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SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TVET

IN THE CARIBBEAN13-15 May 2015

Quality Assurance: An Exploration of its Benefits in the Management of 21st Century TVET in Caribbean Secondary Schools

Elaine ShakesMPHIL/PHD StudentUniversity of the West Indies, Mona , Jamaica

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SOME OF THE CRITICAL DRIVERS OF THE 21st CENTURY TVET REFORMS

THE GLOBALIZATION OF TVET

THE MOST PROFOUND STRATEGY TO ACCOMPLISH AND SUSTAIN THE HUMAN CAPITAL, EFA AND MD GOALS

INCREASED INTEREST IN THE FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SKILLS POLICIES

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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRESENTATION• TVET Definitions• 21st Century Education and training reforms• Pillars of an Effective TVET system in secondary education • Secondary general education, work related knowledge and skills• The Caribbean secondary TVET programmes examined and

certified by the Caribbean Examinations Council• TVET: A Huge Socio-economic system• Quality Assurance in secondary education• Exploring the Demand-Led Quality Assurance• Structure of the proposed Conceptual Framework for the Demand-

Led Quality Assurance• Conclusion

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DEFINITIONS OF TVET

UNESCO/ILO 2001 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is 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 occupation in various sectors of economic life.

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DEFINITIONS OF TVET (cont’d)

Lauglo (2005) refers to TVET as deliberate interventions to bring about learning which will make people more productive (or simply adequately productive) in designated areas of economic activity (economic sectors, occupations, specific work tasks). TVET, however, will also have other purposes which are not unique to TVET and which apply to other forms of education for example knowledge, skills, insights and mindsets. These are deemed to be generally valueable for the learners.

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21st Century Education Reform Efforts

An effective Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system

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Pillars of an Effective TVET system in secondary education

Match the competencies to be developed with labour market needs and the economy

Lay the foundation for students’ entry into productive work and lifelong learning

Merge TVET and academic education for the mastery of skills and information

Use Policies, Standards and strong collaborative support systems

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SECONDARY GENERAL EDUCATION, WORK-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS Have the potential to :

• enable the society to understand TVET

• increase access to TVET• develop students’ productivity and

work skills consistent with industry standards

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SECONDARY GENERAL EDUCATION, WORK-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS (cont’d)

Have the potential to:• enable students to obtain recognizable and marketable

credentials for integration in the workforce

• develop the network and alliances among stakeholders to achieve the goals of training and education for sustainable development.

Quality Response

s

Sustainable Structures

Sustainable Operating

Mechanism

Sustainable Systems

Sustainable Human

Resource Base

Education and Training for Sustainable Development

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Success is dependent on the Alliances which will develop among stakeholders at all levels.

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THE CARIBBEAN SECONDARY TVET PROGRAMMES EXAMINED AND CERTIFIED BY THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL (CXC) • CXC is the regional examining body that provides examinations for

secondary and post-secondary candidates in Caribbean countries

• The vision of CXC is to ensure the global intellectual competitiveness of the Caribbean through the provision of Quality Assurance in education and comprehensive certification

• CXC has launched several initiatives aimed at defining new directions in technical education and rationalizing the certification that it offers in that domain. Among the Council’s goals is to get TVET “right” at the secondary education level.

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THE CARIBBEAN SECONDARY TVET PROGRAMMES EXAMINED AND CERTIFIED

BY THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL (cont’d)

1. Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)

2. Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)

3. The Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ)

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TVET: A HUGE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEM• An all-inclusive approach, therefore, in

the achievement of quality to radically reform secondary school TVET must be pursued. The major re-adjustments must be embedded in the development of a mutual integrated system for shared understanding and conduct of Quality Assurance.

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Quality Assurance in Secondary Education

TOWARD

A DEMAND -

LED

INTEGRATED

AND

INCLUSIVEQUALIT

Y MANAGEMENTSYSTEM

THE KEY TO FACILITATING 21ST CENTURY TVET REFORMS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

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DEFINITION OF QUALITY ASSURANCEAccording to Shakes (2013) Quality Assurance (QA) is one component of a system of Total Quality Management. It refers to administrative and procedural activities implemented in a quality system to ensure that the requisite standards and goals of an activity, product or service are fulfilled. The activities are achieved through a series of• systematic measurements• standard comparisons• periodic monitoring• feedback loopswhich are used to confer performance weaknesses and assist in the development of plans to improve them.

