A good way to start

Find out about Recognition

• Contact the teaching section or the Recognition Coordinator
• Make an appointment to discuss your Recognition with the teaching section or the Recognition Coordinator

Identify the competencies

Competencies are best described using action words

• planning fundraising activities
• participating in group discussions
• teaching your children to use new computer software
• speaking to groups
• writing formal letters
• responding to complex spoken instructions e.g. How to use a fax

The best way to demonstrate that you have a skill is to give a specific example of something you have done in this area.

Skill	Speaking to groups
Example	I am a member of a regional LandCare group. Last year I spoke to fifteen different clubs and organisations about LandCare issues. I always make changes to my presentation to suit the audience I am speaking to.

Comparing your competencies

Once you get used to identifying your competencies, try the next step in the process of comparing what you know and can do with the specified competency.

Competency	Draft workplace correspondence from given instructions and information
Example	I have been Secretary to the Black Hills High School P&C Association for 4 years and during that time I have written letters to MP's, local government officials, local businesses, sponsors, the Education Department, the local radio station and many others. Each letter has been discussed at P&C meetings or from instructions given by the President.

Collecting evidence

Once you have identified your prior learning and compared it with the specified course competencies, your next task is to collect some evidence to prove what you say about yourself is true. A good way to start is by developing a portfolio. (See also `Types of Evidence').

What is evidence?

Evidence is any information which proves what you know and what you can do. This can be:

• Examples of your work in art, craft or design; a business letter you have written on a personal matter for your club or committee
• Supporting evidence from someone who knows what you are able to do, or a statement from someone you made an item for, such as a dress or curtains, or for whom you have performed a service, such as building a shed or maintaining a garden

What is a portfolio?

It is a collection of evidence. A portfolio does not mean just a collection of certificates or references. It can include audio and video tapes, photographs, or examples of things you have made or done. A useful approach to planning a portfolio is tabled below.

Competency	Your prior learning	Your evidence
Express complex ideas and information	Prepared a report for the committee with advice on, and argument for, the purchase of books and establishment of a Craft Library	Copy of report Copy of the minutes of the meeting where recommendations were accepted

When preparing your evidence it must show:

• The learning that comes from your experience, not just the experience itself
• Your current competencies, based on evidence of your past learning experiences

Bridgette attended a number of seminars about advertising and selling techniques. She listed her seminar attendance as evidence of prior learning when she applied for Recognition in two competencies in a Small Business Management course. Her application for Recognition also included evidence of the learning she gained from the seminars, an example of advertisements she had written and a reference from selling/marketing work (paid or unpaid) she had undertaken. Bridgette was granted Recognition for the competencies.

Some years ago Russ attended a number of community classes on Basic Electronics. When he applied for Recognition for a circuitry competency in Computer Systems Design course, he used his community course experience as evidence of prior learning. His application was unsuccessful. The assessor explained his decision was made because the rapid changes in the field of electronics meant that Russ's prior learning was no longer current.

Assessing your learning

The purpose of the Recognition assessment is to:

• Link your prior learning with the elements of the competency or course you have selected

• Demonstrate that you already learned some or all of the course outcomes

What happens during a Recognition assessment?

A Recognition assessment may be carried out in a number of ways. The simplest way is for an assessor to review the evidence you have submitted.

When Ingrid applied for Recognition for a competency in the `Working for Women's Health' course, her application and supporting evidence were sufficient without her having to attend an interview. She was able to clearly show she had gained the stated competency by supplying notes and evaluation forms from a workshop she conducted while she was a volunteer working at a women's health centre.

A Recognition assessment may involve an interview process, in where you answer questions and present your evidence. This evidence may include an audio or video tape, photographs, a report from an employer, examples of completed work and references.
OR you may be asked to:

• Carry out a practical exercise
• Write an assignment
• Participate in a role play etc

Sven was asked to take part in a Recognition interview to demonstrate his verbal communication skills. In support of his case, Sven asked a friend to tape the speech he made at his football club's centenary dinner. At the interview he used his audio tape and the notes of his speech as evidence in his Recognition assessment for the competency, Presenting Information.

What are the assessors looking for?

From your evidence the assessor will decide if your prior learning is:

• Relevant: can it be directly linked to the competency you are claiming Recognition for?
• Current: is your learning still valid, can you perform the skills you may have learned some years ago, and is the knowledge you have about this area still fresh?

Rebecca provided an annual report and a recent newsletter she had produced for her Neighbourhood Watch. It showed her word processing and desktop publishing skills were current.

• Authentic: have you actually learned what you claim and can this be verified from different sources?

Avoca attended a calligraphy class at her local community college and was encouraged to enrol in a course that would give her formal qualifications. In preparation for applying for Recognition, Avoca took a series of photographs of the work she had produced for different occasions. The work was photographed at various stages of development and the photographs were signed and verified by Avoca's tutor.

• Transferable: Can the skills and knowledge you have learned in one situation be used in another?

Tom's love of photography meant his whole family was regularly photographed. Their praise of his skills led him to attend a number of adult education courses which helped him develop competencies in camera operations and darkroom procedures. Following a Recognition assessment Tom received Recognition for some of the competencies in the Associate Diploma of Art & Design (Photography).

• From a variety of sources: have you been able to demonstrate your prior learning in more than one way?

Kathy collected the following evidence to support her claim for Recognition for Computer Fundamentals:

• a certificate of attendance from a 30 hour adult education computer course
• samples of her class work endorsed by the tutor
• a variety of samples showing how she applied her skills e.g. invitations, letters

If the assessor believes further evidence is needed you may need to attend an interview to give more details to support your application.

Receiving Recognition

After the Recognition assessment is completed the assessor should give you clear, prompt and constructive feedback about the results of your assessment.
If you have any concerns, discuss them with the assessor or the Recognition Coordinator. Being clear about the result of your assessment will give you greater confidence to use the appeal process if required.

Check to see if you have followed all the steps

• Find out all you can about Recognition
• Meet with your teacher to discuss the process
• Assess yourself and identify your competencies
• Compare them with the elements of the competency
• Collect a variety of evidence
• Apply for Recognition
• Prepare yourself if a challenge activity or interview is required
• Discuss the outcomes with your assessor. An appeal can be lodged if you are not satisfied with the process of the Recognition assessment