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Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy

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INTRODUCTION

Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 – F2014L01377 Glossary Definition  Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) means an assessment process that assesses the competency/s of an individual that may have been acquired through formal, non-formal and informal learning to determine the extent to which that individual meets the requirements specified in the training package or VET accredited courses.
Formal Learning (Credit) refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction and is linked to the attainment of an AQF qualification or statement of attainment (for example, a certificate, diploma or University degree).
Non-Formal Learning refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction, but does not lead to the attainment of an AQF qualification or statement of attainment (for example, in-house professional development programs conducted by a business); and
Informal Learning refers to learning that results through experience of work-related, social, family, hobby or leisure activities (for example the Acquisition of interpersonal skills developed through several years as a sales representative).
• The availability of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) provides all potential students with access to RPL opportunities.
• The recognition of prior learning pathway is appropriate for potential students who have previously attained skills and knowledge and who, when enrolling in qualifications, seek to shorten the duration of their training and either continue or commence working.
• As with all assessments, RPL assessment should be undertaken by academic staff with expertise in the subject, content of skills area, as well as knowledge of and expertise in RPL assessment policies and procedures.
• Assessment methods used for RPL should provide a range of ways for potential students to demonstrate that they have met the required outcomes and can be granted credit.
• In a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pathway, the enrolled student provides current, quality evidence of their competency against the relevant unit of competency. This process may be directed by the student and verified by the assessor. Where the outcomes of this process indicate that the candidate is competent, structured training is not required. The RPL requirements of the AQTF must be met.
• As with all assessment, the assessor must be confident that the evidence indicates that the candidate is currently competent against the endorsed unit of competency.
• The onus is on students to provide sufficient evidence to satisfy assessors that they currently hold the relevant competencies.

PROCEDURE

Insight Institute of Further Studies (IIFS) will offer Recognition of Prior Learning to individual learners prior to enrolling them at IIFS.

All students wishing to enrol in a qualification on Insight Institute of Further Studies (IIFS)’s Scope of

Registration will be required to follow the RPL process:

STEP 1:

  • Prior to enrolling a student IIFS’s Admin Officer will ensure that each student completes the RPL documentation so that IIFS can determine the amount of training they will provide to each student with regard to their existing skills, knowledge and the experience.
  • This document will provide an overview of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as an assessment process which assesses the competency/s of a student that may have been acquired through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning (or a combination of these) to determine the extent to which that student meets the requirements specified in the relevant training package or VET accredited course.
  • The students will also be informed about the cost related to the RPL Process.

STEP 2:

  • IIFS’s RPL Assessor will arrange a brief meeting with the student to determine whether or not the RPL process, on a unit by unit basis, is applicable for the student.
  • During this meeting if the student is of the opinion that they are able to provide evidence of any of the above types of learning the IIFS Assessor will outline what specific evidence the student will need to provide and timeframes for the provision of this evidence so that RPL can be granted:
    1. For formal learning (Credit Transfer) the evidence required is a Testamur/Record of Results or Statement of Attainment from a Registered Training Organisation. IIFS’s RPL Assessor along with Admin staff will check that the evidence provided is authentic. This assessment activity will be conducted by IIFS at no cost to the student.
    2. For non-formal learning the evidence required must be an outline of the structured program of instruction and must include the Logo and Business Name of the organisation that provided the instruction in addition to a Certificate of Attendance. The RPL processing fee must be paid by the student irrespective of whether or not RPL is granted or not granted.To assist with the evidence gathering activity the RPL Assessor will conduct RPL Conversation, on a unit by unit basis for all units within a qualification, with the student which will form part of the pool of evidence that will assist with the determination of competence. If the RPL Assessor during the RPL Conversation believes that the student will not be able to be deemed competent at the conclusion of the conversation, they will terminate the RPL process at this stage. The RPL processing fee must be paid by the student irrespective of whether or not RPL is granted or not granted.
  1. For informal learning the evidence required is – for work related evidence a third party report from the work supervisor. For other informal learning activities such as social, family, hobby or leisure the IIFS Assessor will provide guidance as to what types of evidence the student will required to provide to the IIFS Assessor in order to be granted RPL for a unit of competency. The IIFS Assessor will outline to the student that the evidence that they provide must satisfy the following Rules of Evidence (Validity, Sufficiency, Authenticity and Currency).To assist with the evidence gathering activity the RPL Assessor will conduct RPL Conversation, on a unit by unit basis for all units within a qualification, with the student which will form part of the pool of evidence that will assist with the determination of competence. If the RPL Assessor during the RPL Conversation believes that the student will not be able to be deemed competent at the conclusion of the conversation, they will terminate the RPL process at this stage. The RPL processing fee must be paid by the student irrespective of whether or not RPL is granted or not granted.

STEP 3:

The student will be required to provide evidence of any formal learning/non-formal or informal learning to the RPL Assessorby the agreed date for submission. After reviewing the evidence the RPL Assessor will either grant or not grant RPL on a unit by unit basis. To complete the process the IIFS Assessor and student will both sign and date the RPL document which outlines the outcome of the assessment process as well as advising the student of IIFS’s Appeals process (if they are dissatisfied with any assessment outcome).

In judging evidence, the assessor must ensure that the evidence of prior learning is:

  • authentic (the students’ own work);
  • valid (directly related to the current version of the relevant endorsed unit of competency);
  • reliable (shows that the student consistently meets the endorsed unit of competency);
  • current (reflects the student current capacity to perform the aspect of the work covered by the endorsed unit of competency); and
  • sufficient (covers the full range of elements in the relevant unit of competency and addresses the four dimensions of competency, namely task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills, and job/role environment skills).

STEP 4:

IIFS’s RPL Assessor will advise IIFS’s Administrative Department of the outcomes of the RPL Assessment process for a particular student so that the Administrative Department can begin the enrolment process.All RPL documentation must be retained in the student’s individual file.

STEP 5:

If IIFS grants RPL or course credits which reduces the overseas student’s course length, IIFS must then inform the overseas student of the reduced courseduration and issue a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for the reduced duration of the course.

IIFS will also need to report any change in course duration in Provider Registration

and International Student Management System (PRISMS) if RPL or course credits are granted after

the overseas student’s visa is granted.

Requirements of IIFS RPL Assessor

  • IIFS assessors who conduct RPL assessments against individual units of competency will hold formal recognition of competence in each unit in which they are conducting a RPL assessment orhave the relevant vocational competencies at least to the level being assessed.
  • It is their judgement that will certify that a RPL candidate has provided all the required evidence of competency to the standard required.
  • The IIFS RPL assessor must be confident that the evidence indicates that the RPL candidate is currently competent against the endorsed unit of competency.
  • This evidence may take a variety of forms (direct, indirect or supplementary evidence) with the onus being on the candidate to provide sufficient evidence to satisfy the IIFS RPL assessor that they currently hold the relevant competencies.

APPEALS

If a student wishes to appeal any of the RPL decisions made by their RPL assessor, they have the right to access IIFS’S Appeals Procedure within twenty working days of the communication advising them that the RPL has not been granted for any unit of competency.