JUNE 2010, Vol.4 No. 1
“Your Gateway to Global Recognition”
THE FIRST OF THE POOL OF EVALUATORS IN BARBADOS TRAINED BY THE
BARBADOS ACCREDITATION COUNCIL (BAC) he recently held workshop on “External Ev a l u a t i o n / Pe e r Review” training at Grand Barbados Beach Resort was enlightening and provided a forum for networking among the local and regional professionals who have an interest in Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement in post-secondary/tertiary education in Barbados.
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The Remarks were delivered by Ms. Yvonne Walkes, Chairman of the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC). Ms. Walkes acknowledged “that the use of external expertise in the quality assurance process signals to tertiary education providers that the quality assurance agency is taking an independent route for the assessment of the institution
What’s Inside: Chairman’s Word
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From the Desk of the Executive Director
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Off-shore Medical Schools in B’dos
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BAC News
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CBET Curriculum Workshop
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Around the World
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Crystal Clear
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Standing: Trained Evaluators Seated from left to right: Ms. Valda Alleyne, Executive Director, BAC; Dr. Ruby Alleyne, facilitator; Ms. Yvonne Walkes, Chairman, BAC; and Mr. Jason Stafford, co-facilitator.
CHAIRMAN’S WORD
strategies identified for the way forward included the need for improved innovation and creativity amongst institutions; and the implementation of effective management systems for evaluating quality within institutions.
Ms. Yvonne Walkes, Chairman
The Quality Indicators workshop was seen as critical in light of a survey of over ninety (90) tertiary educational providers which was conducted in May, 2009 by the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES) on behalf of the Council. The survey was primarily aimed at ascertaining whether quality indicators were established within these institutions.
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Overall, it was found that there may not have been a clear understanding of the concept “quality indicator”. Further, amongst other findings, it was revealed that:
n behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Barbados Accreditation Council, it was a great honour to host the first workshop for the calendar year which focused on the theme: “Establishing Quality Indicators for Institutional and Programme Accreditation”. Only last year, the Council hosted the 6th Annual Conference of the Caribbean Area Network for Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education (CANQATE) which examined the challenges of balancing quality and quantity in this dynamic global environment in which the Caribbean tertiary education sector operates today. Some of the 2
• 58% had a governing/ advisory body structure in place; • 46% perceived that the financing allocated for educational resources was adequate; • 37% perceived that their financial resources were adequate to meet long term requirements;
• 35% had sufficient resources (computers) to meet students’ needs; • 45% had stakeholder interaction in the programme approval process; and • 39% reviewed their assessment policies annually. Given the Council’s thrust within the next few months to encourage accreditation of institutions and programmes of study in Barbados, it is crucial that the tertiary educational providers have a clear understanding of the concepts “quality” and “quality indicators”. Further, that they be equipped with the necessary techniques and tools to successfully meet the Council’s accreditation standards. As you may be aware, the concept of “quality” continues to be debated worldwide, particularly as it relates to tertiary education and training in light of varying perspectives from students, employers, institutions, governments and other stakeholders. Indeed, the term “quality indicator” suggests that quality in tertiary education and training can be measured or assessed for a particular purpose; and in the context of this workshop, for institutional or programme accreditation. It is interesting to note that at this workshop that the participants will seek to reach a consensus on the two concepts. Continued on page 8
FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
QUALITY MATTERS!
