiences and training. Where appropriate this can be used to claim credit for their achievements. This process can give them either a part or full qualification irrespective of how their skills and knowledge were learnt. This recognises that learning occurs in many different contexts as well as from formal learning or training or from the work place. This includes the knowledge, understanding and skills that individuals acquire through life and work and voluntary activities or have gained in school, college or university. 8 of 55

9 Requirement around who can grant RPL at an ILM Centre Occupationally competent ILM recognised assessors will assess if the evidence fully meets the standards of the unit within the QCF, record the assessment process and then record their judgement. This process will then be subject to a final internal quality assurance check by an occupationally competent ILM recognised IQA in order to ensure validity and consistency in the judgements. So to be clear, assessment must be valid and reliable to ensure the integrity of units and qualifications and the RPL system as a whole. The assessment process for RPL must be subject to the same quality assurance processes of awarding organisations as any other part of the assessment process. 9 of 55

10 RPL process The main stages of the RPL process ILM advocates the six-stage process for RPL as set out below. The process of RPL involves learners from the moment they consider making a claim and supports them through to the result of the assessment. Centres are required to notify ILM about claims for credit through RPL and are required to keep records of RPL for three years. Stage 1 Induction of Recognition of Prior Learning general awareness This should ideally be provided at two hour sessions Session 1 introduction to RPL the process of claiming credit through RPL the sources of professional support and guidance available to individuals and employers the administrative processes for RPL applications timelines, appeals processes and any fees and subsidies. An indication to the learner as to who they will be working with during this process from a centre point of view Session 2 demonstrating the RPL process with a sample unit Note at the end of this Stage it is vital to work with the learner to select which units they will be using to achieve award of credit. Stage 2 Pre-assessment advice, support and mentoring for gathering of evidence This Stage is optional but highly recommended. Mentors who have expertise in the units being used for RPL will provide sessions for the learners these could be like a `surgery style and ideally would be timetabled sessions. The learners will work with the mentor to gather evidence to meet the unit standards. The mentor will provide individual support as required. This aims to ensure that the learners have the necessary evidence to meet the unit standard and thus be able to gain award of credit for the unit. An individual may decide to make his or her learning visible and to claim credit. This stage is vital to ensure that the learner is fully informed of the RPL process and has sufficient support to make a viable claim and to make decisions about evidence collection and presentation for assessment. During this stage the learner will carry out the evidence collection and develop an assessment plan. The evidence required for the award of credit will depend on the purpose, learning outcomes and assessment criteria for the relevant unit(s) within the QCF. 10 of 55

11 Stage 3 Assessment of evidence against unit standard The occupational competent assessors will assess if the evidence fully meets the standards of the unit within the QCF and record the assessment process and then record their judgement. This process will then be subject to a final internal quality assurance check to ensure validity and consistency in the judgements. This Stage of RPL also puts together the feedback to the learner and the assessor. It remains the role of assessors and quality assurance staff to ensure that evidence is: Valid: Does the evidence genuinely demonstrate that the demands of the learning outcome have been met? For RPL, currency of evidence will be of particular concern. Does, for example, the evidence meet up-to-date demands or is it representative of practice that has significantly changed? Authentic: This involves consideration of whether the evidence being examined is genuinely the work of the learner. For example, the evidence may have been produced by somebody else, or may be the result of the work of a team. In the latter case, this would be acceptable if the learning outcome was related to team/group working, but not if it was being used as evidence of an activity which should have been carried out individually. Sufficient: There must be enough evidence to fully meet the requirements of the learning outcomes considered. If there is insufficient evidence to meet these requirements, then evidence obtained through RPL must be complemented by evidence gained through other suitable assessment method(s) before requirements can be said to have been met. Reliable: The evidence obtained through RPL should be such that an assessor would arrive at the same assessment decision, were the assessment to be repeated. So to be clear, assessment must be valid and reliable to ensure the integrity of units and qualifications and the RPL system as a whole. The assessment process for RPL must be subject to the same quality assurance processes of awarding organisations as any other part of the assessment process. 11 of 55

