qms1.4 glossary of terms · colleges. this document is essential given that there can be differing...

QMS1.4 V10 Glossary of Terms 10/5/17 of 21

QMS1.4 Glossary of TermsResponsibleOfficer

Chief Learning Officer

Functional Owner Head of Policy, Regulation and Audit

QAS Owner Quality Manager

1. ScopeThis document highlights the definitions of key terms used by Open Colleges. Thisensures that consistent definitions for key terms and concepts are used across OpenColleges. This document is essential given that there can be differing education andindustry definitions of key terms associated with vocational education and training.

2. Glossary of Terms

Term Definition

Academic Transcript Refers to the official record of a students’ achievement ofUnits of Competency from a NRT Qualification.

Access and Equity Policies and approaches aimed at ensuring that vocationaleducation and training (VET) are responsive to theindividual needs of learners whose age, gender, cultural orethnic background, disability, sexuality, language skills,literacy or numeracy level, unemployment, imprisonment orremote location may present a barrier to access,participation and the achievement of suitable outcomes.Access and equity does not mean that Open Colleges hasto accept all applicants as learners.

AdmissionRequirements

Admissions Requirements refer to:

Education Requirements – the minimum educationqualifications or equivalent work experience;

Pre-Requisites – the specific Units of Competency orNRT Qualifications required for entry to thequalification, as stipulated in the Training Package;

Age Requirements – the minimum age required toundertake the Course having regard for the self-discipline required to study by distance or onlinelearning;

English Language Proficiency Requirements –the levelof English at secondary school required to undertakethe reading and writing tasks associated with theCourse;

Computer Requirements –the technical computingspecifications, including hardware, software andinternet connectivity to undertake the Course;

Audio-Visual Requirements – any specific audio-visualequipment or software (such as digital camera orrecording devices) required in the Course;


Term Definition

Physical Requirements – any fitness or mobilityrequirements to undertake the course, particularlyrelating Structured Workplace Learning where thestudent is required to undertake certain activities in theworkplace.

Admissions Refers to the process of gaining entry into a Course.

Adult Learners At Open Colleges, adult learners refer to individual learnerswho are over the age of 18 years old or who havesignificant life experience beyond the completion ofsecondary school, such as completion of a tradequalification or work experience.

Adult LearningPrinciples

Refers to the seven principles of adult learning developedby Knowles (1970). These include: (a) adults are internallymotivated; (b) adults are self-directed; (c) adults bring lifeexperiences and knowledge to learning experiences; (d)adults are goal oriented; (e) adults are relevancy oriented;(f) adults are practical; and (g) adult learners like to berespected.

Advanced Diploma As defined in the Australian Qualifications Framework(AQF)

Andragogy Learning strategies designed to meet the specific needs ofadults. See Adult Learners and Adult Learning Principles.

Appeals andComplaints Committee

Refers to the Committee, established under the OpenColleges’ Education Governance Structure, responsible forthe review and determination of all Complaints andAssessment Appeals.

Apprenticeship -Traineeship

A structured training arrangement for a person employedunder an apprenticeship/traineeship training contract. Itusually involves the person receiving training and beingassessed both on and off the job.

Approved Delegate ofthe Australian SkillsQuality Authority

Means the entity authorised by ASQA to perform thefunctions and exercise the NVETR Act functions set out inSchedule 1 of the Delegation Agreement.

Approved Workplace Refers to a work place approved by a Workplace Assessoras being suitable for a student to undertake a WorkPlacement as part of a Structured Workplace Learningprocess.

Articulation A process that enables students to progress from onecompleted qualification to another with credit in a definedpathway.

Assessment The process of collecting evidence and making judgementson whether competency has been achieved, to confirm thatan individual can perform to the standard expected in theworkplace, as expressed by the relevant endorsed


Term Definitionindustry/enterprise competency standards of a TrainingPackage or by the learning outcomes of an accreditedcourse.

Assessment Appeal Refers to the formal process by which a student maychallenge the outcome awarded by an Assessor for anAssessment

Assessment Centre An Assessment Centre is a facility where students canundertake both their practical training and workplaceassessments. A Workplace Assessor will be present at theAssessment Centre to conduct the workplace assessment.

Assessment Guidelines The endorsed component of a Training Package thatunderpins assessment and sets out the industry's approachto valid, reliable, flexible and fair assessment.

Assessment Instrument An assessment instrument includes the followingcomponents: the context and conditions for theassessment, the tasks to be administered to the candidate,an outline of the evidence to be gathered from thecandidate and the evidence criteria used to judge thequality of performance (i.e. the assessment decisionmaking rules). It also includes the administration, recordingand reporting requirements.

Assessment Judgement The exercise of thinking skills by the Assessor to evaluatewhether the evidence provided meets the principles ofassessment and rules of evidence and whether thecandidate is competent or not yet competent based on theevaluated evidence.