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ow often have you heard that “your perception of quality is not my perception of quality”? This may be considered true as the concept “quality” may differ according to one’s beliefs, values and experiences. Certainly, my view of “quality” hotel accommodation is one where there is a welcoming approach on arrival, any apologies if there is a prolonged delay at reception, clean surroundings and most important, as a frequent tea drinker, there should be at least complimentary facilities for making tea. Quality, therefore, connotes that there is some yardstick by which somethingg is beingg assessed or evaluated. In fact, the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, defines “quality” as the “the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind, general excellence” and comes from the Latin “qualis” which means “what kind”. So if we are talking about quality in tertiary education, then there should be some acceptable standards or criteria by which this level of
education should be measured against; in institutions to be represented and this can be done internally by the through/by: institution/provider or by an external effective governance body, such as a government ministry clearly stated and appropriate responsible for education or an mission quality assurance agency such as the efficient and effective Barbados Accreditation Council. administration qualified, competent and The concern about the quality of engaged faculty and staff tertiary education is not new. Since timely and customer-friendly the 1950s, and more visibly from services the 1960s, the notion of quality in relevant, current, welleducation has been debated as various documented and appropriately stakeholders have had different views assessed programmes about issues such as its relevance to the established, documented, sector given its origin in the industrial functional and well-managed sector and the implications for quality assurance system academic freedom and institutional responsiveness to change effectiveness. T Today, questions are system for formative and still being asked in relation to: summative evaluation and reform • What is meant by the concept of m a culture which embraces “quality” in i tertiary education; integrity and ethical conduct • Whose yardstick should quality yar prudent financial management be measured measure by – the institution, effective and diversified learning or the responsible authority for resp and teaching experiences education/sector? education/ adequate and appropriate • How should “quality” be sh student services and support measured? committed and motivated • What needs need to happen to assure students continuous continuou quality provision of tertiary education? ed As the body with responsibility for The Council expects that the assuring quality tertiary education notion of quality quali may vary amongst in this country, the Barbados providers in Barbados due Accreditation Council has developed tertiary provid mission/purpose, philosophy, the following underlying principles to the mission characteristics and complexity of aimed at assuring quality service institution. Nevertheless, the delivery by the BAC. the institution Council will be working with tertiary providers to ensure that effective Quality for the BAC is perceived as internal qu quality management the provision of effective and efficient systems are implemented within services that are: geared towards the enhancement institutions to assure quality of post-secondary/tertiary educational educationa provision. As such, education and training; the BAC perceives quality Continued on page 9
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Continued from Front page (cont’d)
PROCEDURES FOR REGISTRATION OF
OFF-SHORE MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN
BARBADOS
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ny overseas provider, seeking to establish a medical school in Barbados, is expected to have accreditation/recognition status in its home country/country of origin. Alternatively, in order to seek registration with the Barbados Accreditation Council, the institution should seek accreditation for its programme(s) from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). • • • • • •
a proposal which provides a description of the organization; its operations as an educational entity; the nature of the proposed programme offering(s); method(s) for delivering the programme offering(s); accreditation status of the institution and/ or programme(s) offered; and any additional information which may assist the Council with responding effectively to the request; and completed application for registration form. All other requirements for registration established by the BAC also apply. For additional information regarding the registration process of the BAC, please go to the BAC’s website at the link http://bac.gov. bb/Registration.htm
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or programme of study. Further, that there is professional judgment through national, regional and international subject matter experts and professionals.” Ms. Walkes spoke to the evaluators’ ability to confirm evidence submitted by providers for registration and accreditation. The workshop was aimed at equipping the evaluators, selected by the BAC, with the requisite skills and knowledge to be effective external evaluators/peer reviewers for the registration and accreditation processes. The workshop, facilitated by Dr. Ruby Alleyne, Vice-President, Quality Assurance and Institutional Advancement and Mr. Jason Stafford, Manager, Institutional Advancement of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), provided practical exposure through a mock site visit where the participants had the opportunity to not only make preparations for the site visit, but also to undertake the visit, interview key administrative, faculty members and a student representative. One of the participants, Mrs. Lynn Beckles, found the workshop to be an excellent exercise and stated, “It was a good opportunity to really understand the organizational structure (of the BAC) and it reinforced the integrity of the accreditation process.” Mrs. Jacequline MoeCox, an evaluator who delivered the Vote of Thanks commended the BAC and facilitators for a highly interactive workshop. In her closing remarks, Dr. Alleyne also commended the evaluators for their active participation and contribution to the workshop, which was critical for its success. Prior to the workshop, the evaluators attended an orientation meeting with the BAC to familiarize themselves with the registration and accreditation processes.