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EXPLORING THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCEIts Driving force are industries, firms and businesses. They constitute the following two main quality measures: • An input measure - development of the competency

standards, curricula and the assessments of the learners. • An output measure - determining and implementing

graduate endpoints, absorption and continuous industry (furlough, apprenticeship) develoment.

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EXPLORING THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE (cont’d)

Rooted in the concepts of:

• Total Quality Management

• Conformance to Specification. 

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TQM

Management Methods

Processes

Movement Forward

Movement Backward

Outputs

Inputs

Total Quality Management: Model

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Controls Specifications Standards

Conformance To Specification : Elements

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TVET Philosophies

and TVET Principles

The roles of facilitators

and instruction

The decisions on

the competencie

s to be taught

The nature of the economy

and the learners

The roles of TVET

institutions

The roles of TVET

stakeholders

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PHILOSOPHICAL POSTURES AND BASES OF THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Dewey (1916);

• Statement of the Ideal Caribbean Person (2000);

• UNESCO Pillars of Learning;

• Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence;

• Wagner’s Seven Survival Skills for the New Economy, 2008;

• Pragmatism;

• Progressivism.

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FEATURES OF THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE

The Demand-Led Quality Assurance:• incorporates an underpinning philosophical

principle that provides intellectual guidance and coherence to the quality assurance processes• instils a culture of quality and accountability from

all levels of the TVET system • ensures that a TVET system has a strong capacity

to demonstrate industry skill needs and standards

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FEATURES OF THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE (cont’d)

• provides the means by which achievements are monitored, inefficiencies are detected and improved and continuous progress are measured• ensures consistency of TVET outputs and helps

to raise the value of the TVET system• provides assurance and objective evidences to

management and stakeholders that an adequate level of quality is being achieved.

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PRINCIPLES OF THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Quality is defined by customer requirements

• Top management has direct responsibility for quality improvement

• Increased quality comes from systematic analysis and improvement of work processes

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PRINCIPLES OF THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE (cont’d)

• Quality improvement is a continuous effort and is conducted throughout the institution

• The institution operates as a business in a culture of quality that focuses on continuous improvement and the delivery of high-quality products and services to stakeholders.

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THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE

Quality Assurance begins with the establishment of the Quality System. This entails three stages as outlined in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1: The Quality System

Stage 1: Develop the Quality Assurance Standards and Indicators

Stage 2: Conduct the Evaluation

Stage 3: Use of the Evaluation Results

Achievement of a culture of Quality Secondary

school TVET

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Quality assurance components and indicators must be based on established standards. Quality standards according to Morris (2013) must involve all stakeholders in their development process.

STAGE 1: DEVELOP THE QUALITY ASSURANCE STANDARDS AND INDICATORS

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FUNCTIONS OF THE STANDARDS• define the expected level of

performance of an institution;• help to develop the quality of the

institution’s products or services and measure its performance;

• strengthen societal confidence in educational quality and institutional services;

• facilitate decision-making on resource and financial allocations;

• provide quality information to learners;

• provide information for parents, industry and government regarding institutional mechanisms and operations:

• enhance transparency, equity and accountability in training and education.

FUNCTIONS OF THE INDICATORS• clarify the educational

achievements against set objectives as defined by the standards;

• outline the inputs, processes and outputs of quality ;

• contribute to the overall quality assurance achieved through self-assessment and external assessment;

• encourage quality development;

• benchmark regional and international standards to support the development of quality.

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Table 1.2: THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK OF THE DEMAND-LED QUALITY ASSURANCE TOOL

CORE COMPONENT

 

INDICATORS

1. TVET PHILOSOPHY

1. Total Quality Management principles and Core Values are developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

2. TVET Policy, Vision and Mission, are developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

3. TVET Strategic Plan is developed communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

4. The Strategic Plan reflects the institution’s policies, roles, responsibilities and capacity to operate the TVET programmes aligned with the socio–economic needs of the society.

5. Customer and market focus activities are developed and implemented.

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CORE COMPONENT

 

INDICATORS

2. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

 

1. Sufficient and qualified TVET staff is available to support each department of the institution (management, delivery, assessment, placement and industry relationships).