Assessment Methods The particular technique(s) used to gather different types ofevidence. This may include methods or techniques such asquestioning, direct observation, structured activities, thirdparty feedback, portfolios and review of products.

Assessment Moderation The process of bringing assessment judgements andstandards into alignment. It is the process that ensures thesame standards are applied to all assessment resultswithin the same unit(s) of competency. It is an activeprocess in the sense that adjustments to assessorjudgements are made to overcome differences of thedifficulty in the tool and/or the severity of judgements.

Assessment Record Refers to the official record of a student’s achievements inindividual Assessments within a Course

Assessment Types Please note: An assessment may contain manyassessment methods.Knowledge Tests assesses underpinning knowledge. Itmay come in two forms:

Questions that are not context-specific. E.g. “Defineracism”

Questions that require learners to apply knowledgein a given context.


Term DefinitionKnowledge Test questions will commonly come in the formof the following:

Oral question (OQ) – A question that is verballydelivered and requires a verbal short answerresponse. This type of question provides the learnerthe opportunity to demonstrate verbalunderstanding of the content in a given context, andtheir ability to effectively communicate thisunderstanding to an assessor. These questionsusually require a response range of 15-70 words.

Short answer question (SAQ) – A question whichrequires a short answered response. This type ofquestion provides opportunity to learners to applytheir knowledge in a given context. These questionsusually require a response word range of 20 – 50words. The slight disadvantage to this form ofquestion is complex issues cannot always besufficiently addressed.

Multiple choice question (MCQ)o Multiple choice question (MCQ) – A question

that provides a list of possible responses forlearners to choose from.

o True/False question (T/FQ) – A question that isobjective based and has a 50% pass rate perresponse. The objective of this type of questionis to draw the learner out in an easy/fastexercise that tests their knowledge, on aparticular area or field. Examples includelegislation type questions.

o Matching answers – A question that requires thelearner to match answers to the respectiveitems. Examples include: identifying the correctfire extinguisher to the appropriate hazard,identifying major organs in the human body, etc.

Scenario-based question – The learner is requiredto answer questions that are based on a presentedscenario.

Case studies require the learner to apply the requiredknowledge within a given context. Case studies depict real-life situations in which problems need to be solved. Theymay be used in conjunction with other assessmentmethods such as a written report, demonstration, portfoliosof evidence or project. Skills assessed may include someof the following: problem-solving, teamwork and decision-making skills and application of knowledge.Written Reports requires learners to research and applyknowledge within a given context. Assessments aredeemed as Written Reports if they require students tosubmit answers as in a report format. The assessmentmust outline the formatting requirements for the report tothe learners.Demonstrations/Presentations require learners todemonstrate practical skill sets by accomplishing tasks orpresenting information. Learners are usually assessed byobservation.


Term DefinitionPortfolios of Evidence requires learners to submit acollection of documents which demonstrate knowledgebased skills and work they have undertaken to beassessed as evidence to meet required skills outcomes.Documents can be in the form of reports, letters, computerprintouts, photographs, observation reports, case files,emails, templates etc.Visual Diary work in progress in the form of photographs,sketches or screen shots. It may also include a record oftrials and explorations throughout the design process; inthe form of annotations and evaluations.Projects require learners to submit documents that detailthe outworking of a major task. While projects may varyfrom one assessment to another, they will have one basiccharacteristic in common: The project documentation willdetail how the project progressed over a period of time. Asthe project progresses, the documentation will includedetails of each stage of the project. It will provide details ofthe project plan, records for how the project wasimplemented and a final evaluation on the project’ssuccess rate.

Assessment Validation Is a quality review process. It involves checking that theassessment tool produced valid, reliable, sufficient, currentand authentic evidence to enable reasonable judgementsto be made as to whether the requirements of the relevantaspects of the Training Package or accredited course hadbeen met. It includes reviewing and makingrecommendations for future improvements to theassessment tool, process and/or outcomes.

Assessor See Trainer and Assessor.

AustralianQualificationsFramework (AQF)

The policy framework that defines all qualificationsrecognised nationally in post-compulsory education andtraining in Australia. The AQF comprises titles andguidelines that define each qualification, as well as theprinciples and protocols covering cross-sectoralqualification links and the issuing of qualifications andstatements of attainment.

Authenticity One of the rules of evidence. To accept evidence asauthentic, an Assessor must be assured that the evidencepresented for assessment is the candidate's own work.

Blended Learning Refers to that Method of Delivery adopted by OpenColleges that involves the completion of StructuredWorkplace Learning as an integrated part of the Course.

Centrelink Refers to the Commonwealth agency responsible for theprovision of welfare benefits.

Certificate Refers to the official statement that a student has achievedthe requirements of a Course. Also referred to as aTestamur.


