A variety of approaches will be used in assisting your learning and assessing your knowledge and skills in the Courses that you will be undertaking at CIC. The Australian Vocational Education Sector (TAFE/VET) operates under a competency-based system of learning and assessment.

Competency-based assessment is the process of collecting evidence and making judgments on whether the required level of knowledge and performance has been achieved. This means that you need to be able to demonstrate or show that you are able to do certain tasks and understand certain information to the levels required by the subject. This approach may also allow you to input into negotiating how the evidence about your performance will be gathered.

You will be considered competent when you are able to apply your knowledge and skills to successfully complete work activities/assessment tasks in a range of situations and ideally a range of environments which might include the workplace. Thus, competency:

• Emphasises outcomes (the achievement of specific learning outcomes and skill levels as identified in the Unit outline).
• Focuses on what is expected of an employee in the workplace
• Highlights the application of skills and knowledge
• Focuses on what you can demonstrate that you are able to do
• Includes the demonstration of the ability to transfer and apply skills and knowledge to new situations

You should be able to demonstrate both specific competencies (related to the course of study that you are undertaking) and more generic   “key competencies“.

The key competencies are:

1. Collecting, analysing and organising information
2. Communicating ideas and information
3. Planning and organising activities
4. Working with others and in teams
5. Solving problems
6. Using mathematical ideas and techniques
7. Using technology

You are not required to simply memorise information. You must be able to demonstrate that you can use that information and apply it in a practical way. You will be required to use an   “active “ learning style, both in individual learning tasks and in group learning tasks within and outside the classroom.

An active learning style involves:

• Undertaking practical and applied tasks (for example, using a computer program to produce the outcome required)
• Thinking and questioning
• Analysing information, and putting related ideas together
• Setting and solving problems
• Discussing and contributing ideas using logical arguments
• Participating actively in the class and undertaking research outside the class
• Experiential learning, or learning by doing

Your trainer is the   “facilitator “ in your learning. This means that they guide and support your learning, but you must demonstrate that you have taken responsibility for your own learning during this process.

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Training Methods

Automotive Studies

The CIC AMT workshop replicates a fully equipped modern commercial facility possessing all the necessary industry standards (eg EPA, Worksafe). State of the art equipment includes electronic computerised wheel balancing, third arm assisted Tyre changing machine and 4 wheel electronic wheel alignment machine. This equipment assists in ensuring that our graduates qualify ready for the workplace, having used the latest technology at CIC during their training.

Additionally, CIC trainers draw upon a range of vocational experience to assist student understanding of the detailed material by highlighting relevant concepts and providing practical examples in particular within the Workshop. Trainers often set practical projects for student learning, encouraging teamwork and presentation of learning to demonstrate key competencies. This hands on approach will involve assessing satisfactory completion of physical tasks eg wheel balancing; removal and replacement of clutches and transmissions etc to develop content for delivery of reports and other tangible outcomes which students can provide to employers in demonstrating their acquired skills. Industry standards are adhered to in every possible situation.

Business Studies

Students in Vocational Courses at CIC learn in class groups guided by experienced and qualified trainers. Support for class studies includes a dedicated Business Studies computer laboratory with current software, networked computers, printing, and data projectors. Also available are reference materials, access to current Business magazines such as BRW and extensive use of textbooks for delivery and support with assessment tasks. Assessment tasks are on –going, and generally completed in the class room. Both individual assessment and group assessment is used, so that support can be provided to students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Additionally, trainers draw upon their wide range of vocational experience to assist student understanding of the detailed material by highlighting relevant concepts and providing practical examples. Teachers often set practical projects for student learning, encouraging teamwork and presentation of learning to demonstrate key competencies. This experiential approach will also involve case studies, fieldwork and interviews, to develop content for delivery of reports, research projects and other tangible outcomes which students can provide to employers to demonstrate their acquired skills.

Community Welfare Studies

The trainer’s role is to ensure trainees are presented with information, resources and guidance to develop and hone the required skills to a level considered competent. Trainers use a wide range of resources as part of the training process. Industry standards are adhered to in every possible situation. A wide range of books, journals, magazines, hand-outs, newspaper articles are utilized as well as role play, simulations, pair and group work and whole class activities. The focus from trainers is on welfare delivery and welfare practice. The training methods are very   “hands-on “ and the focus is largely on communication in various forms.

