AMAP for Journalism [Ref: 0002]

 

Review of Communications and Media Industry Training Organisation AMAP

 

The Communications and Media Industry Training Organisation has completed the review of the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) above.

 

Date new version published                                                             October 2010

 

The next AMAP review is planned to take place during 2015.

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

It had been evident through verbal consultation in 2009 with organisations that had consent to assess against standards in AMAP 0002 (accreditation) that the current AMAP was not sufficiently detailed in many areas to clearly signal the requirements for organisations applying for consent to assess against standards and for moderation, and conversely, it was overly prescriptive in the areas of resourcing and the selection of staff.

 

A thorough review of the AMAP was undertaken in 2009 and the opportunity was taken to update the AMAP to reflect current practice and NZQA formatting and registration requirements.

 

Consultation was carried out with organisations that were currently delivering and assessing against the relevant CMITO unit standards.  Those organisations and other stakeholders, employers, and industry associations were consulted through meetings, emails, phone calls and visits.  The process also involved consultation with the National Advisory Group for Journalism including representatives of the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics sector, and regional CMITO staff.  Agreement was obtained on a simpler moderation system and an updating of equipment recommendations.  The main changes comprised clarification of existing requirements relating to consent to assess against standards and to moderation procedures.  Much of the content was updated to give a clearer indication of requirements. 

 

The review involved full stakeholder consultation and CMITO confirmed that the AMAP met the needs of the journalism sector and was fit for purpose.

 

The opportunity was also taken to incorporate evidence of support requirements in the Accreditation Information section, and to amend the Moderation System section to make it less prescriptive and compliance-orientated, which better reflected current practice.  The moderation requirements of the previous version had become unworkable.  This version was developed to update moderation procedures.  CMITO was working to foster positive and improvement-focussed relationships with accredited organisations.

 

Compliance with new requirements

 

Accreditation requirements will apply with effect from October 2010.

 

Moderation system requirements will apply with effect from October 2010.

 

Accredited organisations will expected to be able to demonstrate compliance with AMAP requirements from April 2011 onwards.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

AMAP for Journalism [Ref: 0002]

 

ACCREDITATION INFORMATION (AI)

 

·         Information was added relating to CMITO welcoming enquiries from organisations wishing to become accredited and also offering advice on the development of applications for accreditation.

·         Applicant organisations are welcome to contact CMITO for advice on the development of their application for accreditation and are encouraged to consult with CMITO at an early stage of planning for accreditation.

 

Standard Setting Body involvement in accreditation process

·           A statement regarding involvement by industry and NZQA in evaluation of documentation for Levels 1 and 2 (previously not needed) was added because CMITO intends to develop Journalism standards at these levels.

 

Visit waiver conditions

·         Conditions under which CMITO may waive their involvement in an accreditation visit were clarified.

 

Fees Schedule

·           Updated to reflect current requirements.

 

Industry or sector-specific requirements for accreditation

Industry requirements relating to two criteria (4 and 7) were added, and extensive changes were made to those already specified (1, 2, and 3)

·         Criterion 1 - requirements for liaison with industry, the internal development process, and evaluation of teaching programmes were clarified.

·         Criterion 2 - removal of stipulated equipment list which was replaced with generic equipment requirement and reference to a best practice list that is available from CMITO.  Addition of class size and copyright information requirements.

·         Criterion 3 - removal of appointment policy requirements for tutors for specific qualification levels and the requirement for industry to be represented on the tutor selection panel.  Experience requirements for teaching and assessing staff were added along with a change from unit standard 11552 to unit standard 4098, to ensure that staff are trained in the assessment of unit standards.

·         Criterion 4 - requirements for sufficiency of literacy and numeracy skills for students to be able to complete the programme were added.

·         Criterion 7 - requirements that assessment activities meet the national external moderation requirements were added.

 

MODERATION INFORMATION (MI)

 

An explanation of the process for providing feedback on the national external moderation system to CMITO was added.

 

Moderation System

Key features of the moderation system were outlined.  The system was updated to include the following points.

·         CMITO appoints the National Moderator

·         the responsibilities of all those involved

·         CMITO publishes an annual moderation plan advising all accredited organisations of the unit standards to be moderated and the requirements for participating in the external moderation system

·         the criteria for selecting unit standards for moderation

·         accredited organisations are required to submit a sample of assessment material to CMITO for post-assessment moderation

·         CMITO National Moderator moderates the assessment material and prepares moderation reports for accredited organisations.  Any non-compliance issues and remedial actions are identified and timeframes for compliance are specified

·         CMITO provides an annual report to NZQA on the effectiveness of its national external moderation system.

 

Reporting

·         The reporting requirements in relation to the moderation system were updated.

·         A statement that moderation findings will be fed back annually to accredited organisations was added.

·         Reference to moderation panels were removed.

·         Reference to the NZJTO council was removed.

 

Funding

·         Charges for activities to address non-compliance were introduced.

 

Non-compliance with moderation requirements

·         The procedure for resolving non-compliance with moderation requirements was included.

·         CMITO activities when moderation exposes ongoing non-compliance with moderation requirements were clarified.

·         Details of further actions that will be taken were added.

 

Appeals

·         Timeframes for appeals to be lodged and resolved were added.

·         A procedure for processing appeals was included.