ELP, PPP and Professional Exams

Workshop

Nick Bannister

Email - n.bannister@cieh.org

Welcome

Who are you?

What to expect from today

• This workshop will: - Raise awareness of ELP/PPP requirements

and processes

- Provide guidance for successful completion of the ELP/PPP

- Raise awareness of CIEH Professional Exam requirements

Work based learning

• All student EHPs must undertake a period of work-based experiential learning as part of the EHP qualification process, which can be -

- In any work environment

- With no minimum timescale

- With no requirement to spent any time in a local authority

• And ought to lead to the completion of the ELP/PPP

Why bother?

• You are entering a profession and not training for a job and it’s what all other professions do!

• It is a requirement that is imposed on all student EHPs by Government and its agencies

• It’s a key part of the qualification process

• It integrates theory and practice and prepares you for your career

What is ELP/PPP

• Independent learning portfolios which - - require the student to gain experiences and

develop skills within prescribed intervention areas

- Require the student to reflect upon learning and skill development

How is it completed

• You must become involved in a range of interventions within your chosen workplace/placement

• By being involved it enables you to carry out experiential learning and core skill development

What’s an intervention?

A means by which you affect the outcome of a situation through, eg.-

• Investigations, inspections, visits, audits

• You can use a desktop approach (very occasionally – max 30% in PPP except PH) and reflect on the learning experience

You must be prepared to be involved

• It is very hard to demonstrate personal learning if you merely shadow/observe and do nothing more

• Preferably you should be inspecting, auditing and investigating etc - under supervision

Results achieved through

• Involvement in –

• Visits

• Investigations

• Discussions

• Reports

• Administration

• Policy

• Reflective practice

Leading to -

• The development of Practitioners who –

• Can think for themselves

• Can justify their actions

• Can amend their approach

The ELP Matrices

• Separated into 5 main Intervention Groups

- Food, Health and Safety, Housing, Environmental Protection and Public Health

• Identify important Intervention Areas within each Intervention Groups

• Identify the Core Skills for each Intervention Group

• Forms the basis for the structure of the portfolio

Completing the ELP Matrix – Intervention Groups

• Each Intervention Area contains 3 intervention activities

• One intervention activity – designated primary

• Two intervention activities – designated supplementary

• Except the ‘Key Intervention’ • Activities may be cross-referenced

ELP Reports

• There must be 5 reports covering the 5 Key Intervention Areas

• Must be in the prescribed layout with the prescribed headings

• Must demonstrate the core skills indicated with a asterisks on the matrix

Completing the ELP Matrix - Core Skills

• Demonstrated through involvement in interventions

• Each core skill demonstrated 3 times in each Intervention Group

• 1 designated as primary

• 2 designated as supplementary

• Assessors looking for skill development

What is primary and supplementary

• Primary – the piece of work you believe best demonstrates your experiential learning or skill development

- Not necessarily your best piece of work!

- Your failures are often your best learning experiences!

• Supplementary – backs up the primary piece of work

The Portfolio

• Will consist of Evidence –

- of your involvement in interventions

- of your experiential learning

- of your skill development

• Reflective narratives support all of the above!

Evidence

• Documentation to support and demonstrate a your involvement in an intervention

• Examples –

notes from pace notebook

letters

photographs – beware!

Narratives / reports

• Are an account of experiential learning and skill development presented in the first person

Must include -

• Short background

• Brief account of issues

• Consideration of available options

• Selection and justification for chosen option

• Personal reflection

Presenting the Portfolio

• 2 - 3 lever arch files

• Coloured separating sheet for each intervention area

• Completed matrix on a single sheet at the start of each intervention area

• Personal declaration of own work

• Supported by signature of supervisor

The Assessment Process for ELP • Stage 1 - Objective administrative ‘checks’

• Stage 2 - Subjective assessment (objectively supported) of experiential learning being successfully achieved and applied

• Stage 3 – Subjective determination of skill development, embedding and transferability

• Stage 4 - Pulls together stages 1 to 3 for the final determination of success

Stage 1 – The Administrative Checks

• Administrative checks on completeness - if the ELP fails to pass, the portfolio is returned to you

Stage 2 – Experiential Learning Achieved ?