BACNews The Accreditation and Programme Approval Committee (APAC) was formed in February, 2010 to assist the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) with the effective functioning of its Accreditation and Programme Approval services. The mandate of APAC includes: •
Reviewing the recommendations of the evaluation team in respect of accreditation, programme approval and related activities;
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Establishing common standards for evaluating reports;
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Ensuring that decisions are reliable and can stand up to scrutiny;
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Periodically reviewing accreditation and programme approval policies, procedures and processes in order to make recommendations as necessary; and
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Generally ensuring that the Accreditation and Programme Approval processes and procedures are cohesive and meet internationally accepted requirements.
An orientation session was held on March 28 at which the members were apprised of their roles and responsibilities, the Programme Approval processes and procedures and the Programme and Institutional Accreditation Standards of the BAC.
L-R: Ms. Shelly Carrington, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Immigration and Labour; Dr. Louis Whittington, Senior Programme Officer (Ag) & Officer-in-Charge), University of the West Indies Open Campus, Office of External Relations, Inter and Intra-Institutional Collaboration (UWIOC-ERIIC); Ms. Valda Alleyne, Executive Director, BAC; Ms. Wendy McClean, Manager of Technical Services, TVET Council; Ms. Joy Gittens, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Ag), Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and Board Member, BAC; and Dr. Gladstone Best, First Vice President of Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions (ACTI), Local Chapter
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BACNews PERSONNEL FROM THE TVET COUNCIL ENLIGHTEN BAC STAFF
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he Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council delivered a presentation on Competence-Based Education and Training (CBET) to staff of the BAC which highlighted the use of occupational standards in the development and design of training, and in other human resource practices. The presentation acted as a precursor to the collaborative hosting of the workshop Curriculum Design and Development for Competence-Based Education and Training held this month by the two Councils.
L-R: Ms. Dawn Gill, Technical Officer, TVET Council; Mrs. Sharon Thomas-Alleyne, Accreditation Officer; Mr. Mark Alleyne, Assistant Accountant (BAC); Ms. Valda Alleyne, Executive Director (BAC); Capt. James Maloney, Accreditation Officer (BAC); Ms. Katrina Ifill, Information Officer (BAC); and Ms. Wendy McClean, Manager of Technical Services, TVET Council
SCOTLAND COLLEGES
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s. Carol Booth, Senior Manager, Scotland Colleges International (SCI) met with the BAC and indicated that her organization ve arrangements with local was seeking collaborative ew to delivering relevant institutions with a view programmes in Barbados. L-R: Ms. Valda Alleyne, Executive Director, BAC; Ms. Yvonne Walkes, Chairman, BAC; Ms. Carol Booth, Senior Manager, Scotland Colleges International; Capt. James Maloney and Mrs. Sharon AlleyneThomas, Accreditation Officers, BAC
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TRAINING 6
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ongratulations to Ms. Esther Moore, re, lly Maid (BAC) who successfully completed the “Parenting of nd Tomorrow’s Adults” 2009 & Beyond on Programmes offered by the Probation Department. Ms. Moore was awarded a Certificate of Achievement.
BAC MEETS WITH THE FRANKFURT SCHOOL OF FINANCE & MANAGEMENT
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r. Barbara Drexler, Programme Director of Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany met with the BAC to discuss its requirements for delivering a programme of study locally.
L-R: Capt. James Maloney, Accreditation Officer, BAC; Dr. Barbara Drexler, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management; Mrs. Sharon Thomas-Alleyne, Accreditation Officer, BAC; Ms Valda Alleyne, Executive Director, BAC; and a student representative of Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.
TOOL FOR INSTITUTIONAL AUDITING
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r. Willie Clarke-Okah, model was developed in response Higher Education Spe- to two key drivers, namely: cialist, Commonwealth of Learning (COL) met with the a. Increased global emphasis on the quality of higher educaBAC in March. The purpose of the tion, and meeting was to introduce the BAC to the COL Review and Improve- b. Rising concern about the high ment Model (COL RIM) framecost and uncertain benefits of work for institutional audit within conventional approaches to the higher g education sector. The quality assurance. external qual
The framework can assist with The encouraging and/or enhancing a quality culture in the tertiary sector globally. According to Dr. ClarkeOkah, the COL RIM framework was being piloted initially within Africa and Jamaica. COL was also promoting the framework through a series of visits to other Caribbean countries.