12 Stage 4 Feedback to the Learner on the assessment process The results of Stage 3 will be fed back to the learner. This feedback must confirm the decision and provide guidance on the available options (particularly in situations where the decision has been not to award credit). Stage 5 Award of Credit by ILM This stage will ensure that everything is in place for this to take place. If your learner does not wish to go forward for award of credit, you will have a verified record of knowledge, understanding and skills, though we highly recommend that learners do go forward for certification. As part of the wider City and Guilds Group ILM is responsible for awarding credit and issuing certificates. The procedure is the same as for other forms of assessment. Stage 6 Appeal if a learner wishes to appeal a decision about the claim for credit they should be made aware of how they can do this through the Centre appeals procedure. Ways of recognising prior learning Route 1 - Submit a portfolio of evidence based on previous relevant knowledge, skills and competences which must be assessed against the assessment criteria of the unit(s) for which RPL is being sought to ensure that all learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been achieved. Route 2 Undertake the same assessments as learners following a formal course of learning and assessment that lead to award of the unit or qualification. The assessments may be undertaken without attending teaching sessions. Route 3 Assessment through a summative assessment against a unit or full qualification. It is important to note that RPL is an alternative route to achievement and not an easy option or shortcut. Evidence must be produced for RPL which is subject to the same assessment and quality assurance requirements as applied to evidence produced as part of a course. 12 of 55

13 Outcomes of RPL If individuals can produce the relevant evidence which meets the learning outcome requirements then recognition can be given for their existing knowledge, understanding or skills. If the individual can meet all the learning outcomes and assessment criteria in a unit then they can claim credit for that unit solely on the basis of their RPL achievement. If however, evidence from RPL is only sufficient to cover one or more learning outcomes, or to partly meet the need of a learning outcome, then additional assessment methods should be employed to generate the sufficient evidence required to make a safe assessment decision. In terms of good practice learners are unlikely to have all the evidence they need to achieve a full unit and may need to produce additional evidence. Evidence used for RPL is not time-limited but assessors must determine whether it is valid and authentic. RPL may be used in conjunction with other assessment methods such as examination of recent products, professional discussion or observation to assess current performance. Since evidence from RPL is similar to that derived via any other acceptable assessment method where the standard of a unit is met by evidence obtained from or partly from RPL credit can be claimed. 13 of 55

14 Possible sources of evidence There is a wide variety of possible sources of evidence, which include: Training records Certificates/assessment Licenses Photographs of work being undertaken Witness testament Interviews/Professional Discussion Work records Diaries/Training journal Task Sheets/job sheets/log books Competence records Quality/performance measures Appraisal/performance reviews and self-reflections. Possible users of RPL Potential users include: Centres Learners Employers Awarding organisations. 14 of 55

15 Benefits of RPL For the Centre Contributes to portfolio of offering with customers and will look good with employers and learners Enables learning from Endorsed or Development programmes to be converted into QCF credit Free Guide and Toolkit available on the website Expert advice and guidance from local BDM and QM Would support progression to higher level ILM programmes and into University Degree Programmes which is something ILM is looking to promote more actively in the future. For the Learner Motivational process Builds confidence Incentivises further training Formally recognises skills or knowledge Gives standing /credibility / recognition Removes the need to repeat learning / training Assesses their future potential to train Enhances employability Aids job or career change Formal recognition of skills and knowledge by being awarded a unit or even a qualification from the QCF. For the Employer Raise the profile of the business / industry Increases professional standing Gives a degree of assurance reducing risk Benefits whole workforce if used across all the organisation Improves working practices, quality and possibly profitability Motivates employees. For ILM Contributes to portfolio of offering to our customers Satisfies regulatory requirements Consistent and professional approach on offer for our customers Competitive edge. 15 of 55

16 RPL assists learners in adapting to the concept of lifelong learning and will aid them in taking a step forward and broadening their thinking on how any learning undertaken can be used. There are some potential traps for Learners within RPL which should be noted: Do not assume that performing a particular task regularly over a period of time ensures competency Competency is about effective performance and that must be evidenced to achieve RPL Do not make assertions of competency, knowledge or understanding, rather than using examples that demonstrate clearly skills, knowledge and understanding Concrete, specific examples of when and how competency, knowledge or understanding was demonstrated and evidence of this is necessary When thinking of examples, consider how these can be proven Examples of past performance claimed and authored by the applicant is not evidence of current competency Examples of work in applicants reports, written work, minutes documenting actions, letters and actions taken need to be authenticated to be recognised as evidence Try to reflect the positive outcomes achieved as a result of achieving competency, knowledge and understanding Effective evidence planning with the mentor or assessor ensures that the necessary standards are met And where you have knowledge, understanding and skills, there will be sources of evidence to demonstrate this and meet the necessary standards and we shall help you find them 16 of 55

