RPL Assessment Toolkit for CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care Candidate Guide Contents Introduction 1 Welcome 1 What is this resource? 1 What is RPL? 1 Gaining workplace support 2 What is your assessor’s role? 2 Some terms you may need to understand 2 Qualification and unit requirements 4 How many are needed for the qualification? 4 Units in this resource 4 Do I have to choose the electives in this resource? 4 Unit summaries 4 Clusters 1 to 5 5 Clusters 6 to 10 6 Summary of RPL-related processes 9 RPL enquiry and application 10 Summary of in the RPL assessment process 11 RTO processes for awarding certificates 14 Steps in the RPL process 15 Before Step 1 15 Step 1: Initial interview followed by self-evaluation 15 How can I prepare for the initial interview? 15 What is likely to happen in the interview? 16 What do I need to do after the interview? 16 What will the assessor do after I return my Candidate Self-evaluation Tools? 16 Step 2: Competency conversations 17 What are ‘competency conversations’? 17 How can I prepare for the competency conversation? 17 What is likely to happen in the competency conversation? 17 What will the assessor do the competency conversation? 18 Step 3: Workplace assessment 18 Step 4: Third party reporting 18 Development activities during the RPL process 18 Step 5: Finalising the RPL documentation 18 Appendix: List of resources 19
RPL Assessment Toolkit for CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care Candidate Guide Introduction Welcome Welcome to the RPL Assessment Toolkit for CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care Candidate Guide. This resource is for you if you are working in early childhood education and care, and would like to have your skills and knowledge recognised against the qualification CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. It’s called the Candidate Guide because people undertaking Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are called ‘candidates’. The RPL process requires you to be actively involved, participating in the required steps and undertaking assessment. By reading this resource, you will get a better understanding of what this might involve. What is this resource? This resource summarises the qualification requirements and the RPL process, including how you can prepare for it. Your assessor or a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) will have provided you with this resource. It is important that you read through this resource before your first meeting with an assessor so you can prepare for that meeting. Also, keep it handy in case you need it later. If you have any questions, please ask your assessor or RTO representative. What is RPL? RPL (sometimes called ‘Recognition’) understands that you might have gained valuable skills in paid or unpaid work, and in activities such as informal training. For example, you might have designed and implemented curriculum in an early childhood service, thus implementing the requirements of an approved learning framework within the requirements of regulations and the National Quality Standard. You might also have supervised others in the workplace. In summary, RPL involves an assessor matching your skills and knowledge to the requirements of a nationally recognised qualification. If you already hold relevant skills and knowledge you might not have to complete all or part of a training program. In addition, if you have gained skills and knowledge through formal education or training, or have other qualifications, other processes apply. Your assessor will also consider if these can be recognised towards the qualification.
Core and elective units: The Training Package lists the qualification requirements including the number of units required. These include core units (you must complete these) and elective units (you can choose these, usually from a wide range of units). Competence, competent: To be awarded a qualification, you must demonstrate that you are competent in all required units of competency. This that you must be able to demonstrate that you currently hold the skills and knowledge in the units, and that you can perform tasks to the standard expected in the workplace. RPL assessment: In RPL, a qualified assessor, on behalf of a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), will consider evidence of your competence in applying skills and knowledge you have gained through work and life experiences. Because the target group for this RPL Toolkit is people working in early childhood education and care, workplace assessment of competence is possible and is required by some units. Your assessor must make sure the assessment meets the principles of assessment—that is, your assessment must be valid, reliable, flexible and fair. Evidence: Your assessor will consider evidence in assessing your competence—evidence can be gathered from workplace documents, discussions with you and others, demonstrations of workplace tasks, testimonials, third party reports and structured assessment tasks. Your assessor will discuss this with you. Your assessor must be sure that the evidence meets the rules of evidence—that is, it must be valid (related to the unit), sufficient (enough to make a decision), current (show that you hold the skills now) and authentic (your own work).
delivery (elective unit) This unit describes the knowledge and skills required to apply a leadership role determined and supported by the community. The leadership role includes providing direction and promotion of community services, processes and outcomes and influencing effective industry practice. CHCPOL504B Develop and implement policy (elective unit) This unit describes the knowledge and skills required to develop and apply policy initiatives in the workplace. Cluster 8—Children’s development and wellbeing CHCECE017 Foster the holistic development and wellbeing of the child in early childhood (core unit) This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to foster and enhance the holistic development and wellbeing of children from birth to 6 years of age. CHCECE018 Nurture creativity in children (core unit) This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to nurture creativity in children. CHCSAC005 Foster the holistic development and wellbeing of the child in school age care (elective unit) This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to foster and enhance the holistic development and wellbeing of children from 5 to 12 years of age. Cluster 9—Program design and implementation CHCECE022 Promote children’s agency (core unit) This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to promote and encourage children’s agency. This unit applies to educators working in a range of education and care services. CHCECE023 Analyse information to inform learning (core unit) This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to gather and analyse information about children’s learning, in order to inform practice. CHCECE024 Design and implement the curriculum to foster children's learning and development (core unit) This unit describes the skills and knowledge required by educators to design, implement and evaluate the curriculum to foster children’s learning and development. Cluster 9—Program design and implementation (continued) CHCECE026 Work in partnership with families to provide appropriate education and care for children (core unit) This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work in partnership with families to provide appropriate education and care for the child.
RPL assessment step Assessor’s responsibilities Candidate’s responsibilities Workplace responsibilities Step 1: Initial interview, followed by Assessor and candidate participate in an initial interview, planning and initial document review session Candidate completes and returns Candidate after the interview (with workplace verification) Assessor considers evidence from initial interview and verified self-evaluation, and advises candidate Before the interview, review Candidate Information Form and any attached documents During the interview, go over the Candidate Guide and discuss broad work roles. Develop the RPL Assessment Plan. Give candidate the Candidate Tools and Workplace Representative Form, showing them how to complete these After they are returned, evaluate evidence on completed Candidate Self-evaluation Tools, record findings on tools, and advise candidate of the next steps Before the interview, reflect on your experience and and current skills and knowledge During the interview, discuss broad details of experience with assessor, select electives, and participate in planning the RPL processes After the interview: complete the Candidate Self-evaluation Tools ask the workplace representative to sign Workplace Representative Form and verify your copy forms and return to assessor on date in the RPL Assessment Plan with any agreed evidence Before the interview, workplaces support employees to participate in initial interview processes, such as providing them with leave to attend it, or allowing the interview to take place in the workplace After the candidate has completed their the workplace representative signs the Workplace Representative Form, then verifies candidate performance and provides examples by completing relevant sections of the Candidate Tools
Step 5: RPL document finalisation Assessor finalises RPL assessment decision, RPL documentation Assessor gives candidate feedback on outcomes and options Assessor completes documentation for certification Complete all evidence recording for the candidate and the RPL Assessment Outcomes Form, providing a ‘Competent’ or ‘Not yet Competent’ outcome for each unit assessed, depending on the RTO’s procedures Give candidate feedback on outcomes and options Finalise RPL records and files according to the RTO’s procedures, and complete RTO internal reporting processes Sign the RPL Assessment Outcomes Form or other forms or documentation Consider feedback on options where provided RTO processes for awarding certificates If you are assessed as ‘Competent’ in all required for the qualification, the RTO will award you the qualification. If you do not meet the requirements for the qualification—for example, if you are assessed as ‘Not yet Competent’ in some units or do not seek RPL for all the required units—the RTO will give you a Statement of Attainment listing any units you have attained. If you do not gain the full qualification or particular your assessor or another person at the RTO should discuss options with you. These may include undertaking a training program for any remaining units of competency.