Samoan National Professional Standards for TVET Trainers FINAL SECOND DRAFT 27 JUNE 2014

Samoan National Professional Standards for TVET Trainers FINAL SECOND DRAFT 27 JUNE 2014

SAMOAN

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

FOR

TVET TRAINERS

SECOND DRAFT

27 June 2014

Written by NPS Panel

Katrina Hunt

James Ah Fook

Susan Faoagali

Table of Contents

List of Figures 2

Acronyms 3

Introduction 4

Purpose of the Professional Standards for Trainers 5

Use of the Professional Standards for Trainers 7

Professional Standards 8

1 Professional Knowledge 10

Qualification, Vocational Competence & Experience 11

Teaching & Learning 13

Laws & Policies 14

2 Professional Practice 15

Planning, Presentation & Classroom Management 15

Assessment 16

3 Industry Engagement 20

Provider: 21

Students: 21

Industry and Economy: 21

4 Professional Values and Attributes 22

Equity, Justice and Inclusive Learning 22

Professional Development 23

Self-Reflection & Peer Feedback 23

Teamwork and Collaboration 24

Ethical, Legal and Professional Conduct 25

Student Privacy and Confidentiality 26

Summary Professional Standards for Samoa’s TVET Trainers 27

Professional Standards Matrix 29

Professional Standards Indicators and Evidence Source 47

Glossary 58

List of Figures

Figure 1 Professional Standard Areas 10

Figure 2 Main Components of Assessment 17

Acronyms

Introduction

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the world of work. According to UNESCO and ILO (2002), TVET is:

used as a comprehensive term referring to those aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences, and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life. Technical and vocational education is further understood to be:

a) an integral part of general education

b) a means of preparing for occupational fields and for effective participation in the world of work

c) an aspect of lifelong learning and a preparation for responsible citizenship

d an instrument for promoting environmentally sound sustainable development

e) a method of facilitating poverty alleviation.

TVET in Samoa has a long history beginning with the formation of the Western Samoa Polytechnic in 1993. Since that time there have been several TVET training institutes set up in Samoa through religious and private organisations.

TVET is increasing important in Samoa due to the rapid economic, social and technological changes happening in the country and across the region. The workers in Samoa need more skills to participate and find work in the different sectors in Samoa, particularly Hospitality and Tourism as a major export earner in Samoa.

TVET is increasingly being recognised as a significant step in Samoa’s success in growth and development in all sectors. In addition, the incidences of natural disasters has increased the awareness and understanding of the need to better prepare ourselves for disasters but also to equip ourselves for rapid response and recovery services.

The challenge is to achieve good results with limited resources. A vital element of TVET that affects the outcomes of our TVET institutes is the quality of its trainers. This document sets out the key areas required of a quality TVET trainer and outlines the professional standards the trainers are required to meet.

Purpose of the Professional Standards for Trainers

Samoa Qualification Authority’s (SQA) mandate is to ensure consistent delivery of quality training services across Samoa. This mission aligns with one of the main priorities of the TVET Strengthening Program in Samoa, which is to improve the capacity of training providers to deliver high level, industry led quality training. In support of this program priority, SQA has established these internationally comparable and stakeholder validated professional standards for TVET Trainers.

These professional standards are applicable to TVET providers and trainers delivering formal or accredited training. These standards are not written for training providers who provide informal or non-accredited training, although they may provide valuable information and benchmarks for organisations and facilitators in this area of training.

Currently these standards are a guideline or recommendation to TVET providers on appropriate criteria for trainers and quality training. In coming years this position may change and these standards may became a mandatory requirement for the delivery of formal training in Samoa. In the interim, it is envisaged that TVET providers will use this framework to review their organisation’s practices and implement these standards across their operations.

The professional standards listed in this guideline are generic in that they apply to all trainers regardless of sector or level. They detail criteria for quality training and assessment, recognising that quality student outcomes are closely aligned with quality training practices. The standards focus on the professional knowledge, skills, practices and attributes characteristic of three different levels of trainers:

1.  Grade 1 - Trainer

2.  Grade 2 - Training Designer / Developer

3.  Grade 3 – Master Trainer & Mentor

The Grade 1 Trainer demonstrates basic skills in training and assessment and is responsible for writing lesson plans, developing learning materials and basic assessment items. The Grade 1 Trainer should have at least 2 years previous experience working in the relevant vocational area. This Grade describes the basic duties that should be performed by a staff member preforming training duties as well as where professional growth should be targeted to progress them to the next Grade.

The Grade 2 Training Designer / Developer demonstrates higher skills and responsibilities through designing and implementing courses. The Grade 2 Trainer should have more than 2 years experience in the relevant vocational area. The Grade 2 Trainer performs all of the basic duties described in Grade 1 but is also able to make significant contributions to the development of learning and assessment resources, the development of delivery strategies and the review of current practices to identify quality and future improvements.

The Grade 3 Master Trainer & Mentor is a highly experienced trainer who is able to take a lead training role in the development and review of training programs. While they still perform the duties listed in Grade 1 and 2 they are also able to lead, mentor and support less experienced staff in the implementation of quality training strategies. Trainers at this level will be responsible for designing training programs, coordinating industry engagement and identifying suitable professional development activities for trainers under their supervision. Master Trainers Mentors will keep up to date with relevant research and will be recognised by others as having high level knowledge and skills in both subject knowledge and pedagogy/ andragogy.

