Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission

Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission Accreditation of NVQ Level 5 and 6 courses Guidelines to Develop Course Material to Meet the Notional Hour Requirement 1. Introduction NVQ Level 5 & 6 diploma qualifications are developed with learning content 1500 notional hours at each level. Here Notional hours is a new concept to TVET system of Sri Lanka and it is consisted of direct instructions or teaching and self study related to different learning exercises of the courses. As there is an ambiguity on estimation of notional hours, TVEC had a meeting with key officials under the chairmanship of Professor Kapila Gunasekara Vice Chancellor of the University of Vocational Technology and studied allocation of learning hours for different learning exercise under different credit systems. Accordingly, TVEC developed following guidelines for estimation notional hours for NVQ level 5 & 6 courses which will be evaluated at the time of accreditation assessment. 2. Course duration and Credit Values of NVQ 5 & 6 Diploma Courses NVQ level 5 & 6 courses have been developed with credit system in parallel with European Credit system for education. Accordingly 1 credit unit is equal to 25 notional hours. Here Notional hours include both direct learning from face to face instruction and indirect learning from self study related learning exercises. Table 1 : Different Levels of Credits in NVQ Level 5 & 6 Diploma Qualifications Levels of Credits NVQ Level 5 National Diploma NVQ Level 6 National Diploma Level & 4 credit ( Maximum ) 20 Credits ( 500 hrs ) 20 Credits ( 500 hrs ) Level 5 credit ( Minimum) 40 Credits(1000 hrs ) 50 Credits (1250 hrs) Level 6 credit ( Minimum) 50 Credits(1250 hrs ) Total Number of credit ( Minimum) 60 Credits ( 1500 hrs ) 120Credits ( 000 hrs ) NVQ 5 & 6 courses should have Employability Competency Units on following basis Number of employability units per NVQ 5 diploma - 8 credits Number of employability units per NVQ 6 diploma - 6 credits 1

In addition to above credit requirement, it is expected to have months On the Job training before summative assessment. Above credit requirements are developed considering admission of students with NVQ Level or 4 entry qualification. However many courses have requested accreditation of courses with enrolment of school leavers direct. It is expected to get commission approval to facilitate enrolment school leavers under following conditions i. Built NVQ or 4 qualifications into the courses and assess those NVQ level & 4 Competencies at the end of the course. ii. If NVQ or 4 qualification already built into 1500 credit hours ( Ex: Quantity Survey ), add months additional OJT to the course.. Credits coverage of a Module In level 5 & 6 programmes, National Competency Standards define the credits values against competency units. Curriculum is consisted of number of modules. Therefore, it is necessary to establish linkages between Modules and Competency Units and estimate the credit values of a module. Table 1 given below facilitates this calculation. Table 2: Estimation of Credit Value of a Module through linking it Competency Units Module Name : Module No. Relevant competency Units Unit Code % of Unit covered Credit Amount Total Credit 4. Training Activities for a Module 4.1 Different Training Activities Training relevant to a module is usually consisted of one, many or all of following activities. Instructions and Tutorial classes Laboratory Practicals and Workshop Practicals/Practice Projects and Assignments In-Plant Training / On the Job Training Formative and summative assessments 2

Criteria for Calculation of Notional of a module Table : Criteria for Calculation of Notional Activity Calculation of Notional /Effective learning 1 Instruction and Tutorial Equal to class hours 2 Laboratory and workshop practice Work under supervision Equal to lab and workshop hours Work without supervision Equal to ½ of lab and workshop hours Self study to prepare report on work; Equal to self study hours allocated Include study of textbook and e-learning Project and Assignment Individual Project / Assignment Equal to hours allocated Group Project / Assignment 4 In-plant / On the Job Training On site work Equal to ½ of work hours Off site / self study to write diary and training report Equal to time allocated 5. Calculation of effective learning for Work related learning Indirect learning is explained by the Kolg s experimental Learning Cycle which has four steps as depicted in following diagram. ( www.businessballs.com/ kolblearningstyles. htm) Concrete Experience Feeling Active Experimentation Doing Reflective Observation Watching I Active Experimentation ii Concrete the Experiences iii Reflective Observations iv Abstract Conceptualization Abstract Conceptualization Thinking Here from the four stages, learning is happening only in two stages; Reflective Observations and Abstract Conceptualization. Therefore, effective learning time is calculated as half of working time.

All the people who work do not learn. Those who do not watch the work carefully and think about how it happens do not learn. Therefore, in order to ensure the learning during the work, it is necessary to make trainees to write a daily diary and a training report because writing about the work is not possible without watching and thinking. 6. Calculation of Notional 6.1 Notional of Instruction and Tutorial Classes Training Institutions should have identified the content of instructions under each module and they may be delivered under different titles. ( Training in some modules may happened only through laboratory and workshop work and On the Job Training) Table 4 : Notional of Instruction and Tutorial Classes of a Module Module Number and Name : No/Code Title of Instruction/Tutorial Evidence (to be filled by Accreditation Assessor) Total The instruction hours are evaluated on following criteria. i. Coverage of learning content relevant to the module. Here, there should be a lesson plan for each lesson. Additionally, it may be useful to submit handouts and trainees note book for this purpose. ii. Allocation of appropriate time iii. Trainers qualifications iv. Trainee Trainee ratio. For lecture type instruction, under normal class room context, class size should not exceed 75 students. This could be increased with enhanced audio visual facilities. For Instruction with Practicals, trainer trainee ratio should not exceed 1:20. For tutorial classes to discuss questions papers and issues, class size should not exceed 0. 4

