Video transcript
Welcome! Nau mai, haere mai!
This video unpacks and explains the components of a unit standard. But first, we need to briefly cover off how skills and knowledge may be assessed using two types of assessment standards: Achievement standards and unit standards.
Achievement standards are derived from the achievement objectives of the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Achievement standards are commonly used in schools and are developed and owned by the Ministry of Education. They are listed and published by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
Unit standards are based on bodies of knowledge and areas of skill other than the national curriculum. They are widely used by tertiary providers throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand, and also in schools. Unit standards are set by transitional industry training organisations and by two NZQA units: Māori qualification for Marautanga Māori Services and National qualification services for more generic areas.
Unit standards can be searched for or accessed through the NZQA website. Each unit standard describes the skills and knowledge that a candidate needs to demonstrate in order to achieve it. Achieving the unit standards gains the candidate credits, which are recorded on the New Zealand Record of Achievement and can be used in programs leading to relevant New Zealand Qualifications Framework qualifications, including NCEA.
This video unpacks and explains the components of the unit standard "4252: Produce a personal targeted CV" as an example. At the top of each page, you will see the unit standard number (in this case, 4252)and the version number. This unit standard is classified on the Directory of Assessment Standards in the domain "Work and Study Skills," under the subfield "Core Generic." "Subfield" and "domain" are technical terms used to organise standards into broad groups and subgroups of areas of learning.
We can see that the title of unit standard 4252 is "Produce a personal targeted CV." Each unit standard has a credit value. The credits represent the estimated average time for people to achieve the unit standard. Each credit represents ten hours, including teaching and learning, and assessment. So for this unit standard, it is estimated that most people will need about 20 hours.
This unit standard is at level 2, which reflects the complexity of skills and knowledge that are recognised by the standard, together with the breadth and/or depth in the field of study or work. There are ten levels of increasing complexity. The level descriptors can be found on the NZQA website.
This unit standard can be awarded as "Achieved." Merit and Excellence grades are available in some unit standards and all achievement standards where the criteria relate to greater quality of performance at each level.
The prerequisite is that anyone seeking credit for unit standard 4252, already has credit for unit standard 504. The knowledge and skills required for 504 will be a useful basis for 4252.
I hope you found this video useful. If you have any questions, please email nqs@nzqa.govt.nz.
Part 1: Introduction and Overview
Duration: 4:00 mins
Video transcript
Welcome! Nau mai, haere mai.
The guidance information explains how to interpret the unit standard, any requirements and what evidence may be expected from people seeking to achieve the unit standard.
This can include, as relevant to the unit standard, further details, context and/or definitions of key terms relevant to the unit standard. For example, the definition of "personal," requirements and expectations related to teaching and learning (for example, respecting privacy), requirements and expectations related to assessment (for example, a real or simulated job vacancy), and any other information that might be
The outcomes in the unit standard identify what a person needs to be able to do and know in order to achieve the unit standard. For a unit standard to be awarded, all outcomes must be achieved. In this unit standard, there is only one outcome, the same as the overall title: "Produce a personal targeted CV." In some unit standards, there may be two or more outcomes that are collectively reflected in the overall title.
The performance criteria or PC specify how well the outcome has to be performed,
or in other words, they identify the evidence that the person needs to produce in order to be
assessed to have performed the outcome to the expected level. In this unit standard, for example,
the evidence must include identifying the requirements of the job vacancy and information about the person in relation to the job vacancy, and details of two referees. The CV must be written with good spelling and grammar and must flow logically with consistent layout.
If written in the guidance information, the range statement applies to all outcomes in the unit standard. If written immediately below an outcome, it applies to all performance criteria in that outcome.
If written immediately below a specific performance criterion, it applies only to that criterion. If there is no wording to indicate otherwise, all items in the range must be evidenced.
If the wording in the range has "includes, but is not limited to," followed by a list, all items in the list must be evidenced, but other items can be considered as well. If the wording in the range states "may include, but is not limited to," followed by a list of items, evidence can come from the suggested list or from anywhere else. A range statement may include a quantifier or minimum amount of items or evidence required.
In this unit standard, the performance criteria include two ranges. In 1.2, the range identifies the sorts of information that may be included but is not at all compulsory. The range in 1.3, however, is compulsory, listing the details about the referees that must be provided.
If therefore, a person can produce a personal targeted CV and supply the evidence set out in the performance criteria and ranges, then they will be assessed as having achieved the unit standard.
Once the results are reported, the unit standard will appear on their New Zealand Record of Achievement.
I hope you found this video useful. If you have any questions, please email nqs@nzqa.govt.nz.
Part 2: Achievement Criteria and Explanatory Notes
Duration: 3:37 mins
Video transcript
Welcome, nau mai haere mai.
At the end of the unit standard, there is some information that explains its history and current status. Unit standard 4252 was first registered in May 1995. It has been revised or reviewed another sevens times, the latest in January 2018. That is why the current version of the unit standard is version 8. The next review is planned for December 2022.
As part of the quality assurance for this unit standard, all education organisations and assessors must meet the requirements set out in the consent and moderation requirements. All education organisations must also have consent to assess against unit standards. There is an opportunity to suggest changes to the unit standard via the email address at the end of the unit standard.
Finally, generic resources, guidelines, and assessment support materials for which NZQA is the standard setting body, can be found on the NZQA website. I hope you found this video useful. If you have any questions, please email nqs@nzqa.govt.nz.
Part 3: Additional Information and Support Material Published by NZQA
Duration: 1:22 mins