Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training

Purpose

The Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training will provide a further post graduate professional qualification for Adult Education and Training (AET) and Community Education and Training (CET) educators and lecturers. The aims are to offer intellectual enrichment in the Adult Learning Theory and Practice to support and enrich teaching and learning; to provide a contextual and historical approach to the field and policy development; to investigate theoretical and practical models of community development for social change and to offer an intensive focus on two applied specialisms of Curriculum Studies and Design, and Leading and Managing an Education Projects. These meet the requirements for developing first level leadership in ACET field.

The qualification will allow for the development of new roles in the formal and non-formal education sector as indicated above. It will also enable learners to reflect on their practice and develop a deep and systematic understanding of current thinking, practice, theory and methodology in the area of specialisation. It thus prepares qualifying learners for specialised professional employment and to progress into further study.

Rationale

The qualification is being offered as directed by Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET's) new policy on minimum requirements for qualifications leading to qualifications for educators and lecturers in Adult and Community Education and Training (ACET), issued by DHET 27th March 2015.

For this qualification, Adult Education and Training (AET) and Community Education and Training (CET) educators and college lecturers are the target audience and are identified as those educators/trainers working in both the non-formal and formal sector such as community development workers, workplace based trainers and those formally trained to teach NQF Levels 1-4 and higher at the new Community Education and Training Colleges (CETCs).

In South Africa and internationally, there is a move to understand adult education in the context of lifelong learning. Education policies are bringing adult education closer to other forms of education through the reform of qualifications frameworks; adult educators are therefore becoming more centrally positioned than ever before. This qualification is in direct response to national, provincial and local priorities of improving the quality of teaching and training in both the formal and non-formal 'classroom'. Currently there are serious shortfalls in many AET and CET content, pedagogic knowledge and practitioner skills.

The qualification will indirectly contribute to the education and training needs of the community and unemployed adult and youth who require reskilling to find employment. The strength of the qualification is that it is grounded in AET and CET practice and informed by current research nationally and internationally. The qualification is in response to the needs and requirements of a specific profession.

Educators in community colleges and further education and training centres, art colleges, adult education centres, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), trade unions, human resource development, health education, religious education and education programmes based in local government, libraries and museums.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Many of the learners who enter Adult Education and Training (AET) educator and Community Education and Training (CET) lecturer qualifications will already be practising as AET educators or CET lectures and/or have gained knowledge as a result of learning in the workplace and in other settings. It is possible to recognise relevant prior learning that is already in place.

RPL procedures are in place to facilitate access to learners who have relevant experience but do not meet the above academic criteria. The standard procedure requires submission of a portfolio of evidence; an oral presentation; and two written tests of academic ability-one open book, and one written under 'exam' conditions. Adult education teaching staff have expertise in RPL and it has been regularly used (where appropriate) for access to Adult Education qualifications in the past.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training, NQF Level 6, 360 Credits.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training Teaching, NQF Level 7, 120 Credits.

Or

• Postgraduate Certificate in Education, NQF Level 7, 120 Credits.

Or

• National Professional Diploma in Education, NQF Level 5, 240 Credits.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits

• Approaches to Adult Learning Theory and Practice, 30 Credits.
• Policy and Development towards Social Change, 30 Credits.
• Curriculum Studies and Design, 30 Credits.
• Leading and Managing an Educational Project, 30 Credits.

1. The learners will be able to collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information which is required to function in a global age in which knowledge is a key driver of professional development.
2. Understand contextual influences on Adult and Community Education and Training in South Africa drawing from South African, African and International literature.
3. Communicate effectively using different modes of communication.
4. Understand what "theory" is, and how theories of learning inform our practice.
5. Understand the history of the field as well as Policy and Development towards Social Change.
6. Identify innovative dimensions of different curricular programmes which could be applied in practice for different constituencies.
7. Identify and solve problems in which responses display responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• The learners will demonstrate understanding of important concepts relating to 'professionalisation' and 'development'.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Learners will demonstrate ability to analyse development projects and to enable students to make links between Adult Education and Social Change in different sites and development issues both locally and internationally.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Learner will demonstrate ability to use oral/written/Information and Communications Technology (ICT) presentations as assessment will be continuous and formative in all these modes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Ability to demonstrate familiarity with the language and concepts of different theories of learning.
• Ability to locate approaches to learning within a context and broader understanding of the different theoretical traditions in adult learning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Examine and discuss the changing context, changing identities and changing roles of adult educators in relation to policies for adult community educators and trainers.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Demonstrate competence in curriculum design, assessment and evaluation of a programme.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Learners will demonstrate ability to interpret texts within the area of Adult and Community Education and Training.

Integrated Assessment

The qualification will use both Summative and Formative Assessment. Assessment in all modules requires written work, oral presentation, some courses will be project based. Each module will have at least one assessment task during the course designed as a learning opportunity and to provide feedback to learners. All modules in this qualification will be assessed partly by written assignment or project and partly orally. The aim is to focus on development of conceptual and analytical tools, and appropriate use of such tools for reflecting critically on (and thus enhancing) professional practice; assessment by assignment (with its emphasis on reading widely, careful exposition of concepts, and intelligent application of concepts to analyse professional practice) is deemed best able to achieve these aims.