To ensure consistency with other Samoan educational sectors and international standards these Professional Standards have been developed by reviewing and adapting a range of relevant professional standards to develop a guideline relevant to the Samoan TVET sector. Standards referenced include:

1. Professional Standards and Performance Appraisal for Samoa’s Teachers (Developed by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture)
2. The Philippine TVET Trainers-Assessors Qualification Framework (Developed by the Philippine Technical Education and Skills Development Authority)
3. Private Training Establishment Registration Rules 2013 (Developed by New Zealand Qualifications Authority)
4. VET Quality Framework (Developed by Australian Skills Quality Authority)

Use of the Professional Standards for Trainers

These professional standards can be used in a variety of ways to assist trainers and training organisations to improve the quality and consistency of training quality, thereby improving student outcomes. Listed below are some of the ways in which these standards can make a positive impact on training:

1. Role Descriptions – These professional standards can be used by training organisations to construct role descriptions for trainers within their organisation. This role clarity can help guide staff performance, as trainers will have clear expectations on roles, responsibilities and professional growth.
2. Self-Reflection and Self-Assessment – Trainers at all levels can use these standards to reflect on their own performance and future development goals. Trainers can assess themselves against these standards to determine where they are meeting industry standards and where further development and growth should be targeted.
3. Performance Appraisals and Feedback – These professional standards provide valid and reliable criteria to monitor and evaluate trainer’s performance and skill levels. Professional feedback conversations can be structured using these professional standards as quality indicators. The dialogue during these meetings will provide opportunities for reflection and collaboration to promote professional growth.
4. Professional Development – These standards are a valuable tool which can be used by trainers and management on an ongoing basis to determine individual trainer needs and goals for ongoing professional development. In consultation with the trainer, managers should use these standards to identify strategies for professional growth and development in the short and long term.
5. Career Pathways – These standards can be used for promotional purposes in the career structure. Trainers seeking promotion can be appraised against the listed criteria to determine their eligibility for a higher grade levels.
6. Quality Tool – These standards can be used as a framework of industry best practice. This can assist a training organisation to review practices within their organisation to identify areas for improvement and structure future continuous improvement.

Professional Standards

The vocational trainer is in essence a dual profession in both their trade/ profession and in the facilitation of learning. The effective trainer is focused on the best possible outcome for all learners in their class and works proactively to ensure success. They recognize and respect the diversity in their learners and seek to treat and value them as individuals.

Teaching and learning in the vocational areas is challenging, exciting, supportive and purposeful. It is focused on developing the learner’s capabilities to maximize their potential and future opportunities. While the learners achieve success on their programmes of study, the trainer’s goal is ultimately to ensure their learners are best equipped for their next steps into work and employment and/or further study.

Relevant work experience and contexts are fundamental to high quality vocational education outcomes in Samoa. It is important that professional practice as a vocational trainer is not bound by either the limits of the educational institute or by the qualifications offered. Emphasis is placed on achieving the best possible interactions and collaboration between the world of education and the world of work and employment.

Digital and information technologies are becoming a way of life in Samoa and it is vital that the trainer engage with these technologies as tools to support learning and to provide access to content that is relevant to the learner. Teaching and learning facilitation focuses on concepts, developing deeper understanding while at the same time enhancing the learner’s attributes that will improve the chances of gaining employment.

Vocational trainers today are expected to facilitate the education of their learners through building on their existing knowledge, strengths and skills, as well as negotiating between the learning environment and the work/employment environment. Trainer’s assessment strategies are designed to foster learning and build on evidence as the lessons progress. Effective trainers are highly skilled in actively managing risks in learning through being open to new ideas, being able to foster innovation and creating motivational learning opportunities.

A highly professional trainer is continually challenging themselves about their own practice and looking for continuing learning. They understand self-reflection and are able to use it in a systematic and evidence-based way to improve their professional knowledge and practice. In addition they are also future-focused in terms of their trade or profession. They have developed and nurtured a relationship with their specific industry in Samoa and the Pacific Region to ensure the education of TVET learners responds to the needs of the industry and is appropriate for current and future developments in the vocational area.

Over the years individual organisations and associations have been established to support specific industries such as the Plumbers Association, Samoa Refrigeration Engineers Association and The Institution of Professional Engineers Samoa. These bodies are a valuable source to the training institutes to build networks and partnerships that progress the development of the workforce and the quality of the TVET trainers.

These national TVET professional standards have been developed around four key areas:

1.  Professional Knowledge

2.  Professional Practice

3.  Industry Engagement

4.  Professional Values and Attributes

These are illustrated in Figure 1, the quality Trainer has specific professional standards within each of these areas.

Figure 1 Professional Standard Areas

These areas are based on the best practice in teaching and learning together with specific vocational/ industry knowledge and experience and are essential for high quality vocational trainers. Each professional area has its own set of professional standards required to ensure that the vocational educational institutions as well as individual trainers are able to monitor and appraise, while at the same time receive professional development that is relevant to the needs of the trainer.

1 Professional Knowledge

The area of professional knowledge involves the key elements required for successful teaching and learning to take place; the trainer; the student; the content; and the context. A quality trainer must have the knowledge of all these elements and the processes involved between these elements to use a variety of strategies and techniques to ensure the learner achieves the set goals.

To this end the professional standards incorporated in this areas are grouped under 4 sub-headings.

A.  Qualification

B.  Vocational competence & experience

C.  Teaching & learning

D.  Laws, policies and regulations.

The evidence used to demonstrate knowledge in these key areas will be found in the qualifications held by the trainer and the years of experience and skills displayed by the trainer.

Qualification, Vocational Competence & Experience

The qualification and vocational competence and experience standards reflect the duel expectations of a TVET trainer, that they are qualified and experienced in the education field such as the specific knowledge of the teaching and learning process; as well as qualified in their related vocational field such as their specific trade (e.g. electrical, plumbing, mechanic, hospitality) and have experience in the industry workplace. The qualification and experience in both these areas are expected to increase as the trainer progresses from Grade 1 to Grade 3 Trainer. Levels of qualifications and experience are therefore reflected progressively higher for each grade of trainer.