EDUCATIONUSA
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s. Ichiyo Iwata, Outreach Advisor of EducationUSA met with the BAC to learn of its role and responsibilities. The d discussions focused on areas of mutual interests, n namely the recognition services (of local and USA iinstitutions, programmes, and qualifications). B BAC and EducationUSA have placed their e links oon their respective websites to assist interested u users. In addition, there will be the opportunity ffor collaborative arrangements for the hosting of IInformation Sessions for prospective students to the U USA. L-R: Ms V Valda Alleyne, Executive Director, BAC; Ms. Ichiyo Iwata, Outreach EducationUSA; Capt. James Maloney and Mrs. Sharon Thomas-Alleyne, Advisor, Ed Accreditation Officers, BAC and Ms. Katrina Ifill, Information Officer, BAC Accreditat
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Mission Statement “To be a high quality provider of registration, accreditation and related services in post-secondary and tertiary education and training in Barbados and beyond.”
CHAIRMAN’S WORD Continued from page 2
The Barbados Accreditation Council takes a partnership approach to the quality assurance of tertiary providers through ongoing monitoring, institutional self-evaluation and peer evaluation conducted by an external team of competent individuals. Through consultation with tertiary providers, professional bodies and other stakeholders, the Council has established standards for Institutional and Programme Accreditation which take into account the local peculiarities of the tertiary educational system, whilst incorporating international best practices for global competitiveness.
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We anticipate that local and foreign providers offering tertiary
education and training in data acquired should allow tertiary Barbados will demonstrate their providers to reflect on factors such commitment towards quality as: assurance and quality enhancement through voluntary adherence to • How are we doing? – which the Council’s Institutional and measures where the institution Programme Standards. is now; We recognize that there is considerable variation amongst tertiary providers in Barbados, as revealed by the May 2009 research study which showed that 65% of the providers were small (that is, with less than 100 students). Further, in terms of age of establishment, approximately 36.1% were shown to be “young” (that is, 0 to 5 years); the same percentage was recorded for “maturing” providers (that is, between 6 to 20 years).
• How do we know how we are doing? – which identifies the evidence which support this; and • What are we going to do now? - which shows the next steps necessary for improvement.
The data gathered could also be used for benchmarking purposes as an institution may seek to compare itself and/or programme against its competitor(s) with a view to The Institutional and Programme even adopting best practices for Accreditation standards are improvement. therefore intentionally broad enough to allow for diversity in the It was therefore intended that institutional processes and systems, through the workshop that creativity and innovation. participants would be able to identify vital data that should be Worldwide, students, parents, collected, analysed and evaluated to governments, employers and assess the quality of the institution other stakeholders are demanding and its programmes/courses of accountability, value for money study. and questioning the relevance of tertiary education and training to The Council will continue to employment needs. Barbados is provide technical support and no exception. assistance to ensure that tertiary providers meet its Institutional The Quality Indicators workshop and Programme Accreditation provided the opportunity for Standards. In addition, we are principals/owners/managers to planning to produce a toolkit which evaluate the strengths of their will enable tertiary providers to institutions and discern where there effectively establish and implement are areas for improvement. Self- indicators for quality assurance evaluation is critical to improving and quality enhancement. the effectiveness of institutions and though the idea of assessing The BAC will continue to host institutional or programme highly productive workshops and success may even seem daunting, looks forward to working with threatening, or intruding on providers as we, together, seek academic autonomy or limited to enhance tertiary educational time available for teaching and provisions in Barbados. administrative responsibilities, the
QUALITY MATTERS! Continued ontinued from page 3
in integrity of practise; excellence in service; and ex a commitment to national and regional development.
fit for purpose, add value and exceed stakeholders’ expectations; Quality for the BAC is demonstrated benchmarked against regional by: and international standards. demand for non-mandatory services by its clients; Quality for the BAC is guided by: respect of peers through mutual a developmental approach; recognition; accountability to stakeholders; positive feedback from internal
and external stakeholders; efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness. At the Council, we are committed to achieving these quality principles through working with tertiary educational providers, the general public, professional bodies, external evaluators engaged by the Council, government and other stakeholders.
