OARAS

The Commonwealth of Learning has developed this course as one of five courses to build the capacity of TVET educators within its Skills in Demand model. This model aims to increase access to TVET for marginalised people across the Commonwealth. The detailed theory of change outlines TVET challenges facing developing Commonwealth countries and three interventions to help overcome these challenges and thus improve many lives. The three interventions are fostering collaborative partnerships between industry and TVET institutions, developing skills for sustainable livelihoods through distance and workplace learning, and influencing TVET policy.

The OARAS learning design framework introduced in the five courses supports the design of quality distance and workplace learning to achieve national qualifications. The hope is that through distance and workplace learning, TVET can be scaled without needing to build new TVET institutions and thus be more affordable. It can also give more choice to marginalised learners by taking learning to where they are already working and fitting around their life and work commitments.

This course if for vocational educators, trainers, industry practitioners and assessors to guide and assist them in the design of competency-based assessments. It is the second course of the CTVSD courses as assessment is the second key element of the OARAS learning design framework, provided to support design of competency based courses and training. The rest of the courses are:

OARAS – Outcomes (CTVSD 1)– This course will assist you to work with outcomes, analyse them and define clear performance criteria as the foundation of competency-based training.

OARAS – Resources (CTVSD 3) – This course will help you identify the types of resources that will meet the needs of your learners and provide you with access to range of instructional videos about creating such resources.

OARAS – Activities (CTVSD 4) – This course will assist you to identify and design authentic and engaging activities to meet the needs of your learners.

OARAS – Support (CTVSD 5) – This course covers the skills and knowledge required to identify elements of learning support to be considered for the intended cohort as part of course planning and design.

preknowledge

Prior knowledge

To be able to design competency-based assessments you need to be familiar with educational outcomes, such as learning outcomes, professional standards, competencies and experienced working with them. If you don’t know much about educational outcomes or feel you need to learn more about how to interpret and work with them we recommend your review or complete the course OARAS – Outcomes (CTVSD1) before you start this course.