Term Definition

Certificate I - IV As defined in the Australian Qualifications Framework(AQF)

Certificate of Insurance Refers to the formal documentation provided by OpenColleges’ insurers regarding the level and scope ofinsurance coverage. The Certificate of Insurance isrequired by some workplaces where a student undertakesa Work Placement

Cheating To deceive or mislead, especially for personal advantage.At Open Colleges, Cheating is usually associated with thecopying of other students’ assessments (a form ofPlagiarism)

Clustering The process of grouping competencies into combinationswhich have meaning and purpose for learning,assessment, or work related needs.

College Refers to the individual trading name, such as the OpenCollege of Aged Care, owned by Open Colleges underwhich a Qualification will be awarded.

Competency Competency is the consistent application of knowledge andskill to the standard of performance required in theworkplace. It embodies the ability to transfer and applyskills and knowledge to new situations and environments.

Competency Standard See Unit of Competency

Complaint Refers to a grievance raised by a student. A complaint maybe formal (in writing laying out the basis of the grievance)or informal (provided verbally).

Complainant The person making the complaint or raising the grievance.

Complaints andAppeals Committee

Refers to the Committee, established under the OpenColleges’ Education Governance Structure, responsible forthe review and determination of all Complaints andAssessment Appeals.

Consistency ofevidence

The evidence gathered in respect of an Assessment needsto be evaluated for its consistency with other assessmentsof the candidate’s performance, including the candidate’susual performance levels.

Contextualisation of aqualification

Refers to the substitution of unit/s of competency in aqualification for unit/s from other qualification/s in the sameTraining Package or from other endorsed TrainingPackages to maximise its application in industry and/or tomeet the needs of particular learners, within the confines ofthe packaging rules. Contextualisation of qualificationsmust not distort the qualification purpose or its alignmentwith the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Thesubstitution must be consistent with the relevant Training


Term DefinitionPackage advice on allowable contextualisation ofqualifications.

Contextualisation of aunit of competency

Refers to the articulation of industry orenterprise/organisation specific information relative to therange statement and/or evidence guide of a unit ofcompetency to maximise its application to particularenterprise/organisation contexts. Registered TrainingOrganisations (RTOs) can contextualise units ofcompetency to make them more relevant and meaningful tolearners and enterprises. Such changes must not diminishthe competency’s breadth, reduce its portability, or limit itsuse. Changes are made in accordance with the relevantTraining Package contextualisation guidelines.

ContinuousImprovement

Refers to the systematic processes that ensure OpenColleges’ Courses, processes and systems are improvedand enhanced.

ContinuousImprovement Register

Refers to the systematic recording of individual identifiedimprovements to Open Colleges Courses, processes andsystems

Core Skills for WorkDevelopmentFramework

Refers to the framework that describes a set of non-technical skills, knowledge and understandings thatunderpin successful participation in work. This set of non-technical skills, often referred to as generic or employabilityskills, contribute to work performance in combination withtechnical or discipline specific skills and core language,literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills.

Course For Nationally Recognised Training (NRT):A Qualification or Skill Set as specified in the TrainingPackage. A Course may be a selection of Units that resultin a Statement of AttainmentFor non-NRT:A defined and structured program or learning andassessment as specified in the Learning and AssessmentStrategy for the Course.

Course and CareersAdvisor

Refers to individuals employed by Open Colleges toprovide course and careers advice to prospective students.

Course Duration Refers to the maximum duration in which a student mustcomplete their Course.

Credit The value assigned for the recognition of equivalence incontent and learning outcomes between different types oflearning and/or qualifications, which reduces the amount oflearning required to achieve a qualification.

Credit Transfer Is a form of RPL and provides a means for students to gaincredit in an NRT qualification on the basis of completed


Term Definitioncomponents of another NRT qualification or other formallearning.A process that provides students with agreed andconsistent credit outcomes based on identified equivalencein content and learning outcomes between matchedqualifications.

Currency One of the rules of evidence. In assessment, currencyrelates to the age of the evidence presented by a candidateto demonstrate the requirements of the assessment.Competency requires demonstration of currentperformance, so the evidence collected must be from eitherthe present or the very recent past.

Debit Success Refers to Open Colleges’ partner organisation responsiblefor the collection of instalment payments from students.

Delegation Agreement Means a formal agreement between ASQA and RTOs toagree the administrative arrangement between themrelated to the functions that may be delegated by ASQA tothe Approved Delegate under a Delegation Instrument.

Delegation Instrument Means the instrument under which ASQA delegatesspecific functions to the Approved Delegate as referred inclause 8 of the Delegation Agreement.

Delegates’Representative

Means the Open Colleges Executive position appointed byOpen Colleges as the Executive position responsible foradministration of the delegation. The Delegates’Representative will be the nominated CEO of the RTO aslisted on the National Register.

Delivery Method The particular techniques used to guide, facilitate andsupport the learning process. In the case of Open Colleges,the delivery method may include online, correspondence orblended.