COMPETENCE-BASED EDUCATION AND TRAINING (CBET) CURRICULUM WORKSHOP
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ertiary educational providers are now better equipped to develop their curricula for competence-based education and training (CBET). Thanks to the collaboration of the Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council who hosted a workshop entitled, “Curriculum Design and Development for Competence-Based Education and Training” recently held at the Savannah Hotel. The three-day workshop attracted twenty-five (25) local educational providers. Ms Kay Skeete, the facilitator has worked in the tertiary education and training sector since 1985 and her aptitude for curriculum development and vocational education has been nurtured locally and internationally.
Ms Yvonne Walkes, Chairman of the BAC, in her Feature Address to the participants stated that the BAC recognizes that a globally competitive post-secondary or tertiary educational system in Barbados demands that educational providers be equipped with the necessary tools and techniques for developing “high quality educational programmes of study and courses that can effectively compete with others, based on international standards.” Ms Walkes also remarked that there is an increase in competition between local and foreign providers for the same student groups as a result of the liberalization of education and training globally and the free movement of labour and skills through mechanisms such as the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. Because of this increased competition, the BAC has observed a growing demand for quality education and training and recognized qualifications.
Given its commitment to the continuous improvement of the quality of teaching and learning at the tertiary level, the BAC decided to collaborate with the TVET Council to host the workshop.
In her Remarks, Ms Wendy McClean, Manager, Technical Services, TVET Council endorsed the Chairman’s comments. Ms. McClean stated that the collaboration between the TVET Council and the BAC was “a natural undertaking given the complementary mandates of both organizations”. Notably, the TVET Council’s focus is “on the standards of competence that individuals are expected to demonstrate while performing work activities,” and further “the TVET Council subscribes to the view that quality and effectiveness in education and training must be driven by standards.” Ms McClean anticipated that there would be similar collaborations with other agencies to advance the cause of The Chairman emphasized that, “as workforce development in Barbados economic, social and technological and the Caribbean. changes gather momentum, people everywhere need to continuously In highlighting the vital link between develop their knowledge and skills, occupational standards of competence so that they can live and work and training, Ms. McClean presented meaningfully in today’s society.” a scenario where the standards could Continued on page 12
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BAC
ASSISTS EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS WITH IDENTIFYING
“Quality Indicators”
Participants at the workshop
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workshop entitled “Establishing Quality Indicators for Institutional and Programme Accreditation” was held in March at PomMarine Hotel, Christ Church. The workshop, facilitated by Ms. Valda Alleyne, the Executive Director of BAC, encouraged heads and administrative representatives from various providers to identify the quality indicators (institutional data) which would support their requests for programme and institutional accreditation. The need for the workshop emerged as a result of a survey conducted by the BAC, through the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), which revealed that the majority of tertiary educational providers questioned did not have a clear understanding of the concept “quality indicator”. 10
Ms. Yvonne Walkes, Chairman of BAC
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n her Remarks, Ms Walkes indicated that the workshop provided the opportunity for the representatives to evaluate the strengths of their respective institutions and discern where there were areas for improvement. The Chairman stated that the BAC would continue to provide technical support and assistance to the educational providers to ensure that they meet the Institutional and Programme Accreditation Standards of the BAC. The forum provided the opportunity for the over 25 educational providers to share their views on “quality” and “quality indicators”.
AROUND THE WORLD INQAAHE MEMBERS’ ME EMBERS’ FORUM MAY 4 TO 6, NAMIBIA
L-R: Dr David Woodhouse, President, INQAAHE; Ms Valda Alleyne, Executive Director, BAC; Dr Ethley London, Executive Director University Council of Jamaica (UCJ); and Mr Michael Bradshaw, Executive Director (ag), Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT).
Over 100 participants primarily from the Asia and African regions attended the 11th INQAAHE Forum. Apart from Barbados, the Caribbean region was represented by Dr. Ethley London, Executive Directors of the University Council of Jamaica and Mr. Michael Bradshaw, acting Executive Director of the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago and the University Council of Jamaica.