2. An active Staff Development Plan is available and includes local, regional and international industrial attachment and continuous staff professional development.

3. Staff management strategies are developed and implemented.

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CORE COMPONENT  INDICATORS

3. PHYSICAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

1. Facilities Standards are available for all programmes.

2. Facilities Audits are conducted and the recommendations meet the requirements of specific sectors of the economy and for improving the quality of training.

3. Occupational Safety and Health standards are developed and operational for staff, learners, buildings, equipment, tools and materials.

4. Workshops ambience (floors, walls, roofs, windows, doors, tools, stores, equipment, safety lanes, protective clothing) adheres to OHS quality standards.

5. Ambience of the general internal environment (offices, class rooms) adheres to OHS quality standards.

6. External environment (buildings, grounds, water) adheres to OHS risk management strategies.

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CORE COMPONENT

 

INDICATORS

4. CURRICULUM AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS ALIGNED TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS

1. The Approved Regional Occupational Standards are utilized for the delivery and assessment of the programmes.

2. An advisory system including stakeholders is in place to review curricula and advise on new skills requirements and training needs.

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CORE COMPONENT

 

INDICATORS

5. TRAINING DELIVERY, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

1. Programme Delivery Plans are developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

2. Functional Lesson Planning and Feedback systems are established and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

3. Internal Verification Personnel and quality reporting systems are established and implemented with stakeholders and the institution.

4. External Verification personnel and quality reporting systems are established and implemented with stakeholders and the institution.

5. Systems for the use of results of the internal and verification systems are established and implemented with stakeholders and the institution.

6. Teachers and students’ Portfolio development and management standards are developed, implemented and monitored by stakeholders and the institution.

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CORE COMPONENT

 

INDICATORS6. TRAINING ASSESSMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Assessment Plans are developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

2. Internal verification personnel and quality reporting systems on assessment are established and functional.

3. Continuous assessment strategies to include individual, peer, group, research-based, and industry participation are established and utilized.

4. Student Record management systems are developed and implemented.

5. A system of continuous collection of data and data analysis to measure the performance of each TVET area is developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

6. Impact evaluation systems for each TVET area are developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

 

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CORE COMPONENT

 

INDICATORS

7. BUDGETARY ALLOCATION AND USE

1. A budget for the successful operation of each TVET programme is prepared by stakeholders and the institution.

2. The approval of the budget is done by the relevant personal and a system for budget use developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

3. Requisition and inventory processes for regulating the use of the budget are developed, communicated and implemented by stakeholders and the institution.

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CORE COMPONENT

INDICATORS

8. INDUSTRY LINKAGES 1. Partnerships are developed with industry and the social partners and are functional.

2. Industry linkages encompass assistance with the delivery and assessment of TVET programmes, work experience, apprenticeship and employment opportunities for graduates and industry furlough for staff.

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CORE COMPONENT

INDICATORS

9. CAREER GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

 

1. An established system of career guidance and counselling to provide career and vocational guidance and employment orientation to learners is in place.

2. Learners have access to an established appeal procedure that addresses issues in relation to the fairness and consistency of assessment.

3. Tracking systems on graduate absorption ad participation in the labour market are developed and implemented.

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10. RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

1. TVET Research and Development are linked to regional and international Labour Market Information Systems (LMIS).

2. Innovative systems utilizing ICT in the administrative, delivery and assessment of TVET programmes are developed, communicated and implemented with stakeholders and the institution.

3. Partnerships are developed with local, regional and international partners for the enhancement of technology and innovation.

CORE COMPONENT

INDICATORS

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STAGE 1: INCONCLUSIVE AREAS

Scores

Self Assessment

External assessment

Compliance Status

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In conclusion, this presentation:• Offers a lens toward the establishment of an effective

secondary level TVET system in the 21st century• Highlights the benefits of a Demand-Led Quality Assurance• Proposes the structure of the Conceptual Framework of a

Demand-Led Quality Assurance to stimulate discussion with a view to creating a culture of quality in the management of TVET in Caribbean secondary schools

• Invites the inputs of relevant stakeholders for finalization of the Demand-led Quality Assurance Conceptual Framework.

CONCLUSION

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THANK YOU

Stakeholders desiring more information or further contact with the presenter:

Telephone: (876) 799 4028

e-mail: eishakes@yahoo.com