Dimensions ofCompetency

Dimensions are part of the broad concept of competency,which includes all aspects of work performance asrepresented by task skills, task management skills,contingency management skills and job/role environmentskills.Contingency Management Skills: These skills involve therequirement to respond to irregularities and breakdowns inroutine.Job-Role Environment Skills: These skills involvedemonstrating the ability to deal with responsibilities andexpectations of the workplace, including working withothers.Task Management Skills: These skills involvedemonstrating the ability to manage a number of differenttasks, operations or activities within the job role or workenvironment, and;


Term DefinitionTask Skills: These skills encompass the ability to performindividual tasks.

Diploma As defined in the Australian Qualifications Framework(AQF)

Direct Observation An assessment method which involves opportunities toview real work/real time activities in the workplace or workactivities in a simulated workplace environment.

Division Refers to the group of professionals engaged by OpenColleges to ensure the quality of learning and assessmentwithin a given discipline area.

Education and TrainingAdvisory Board

Refers to the primary body responsible for the oversight ofthe education operations and standards of Open Colleges,as established by the Open Colleges’ Board of Directors.

Education Governance Refers to those structures and Committees that overseethe education operations and standards of Open Colleges.

Elements Elements of a unit of competency that describe actions oroutcomes, which are demonstrable and assessable. Seealso: Performance Criteria

Employability Skills The non-technical skills and competencies that havealways been an important part of effective and successfulparticipation in the workplace. Employability skills areapplicable to all occupations, and have been defined in thevocational education and training (VET) sector as:communication, teamwork, problem solving, initiative andenterprise, planning and organising, self-management,learning and technology.

Entry Requirements See Admissions Requirements

Evidence Information gathered to support a judgement ofcompetence against the specifications of the relevant unitor units of competency.

Evidence Guide Provides essential advice for assessment of the unit ofcompetency and must be read in conjunction with theelements, performance criteria and range statement of theunit of competency, and the Training Package AssessmentGuidelines.

Face validity The extent to which the assessment tasks reflect real work-based activities.

Final Report See Workplace Assessment Final Report

Formal Learning Learning that takes place through a structured program oflearning and assessment that leads to the full or partialattainment of a recognised AQF qualification or otherformally recognised qualification.


Term Definition

Grade Refers to the determination of a Trainer and Assessor as tothe quality of an Assessment submitted by a student.Grades are awarded in accordance with the AssessmentGrading Schedule outlined in the Assessment Procedures.

Grievance / Complaint A work-related compliant or concern. It may relate to aspecific incident, situation or decision, or a course orpattern of conduct or behaviour.

Hazard A hazard is any situation, substance, activity, event orenvironment that could potentially cause injury or ill health.

Holistic Assessment An approach to assessment that focuses on theassessment of a 'whole of job' role or function. Thisinvolves drawing on a number of units or elements ofcompetence, and combining the assessment of theapplication of knowledge, technical skills, problem solving,and demonstration of attitudes and ethics.

Incident Section 37 of the WHS Act sets out that a dangerousincident is an incident in relation to a workplace thatexposes a worker or any other person to a serious risk to aperson's health or safety emanating from an immediate orimminent exposure to: an uncontrolled escape, spillage orleakage of a substance.

Induction andOrientation

Induction provides new students with an overview of OpenColleges, our learning approach, key policies andprocedures and advice on study tips.Orientation provides new students with an overview ofOpenSpace – our online virtual campus – including anoverview of the key functions

Industry Includes, but is not limited to, business owners andemployers and their representative bodies, employees andunions, and their representative bodies.

Industry AdvisoryCommittee

Refers to the Committee, established under the OpenColleges’ Education Governance Structure, responsible forthe industry review of Open Colleges’ learning andassessment strategies and learning outcomes.

Informal Learning Learning gained through work-related, social, family, hobbyor leisure activities and experiences. Unlike formal andnon-formal learning, informal learning is not organised orexternally structured in terms of objectives, time or learningsupport.

Instalment Plan Refers to the payment of Tuition Fees on a regular basis asstipulated at the time of enrolment.

Language, Literacy andNumeracy (LLN)

Taken collectively, these are the skills to communicate inoral and written form. The term includes reading and use ofwritten information; the ability to write appropriately, in a


Term Definitionrange of contexts and the integration of speaking, listening,and critical thinking with reading and writing. LLN includesnumeracy, such as the recognition and use of numbers andbasic mathematical signs and symbols within text.

Learning andAssessment Strategy

Refers to the foundation document in the design,development and delivery of a Course. The Learning andAssessment Strategy identifies, inter alia, the needs of thetarget learners and the design of the learning andassessment approach to meet the needs of the targetlearners.

Learning Materials Refers to those materials provided by Open Colleges tosupport the learning process by students.