17 Examples of how RPL can be used within Centres for their Learners RPL can be used for career development or for personal development. It could help individuals to gain entry to a qualification as an alternative to usual entry requirements or it could help individuals gain units of credit towards a qualification. Centres may work with their learners to help them on this process. Universities, Colleges, Training Providers and Employers may provide learners with the opportunity to use the RPL process as a way of entry into a formal qualification. There are some incentives and disincentives to RPL and it is a good idea to be aware of these from the point of view of both the Employee and the Employer perspective. Incentives and Disincentives to RPL Incentives Disincentives Employee motivational process builds confidence incentivises further training formally recognises skills or knowledge gives standing /credibility / recognition removes the need to repeat learning / training assesses their future potential to train enhances employability aids job or career change time commitment need for process to be time constraint need to take responsibility for process need to understand assessment criteria need to understand evidence challenge of gathering evidence need to develop good rapport with assessor, mentor and employer need to have access to criteria facilities Employer raise the profile of the business / industry make insurance easier / cheaper increases professional standing gives a degree of assurance reducing risk free consultancy benefits whole workforce improves working practices, quality and possibly profitability time investment for employer and employee costs poor perception of training minor disruption to work need to build up a rapport with assessor identifying a competent training provider 17 of 55

18 Supporting Learners in the RPL process Many Learners who use the RPL process require the support of a mentor in order to assist them in identifying how their learning could link to a unit within the QCF. The Mentor will need to able to explain to the Learner how the evidence of their learning will be assessed against the unit of learning for which they are going to seek credit. Therefore, it is highly recommended that centres and providers who are implementing RPL identify appropriate mentors who can fully support learners to gain recognition of their learning. The mentor could be someone who supervises or manages the learner or they could be someone who is a trainer/deliverer at the ILM centre, this will depend on the centre and the individual. Of course, it is essential that the mentor holds the relevant knowledge, skills and experience in order to ensure that the learner knows how to generate the evidence of learning required. The type of support which a mentor could provide in order to ensure success is: Providing learners with information and guidance on the process Supporting learners to understand the ways in which they can learn through their experiences and use the RPL process Supporting learners to understand the QCF and how to gain qualifications or units within qualifications Supporting learners to identify the appropriate evidence and any gaps which may need to be filled in order to complete a full unit or qualification on the QCF Working with the assessor and the learner to ensure full understanding of the requirements for assessment in order that the learner can be fully prepared and guided on the assessment work. The mentor should be involved with the RPL process from the beginning and establish a good relationship with the learner. They could help the learner by setting up regular meetings with clear agendas and timed action plans for each. The mentor and the learner should maintain a log of these meetings as this is part of the recording process for RPL. The mentoring role could be undertaken with a group of learners as well as with an individual if this meets centre/organisational needs. As part of the meetings it is useful and indeed good practice to: Be clear about the task being set for the learners Identify the stages and steps which should be taken Identify the problems/issues and help and support learners to deal with those Identify areas of good practice and strengths and how to use those within the process Help the learners reflect on activities and review what can be learnt but also what went well and could be used again Facilitate discussion around the types of evidence which can demonstrate the individual s learning 18 of 55

19 Help the learners decide what actions need to be taken and in which order, the learner may need help with prioritising these and identifying short term and long term goals Provide feedback on a regular basis to the learner/s Motivate the learner to complete the RPL process as this may not be easy for them if they have not undertaken any form of learning for some time 19 of 55

20 Evaluation It is useful to carry out an Evaluation at the end of the RPL process in order to gain some feedback for future learners and to assist in continually improving the process. It is highly recommended that a short interview be conducted at the end of the mentoring process and at the summative assessment stage. We have provided an example as part of the ILM Toolkit. 20 of 55