• Assessor determines whether you have completed ‘experiential learning’ within each of the prescribed Intervention Areas in each of the five Intervention Groups

• Starts with the primary evidence source - determines from the evidence whether experiential learning has been achieved and then applied by you

• Move on to the supplementary evidence

Stage 2 – Experiential Learning Achieved ?

• Having assessed all necessary pieces of evidence, provided in respect of each Intervention Area, then an overall decision of “Pass”, “Marginal Fail” or “Fail” is determined for each Intervention Area and entered on the assessment sheet

Grading Experiential Learning

• Grade D – Narrative provided that merely ‘tells the story’; gives assessor no confidence that learning achieved and applied

• Grade C – Narrative provided, together with supporting evidence, that gives the assessor some confidence that you have learned something and have started to apply the learning

• Grade B – Narrative provided, together with supporting evidence, that shows learning via reflection and subsequent or potential application of that learning

• Grade A - Narrative provided, together with supporting evidence, that demonstrates learning via extensive reflection and subsequent or potential application of that learning

Stage 3 – Skill Practice, Embedding and Transferability

• For each skill on each Intervention Group matrix, the assessor will qualitatively determine whether the evidence demonstrates that you have developed the skill to such an extent that it has become ‘embedded’ within the Intervention Group

Stage 3 – Determining Skill Embedding within an Intervention Group

• Assessor considers the three evidence sources claimed by you to demonstrate skill practice and embedding and, if necessary, considers all of the other evidence provided within the Intervention Group

• Beginning with the ‘Primary’ source, the assessor grades the level of skill embedding in each of the three sources across the matrix - The assessor must determine that skills marked with an

asterisk (*) are reflected within the Key Intervention Report

• Possible gradings are A, B, C, and D

Stage 3 – Skill Embedding

• The assessor will know when the skill has been sufficiently developed to have become ‘embedded’ when evidence shows that you are capable of repeatedly practising the skill to an acceptable level

Advice on Grading Individual Skill Embedding

• Grade A - Narratives provided that include extensive reflection which, together with supporting evidence, demonstrates strong skill embedding

• Grade B – Narratives provided that includes some ‘reflection’ which, together with supporting evidence, demonstrates good skill embedding

• Grade C – Narratives provided which, together with supporting evidence, demonstrates some skill embedding

• Grade D – Narratives provided that merely lists the skills allegedly practised; gives you no confidence that the skill has been embedding

Stage 3 – Skill Transferability

• Transferability is demonstrated when:

- You provide evidence to show that you are capable of adapting the skill for use in a different situation and to a different set of circumstances

Evidence of Skill Transferability

• In reality the assessment process informs the judgment i.e. the assessor transfers the grades awarded in each Intervention Group to the summary sheet and making an overall assessment by applying the following test: - A skill becomes ‘transferable’ when ‘strong’ (A) or ‘good’ (B)

evidence is available to demonstrate that it is embedded in at least two intervention groups

Reflection is Crucial to the Whole Process

• You could go on to: - Document what you were thinking and feeling;

- Discuss your personal behaviour and particular worries;

- Identify whether your confidence grew;

- Discuss how you reacted to criticism from their supervisor;

- Identify what was good and bad;

- Discuss your specific strengths and weaknesses;

- Consider what sense you made of the situation;

- Identify where your inspiration came from;

- Identify what else you could have done;

- Identify the changes in approach that you would take in the future

- Etc.