Moderation See Assessment Moderation

Learning Support Learning support include the provision of the followingservices to learners:A welcome and induction to Open CollegesAn orientation to OpenSpaceAccess to specialist learning support resourcesAdditional support services for ‘at risk’ learnersAdditional support services to re-engage inactive learners

National Recognition Recognition by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)qualifications and statements of attainment issued by allother RTOs, thereby enabling national recognition of thequalifications and statements of attainment issued to anyperson.

Nationally RecognisedTraining (NRT)

Training conducted in accordance with the requirements ofthe VET Quality Framework (VQF).

National Register Means the online database (available atwww.training.gov.au) which contains the registration detailsof RTOs and information relating to training packages,qualifications, courses and units of competency.

Nominal Hours The value assigned to a structured program of study thatnominally represents the anticipated hours of self-study,learning activities, assessments and workplace learningwithin a Course or Unit.

Non-formal Learning Learning that takes place through a structured program oflearning but does not lead to a formally recognisedqualification.

NRT Qualification The formal NRT Certificate, issued by a RegisteredTraining Organisation, in recognition that a person hasachieved learning outcomes or competences relevant to


Term Definitionidentified individual, professional, industry or communityneeds.

NRT Qualification Code A unique alpha-numeric code of eight-characters allocatedto a qualification and as specified in the Training Package.

NRT Qualification Title The name given to a NRT qualification that is unique andreflects the identified occupational outcomes of thequalification. Each title has a unique qualification code.These are defined in the Training Package.

NVETR Act Means the National Vocational Education and TrainingRegulator Act 2011

OCTiVE Refers to the Open Colleges Trainer and AssessorInteractive Virtual Environment. This is the dedicated onlinespace for communication, collaboration and support forTrainers and Assessors.

Online Course Refers to that Method of Delivery adopted by OpenColleges where learning materials, assessments,assessment grades and feedback are accessed online andlearner interaction with Trainer and Assessors and otherstudents is conducted online.

Open Colleges Refers to Open Colleges Pty Ltd

Open Colleges Group Refers to Open Colleges Australia Pty Ltd, the parentcompany of Open Colleges Pty Ltd, Integrated Care andManagement Training Pty Ltd and College of FashionDesign Pty Ltd.

OpenSpace Refers to Open Colleges’ online learning environment.OpenSpace is integral to the learning experience in OpenColleges.

Open Colleges’Professional Certificate

Refers to the official statement that a student has achievedthe requirements of an Open Colleges’ non-NRT course.

Order of Studies Refers to the formal document that outlines those StudyPeriods and Assessments that need to be completed toprogress through the Course.

Partner RTOs Refers to those RTOs that partner with Open Collegeswhereby Open Colleges deliver and assess Courses onbehalf of the Partner RTO. In such cases, the NRTQualification is awarded by the Partner RTO.

Pathways in TrainingPackages

A path or sequence of learning or experiences that can befollowed to attain competency. Pathways also describe theway in which training and assessment is undertaken in aneducation or training program.

Pay-in-Full Refers to where students choose to pay their Tuition Feesin full prior to commencing their course.


Term Definition

Performance Criteria Specify the standard to which elements must be achievedand reflect the applied knowledge that enables competentperformance.

Plagiarism The intentional use of intellectual property, the source ofwhich is not properly acknowledged: and/or the direct useof intellectual property, referenced or unreferenced, withouta clear indication that the intellectual property was takenverbatim from its source.

Predictive validity A form of criterion validity concerned with the ability of theassessment outcomes to accurately predict the futureperformance of the candidate.

Pre-requisite Units ofCompetency

Units of competency that are to be successfully completed,and critical to achieving the subsequent competency.

Principles ofAssessment

To ensure quality outcomes, assessment should be:Fair: Fairness in assessment requires consideration of theindividual candidate's needs and characteristics, and anyreasonable adjustments that need to be applied to takeaccount of them. It requires clear communication betweenthe assessor and the candidate to ensure that thecandidate is fully informed about, understands and is ableto participate in the assessment process, and agrees thatthe process is appropriate. It also includes an opportunityfor the person being assessed to challenge the result of theassessment and to be reassessed if necessary.Flexible: To be flexible, assessment should: reflect thecandidate's needs; provide for recognition of competenciesno matter how, where or when they have been acquired;draw on a range of methods appropriate to the context,competency and the candidate; and support continuouscompetency development.Valid: Assessment is valid when the process is sound andassesses what it claims to assess. Validity requires that: (a)assessment against the units of competency must coverthe broad range of skills and knowledge that are essentialto competent performance; (b) assessment of knowledgeand skills must be integrated with their practical application;and (c) judgement of competence must be based onsufficient evidence.Reliable: Reliability is an estimate of how accurate orprecise the task is as a measurement instrument. Reliabilityis concerned with how much error is included in theevidence.

