Glossary

Access (to assessment) making sure that candidates can be assessed in the most appropriate ways; ensuring that barriers to assessment are minimised; enabling candidates to have some control over the assessment process.

Accreditation the formal recognition of a candidate's work against prescribed criteria; candidates can be accredited for all or part of a unit, or in all or part of an award.

Accreditation Centre see Centre. Also AAC, ADAC.

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) the formal recognition of work done previously, which is eligible to count towards an award; this work can be from both certificated sources, eg, qualifications, and uncertificated sources, eg, from previous experience (also: APEL Accreditation of Prior Experimental Learning; APA Accreditation of Prior Achievement).

Achievement the amount of skill, knowledge or understanding which an individual is able to demonstrate; standards of achievement are used in GNVQs rather than standards of competence.

Action Plans the tasks an individual needs to undertake to reach particular goals; plans usually include target and review dates, and are often agreed with a supervisor; they may cover any time period, one or more goals, and may be recorded on formal documentation or be in note form.

Assessment (competence-based) judging the degree to which a candidate has met predetermined criteria; candidates must show that they can do certain tasks in a prescribed way and that they know the context of the task and why it must be performed in certain ways.

Assessment Centre see Centre.

Assessment Criteria the standards against which assessments are judged: they must be explicit before the assessment is agreed and undertaken; they determine the minimum of what must be taught, if part of a programme of learning.

Assessment Instruments these are not some medieval torture device, but the range of questionnaires, tests, checklists and other materials used to assess specific skills, knowledge, qualities, or understanding; for example, there are tests designed to pick out weaknesses in grammar, or count the number of facts remembered, or tell us how confident we are; languages can be tested through the use of specially designed audiotapes, and skills by using real or simulated work tasks.

Assessment Opportunities the range of options to candidate and assessor to determine competence or achievement; these may be work-based, or training centre/college-based; they may be formally planned, occur during normal work, and be based on a whole range of sources of evidence; candidates and assessors need to be aware that there may be alternative opportunities to assessment from those normally used.

Assessment Plans an agreed statement between candidate and assessor, normally written, of how the candidate will demonstrate competence; plans may cover whole or part awards, and whole or part units; assessment plans need to specify as a minimum what will be assessed, the criteria for assessment, how the assessment will be undertaken and by whom, the time-scale involved and any special arrangements that need to be made: assessment plans can be for individuals or for groups.

Assessor-Devised Questions questions composed by the assessor as opposed to being drawn from a bank of prepared questions produced by, for example, an awarding body.

Assignments practical or written tasks given to candidates which test skills, knowledge or understanding, or combinations of all three; tasks should be explicit and candidates should be clear about what is required of them.

Authentic evidence can be established as being that of the candidate rather than that of another or of a group; if group work is used as evidence, the candidate's contribution should be clearly identifiable.

Award a certificate or record of achievement issued by an awarding body which confirms accreditation; in the case of the 'Assessor Awards', 'Verifier Awards' and the 'APL Award', the awarding bodies have identified one or more units from the Training and Development standards and offered them as a 'package'; some of the awards consist of units which form part of a full NVQ.

Awarding Body a body (organisation) which gives awards, eg, Edexcel, Royal Society of Arts, Construction Industry Training Board; all awarding bodies which give NVQs (including the assessor and verifier awards) must first be approved by the NCVQ.

Barriers (to access) anything (physical or mental) which prevents a candidate from taking up opportunities for training or assessment.

Candidate a person who is preparing to be assessed for an award; in this book, the term is used to indicate anyone who is presenting themselves for assessment, eg, someone being assessed for NVQs Within the workplace, or someone being assessed for GNVQs in a school; depending on the context, the candidate can be an employee/client/trainee/student/pupil.

Candidate-(student-) Centred any approach in training and assessment which considers the needs of the candidate, and which involves the candidate in making choices about the processes to be used.

Candidate Reports used in range statements to indicate oral or written reports from the candidate which involve descriptions of activities and processes and some self-assessment, eg, a work diary.

Centre an organization approved by an awarding body to assess and accredit on its behalf; its advisers, assessors and internal verifiers should also all be approved by the awarding body.

Certification the process of registration, assessment, recording results, completing documentation, applying for and receiving certificates.

Competence the ability to perform within a work-related function or occupational area to national standards expected in employment.

Contingencies the unexpected occurrences that can happen at work that a candidate will need to show that they can deal with; a candidate's competence in dealing with contingencies is often explored through questioning, eg 'what if...?' questions; simulations may be another means by which the candidate can be assessed.

Continuous Assessment making judgments on a candidate's performance or ability over a period of time.

Core Skills see key skills

Credit Accumulation an arrangement which enables candidates to collect individual units or elements of competence over a period of time; these can then be matched and accredited against appropriate awards or qualifications; reassessment does not have to take place should a credit be used for credit transfer; many Credit Accumulation and Transfer Schemes (CATS) already exist in higher education and in future will be in further education as well.

Credit Transfer using credits (units, qualifications) to count towards another different (but usually related) award.