Stage 4 – Making an Overall Judgment

• The final stage of the assessment process involves the assessor collating the results of all three previous assessment stages to give an overall result

• The final result is not ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ but a simple affirmation of whether you have been “set on the road to achieving competence” or not

Other Possible Decisions

• Where you fall short in the assessment (achieving a ‘Marginal Fail’ in not more then three Intervention Areas overall); then the assessor, in conjunction with the moderator, might offer you a ‘Deferred Result’

• A ‘Condoned Pass’ is also available as an option in respect of the ELP – this is awarded in conjunction with the moderator where your submission is so close to a pass that the award of Deferred Result would undermine the credibility of the assessment process

The PPP Matrices

• Will eventually replace ELP

• Part of new 2011 framework

• Available now (optional)

• Based on experiential learning

• Comprises reports, evidence demonstrating involvement and reflection

Structure of PPP

• Divided into 5 intervention fields

• Requires –

- involvement

- development of skills

- reflection on experiences

Interventions

• Each field has 5 intervention areas unique to that field

• The descriptors are self explanatory

Core skills

• Common to 4 intervention fields

• Based on steps of investigation

- Acquiring information

- Risk assessment

- Courses of action

Other skills

• Each field also has a requirement for reflective practice

• In the Public Health field the skills are specific to this intervention area

Food Safety

Health and Safety

Environmental Protection

Housing and Health

Public Health

Completion

• All intervention areas and core skills must be covered (except for desktop reports)

• Maximum 2 desktop reports per intervention field except PH

Approach

• No templates

• Matrix descriptors provide guidance on what is required

• X referencing allowed but not normally appropriate

• PH interventions may provide some scope

To achieve

• Still need placement, but

• Fewer visits (25)

• Can be achieved via short placements or visits

• See EHN or Directory of Student Training Opportunities

Experience

• Important to gain first hand experience

• Desktop reports unlikely to allow student to demonstrate all skills

• Can use past experience, dissertation, private work, etc

Submission

• No time restrictions

• Submit electronically any time (word/excel) after registration

• Portfolio must be entire

• Organised in 5 sections

Hybrid submission

• ELP/PPP combined

• Intervention fields either ELP or PPP – no mixing

• No X referencing between ELP/PPP

• Submission in paper form

Assessment

• Distinction

• The candidate has made an excellent attempt to address the ‘skills’ and has clearly used the opportunity to acquire maximum benefit from the experience. The assessor is satisfied that the candidate has fully considered the risk presented and selected an appropriate intervention that is available to an EHP. The candidate goes beyond addressing the ‘reflection’ description, and in tackling and solving problems, demonstrates the capacity to arrive at decisions in complex and unpredictable situations, where appropriate, offering a critique of practice.

assessment

• Pass

• The candidate has made a genuine attempt to address the ‘skills’; however there may be minor technical errors present and short passages of poor narrative quality. The assessor is satisfied that the actions described and views expressed show the candidate has considered the risk presented and selected an appropriate intervention that is available to an EHP. The candidate adequately addresses the ‘reflection’ description, demonstrating the capacity to deal with complex issues systematically, making sound judgements and decisions, sometimes in the absence of complete data.

assessment

• Fail

• The candidate provides an inaccurate, vague or otherwise unconvincing attempt to address the ‘skills’. The assessor is satisfied (despite any explanation given in the reflection) that if the actions described and views expressed in the report were put into practice, the candidate, their employer or the profession would face criticism. The candidate inadequately addresses the ‘reflection’ description and lacks any real insight into Environmental Health practice of the professional role performed by the EHP.

Level of the assessment

• End of Year 2 of a BSc programme !

• We do not expect perfection

Why do students fail?

• Too little information on the intervention (esp. when cross referenced!)

• No real reflection (cannot show learning!)

• Skills claimed are not evident

Responsibilities of students

• Learning

• Discussion and clarification

• Compiling portfolio of evidence

• Preparing reflective narratives

• Carry out duties to best of ability

• - ENTHUSIASTICALLY!

Responsibility of placement supervisors

• Have appropriate qualifications and experience

• Familiarise themselves with ELP requirements

• Assess students state of knowledge

• Assist student to develop an experiential learning programme

• Help student learn from work practice

• Provide assistance, advice and guidance

..and

• Be –

- A role model

- Instructor

- Enabler

- Coach

- Counsellor

- Assessor

..and as a suggestion

• Hold regular meetings

• Ensure the support and cooperation of other staff

• Hold viva sessions

• Hold an exit interview

• BE ENTHUSIASTIC !

