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Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

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January 24th, 2009. Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges. CIITE Overview. Colleges Integrating Immigrants to Employment (CIITE) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges January 24th, 2009
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Page 1: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

January 24th, 2009

Page 2: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

CIITE Overview

Colleges Integrating Immigrants to Employment (CIITE)

Vision: Internationally trained immigrants have access to programs and services in the Ontario college system that build on their qualifications and expedite their securing employment commensurate with their skills and knowledge

Page 3: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Objective: To improve the support structures and services colleges provide to skilled immigrants.

Focus: The development and implementation of systemic solutions to address barriers to immigrants’ rapid entry into the workplace.

Result: Improved services for skilled immigrants

Supported by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration of the Government of Ontario

Developed, led, and implemented by Ontario colleges

A multi-phased strategy for modifying and refining college systems and programs

CIITE Overview

Page 4: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

CIITE Background

Phase 1: December 2003 – December 2004: Identify barriers ITIs face in

the Ontario college system

Phase 2: September 2005 – December 2007: Develop and test selected

immigrant focused practices and services in the college system

Phase 3.1: April 2008 - March 2009: Implement immigrant focused practices

and services in the Ontario college system

Page 5: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Phase 3.1 Projects

April 2008 - March 2009: Project Implementation o Pilot Credential Recognition (REE)o Implement ITI Advising Serviceso Implement Language Benchmarkingo Prepare Competency Assessment Models for Rollouto ITI Data Collectiono Develop and Implement Self-Assessment and Upgrade Employment Serviceso Develop and deliver Cultural Intelligence Training and Change Managemento Flexible/Modular Delivery Working Group

For more information on CIITE Projects visit www.ciite.ca

Page 6: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Competency Assessment - Addressing the Gap

CIITE Phase 2 identified the need for a consistent and standardized approach in order to maximize the recognition of education and experience and competency assessment was consequently funded as an additional project in Phase 2 (2007). Applicants not receiving credit for credentials without course

outlines/descriptions Applicants not receiving credit for workplace learning in a

timely manner, particularly individuals with significant experience

Page 7: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

What does CIITE mean by Competency Assessment?

Competency assessment is a process whereby the competencies of an individual are

evaluated in relation to a particular occupation, task, or process (i.e., “what does a person

know and can they apply their knowledge and skills to a particular standard?”).

Competency assessment may be used for two purposes:

•Assessment of prior learning to determine which components of a particular college

program are lacking for graduation (competency assessment for education)

•Provision of a credential to accompany formal degrees, diplomas, and certificates which

attests to practical abilities (competency assessment for employment).

Or, more succinctly – PLAR to college program learning outcomes with the granting of a

Letter of Achievement if successful

Page 8: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

What does CIITE mean by Competency Assessment? (cont’d)

The CIITE Competency Assessment Project design was based on two key assumptions of what is required to conduct viable, sustainable assessments of skills and experience in Ontario colleges.

• college competency assessments should be replicable across the Ontario college system so that ITIs can access assessment accordingly, and colleges can affordably offer appropriate assessment

• competency assessments should be based on program and professional requirements

Page 9: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Distinguishing PLAR and Competency Assessment

PLAR

Competency Assessment

PurposeIdentify, assess, and recognize skills, knowledge, and professional behaviour that cannot be assessed in formal credentials based on the learning outcomes of college courses

Identify, assess, and recognize skills, knowledge, and professional behaviour based on the learning outcomes of college programs and professional requirements

Demonstrate a candidate’s capability for professional employment in Canada (regulated professions and professional bodies)

End resultReceive a grade for a college course. Grades for PLAR courses are included on college transcripts towards the achievement of a college diploma/degree

Receive credit for a college program or, if all competencies are demonstrated, be given a “Letter of Achievement”

Identify any skills, knowledge, and/or professional behaviour that require further development

Page 10: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Competency Assessment Project

The Competency Assessment Project was funded near the end of CIITE Phase 2 (2007).

CIITE is currently in Phase 3, which began in April 2008.

Phase 2 Competency Assessment :

• Project Timeline: February 2007 – December 2007

• Participants: Algonquin, Boreal, CAPLA, Centennial, Conestoga, CRTO, Fanshawe, George Brown, Humber, La Cité, Niagara, OACETT, Seneca, St Clair, and Sheridan

• Key deliverable:– Develop outlines of models that will assess the knowledge and skills of ITIs by

program rather than on a course-by-course basis (regulated), Mechanical Engineering Technologist (unregulated, but with professional body)

Page 11: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Phase 3.1 Overview

The competency assessment activity in Phase 3.1 is developing, validating

and piloting the model in two occupations: Respiratory Therapy (RT) and

Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET). Teams of experts in each

profession have developed the professions’ ‘List of Competencies’ to be

tested, as well as assessment tools. These have been validated by

employers, regulatory bodies, and/or professional associations before being

piloted in the colleges in the last three months of Phase 3.1.

Page 12: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Phase 3.1 Participants RT Project

Respiratory Therapy – Participating colleges are Algonquin, La Cité, and Fanshawe. The CRTO participates in an advisory capacity.

Page 13: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Update on Respiratory Therapy Competency Assessment

•The project has worked with CRTO to ensure that the competencies assessed meet the most up-to-date regulations and policies.

•Currently, the team is developing the assessment tools. The assessment will have three levels of testing: written, simulated, and clinical.

•The model outlined on the next page will not be tested in its entirety in Phase 3.1. Rather, the purpose of the pilot in Phase 3.1 is data collection for future bridging projects and validation of the tools. The results for the assessment could be used to determine advanced standing at the college. The ultimate goal, although not part of this phase, is for these tools to be used for more efficient and standardized PLAR to program learning oucomes.

•The pilot is set to begin on January 31st 2009.

Page 14: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Overview of RT Competency Assessment Model

Potential candidate meets with Assessor

to discuss options and decides to pursue

competency assessment at an Ontario College

Candidate registers with the

CRTO

Candidate takes the didactic assessment

(no academic recognitions possible

at this stage)

If successful on didactic assessment candidate continues to taker simulate d

assessments. If unsuccessful at any

one simulation, candidate returns to

Assessor to re-evaluate their path.

If successful on all simulated

assessments, candidate moves onto the clinical

assessments.

Successful candidate

referred to the CRTO ; receives

recognition from the Ontario colleges and results are

entered into the REE.

Page 15: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Challenges in Respiratory Therapy

o Challenge: Success of candidates - As the competency assessment aims to test the qualifications necessary to practice Respiratory Therapy(RT) in Ontario there is concern about the success of candidates. Respiratory Therapy is primarily a North American profession and many of the internationally trained applicants will be individuals who are switching professions (e.g. Anesthesiology Assistants, Intensive Care specialist, etc.). There is concern that there won’t be many individuals in the pilot who pass the written test. Action: Searching for pilot participants with relevant experience

o Challenge: Cost of assessment for candidate – A general concern that should be kept in mind when developing the competency assessment is the direct financial costs of taking the assessment, the cost of travel and having to take time off work, securing child care, etc.

Page 16: Competency Assessment: Designing Timely, Practical, and Holistic Assessments at Ontario Colleges

Contact Info:Rebecca Carnevale416-351-7530 ext [email protected]

Website: www.ciite.ca – look for the competency assessment final report in March!


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