Quality Assuror is the person responsible for overall implementation,monitoring of quality and compliance outcomes of theDelegation Agreement between ASQA and ApprovedDelegate of the RTO. This person will liaise with ASQA onbehalf of the Approved Delegate for all purposes of the


Term DefinitionDelegation Agreement. The Head of Policy, Regulation andAudit is the Quality Assuror.

Quality and ContinuousImprovementCommittee

Refers to the Committee, established under the OpenColleges’ Education Governance Structure, responsible forthe systematic review of feedback mechanisms to identifyimprovements and the oversight of the implementation ofidentified improvements.

Range Statement A statement that contextualises the competency, providesa link to knowledge and a range of enterprise requirements,and provides a focus for assessment.

Reasonable Adjustment Adjustments that can be made to the way in whichevidence of student performance can be collected. Whilstreasonable adjustments can be made in terms of the wayin which evidence of performance is gathered, the evidencecriteria for making competent/not yet competent decisionsand/or awarding grades should not be altered in any way.That is, the standards expected should be the sameirrespective of the group and/or individual being assessed;otherwise comparability of standards will be compromised.

Recognition of PriorLearning (RPL)

An assessment process that involves assessment of theindividual’s relevant prior learning to determine the creditoutcomes of an individual application for credit.Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is anacknowledgement that participants acquire skills andknowledge under many different conditions. For example,life experiences, short courses and volunteer work allcontribute to the sum total of skills and knowledge astudent may possess which may not be recognised oracknowledged by formal accreditation. RPL seeks to focuson and recognise the actual competencies held by astudent, regardless of how, when or where the learningoccurred. RPL is the acknowledgment of skills andknowledge obtained through formal training, workexperience and/or life experience. The main focus of RPLis the learning outcomes of these experiences, not how,when or where the learning occurred. This is a crucialunderlining principle of RPL—it makes the distinctionbetween formal and informal training unnecessary byfocusing on outcomes rather than the location of learning.RPL offers a new dimension to education by incorporatingthe breadth of an individual's experience as they relate toour vocational courses.

Registered TrainingOrganisation (RTO)

A training organisation registered by a registering body inaccordance with the RTO Standards within a defined scopeof registration. A training organisation must be registered inorder to deliver and assess Nationally Recognised Training(NRT) and issue nationally recognised qualifications.


Term Definition

Required Skills andKnowledge

The essential skills and knowledge identified in units ofcompetency as required for competent performance,defined as:

Knowledge - identifies what a person needs to know toperform the work in an informed and effective manner;

Skills - describes the application of the knowledge tosituations where understanding is converted into aworkplace outcome.

Also referred to as Performance and Knowledge Evidencein relation to Training Package Standards endorsed in2013.

Respondent The person against whom the grievance is raised or acomplaint is made.

Risk indicators inassessment

The potential factors that may increase the risk associatedwith the assessment. These factors should be consideredwhen selecting a representative sample for validationand/or moderation. Risk factors may include safety (e.g.,potential danger to clients from an incorrect judgement),equity (e.g., outcomes impacting on highly competitiveselection procedures), human capacity (e.g., experienceand expertise of assessors) etc.

Rules of Evidence These are closely related to the principles of assessmentand provide guidance on the collection of evidence toensure:Validity: The assessor is assured that the learner has theskills, knowledge and attributes as described in the moduleor unit of competency and associated assessmentrequirements.Sufficiency: The assessor is assured that the quality,quantity and relevance of the assessment evidenceenables a judgement to be made of a learner’scompetency.Authenticity: The assessor is assured that the evidencepresented for assessment is the learner’s own work.Currency: The assessor is assured that the assessmentevidence demonstrates current competency. This requiresthe assessment evidence to be from the present or the veryrecent past.

Scope of Registration The particular services and products a Registered TrainingOrganisation (RTO) is registered to provide. The RTO'sscope defines the specific Australian QualificationsFramework (AQF) qualifications, units of competency andaccredited courses it is registered to provide, and whetherit is registered to provide: (a) both training delivery andassessment services, and to issue the relevant AQFqualifications and statements of attainment, or (b) only


Term Definitionassessment services, and to issue AQF qualifications andstatements of attainment.

Scope Requestor Means the person responsible for submitting a Variation toScope Request for a Division. The Scope Requestor is theDivisional General Manager or their delegate.

Scope Reviewer Reviews variation to scope request in terms of quality andcompliance with requirements. The Scope Reviewerprovides a recommended outcome of the request to theScope Approver. The scope review is a two-stage process;firstly by the Delegation and Division Quality Manager andsecondly by the Head of Policy, Regulation and Audit.

Scope Approver Is the person responsible for final approval or rejection ofcourses for amendment to scope of registration of the RTO.Scope Approver is the nominated Delegates’Representative/ chief Learning Officer.