Through plenary followed by break-out sessions, participants he Executive Director and identified economic, social and represented the Barbados • QA and the Transnational political crises facing the tertiary Accreditation Council th at the 11 biennial International The opportunity was also presented sector and QAAs in particular; Network for Quality Assurance for participants to attend three (3) and shared their countries’ Agencies in Higher Education Pre Forum Workshops under the experiences and strategies. Apart from the learning and networking (INQAAHE) Members’ Forum in following subject areas: opportunities provided at the Namibia from May 4 to 6, 2010. workshops, participants were also The Forum, which was hosted • Open Educational Resources able to explore the social and by the Namibia Qualifications • QA Mechanisms for cultural side of Namibia. Authority, had as its theme • QA Agencies “Responsiveness of External • Training of Reviewers Quality Assurance Agencies”. The subthemes focused on the following:
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• Quality Assurance (QA) methodologies and Higher Education (HE) economic responsiveness; • QA agencies between the global and the local • QA and HE Social Responsiveness • Political Constraints on External Quality Assurance;
Included in the picture from left to right are Dr Ethley London, Executive Director, University Council of Jamaica and Ms Valda Alleyne, Executive Director, Barbados Accreditation Council. At back right is Dr. David Woodhouse, President, INQAAHE.
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COMPETENCE-BASED EDUCATION AND TRAINING (CBET) CURRICULUM WORKSHOP
Continued from page 9
be used as learning outcomes in the development of a training programme for a supervisor who must be able knowledge and skills to: provide leadership for his or her team; develop productive working relationships with colleagues; allocate and check work in his or her team; and provide learning opportunities for colleagues. The Manager, Technical Services emphasized that competence-based education and training allows the training provider to assess trainees against the occupational standards. Further, that learners on entering the programme, know what they are expected to achieve and what will be assessed and at the end of the training, they can provide employers with proof of their ability to perform competently in the workplace.
The participants noted that curriculum designers and those who deliver occupational training programmes have to be passionate about people development, thorough and attentive to detail, driven by a commitment to maintaining quality standards, and dedicated professionals who understand the far reaching impact of their work. The rigorous three-day training workshop involved lively exchanges, discussions and group work on curriculum development, design and planning. Based on the feedback from the participants, the BAC and TVET Council have been assured that the workshop has: • contributed to the overall improvement of the quality of educational provisions in the curriculum development of
CRYSTAL CLEAR A credit is an agreed upon quantified means of expressing the level of learning based on the achievements of learning outcomes and their associated workloads. Generally, once gained, credit cannot be lost. Credit may have a relative value (as the case when they were first introduced) or absolute value(when they made the shift to an accumulative system – no longer calculated on an ad hoc proportional basis but on the bases of officially recognized criteria – that is the official length of a degree programme or unit).
evidence can be collected that allows for a determination of whether or not standards are being met. Indicators identify performance trends and signal areas in need of action and enable comparison of actual performance with established objectives. They are used to translate theoretical aspects of quality into procedures, a process known as operationalization. An indicator must be distinguished from a measure, which is data used to demined the level of performance of an attribute of interest, and from a standard, which is the level of acceptable performance in terms of a specific numeric criterion.
Indicators Operational variables referring to specific empirically measurable characteristics of higher education intuitions or programmes on which
Peer Review/External Review Assessment procedure regarding the quality and effectiveness of the academic programmes of an
Credits
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the educational providers that attended; • helped the participants improve their ability to compete in a liberalised marketplace through the acquisition of skills and expertise in this area; and • served as a platform for dialogue, exchange and sharing of experience, expertise and innovative practices in the design and development of curricula suited to the competence-based education and training (CBET) environment. Overall, the participants found that the workshop was informative, beneficial and well executed. institution, its staffing, and/or its structure, carried out by external experts (peers). (Strictly speaking, peers are academics of the same discipline, but in practice, different types of external evaluators exist, even though all are meant to be specialists in the field reviewed and knowledgeable about higher education in general.) For a review, the source of authority of peers, types of peers, their selection and training, their site visits, and the standards to be met may vary. A review is usually based on a self-evaluation report provided by the institution and can be used as a basis for indicators or as a method of judgment for (external) evaluation of higher education. Source: UNESCO (2007) Quality Assurance and Accreditation: A Glossary of Basic Terms and Definitions Bucharest, Romania.