21 Understanding how people learn through experience It would be useful to inform/refresh learners on the different types of learning. These are formal, non-formal and information. Engaging in RPL allows learners to consider their own experiences objectively, to reflect on them and, perhaps, to look at them in a new way. There have been various attempts to describe the process of experiential learning but it is often described as a learning cycle. This cycle is probably best described by Kolb D, in 1984 and has four stages. Stage 1 - An experience or event occurs (a concrete experience) Stage 2 - Reflecting/thinking about that experience (reflective) Stage 3 - Generalising about the experience (abstract) Stage 4 - Applying these ideas in new situations (Active experimentation) The tutor can input as much or as little as they want to on this for their learners and additional information can be provided. 21 of 55

22 Glossary APEL BDM CPD CV EV ILM IV QCF QM RPL Accreditation of Prior and Experiential Learning Business Development Manager Continuous Professional Development Curriculum Vitae External Verifier Institute of Leadership and Management Internal Verifier Qualifications and Credit Framework Quality Manager Recognition of Prior Learning 22 of 55

23 Appendix 1 - Toolkit activities Activity 1 What is RPL? Assessing the learners knowledge and understanding of RPL and the process Ask the learner to rate their understanding of the process on a scale of 1 5. Use and discuss the Information provided in this toolkit to aid the learner to have a better understanding following this activity. Allow 45 minutes for this activity. Activity 2 Discuss learning experiences with the learners Ask each learner to think of both good and bad learning experience and to share these with you. Once shared go through the types of learning experiences which can be encountered Allow 45 minutes for this activity. Activity 3 Using current or previous skills to identify RPL Ask each learner to choose something they do for example work within the community (voluntary work), family role, hobby or interest they have outside of work, something which they do well. Help them to develop some work here on what skills, knowledge and understanding they have of this chosen example Consider transferable learning gained through these activities Allow 45 minutes for this activity Activity 4 Working through some evidence Discuss the evidence which can be used to demonstrate learning and the fit to units within the QCF Allow 1 hour for this activity 23 of 55

24 Appendix 2 - Toolkit hand outs Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Disclaimer As a centre we are working with your learners to look at possible sources of evidence to assist them to complete the RPL process as efficiently as possible. It may be that some in-house training content and files will contain much evidence that we can use in the RPL process. To do this, we need your permission to look at your personal training and learner files. We assure you that the content will be treated confidentially by the mentors and assessors involved in the process and if any information in the files is to be presented as evidence, we shall discuss that with you in the mentoring sessions before it is used. We should be grateful if you would give us permission to look at the files by signing to endorse this below: Name: Signature: Date: Company Name: 24 of 55

25 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Diagnostic Tools Your ILM BDM or QM can direct you to a range of Diagnostic Tools which we at ILM have access to. One example is the ILM Skills Map which is through Tailored Assessments Ltd. The assessment costs only VAT each and can be purchased online from the following address: Induction Slides Slides for use at Induction can be found at the end of the toolkit. 25 of 55

26 Example CV 26 of 55

27 Information Sheet on Qualifications and Units on the QCF Qualifications and Units Qualifications are made up from a number of learning units and each unit is defined by: A Title The Level, which defines the degree of difficulty of the unit The Credit Value, which defines the size of the unit with 1 credit representing 10 hours of learning. Learning includes taught time and other learning activities such as reading, practicing skills, researching and assignments The Learning Outcomes what the learner will be able to do, know or understand when they have completed the unit The Assessment Criteria that link to each of the learning outcomes and define how the learner will demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcomes. Further details on the ILM qualifications and example of a unit can be found at You can also contact your local Quality team for information on Mapping and links to the mapping documents. 27 of 55

28 RPL Time sheet Blank Sheet Assessor Name: Date Activity Hours spent on this activity TOTAL hours Signature of Learner: Signature of Assessor: 28 of 55

29 RPL Time sheet - Exemplar Assessor Name: Date Activity Hours spent on this activity 14/10/10 Meeting at Company X 1.5 hours 29/10/10 Meeting at ILM Centre 1.5 hours 29/10/10 Preparation for Induction 3 hours 1/11/10 Induction Meeting Company X 6 hours TOTAL hours Signature of Learner: Signature of Assessor: 29 of 55