Computer Studies

The trainer’s role is to ensure trainees are presented with information, resources and guidance to develop and hone the required skills to a level considered competent. Trainers use a wide range of resources as part of the training process. Industry standards are adhered to in every possible situation. A wide range of books, journals, magazines and computer software is utilized as well as role play, simulations, pair and group work and whole class activities.

Hairdressing Studies

Training in the practical skills of hairdressing takes place in a modern salon by trainers who have significant industry experience. Their industry experience and knowledge is incorporated into the delivery of the course and development of training materials. In addition, students are provided with an up-to-date hairdressing kit to enhance their hands-on learning. A range of reference texts support the delivery of theoretical aspects of the course. Course structure and delivery is also informed by links developed through industry contacts. Course material is constantly updated to make sure it is influenced by and conforms to current industry and fashion trends.

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Assessment Tasks

These will be ongoing, cover several competency areas, and be integrated within and across subjects where possible. A variety of assessment methods will be used in each module. These could include:

• Tests of knowledge and skill levels
• Projects which demonstrate that you can complete tasks to attain the required competencies and
• learning outcomes
• Practical demonstration of knowledge and skills (in classroom, simulated work environment, real work
• environment)
• A portfolio of evidence to demonstrate the attainment of knowledge and skills
• Formal and informal presentations
• Completion of checklists/documents
• Examinations, both closed and open book

[ header = Assessment Procedures]

Assessment Procedures

Assessment tasks/requirements

Details about the assessment tasks, assessment weighting, demonstration of competence and dates for these tasks will be given to students in the Subject/Module Planner at the commencement of the subject/module.

In order to be identified as competent and to be able to pass a subject/module, you must be able to demonstrate that you have achieved the learning outcomes/competencies set down for the subject/module.

Thus, you must:

• Complete ALL the assessment tasks for the subject/module
• Submit the tasks on or before the due date specified by the teacher
• Satisfy the teacher that the work you have completed/submitted is your work

Fails/Re-sits & Re-submits

If you are not able to demonstrate the attainment of the required competencies of the unit, the following options exist:

• A   “Not Yet Competent “ will be recorded
• A   “Not Yet Competent “ will be recorded, and you may need to repeat the unit/module. At the discretion of your teacher/trainer and in consultation with the Head of Study, further assessment could occur. Please note that teachers are under no obligation to hold re-sits, or grant extensions or allow re-submits of work. Your Head of Study will counsel you with regards to your academic progress in this case to determine the action needed to help you achieve competency in the unit/module.

If you are absent from assessment tasks, and can provide documents to explain your absence

If you are absent from an assessment due to illness or other circumstances, and you can provide documentation to explain the absence (for example, a medical certificate), you should arrange a time with your teacher to re-sit/re-submit the assessment.

If you are absent without an acceptable documented reason

Students who do not provide acceptable evidence to explain their absence from an assessment task will be considered Not Competent in that task.

If you do not complete assessment tasks, and/or reach competency standards by the due date

• Late work will only be accepted if it is submitted within 7 days of the due date, and the teacher has granted an extension
• Assignments/projects/re-submits that are handed in late during the term without an agreed extension from the teacher, will lose 10% of the total mark for that assessment.
• Any work submitted outside the one-week extension period will only be assessed if the teacher agrees to accept the work or grant a re-sit/re-submit*
• Please note that teachers are under no obligation to accept late work where prior approval for the work being late has not been given.

Backing-up your work

You are expected to back-up all work that you submit for assessment. You should back-up files on a USB (Memory stick), Floppy disk or CD ROM, and take photo copies of all work submitted. Neither loss of files, computer malfunction nor corruption of data is an acceptable excuse for work not being handed in on time. This is extremely important as it is not an acceptable excuse that work has been   “lost “.

Results

The classroom teacher will give you feedback about your ongoing assessment tasks and your progress. If you have concerns about your results/feedback you should speak with your teacher about this. Your results will be recorded and maintained by the teacher. You should keep copies of all assessed work which has been completed and assessed until the completion of the subject/module. Final results for a subject/module will available within 2 weeks of the commencement of the next period of study.

Appeals about results

If you have concerns about your results, speak to your teacher first.

If you do not feel that the matter has been resolved satisfactorily, then you should make an appointment with the Academic Coordinator. The Academic Coordinator will attempt to resolve the situation. If at any time you are not satisfied with the conduct or outcome of the process to date, then you should use the Complaints and Appeals procedure of the College. Details of this are on the College website.