Award Scheme:

The NZOIA Award Scheme - Overview

After a brief introduction, this page covers: the assessment process, possible results, appeals/grievances, calendar, Level II assessments, award validity, relationships with other national awards, nzqa - how does this all fit with the national qualification framework?, and multiculturalism.  For assessment application forms (click here)

Overview

Each award represents a specific level of ability that the award holder has reached in a given instructional area. At present NZOIA assesses awards in:  Abseil, Alpine, Bush, Canoe, Cave, Kayak, Multi Sport Kayak, Outdoor, Rock and Sea Kayak.

The assessment scheme is managed by the ‘Technical sub-committee’ a subgroup of the NZOIA executive. They contract the delivery of the scheme to a ‘Training and Assessment Coordinator’ who organises all the courses and contracts assessors to deliver each assessment programme

The assessment process
For people to achieve a pass in an award they need to:

• have logged experience at least equivalent to the minimum standard set
• have a current First Aid Certification (at least a 16 hr programme)
• attend an assessment course for the award and demonstrate their ability as being above the benchmark, as described in the syllabus.

The assessment course can be one to four days long, depending on the award. The programme is designed to give assesses the best opportunity possible to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities in both the personal and instructional fields. The assessors facilitating the course strive to create an environment that is non-threatening, where communication is open, and assessees feel able to perform their best.

Generally there are five to eight assessees with two assessors on each course. During the course the assessees are required to complete a variety of tasks that enable the assessors to gain an understanding of the assessee’s standard of competence. Evidence is gathered through observation and questioning. At the completion of each task the assessees will receive feedback on their performance. This will be completed using a review method matched to the assessee and the situation. The process is facilitated to provide a constructive assessment and learning environment, improving each assessee’s ability to accurately perceive what their strengths are, and areas that need improving. The feedback is then followed by an allocation of an assessment grade on the assessee’s performance relative to the required minimum standard of competence for each criterion. This will occur at regular intervals during an assessment programme to ensure the assessee has an accurate understanding of how they are performing relative to the whole award.

Two assessors are used for each course to ensure:

(1) consistency of standards throughout NZ
(2) moderation of assessor performance
(3) protection for both assessees and assessors if conflicts occur between an assessee and assessor

Possible Results- Pass/Defer/Resit
NZOIA wants assessments to be positive learning experiences. The ideal would be for all assessees to pass. All candidates are encourage to examine the syllabi carefully, and train thoroughly before attending an assessment programme.

There is a definite minimum standard of competence for each award which assessees must be able to demonstrate to pass. If the assessees are below this line in a few of the competencies, they would be deferred. To then achieve a pass they may be reassessed at a later date on these points, or simply have to log further training or instructional contact. Reassessments will incur a cost to the assessee.

People who are below the benchmark in a significant number of areas, i.e.. more than 25% of the course content, or critically compromise their own or client safety, would fail that particular assessment. A person who fails an assessment may not attend another assessment in the same discipline within four months of the failed assessment.

Appeals/Grievances
If an assessee disagrees with their final result from the assessment course they are able to appeal the decision. The assessee writes to the Technical sub-committee, requesting a review and outlining why they disagree with the result. A three person group will review the results; a TSC appointee, another assessor of that award and an award holder nominated by the assessee. The fee for this process is $50 upon application, which is refunded if the original result is changed.

Calendar
A schedule of courses is organised nine to twelve months in advance. The assessment calendar is published in the NZOIA Quarterly and on the NZOIA Website at:  http://www.nzoia.org.nz/qualifications/assessment_calendar.asp  Copies are also available from the Administration Officer or Training and Assessment Coordinator.

Due to NZ’s small number of people within the outdoor industry it is to your benefit that you do all that is possible to attend the scheduled dates. NZOIA has in the past arranged dates outside of the calendar. However experience has shown that only a few of these actually run. Before considering this option it is important to make contact and gather all the required information regarding minimum numbers and the necessary lead in times.

Level II assessments
There is generally only one of these scheduled in each discipline each year. Plan for this date. Locations will alternate between South and North Islands each year. Assesses can apply for direct entry into these courses without having the Level I award in the discipline. However, this generally requires you to have at least twice the number of minimum days necessary for the Level 1 award, for both the instructional and personal days

Award Validity
Any assessment should be viewed only as an indication that a particular level of expertise was demonstrated at a particular time. This should not be interpreted as an immediate guarantee of competence by any employer, but should be used in conjunction with the ongoing log of experience and professional development since assessment was made.

For an award to remain valid within NZOIA, the award holder must maintain current membership of NZOIA and be logging experience and professional development.

As a member you will:

(1) have access to the professional development opportunities. NZOIA will organise opportunities to update and up skill award holders,

(2) support the continual development of the current award system as well as development of further awards in response to the members requests,

(3) have a national voice for issues of standards in our industry,

(4) have a political voice within areas of funding, access, government policy,

(5) have regular information supplied to you on regional, national and international points of interest,

(6) have access to an annual training and forum event adjacent to the AGM,

(7) have access to support and representation during crises.

Relationships with other National Award Schemes
NZOIA and other national bodies are increasingly working cooperatively to dovetail ‘similar’ award schemes and training pathways.

Traditional instructor assessment schemes were predominantly offered through the volunteer club system. With the development of the outdoors as an industry with organisations and individuals working part and full time, new bodies formed and developed award schemes to suit these needs.

Presently the NZ Recreational Canoeing Association and NZOIA have a shared award scheme for kayaking. Similarly NZ Speleological Society for caving. NZOIA administers both of these.

Sea Kayak operators (SKOANZ) have a ‘guides’ award and NZOIA offers a Sea Kayak Instructors award.  Assessments for both the guide and instructor awards are run by NZOIA.

The rafting industry is currently undergoing development to decide what will be best for this pursuit, again to meet the two fields of guiding and instructing.

If a rock and mountain climbing instructor wants to operate in a high alpine area, a natural step, is to join the NZ Mountain Guides Association, ‘guiding’ scheme. This scheme can also involve ski mountaineering.

The skiing instructing industry has awards administered by the NZ Ski Instructors Alliance for Downhill, Telemarking, and Snow boarding.

As the Adventure Tourism field has grown there has been increasing demand for qualifications representing minimum standards within this field. The Adventure Tourism Council is encouraging its members to use the NZOIA assessment scheme to meet their purposes, and is working in conjunction with NZOIA to ensure the awards meet their members needs.

NZQA - how does this all fit with the national qualifications framework?
Often ‘units’ of learning are being taught within schools in all these different recreational fields, as well as leader and instructional skills. Polytechnics are also training people in recreational pursuits and as outdoor leaders, similarly, outdoor centres, trusts, youth programmes etc.

It is hoped that the majority of these bodies will ‘buy’ into the framework scheme of education and offer the units of specific learning outcomes. These units are currently being used, written and reviewed with the ‘appropriate’ level of national award or equivalent, set as a minimum level of ability for the instructor/guide/teacher/leader.

In layman’s terms this means that an educational provider offering a course in whitewater kayaking up to grade two, would need to use an NZOIA/NZRCA Stage I Kayak Instructor, or equivalent, to run the course.

NZOIA is working in collaboration with SFRITO & NZQA to ensure the qualifications and unit standards meet/reflect the industry’s requirements. Currently you can cross credit NZOIA awards to the framework as an independent qualification, or a cluster of units.

Multiculturalism
NZOIA recognises that the award scheme, as it currently exists, can provide barriers to participation to some people from some cultural back grounds. NZOIA is investigating ways of making the assessment process more inclusive so it can be of true value to the people of NZ working in the outdoors.