30 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Interview Record A short interview will be conducted at the beginning of the mentoring process and at assessment. Learner s name Interview 1 (Mentor) Mentor s Name Date of interview How ready is the learner to take part in RPL? Has the learner selected the units for RPL and what are they? Has the learner selected the units with a clear goal in mind and what is that? What are the learner s longer term aspirations and are further RPL and training part of these? Are there any observations that you or the learner wish to record? Signed Mentor Learner Interview 2 (Assessor) Assessor s Name Date of interview What were the key points of your feed-back to the learner? 30 of 55

31 How well does the learner feel he/she has coped with the RPL process? What is the learner s perception of RPL and would he/she be prepared to do more or act as an ambassador for RPL? What does the learner feel he/she has gained from the RPL process? Has their attitude to RPL, qualifications and / or training changed as a result of the RPL process? What part of the process were most successful form their perspective? Were there any parts of the process that he / she feel should be changed or allocated more or less time? Are there any observations that you or the learner wish to record about the RPL process? Signed Assessor Learner 31 of 55

32 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Third Party Report (Line Manager testimonial) In completing this, you are verifying an aspect of the learner s work, knowledge and competence and that it fully meets the unit assessment criteria. (Please ensure that the line manager understands the unit assessment criteria and standards) Unit Title Learner s name Line Manager s name Position / Title Date of completion Instructions As part of the assessment for the unit recorded above, evidence of the learner s competence is required and in completing this you are verifying the evidence presented by the learner. Relevant extract from the unit Learning Outcome Assessment Criteria I certify that the above named person regularly demonstrates the claimed knowledge / competence to the required industry and unit standards Assessor Signature and Date Line Manager Signature and Date: 32 of 55

33 Evidence Action Plan An example of an Evidence Action Plan can be found at the back of the toolkit. 33 of 55

34 Recognition of Prior Learning - Assessment Records It is anticipated that the centres will use their own record sheets. NVQ Assessment records are likely to be the best sets of recording instruments to use. This is a summary of the common NVQ records that are could be used to record the process. It will be the responsibility of the centre to keep appropriate records that will meet ILM requirements. Record Purpose Contents Provider Record Project Record Learner profile A check that the learner Main details of the learner. is likely to succeed Summary of learner s relevant experience. What the learner is aiming to do. Learner action plan A plan of activity to keep the learner on track What units the learner is aiming to get accreditation for. Evidence needed. Some idea of a timescale Unit Record Sheet This is the aim of the Name of learner process and the people Name of mentor involved to sign off Name of assessor when successfully Name of internal verifier completed Name of Unit Unit assessm ent record To keep track of details of the evidence collection and assessment process. An index to link achieved performance outcomes, knowledge, range/scope to the relevant evidence. Units should be broken down into constituent elements with evidence mapped against these. Should show where the evidence is located. Signed by the learner to confirm authenticity. Signed by the assessor to confirm the evidence is sufficient to claim the element/unit. Interim Review To review progress Identification of progress if evidence is presented against part of a unit or for units as part of a qualification. What has been achieved, what is left to do and what will be done next Assessor Report Feedback to the learner A record of the assessor s decision on how the evidence presented met the standards and feedback given to the learner. 34 of 55

35 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) - Feed-back from Mentors and Assessors Blank Sheet Name Role within RPL Subject No of learners that you worked with on the RPL Process Any general comments about: Induction Mentoring Assessment IV other What parts of the RPL process do you feel worked well and why? What do you feel could have worked better and how? Have you any comments on the time allocated to the different parts of the RPL process and how might this be revised? Have you any comments on overlap between the mentor and assessor roles and the time allocated? Have you any comments about the IV/EV? 35 of 55

36 Have you any comments about the impact of the process on the learners and their attitude to RPL and / or training and their future aspirations? Any other comments or suggestions that you wish to make on RPL? Is there anything that you would change in the approach taken? Do you have any further comments for ILM which you feel should be included as a result of your experience using the RPL process? 36 of 55

