Higher Certificate in Adult and Community Education and Training

Purpose

The Higher Certificate in Adult and Community Education and Training is intended to provide learners with basic introductory knowledge, cognitive and conceptual tools and practical techniques to enable further study in adult community education and training (ACET). It aims to develop learners who are capable of applying such beginning knowledge and competence as adult education, training, and development actioners. Learners who want to become professionally qualified will need to complete the Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training.

Rationale

The field of adult and community education and training is a national priority. DHET has introduced a new policy on minimum requirements for programmes leading to qualifications for educators and lecturers in Adult and Community Education and Training (ACET), issued by DHET 27th March 2015. This qualification is a significant move to professionalise and increase the capacity of adult educators in the field who will play an essential role in the newly envisaged community education and training colleges. The White Paper for Post School Education and Training approved by the cabinet on 20th November 2013, indicates the establishment of community education and training colleges. They are multi-campus institutions directed at addressing the education and training needs of unemployed adults and youth. Statistics South Africa reported that in the second quarter of 2013 the number of youth aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education, and training. The existing Public Adult Learning Centres (PALCs) will form part of the new community and education and training colleges. These will offer formal, non-formal and informal programmes but will require qualified Adult Education and Training (AET) educators and Community Education and Training (CET) lecturers. Train new lecturers and many existing educators in relevant subject content knowledge and methodologies that are appropriate for teaching adults and youth. Adult educators teaching at the PALCs have a range of qualifications, including professional teachers', but do not have the recently-required professional adult education teaching qualification.

The envisaged new qualification, a Higher Certificate in Adult and Community Education and Training, is in line with DHET'S new qualification structure for adult and community educators. The qualification targets practitioners in the field of adult and community education and training and replaces an existing one as required by the new policy. The institution has a current Higher Certificate in Education in Adult Education that needs to be restructured to meet the new requirements of the Higher Certificate in Adult and Community Education and Training. It is an entry-level, non-professional qualification for those who have practitioner experience but no education and training at this level. The qualification places a strong emphasis on developing conceptual skills and academic literacies, which will allow learners to access higher-level advanced studies in this field. The Higher Certificate in Adult and Community Education and Training will play an essential role as an articulation route into the Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training.

Currently, the institution is one of only very few higher education institutions in the country offering undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications for adult and community educators. This entry-level qualification will play an essential role as an articulation route into the Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training. They could later progress into the new proposed Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training. This progression will allow the institution to build capacity in the field and bring quality into the system in an underdeveloped area of professional training.

Many learners who have enrolled for the current Higher Certificate in Education in Adult Education through the RPL process has progressed to postgraduate studies. By offering this qualification, the Higher Certificate in Adult and Community Education and Training will contribute to enhancing the teaching capacity of community college lecturers and their continued professional development. The institution is thus well placed to meet the national need in terms of qualified staffing and infrastructural capacity.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The qualification does not utilise RPL for credits. Instead, the process is to enable learners to access the qualification if they do not have the necessary admission requirements.

The RPL process consists of a Portfolio Development Course and Portfolio presentation. Applicants will participate in a structured RPL programme to assess their competency at NQF Level 4. Learners will attend six weekly three-hour lectures and mentor sessions. They are assigned to a mentor to guide them through the development of the portfolio of evidence.

Assessing Prior Learning for admission into the qualification.

The portfolio of evidence includes

• A motivational statement as to why the applicant is applying for the Higher Certificate in ACET.
• A comprehensive Curriculum Vitae detailing all the learning and skills acquired prior to application.
• An autobiographical learning history detailing the knowledge and skill acquired from their learning in formal, informal and non-formal contexts.
• A summary of an article to assess their academic literacy skills.

The applicant will present their portfolio of evidence to assess their communication skills.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4 granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• Certificate in Adult Education and Training or Early Childhood Education, NQF Level 4.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at Level 5 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits

• Citizenship and Social Justice Education, 30 Credits.
• An Introduction to Adult Learning, 30 Credits.
• Designing and Facilitating a Learning Programme (including Work-Integrated Learning), 60 Credits.

1. Understand the historical development of the adult and community education and training sector, its purpose and current location.
2. Understand the socio-economic context and background of adult and community, education and training learners in varying contexts, their diversity in terms of race, class, gender, disability, age, culture and work experience.
3. Work effectively in a team.
4. Have a level of literacies: academic, numeracy, media and technology.
5. Adjust teaching strategies to match the profile of adult learners, meet basic requirements for a particular area of learning, and be able to manage diversity.
6. Select, methodologies, sequence, and pace content in a manner appropriate to the context and the needs of learners.
7. Understand different learning styles, preferences, and motivations.
8. Have an understanding of the principles of adult learning and a selection of adult learning theories.
9. Understand the history of learning.
10. Adapt and select learning resources that are appropriate for the age, language competences, culture, and gender of learners.
11. Understand the principles of designing a learning event.
12. Create a learning environment in which critical and creative thinking is encouraged, handle conflict through debate and argument, and adult and community education and training learners develop a strong internal discipline.
13. Understand the common barriers to learning.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria are assessed in an integrated manner across all the Exit Level Outcomes

• Demonstrate understanding of life histories, roles, learning experiences, and barriers to learning.
• Explain the principles of adult learning and fundamental theories of adult learning.
• Discuss socio-economic context, background, and diversity of their learners.
• Describe the historical development of society and the adult and community education and training sector appropriate for this level of learning.
• Discuss the nature of the inequality in South Africa and its impact on the lives of citizens.
• Demonstrate an understanding of citizenship, transformation, social justice, and human rights.
• Examine the role of the adult educator in the process of transformation and social justice.
• Reflect critically on the role of community educators and trainers.
• Demonstrate an ability to use basic computer skills.
• Design, plan and facilitate a learning programme.
• Select, methodologies, sequence, and pace content in a manner appropriate to the context and the needs of learners.
• Adapt and select learning resources that are appropriate for the age, language competences, culture and gender of learners.
• Apply adult learning principles.
• Understand different learning styles.
• Understand and manage diversity in the group.
• Create a learning environment in which critical and creative thinking is encouraged, manage conflict and adult and community education and training learners develop a strong internal discipline.
• Understand group dynamics and work effectively in a team.
• Conduct a simple evaluation of a learning event.
• Write a report.
• Design a PowerPoint presentation.

Integrated Assessment

The qualification will use both summative and formative assessment. Assessment in all courses requires written work, oral presentation; some modules will be project-based. A critical component of the qualification is work-integrated learning (practical learning). All modules in this qualification will be subject to the following assessment:

• Written assignments or projects.
• Oral assessment.
• Practical learning assessment.

The aim is to focus on development of conceptual and analytical tools, and appropriate use of such for reflecting critically on (and thus enhancing) their practice; assessment by assignment (with its emphasis on reading careful exposition of concepts, and an application of concepts to analyse their practice) deemed best able to achieve these aims.