Criterion-Referenced judgments made against agreed criteria.

Currency refers to evidence which shows the candidate can competently perform at the time of the assessment; currency often depends on the subject, eg, computing changes quickly, bricklaying techniques less swiftly; evidence less than two years old is usually required all cases need to be individually negotiated.

Curriculum all the aspects of learning, including methods, resources and syllabus content that make up a programme of study.

Direct Assessment assessing a product or process, eg, a cake, a completed stock sheet, a training session.

Differing Sources of Evidence see diverse evidence.

Direct Evidence evidence which candidates have produced themselves.

Direct Support help which is offered directly to the candidate, eg, offering advice.

Diverse Evidence evidence drawn from a number of different sources, including natural performance; see range for D33.

Element (of competence) a description of a single action, behaviour or outcome required to be demonstrated separately; a number of elements make up each unit; for assessment purposes, elements can be accredited separately; all elements must have been accredited before a unit award is given.

Evaluation judging the value of something through gathering data from a variety Of sources, eg, interviews, questionnaires, informal discussions, results, and analysing this feedback.

Evidence Information from a variety of sources which proves a candidate's competence; the word is occasionally used as a verb, when it refers to the process of logging relevant activities as evidence.

Experiential Learning learning which has happened through and from experience, as opposed to formal programmes of education or training; much adult learning occurs in this way, and the learner often needs help to recognize skills, knowledge and understanding gained in non-formal ways.

External Assessment assessment by an assessor who is not part of (is external to) the assessment or accreditation centre.

External Verifier a person appointed by the awarding body who approves assessment centres and then regularly monitors their operation to national standards; they act as a quality assurance link between the approved centre and the awarding body.

Fairness ensuring just and equitable conditions in the assessment process for all candidates, eg, by providing for candidates with special assessment needs, and by following the national standards for assessment.

Feedback reviewing a process and giving constructive oral or written comment to the candidate so that they understand the strengths and weaknesses of their performance evidence and understand what to do as a consequence.

Formative Assessment assessment made to help determine future actions and development, or to confirm progress.

Functional Analysis the process of breaking down a whole job or task into its component pieces according to the different tasks performed in that job; NVQ competences have been determined through the process of functional analysis.

Generic Competences competences which occur across many occupational areas, eg, competence in maintaining standards of safety, competence in working with people; competence in assessment is a generic competence, as individuals have to be able to assess as part of their job role within every occupational area.

General National Vocational Qualification a vocationally related qualification covering a broad based occupational area and aimed primarily at 16-19year-olds in fill-time education.

Indirect Support help for the candidate which is organized from another source, eg, by putting them in touch with someone who could train them in certain techniques.

Industry Lead Body (ILB) a group representing a particular industry or employment sector and which specifies the standards of competence required for employment within that sector; sometimes known as Lead Industry Bodies.

Internal Assessment assessment by an assessor who is a member of staff of the assessment or accreditation centre with which the candidate is registered.

Internal Verifier a person approved by the external verifier to co-ordinate the assessment processes and practices within a centre, and who liaises with the external verifier and the awarding bodies.

Key Skills a set of generic skills, transferable across all occupational areas; they are incorporated into all GNVQ programmes, with mandatory units on communications, application of numbers and information technology, and optional units on personal skills (working with others, and improving our own learning and performance), and problem-solving. They can also be used as free-standing units or in conjunction with NVQs.

Knowledge Evidence a means of showing that a candidate knows and understands both what they are doing and the context in which they are working; knowledge evidence is also a means of showing that the candidate knows what to do in a range of different situations.

Learning Resource Centre one or more rooms equipped for learning with assessor, tutor and administrative support.

Level (of qualification) NVQs have five levels from basic competence (level I ) to strategic management (level 5); the levels are determined by job role and are defined on the basis of the skill, knowledge and understanding required, together with the degree of responsibility and supervision involved in performing the related work roles.

Lead Industry Body (LIE) see ILB.

Log Book a document issued by many awarding bodies to candidates in which detailed tasks and tests are set out together with the required units and elements of competence; both assessor and candidate are required to sign in the books as competence is confirmed.

Moderation a process whereby the results of assessments from more than one source are compared together and against an agreed, accepted standard; moderation can be internally or externally conducted.

Moderator a person (approved by an awarding body if an external moderator) to conduct moderation, usually with considerable experience in the curriculum area; they often help with training and with interpretation of the curriculum.

Module a self-contained unit of learning which can build towards a qualification; a BTEC leisure studies course might include modules in organizing sporting events and obtaining sponsorship for sport.

National Council for Vocational Qualifications the body which approves NVQs and which monitors the system.

National Occupational Standards set by ILBs, these are standards which have usually been derived by a process of functional analysis; the standards are set for each element of a task within a complete job, and cover the performance, context of operation and underpinning knowledge and understanding required.

National Vocational Qualification a qualification related to employment, recognized by the NVQ, and part of an approved framework of levels; an NVQ is not a course; NVQs are awarded when a candidate has successfully demonstrated competence in a number of units of competence related to the job role.

