competency and placement testing

COMPETENCY AND PLACEMENT TESTING

Moving towards the ideal FET College

OVERVIEW• Challenges

• Funding, pass rates and FET students

• Contributing factors• Focusing on FET students

• Possible solution• Baseline testing• Managed approach

• CAP’s offering• How can CAP help?

CHALLENGES• Funding – Based on L4 certification

• Throughput rate– Drop out rate from L2 to L4

• Students entering FET– Bridging the L2 academic gap

CHALLENGES• Funding – Based on L4 certification

– College allocation income– Output bonus criteria :• Successful completion of past

enrolments• Average examination scores

CHALLENGES• Funding – Based on L4 certification

Source: NDoE

CHALLENGES• Funding – Based on L4 certification

• Throughput rate– Drop out rate from L2 to L4

• Students entering FET– Bridging the L2 academic gap

CHALLENGES• Throughput rate– Drop out rate from L2 to L4

Source: NDoE

CHALLENGES• Funding – Based on L4 certification

• Throughput rate– Drop out rate from L2 to L4

• Students entering FET– Bridging the L2 academic gap

CHALLENGES• Students entering FET– Bridging the L2 academic gap

– Out-of-school-children : more than 1 million pre-grade 12 young people out of school and unemployed

– Age difference +- 15 – 35– Diverse academic background

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

• Varied age of entry• Unsure of career opportunities• Learning gaps in– Mathematics– English

• No established remedial learning path focused on learning gaps

SOLUTION• Baseline entrance test– Aptitude testing• Too expensive• Not standardised• Not enough staff, time

– Screening test :• Identifies possible high risk students

– Specialised problem requires specialised staff!

SOLUTION• Managed approach to selection

and placement – 2010: +- 122000 L2’s– Manage the system: test /select/ fill

in the gaps/academic support– Manage the human capital: • large groups / schools etc , no marking

– Manage the remedial action:• linking of test with remedial program

SOLUTION• Based on 2007 – 2010 statistics:• ENTRY: Standardised test – Identify possible high risk candidates– prediction on passing % for English

and Maths – High correlation for both

• THROUGHPUT: identify background gaps– Focused academic support

SOLUTION• Maths and English orientation: first two

weeks• Standardised tests: immediate

identifying of students who need further assessment /support, such as Learning potential assessment – High learning potential: poor academic

background but potential to pass. Remedial action:

– Low learning potential: Channeling of student to other programmes eg. skills programmes.

CAP SOLUTION

Registration

1Selection2 Details Capture3 Testing4

5 Test Capture

6Analysis & Reporting

7Candidate

Technical

Management

Placement

8 Remedial

Yes

No

9 Exit Counselling

CAP SOLUTION• Testing accuracy

CAP SOLUTION• How could CAP assist the IDEAL

COLLEGE? – identifying the right students with

understanding of and interest in programme – identify the right students based on

academic background – identify learning gaps for sound foundation– minimize human labour time– maximize testing (administering, marking &

reporting) turnover time– affordable

IN CLOSING• Managers– Vital role in implementation

• Student Support Staff– Well trained and qualified– Address specialised challenges

• Managed process– Testing alone achieves nothing!!!