Support from the CIEH

• Mentoring/advice – n.bannister@cieh.org

• E-mail address – education@cieh.org

• Telephone - 0207 928 6006

• Website - www.cieh.org incl. FAQ page

» www.mycieh.org

The Professional Examination

Consist of:

• Case study paper

- Open book

- am – case file

- Lunch

- pm – tasks and response

• An interview

Case Study Paper

• Single Substantial Piece of work

• Intervention Based

• Covers more than two EH discipline areas

• See Example on CIEH website

On the day

• In the morning you get -

• Case study paper/reading pack

• Two hours to prepare

• In the afternoon you get –

• Tasks

• Three hours to respond

Read the question

• Read the Task

• Read the Task

• Read the Task

• Understand the Task

• Scope the Task

• Answer the Task

Approach

• Notes

• Arrangement

• Timings

• Legibility

• Grammar

Case Study Paper

• Marking Grades

- Distinction

- Pass

- Fail

Distinction

An excellent response in all respects. The candidate has appropriately addressed all of the set tasks. The candidate's response demonstrates excellent knowledge and a deep understanding of the issues addressed within the scenario. The candidate has appropriately identified a range of interventions strategies / actions that will address the issues raised within the case study. The candidate has demonstrated a strong ability to select the correct intervention to exercise and is able to clearly and concisely justify its choice. The candidate demonstrates a clear understanding of the principles of partnership working and has correctly selected appropriate partners with whom to work. The candidate's reflection on the responses provided to the set tasks is deep and insightful.

Pass

The candidate's responses to the set tasks are generally, but not universally, good or appropriate. The candidate has demonstrated sound knowledge and understanding in respect of most of the issues that are referred to within the set scenario. The candidate has identified a range of intervention strategies and actions that are, in the main, correct or appropriate with respect to the case study. The candidate's ability to select the correct or appropriate intervention to excise is sound in most respects and he/she is capable of justifying the choices made, although the given justification is not universally appropriate. The candidate's understanding of the principles of partnership working is quite clear and has largely identified appropriate partners with whom to engage. Reflection on the proposed practice by the candidate is provided, although it is not always deep and insightful.

Fail

Whilst the candidate may have provided plausible or appropriate responses to parts of the set tasks; overall, the candidate's responses demonstrate limited knowledge and understanding of the stressors that are referred to within the case study. The candidate demonstrates limited ability to identify potential intervention options to control, eliminate or mitigate the implications that arise from the impact of the various stressors that are present within the case study scenario. The candidate also demonstrates an inability to select the most appropriate intervention(s) to exercise and is unable to identify appropriate partners with whom they should work to maximise the impact of the chosen intervention. The candidate's response contains little evidence of personal reflection and may exhibit a general failure to address the set tasks

The Interview

Interview

• No books allowed !

• 2 Examiners

• Introduction

• Candidate presented with three

scenarios – different EH areas

• 20 minutes alone

• Interview of 30 to 45 minutes

During the 20 minutes alone

• Make notes – to refer to

• Priorities – in terms of PH significance

• Chosen scenario

• Main points

• Powers (eg - of Entry)

• Need for quick action!

• Who else may you work with?

Interview

• Examiners will require candidate to

- Prioritise the three scenarios in relation to public health significance

- Select one scenario to discuss in detail (free choice)

Stick to the Practical

What would you do ?

Why ?

How?

Answer the question directly

(There are no Trick Questions)

Interview assessed on -

• Prioritisation

• Professional Attitude / Approach

• Determine most appropriate course of action

• Identify others with whom the candidate may work

• Consider the wider public health impacts arising from that scenario

PPP variations

• If PPP has been completed in full the new interview format will apply

• Candidate required to select one report from the Public Health field on which to conduct a 30 minute viva

Interview - marking

• Distinction 5 As

• Pass 5 Bs (or combination of As and Bs)

• Fail more than 1 C or a D

The assessment level

• Day one, newly qualified EHP

Final questions?

Thank you for coming and have a safe journey home