37 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) - Exemplar Feed-back from Mentors and Assessors Name Role within RPL Subject Joe Bloggs Assessor /Mentor ILM Management/Leadership No of learners that you Company X - 11 progressing worked with on the RPL Process Any general comments about: Induction Mentoring Assessment IV other Induction too much to take in, not enough time for the learners to think carefully about subjects to follow. I have enjoyed the role of both mentor and assessor and found it beneficial especially due to the time scale of the pilot, as the volunteer only had one person to deal with so there was no confusion. As soon as the project started I had agreed a date for both IV and EV to review work submitted. What parts of the RPL process do you feel worked well and why? Induction was good. We as a centre agreed review dates very early on and this was followed through by the other providers, which made it easier for the learners especially if they had signed up to more than one route. What do you feel could Not able to access resources through the internet, to show learners ILM and have worked better and Careers sites. how? Needed more time for induction and also with learners to review progress. Earlier access to information about the organisation and aims/objectives so that we could map courses to units/modules. Have you any comments on the time allocated to the different parts of the RPL process and how might this be revised? Very short timescale involved throughout, this I feel had an influence on the number of people who did not follow through after showing an interest in the initial induction session. Have you any I found completing the role of assessor and mentor very easy and I feel the comments on overlap relationship with the volunteer was better as a result. between the mentor and assessor roles and the time allocated? 37 of 55

38 Have you any comments about the IV/EV? I worked with the ILM QM and EV prior to the inductions to clarify ILM s viewpoint and gained support and commitment to the project in the early stages. We define and agreed standards to measure fulfilment of the criteria. EV has now visited and reviewed two Level 3 Award portfolios and has commented on the good standard of work. Have you any comments about the impact of the process on the learners and their attitude to RPL and / or training and their future aspirations? Generally good, lots of interest however they did feel rushed to complete. Those individuals who have completed a qualification within the time frame of the project are both self motivated individuals. Any other comments or suggestions that you wish to make on RPL? I think that the RPL process is a good one; from my own point of view I would wish to work with ILM in order to identify a clear development route for the volunteer/student. Is there anything that you would change in the approach taken? The overall approach was good, however I do feel that on reflection, having spoken to several of the Company X employees, that as the workforce is quite comfortable in their job roles, and many are top in their pay scales there was no incentive/motivation for most of the employees (operatives) to take part in the pilot scheme at this time. Need for better communications, some felt that all they had to do was Do you have any furtherhandover their training record sheet and we would get them a qualification comments for ILM with no additional work on their part. This may be true in some cases but was which you feel should not the case for meeting the criteria for ILM. be included as a result of your experience Perhaps criteria should be used to identify those who will benefit the most, in using the RPL process? the case of the pilot I felt that in most cases the rich got richer and the poor remained poor! In regard to my learners, most of them had already gained nationally recognised qualifications, at a relatively high level. 38 of 55

39 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Evaluation Tool Evaluation Tool - Final Interview Record A short interview will be conducted at the end of the mentoring process and at summative assessment stage. Learner s name Interview 1 (Mentor) - optional Mentor s Name Date of interview How ready was the learner to take part in RPL? Has the learner achieved the units using the RPL process as planned? Had the learner selected the units with a clear goal in mind? What are the learner s longer term aspirations now this stage has been achieved and are further RPL and training part of these? Are there any further observations that you or the learner wish to record? Signed Mentor Learner Interview 2 (Assessor) - mandatory Assessor s Name Date of interview What were the key points of your feed-back to the learner? 39 of 55

40 How well does the learner feel he/she has coped with the RPL process? What is the learner s perception of RPL and would he/she be prepared to do more or act as an ambassador for RPL? What does the learner feel he/she has gained from the RPL process? Has their attitude to RPL, qualifications and / or training changed as a result of the RPL process? What part of the process were most successful form their perspective? Were there any parts of the process that he / she feel should be changed or allocated more or less time? Are there any observations that you or the learner wish to record about the RPL process? Signed Assessor Learner 40 of 55

41 RPL Evidence Action Plan Unit Title: Unit Code: Unit Level: Unit Credit Value: Notes: Unit Assessment Criteria Sources of Evidence Target Date to Present Evidence Confirmation o Evidence in Place

