RIL Pilot Program Evaluation: Enhancing Informal Learning Recognition

1. EVALUATION RIL PILOT PROGRAM

2. The Evaluation Questions • The “learning gain competency” • Assessors understanding before starting, after training and after application • Assessor views of usefulness • Usefulness of the complexity and volume of learning in reaching decisions • Suggestions for improving

3. The Evaluation Questions • The assessors training • Assessors confidence before training, after training and after application • Improvements for future training • The discussion based assessment process (DBA) • Assessors expectation and experience of DBA • Each assessment tool - usefulness • Students capacity to prepare for the DBA • Students valuing of DBA

4. The Evaluation Questions • Time / resource requirements • Time taken to complete the assessments • Constraints • Improvements • Overall • Effectiveness and validity of assessment • Confidence in process • Applicability of process

5. Data Gathering • Two assessor surveys • Site reports • Survey/interview –19 candidates • Discussion with each pilot group • Some observation of DBA process • Examination of documentation

6. Data Gathering • Discussion with other stakeholders • Employers • RTOs • Job network providers • OTTE representatives • Two industry training board representatives

7. What Assessors Said • Education and training value of assessing and recognizing informal learning • Assessment model can be effectively carried out – more so with modification • DBA process works but needs further development • Improved assessment questioning • Moderation to improve consistency • Better approach to volume of learning calculation

8. What Assessors Said • The process tools were made to work but • Adjust to reduce duplication • Better guide for candidate preparation and evidence gathering • Reduced paperwork • Process can work for a range of candidates • Results as valid as assessment within formal education and training

9. What Assessment Candidates Said • Overall very positive • Most understood the process • Some expectation of credit into particular VET courses • Mostly satisfied with discussion based assessment • Able to demonstrate what they had learned informally • All satisfied with the result

10. What Assessment Candidates Said • All found value from the process • Confirmed learning from a number of experiences • Evidence to support entry to further courses • Increased confidence to attempt further learning • Something to show possible employers • Many reported much greater awareness of of their learning and personal value

11. What Assessment Candidates Said • Candidates suggestions for improvement • More time to prepare for assessment • Clearer communication about evidence to collect and relationship to further course entry • Reduced paperwork • Making language easier to read and understand

12. Other Stakeholders • Employers • Four of 5 employers saw usefulness of the assessment result and certificate to help decide on suitability for employment • All employers could see value in assessing informal learning, but certificate language needs to indicate what candidates have done

13. Other Stakeholders • Job network providers and RTOs • Some suggested employers would value as an indication of employability skills • Others said employers would only be interested in clear indication of industry competencies attained • Still others suggested wording of the certificate to be more recognizable to employers • Shared view that employers need to understand more about the RIL process assesses informal learning

14. Other Stakeholders • OTTE and ITAB representatives • Confirmed that the RIL process remains problematic – not assessment against industry competency standards • However some value seen in • Possible indicator of fitness to enter VET courses without credit or advanced standing • Link to RPL RCC process – demonstrated capacity to identify the level to which candidates had operated

15. Conclusions and Recommendations • Conclusions • The RIL process worked to enable assessment against the learning gain unit • Assessors and candidates value it • High degree of assessor confidence in results

16. Conclusions and Recommendations • Conclusions (cont) • Potential to assist individuals to better understand their own learning capacity and gain confidence for further learning • RIL processes and tools need modification to improve understanding and efficiency • Training future assessors needs greater emphasis on practice

17. Conclusions and Recommendations • Recommendations • Greater emphasis on assisting people with clear disadvantages that have deterred them from participating in further education and training • That the VQA re-work the assessor package to improve understanding and efficiency • Continue to explore possible links of RIL assessment results with VET course entry and RPL/RCC • Examine extension of RIL assessment to employability skills making it more useful to employers and job seekers