Simulated SkillDevelopment Activities(SSDAs)

Open Colleges is increasingly adopting the use of SSDAsprior to a learner commencing Structure WorkplaceLearning. This enables the Open Colleges’ WorkplaceAssessor to determine whether a student has obtained abasic level of skill prior to entering the workplace. Thisensures the learners are able to undertake basic work-related tasks prior to commencing in a workplace.SSDAs are assessed through the provision of directevidence – such as a short video or photographs of thelearner conducting the specified activities. The SSDAinvolves the student reviewing an instructional video inrelation to a particular task or activity and thendemonstrating their ability to conduct that task. SSDAs aregenerally limited to those activities that can be conducted inthe home and that do not require any specialist or technicalequipment.

Skill The ability to perform a particular mental or physical activitywhich may be developed by training or practice. The skillmay be intellectual, manual, motor, perceptual, or social.Specified skills are identified as part of each competencystandard. Competence usually requires a combination ofskills in the application of cognitive and psycho-motorfunctions. See also: Required Skills and Knowledge

Skill DevelopmentWorkshop

A Skill Development Workshop is designed for studentswho would like to gain more practical skills. If the coursecontains Structured Workplace Learning, attendance hoursat the workshops can be counted towards the workplacement hours.

Skill Sets Single units or combinations of units within TrainingPackages which link to a licence or regulatory requirement,or defined industry need.


Term Definition

SOR Is an electronic ‘Scope of Registration’ (SOR) systemin Firefly to upload, store, maintain and protect theevidence provided for each application.

The SOR allows documents to be uploaded but notremoved. If a new version of a document is required, itwill be uploaded and the system will retain evidence ofchanges made during the application process.

Once the application has been approved at all stagesthe SOR system is locked to prevent any furtherchanges being made.

Statement of Attainment Issued by a Registered Training Organisation when anindividual has completed one or more units of competencyfrom NRT qualification(s)/courses(s).

Structured WorkplaceLearning

Refers to that component of a Course that requires thestudent to undertake a range of structured tasks andassessment activities within a workplace.

Student Code ofConduct

Refers to those expected behaviours displayed by studentsenrolled in Open Colleges Courses.

Student Support Officer Refers to those individuals employed by Open Colleges toprovide administrative and enrolment support to OpenColleges’ students.

Study Period Refers to a coherent and discrete component of learningand assessment within a Course.

Traineeship See Apprenticeship-Traineeship

Teach-out-Period Applies to non-accredited courses only. Means thetimeframe in which no new students are to be enrolled intoa course and existing students are provided a settimeframe to complete all training and assessmentrequirements. A teach out period may be applied to acourse when Open Colleges ceases to offer the program tonew students.

Trainer and Assessor Refers to a suitably qualified and experienced individualengaged by Open Colleges to support students and gradeAssessments. Trainers and Assessor engaged in NRTCourses must meet the specific requirements stipulated bythe VQF.

Training Package A nationally endorsed, integrated set of competencystandards, assessment guidelines and AustralianQualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications for a specificindustry, industry sector or enterprise.


Term Definition

Transition Period Applies to Nationally Recognised Training Courses only.Has the meaning defined by the ASQA General Direction –Learner Transition, as published on the ASQA website.

Tuition Fee Refers to the fees paid by students to enrol in a Coursewith Open Colleges.

Unit Descriptor Communicates the content of the unit of competency andthe skill area it addresses.

Unit of Competency Specification of industry knowledge and skill and theapplication of that knowledge and skill to the standard ofperformance expected in the workplace.

Unit of CompetencyCode

The unique alpha-numeric code assigned to a unit ofcompetency, which does not exceed 12 characters, in theTraining Package.

Validation See Assessment Validation

Validity in Assessment There are five major types of validity: face, content,criterion (predictive and concurrent), construct andconsequential. In general, validity is concerned with theappropriateness of the inferences, use and consequencesthat result from the assessment. In simple terms, it isconcerned with the extent to which an assessment decisionabout a candidate (e.g., competent/not yet competent, agrade and/or a mark), based on the evidence ofperformance by the candidate, is justified. It requiresdetermining conditions that weaken the truthfulness of thedecision, exploring alternative explanations for good orpoor performance, and feeding them back into theassessment process to reduce errors when makinginferences about competence. Unlike reliability, validity isnot simply a property of the assessment tool. As such, anassessment tool designed for a particular purpose andtarget group may not necessarily lead to validinterpretations of performance and assessment decisions ifthe tool was used for a different purpose and/or targetgroup.

Versioning of TrainingPackages

The first release of the Training Package, includingreviewed Training Packages, is Version 1. If NSSCEndorsement Required changes are made to a TrainingPackage during the endorsement period, its versionnumber must be incremented by a whole number.

Victimisation Unfavourable treatment of a person because of theperson’s involvement as a complainant or as a witness to acomplaint/ grievance. Unfavourable treatment couldinclude exclusion, adverse changes to the workenvironment, harassment, discrimination, bullying or otherforms of adverse consequences.