42 Sources of evidence include: certificates (formal qualifications or statements of attainment), training records, references from employers, testimonials, witness testaments, observations, assessments, written work, work samples etc. Evidence must be: o Authentic that the information or evidence presented is genuine and trustworthy; o Valid the information or evidence is well founded, relevant, and adds weight to RPL process; o Reliable the evidence can with stand scrutiny, has integrity and reasonably indicated that the applicant is able to perform to a specified standard with regularity and consistency; o Sufficient there is an adequate amount of content and if it makes the case for RPL compelling, then the evidence is adequate; o Current the evidence demonstrates that the applicant s skills are current

43 Recognition of Prior Learning

44 What is RPL?» Formal definition: RPL is a form of assessment that judges if a learner can evidence that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit or units through knowledge, understanding or skills they already possess and thus be awarded the credit for the unit/s or qualification. RPL Sample Induction Slides 2

45 How does it work?» You can help learners to look at the training and appraisal records and jobs tasks to select the most suitable units from qualifications to use for the RPL process» It will be a work-based process led by the learner and involving other staff at their organisation including line managers and the training and development staff to assist with the evidence gathering» Through work, training, voluntary work, hobbies and interests, people gain new skills, understanding and knowledge» We shall work with the learners to gather their evidence of the skills and knowledge that they have that match units from qualifications to give them formal recognition for those skills and knowledge RPL Sample Induction Slides 3

46 What will learners get out of RPL?» Formal recognition of some of their skills and knowledge by being awarded at least one unit, and probably more from one or more qualifications» Then be able to gain more units or a qualification by RPL or by completing training» A new CV and training plan that records the next stage further RPL or training» This process is required to get each learner s evidence to the point of being ready to award credit and the process of gaining credit will be undertaken by the centre at the earliest possible time» This process is required to get each learner s evidence to the point of being ready to award credit and the process of gaining credit will be undertaken by the centre at the earliest possible time RPL Sample Induction Slides 4

47 Qualifications and units» Vocational qualifications are constructed from units and to gain a qualification candidates are assessed against a recognised combination of the units contained in a qualification» Each unit is defined by:» degree of difficulty by level» size by credit value (1 credit = 10 hours learning)» learning outcomes (unit content)» assessment criteria (standards to achieve unit)» An example of a Q card is provided in your pack RPL Sample Induction Slides 5

48 How will RPL work? Learner Skills Knowledge Experience Provider (s) RPL Process Induction Mentoring Evidence Assessment Award of credit Qualification Banked credit from training RPL credit New credit from training RPL credit RPL Sample Induction Slides 6

49 Process of RPL (1)» Induction - awareness and information» Mentoring the mentor will give support, guidance and advice and to assess the learners capacity to complete RPL for units» Mentor will work with learners to develop a time bound action plan to gather evidence» The evidence for award of credit must be current, authentic, valid, reliable and sufficient RPL Sample Induction Slides 7

50 Process of RPL (2)» The evidence of skills, knowledge and understanding can take a variety of forms» Certificates (formal qualifications or statements of attainment)» References from line managers» Testimonials» Witness testaments» Observations» Assessments» Written work / work samples RPL Sample Induction Slides 8

51 Process of RPL (3)» Assessment of evidence» Done by an assessor» Internal Verification of the assessment» Check of the assessment to ensure that it has been done with the necessary rigour to meet regulatory and ILM s requirements» Finally, this is externally verified by the ILM to award credit RPL Sample Induction Slides 9

52 Benefits of RPL RPL is a motivator and boosts confidence by giving formal recognition for the skills, knowledge and understanding gained within or outside the workplace the opportunity to take the recognition forward to further RPL or training to achieve more units or qualifications and thus give the qualifications for a new role or job or promotion can provide a more efficient and economical route to qualifications avoids the need to repeat training and can assist career development by recognising the scope and level of skills, understanding and experience RPL Sample Induction Slides 10

53 In summary» The process will require:» Effective working with learner and centre» Managers understanding of the RPL process» Access to learner records» Access to line managers to endorse evidence» Sessions with the learners that accommodate their work patterns but achieve the project outcomes» Good communication between all involved RPL Sample Induction Slides 11

54 Any Questions? RPL Sample Induction Slides 12

55 RPL Sample Induction Slides 13