Observation in real conditions is a method in particular recommended to verify professional skills and social competences of the validation participant. It consist in performing practical professional tasks at the workplace, which then are subject to observation and evaluation by the validation assessors. It is carried out with the involvement of employers, which guarantees an appropriate match of skills to the needs of a given employer and job position.
Characteristics of the method
This method enables verifying the learning outcomes through observation, how does the person who is submitted to validation performs the professional tasks/activities in real conditions (at work), specified in the skill characteristics. Conditions, in which the observation is conducted are provided by the employer. The assessor’s role is observation, that aims at collecting and analyse th information about learning outcomes obtained by the candidate. For this purpose, he can use several methods, e.g. making notes, recording the sound or image (after receiving candidate’s consent).
After completing the observation, on the basis of the collected materials, the assessor fills in the assessment sheet, indicating evidence confirming the achievement of the assumed learning outcomes, in accordance with the assessment criteria indicated for a given skill.
Important: Because of necessity to involve the employers into the validation process, the MY PS Validation Centre is obliged to sign the appropriate agreements on the basis of which the assessor and the person subject to verification will be able to reside at the workplace and perform specific activities related to the course of the validation process.
Why it is worth to select observation in real conditions?
observation in real conditions enables verifying the learning outcomes
observation enables obtaining high reliability level of the validation results
enables verifying the obtained skills without unnecessary stress, related with remaining in unknown conditions
Umożliwia pracodawcom czynne włączenie się w proces walidacji efektów uczenia się
Evaluation
For every participant the assessor makes an evaluation card, indicating the evidences that confirms obtaining individual learning outcomes. There is a protocol made after each validation session as well. All documents are filled in electronical form, using the dedicated application.
Correlation with other methods: in case of verifying the skills through the observation in real conditions there is no need to apply other validation methods. Therefore, it is acceptable to conduct the validation in several stages. When verifying the knowledge, it is advised to consider combining this method with others, e.g. theoretical test, in particular when checking every knowledge areas would result in extended time of validation.