Term Definition

Vocational Competency Broad industry knowledge and experience, usuallycombined with a relevant industry qualification. A personwho has vocational competency will be familiar with thecontent of the vocation and will have relevant currentexperience in the industry. Vocational competencies mustbe considered on an industry-by-industry basis and withreference to the guidance provided in the AssessmentGuidelines of the relevant Training Package.

Vocational Educationand Training (VET)

The sector responsible for developing the skills andknowledge of individuals for work. It includes VETundertaken in industries, enterprises, governmentagencies, and community and school settings. The VETsector encompasses both recognised training leading to aqualification/statement of attainment under the AustralianQualifications Framework (AQF), and non-recognisedtraining, such as in-house, product-based training.

Vocational Educationand Training QualityFramework (VQF)

Refers to the set of standards and conditions that theAustralian Skills Quality Agency (ASQA) uses to assesswhether an RTO meets the requirements for registration.This includes the:

Standards for Registered Training Organisations(RTOs) 2015;

Australian Qualifications Framework, Second Edition2013;

Financial Viability Risk Assessment Requirements2011; and

Data Provision Requirements 2011.

Work Placement Refers to the process of a student undertaking definedtasks and activities over a defined period in an ApprovedWorkplace under the supervision of a WorkplaceSupervisor as part of a Structured Workplace Learningprocess.

Work Placement Centre A Work Placement Centre is a facility that has beenassessed by Open Colleges as having the necessaryfacilities; supervision, clients, equipment and resourcesrequired to undertake SWL and have agreed to take OpenColleges’ students. In such cases, a remote WorkplaceAssessor in accordance with the process outlined in theWorkplace Assessment Guide will conduct the workplaceassessments.

Workplace ApprovalForm

Refers to the form required for the approval of a workplaceas being suitable to complete a Work Placement as part ofa Structure Workplace Learning process.

Workplace Assessment Refers to the completion of tasks and activities during aStructured Workplace Learning process that are assessed


Term Definitionby a Workplace Assessor. Workplace Assessments mayinclude the following:Workplace Logbook: Refers to the record of taskscompleted in a workplace as part of a StructuredWorkplace Learning process. The Attendance Report ispart of the Workplace Logbook and records hourscompleted by a student in an Approved Workplace as partof a Structured Workplace Learning process.Workplace Portfolio: Refers to the development of directevidence and completion of tasks related to workplaceexperience as part of a Structured Workplace Learningprocess.Student and Supervisor Interviews (Questions): Refers tothe structured discussions between the WorkplaceAssessor and Workplace Supervisor and student during aStructured Workplace Learning process.In some cases, a Workplace Assessor may also visit aworkplace to conduct observations of the student in theworkplace.

Workplace AssessmentFinal Report

The Final Report is completed by the Workplace Assessoron completion of all elements of Workplace Assessment asoutlined in the Workplace Assessment Guide. This FinalReport provides important holistic feedback to the studenton their performance in the workplace assessmentactivities.

Workplace Assessor Refers to suitably qualified and experienced individualengaged by Open Colleges to support and assess studentsundertaking Workplace Assessments. WorkplaceAssessors engaged in NRT Courses must meet thespecific requirements stipulated by the VQF.Workplace Assessors visit the workplace to observe astudent’s performance in the work environment.

Workplace InitialInterview Checklist

Refers to the form completed by the Workplace Assessorwhen checking the workplace resources and workplacesupervisors to ensure they meet the specific courserequirements.

Workplace Supervisor Refers to an individual within an Approved Workplace thatis approved by a Workplace Assessor as havingappropriate skills and experience to supervisor a studentundertaking Workplace Assessments as part of aStructured Workplace Learning process

Workplace Training andAssessment Plan

Outlines the specific approach to the WorkplaceAssessments for the individual student based oncompletion of the initial interviews by the WorkplaceAssessor. This includes dates and times for the studentand supervisor interviews with the Workplace Assessor.


3. Quality and Continuous ImprovementThis Policy is subject to systematic review, evaluation and improvement, including annualreview and ongoing feedback from stakeholders.

4. Related Forms and Documents Policies, Procedures, Forms and Guidelines Student Handbook Trainer and Assessor Handbook VET Quality Framework

Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015

NCVER Glossary of Terms

Australian Flexible Learning Framework - Definitions

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Version Approved Endorsed Effective date Review date

10 Chief LearningOfficer

10 May 2017

Head of Policy,Regulation andAudit

May 2017

May 2017 May 2018

Version History V9: January 2016 - Updated to new format

V10: May 2017 – added in new definitions and updated to new format

Course Type All

RTOs:Open Colleges Pty Ltd (90796)

Integrated Care and Management Training Pty Ltd (90197)

College of Fashion Design (3798)

Partner RTOs: Yes