Relevant Institute has to complete this table except the column Evidence. Assessor will check their implementation with the plan and fill the column Evidence to be filled by accreditation Assessor and mark his/her comments. 6.2 Notional of Laboratory and Workshop works Table 5 : Notional of Laboratory and Workshop works Module Number and Name : No /Code Lab practical/ Assignment Location With Supervisi on a Without Supervisi on B Self Studies c Total Notional A+b/2+c Evidence (To be filled by Accreditation Assessor) Total Notional of laboratory Practicals and workshop Practice of Module Laboratory and Workshop Practicals and practice are evaluated on following criteria. i. Availability of Lab sheet for each practical and workshop practice. ii. Relevancy of the practicals to the module iii. Availability of sufficient training equipment. If Practicals are done in a laboratory of another institute, there should be agreement valid for period of accreditation. iv. Trainer trainee ratio should not exceed 1:20 v. Appropriate trainee group size. ( Ex : Maximum 2 trainees per computer and 6 trainees per engine or similar type of equipment ) vi. Appropriate time allocation for work with supervision, without supervision and self study vii. Quality and Timely submission of course work/ report and assessment of coursework viii. Maintenance of records related to laboratory works and workshop practices and assessment marks ix. Active involvement of trainees and self writing of report without copying 5

There is a possibility for trainees to play a passive role during the laboratory and workshop work and copy the courses work reports. Therefore, trainers are required to assess and verify the trainees active involvement in laboratory and workshop work. Assessors will verify this aspect during accreditation assessment and summative assessment of trainees. Relevant Institute has to complete this table except the column Evidence and show their plan for lab Practicals or assignments. 6. Projects and Assignments Table 6 : Notional / Credits for Projects and Assignments Module Code and Name : No / Title of the Project and Assignment Group or Code Individual /Credit Allocated Evidence Total Notional or Credit Projects and Assignment are assessed based on following criteria. i. Relevancy of Projects and assignments to the module ( depth and width would be considered ) ii. Appropriate time allocation for work iii. Appropriate level of supervision iv. Active involvement of trainees and self writing of report without copying 6.4 Notional for On the Job and In plant Training Table 7 : Notional for On the Jon and In plant Training Module Code and Name : In plant Training/ OJT No. Subject area in work Site X in Off- site Y Effective hrs. X/2+Y Evidence (to be filled by Assessor) 6

In plant or On the Job training will be assessed based on following criteria. i. Availability Worksites with sufficient facilities and supervisory staff should have been identified. Assessment of worksites should be submitted at renewal of accreditation. ii. Trainees should maintain a Training Diary to record daily activities of work. Here trainees are required to timely write the diary with technical details and it should be signed by the supervisor weekly. iii. Appropriate time allocation for work iv. Appropriate level of supervision v. Trainees are required to submit a training report to explain learning achieved through work. Training report should give details analyses of number of specific work related to the module or course done during the on the job training Report related to one work could be written based on following format. Title of the work Dates and place of work Objective of the work Equipment used Staff Involved Process of work; explained steps followed Explained theories related to work Cost involved if possible Conclusion A Trainee may write 2 or pages to explain a work. Three months OJT need a minimum of details analyses of 10 specific works. The report should be completed with appropriate cover page, Acknowledgement and content page. 7

7. Summary of Notional Each module should have dully filled Table 4, 5, 6 & 7. Then it necessary to summarize total notional hours under different learning exercises and add them to get grand total as table below. Table 8 : Summary of Notional Module of Different Learning Exercises Total Instruction and Tutorial Laboratory Workshop and Projects and Assignments In-plant & OJT Notional Classes Practice Module Module 1 Module 2.. Module n Total of Different Learning Exercises of 8. Coverage of all Competency Units by Module Table 2 is required to be prepared for each module to give percentage coverage of competency units by relevant module. Then Table 2 of each module could be added as outlined in the Table 9 to find out the coverage of all Competency Units of the course. Table 9 : Coverage of all Competency Units by Module Modules Coverage of Competency Units by Module Total Code U1 U2 U Un % M1 % M2 % Mn Total 00% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 8

9. Submission of Notional Hour Breakdown for Accreditation Accreditation process is explained in NVQ Operation Manual. It considers delivery of training with proper facilities of staff and formative and summative assessment conducted to assess the students. In order to give details breakdown of notional hours breakdown, it is necessary to prepare Table 2, 4,5, 6 & 7 against each module. Thereafter, Table 8 & 9 summarized table should be prepared to get total of notional hours and to check the coverage of all competency units. 10. Conclusion This paper is prepared to help training centres to estimate learning hours of different learning exercises and to drive total learning hours. They are expected to use these format to present the details of learning hours relevant to modules and competency units. Further, any suggestions to improve these formats are welcome. *********** 9