Natural Performance the way in which a candidate normally undertakes tasks in the course of their employment.

Naturally Occurring Evidence evidence which occurs as a normal part of an individual's work, ie, part of their job or part of a programme of study.

Norm-Referenced Assessment assessment which is judged against the achievements of others undertaking the same assessment; grades awarded depend on the ability not only of the candidate/student, but of the hole group under consideration.

Open Access systems of learning, training, education or assessment open to as many people as possible through removing as many barriers to participation as possible.

Open Learning methods of acquiring skills, knowledge and understanding which do not involve traditional attendance: at classes or even require contact with a tutor; they often involve the use of interactive learning packages (written or video), supplemented by appropriate tutor support.

Peer Group a group of people equal in station to, or from the same or similar groups as oneself.

Peer Reports oral or written descriptions of activities or processes from the candidate's peer group providing information about the candidate's performance which can be used for assessment purposes.

Performance Criteria statements which indicate the standards of performance required for each element of competence; all performance criteria need to be met before an element can be accredited.

Performance Evidence evidence from an activity carried out by the candidate, or something produced as a result of that activity.

Portfolio a collection of evidence, usually produced over an extended period of time, and from various sources, which is presented together as evidence of achievement; the term is sometimes used to indicate the receptacle in which the evidence is contained, eg, a ring binder.

Pre-Set Tests any oral or written test prepared in advance by an assessor or by an awarding body; these often form an integral part of assessment for all candidates at particular levels; they are often set out in candidate log books or are provided separately by the awarding body as in GNVQ end tests.

Prior Experience experience acquired by the candidate before registering for an assessment which may provide evidence against units or elements.

Prior Learning learning acquired by the candidate before registering for an assessment or training programme; this learning may or may not be certificated.

Proforma a template document devised to record a particular stage of a process or procedure.

Project an extended piece of practical and/or written work involving planning and research and often presented as a report.

Qualification a certificate legally provided which indicates that the holder has reached a necessary standard, eg, driving test certificate, an 'A' level.

Quality Assurance methods by which standards are regularly checked and monitored; systems which ensure that procedures are done in certain ways, eg, BS5750 (also known as BSEN ISO 9000).

Questioning a range of techniques involving written or oral questions designed to elicit knowledge and understanding from candidates.

Range Statements descriptions of the context(s) and circumstances in which performance criteria described in the element should be able to be performed by someone competent in the activity.

Record of Achievement a composite record of a person's varied achievements and learning experiences over a period of time; it typically contains records of formal and informal learning experiences, credits gained, modules studied, reflections on achievements, agreed learning plans and evaluations.

Reliability the degree to which an assessment can be administered with the same results to others, the consistent ability of the assessment or the assessor to accurately distinguish between competent and non-competent performance.

Review the formal or informal process of reflecting on performance, often conducted between an adviser/assessor and a candidate, usually on a one-to-one basis; used as a basis for planning future activity.

Satellite Centre an organization which conducts its own assessments under the supervision of a larger approved centre; staff follow the same practices and procedures as those of the approved centre.

Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) the Scottish equivalent of NVQs awarded by SC:OTVEC.

Simulation a realistic exercise set up specifically to assess knowledge, skills or understanding; it should replicate a real work situation and should be used in circumstances where it would be difficult or costly to asses within the work context leg, fire fighting procedure, dealing with an emergency first aid situation). The internal verifier should be able to advise on the acceptable use of simulation in consultation with the external verifier.

Skill the ability to do a task or perform an activity.

Special Assessment Needs see special assessment requirements.

Special Assessment Requirements NVQs and GNVQs emphasise the importance of access to fair and reliable assessment. According to candidates' circumstances, this may involve special arrangements being made, eg, physical access.

Training Needs Analysis the identification of individual or organisational training needs through a systematic analysis of current skills against future performance requirements.

Transferability the ability to relate learning or performance in one area or context to another, eg, a candidate who can measure in metric in a training environment should be able to do so in the workplace using different materials and equipment.

Unit (of competence) a group of elements of competence which together constitute a particular work role, and which form the smallest grouping of competence able to be recognised separately for certification towards an award.

Underpinning (knowledge and understanding) that which ensures that tasks are not performed unthinkingly, but shows that candidates know why things are done in a particular way, and that they have a general and/or specific knowledge about the task overall.

Unit Credit units within NVQs and GNVQs can be accredited separately; a unit is the smallest amount of achievement or competence which can be submitted to an awarding body for accreditation.

Validity an assessment process has validity if it measures what it is supposed to measure.

Verification the process of checking that the correct and agreed procedures and systems have been used.

Verifier see External verifier and Internal verifiers.

Witness Testimony a third party statement confirming competence against specific units/elements.

Work-Based Assessment assessments conducted in the candidate's workplace or which are made on evidence produced from or at the workplace.

Work-Based Learning learning which occurs at the place of work rather than, for example, through attendance on a formal programme of study based in an institution; some programmes of study do, however, include work-based learning as part of the course, eg, work experience, sandwich courses.

Work-Based Training training which takes place within the work environment as opposed to being conducted elsewhere.