Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) is a relatively new concept in the Malaysian Higher Education system (HEIs) and in South East Asia in general, although widely known and practiced in other countries such as South Africa, Australia and America. Implementing APEL in higher education system could help prepare human capital better particularly for the preparation of teachers in the technical and vocational sector. The paper is based on a study conducted under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Platform (RCP) aiming to develop an APEL model to steer a systematic adoption of APEL in higher education and increase the number of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET)-teachers that have acquired strong practical skills in the world of work.

In the process, the study will assess the quality assurance of existing practices in APEL for TVET teacher training (TVET-TT) among the participating RCP partner countries including Malaysia. This research is mainly a qualitative study involving multiple methods such as document analysis, thematic analysis and focus group discussion. Document analysis was conducted to identify the gap in current practices by comparing the similarities and differences in existing APEL practices in other countries. Thematic analysis was carried out on data gathered from interviews of officers from the Open University Malaysia and the Malaysia Qualification Agency for the purpose of identifying the APEL practices within Malaysia. The analysis findings indicate no quality assurance as such is yet in place. However APEL has been officially recognized in the system although it has not been widely implemented. The draft of an APEL model was proposed taking into account existing global practices and a series of focus group discussions were carried out to refine the draft in terms of verifying and validating the final model. The focus group discussions involved research counterparts from Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia and experts from the Wawasan Open University representing Malaysia. Upon completion of the validation process, a general model based on the APEL process was developed. This model has significant implications on the training provisions and quality of TVET teachers as it will attract more industry-experienced candidates to enrol in TVET teacher preparation programmes.  In a nutshell, this model can provide general guiding principles for implementing APEL into a TVET system and provide guidelines for putting quality assurance in place. Nonetheless, a degree of fine-tunings may be required for application in certain countries.

1 Introduction

The concept of recognition of prior learning (RPL) is relatively new in Malaysia and has only been implemented to a limited degree in Vocational Education and Training sector under the Department of Skills Development by the launching of the Recognition of Prior Achievement (RPA) model in 1996. Since then, RPL has gained increasing attention and importance as demand has grown for certifications of the existing skilled workforce and the accreditation of diverse academic qualifications for applicants competing for higher education places. At the moment approximately Malaysia has 60,000 uncertified workers whose competencies derived prior work achievement are yet to be assessed and recognized (Ministry of Human Resource, 2009). The lack of certification for its skilled workforce has economic implications on Malaysia leading to greater dependence on foreign workers and less favourable perception by foreign investors. As a part of the Malaysian government’s efforts to provide direction and support in providing a sustainable and evolving system for the recognition of prior learning and prior experiential acquisition, the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) drafted a national policy proposal on RPL; dubbed the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) in Malaysia – Policy Consideration. The policy is designed to give guidance to education providers, in particular the Malaysian tertiary, higher education and training institutions, and put into place the correct mechanism for implementing APEL and its associated quality assurance measures. However, this draft has yet to be formalized and institutionalized due to the demand for a more TVET friendly model. To this end research questions were developed to shape APEL into a mould that would better embrace TVET.

The pertinent information required led to the following research questions:

1. What is the current status of APEL practices?
2. What are the similarities and of APEL practices?
3. What essential characteristics are required within the process and assessment of APEL practices for admission and advanced standing?
4. What is the extensive APEL Model for TVET-TT programmed regarding process and assessment?

2 Background of research

Malaysia is revamping its vocational education system by transforming existing vocational schools into vocational colleges in order to produce highly competent and competitive manpower (Ministry of Education 2011). This implies that TVET is no longer a side-lined alternative but a main stream issue in education. This transformation however, has created a great demand for TVET teachers to be equipped with a high level of practical vocational skills.  Formal skills training for vocational teachers requires an enormous amount of  time and cost, and this process cannot meet the urgent demand to provide the necessary number of skilled teachers in the very near future. In the light such demand, the need to accredit the existing workforce in possession of the appropriate skills but lacking academic qualification is essential for enabling such personnel to join the TVET teacher training programmes in Universities. However good this idea sounds, no action has actually been taken to award official accreditation to prior experience and implement accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) in the teacher training system up to the present.

The Malaysian Skills Certificates and Diploma in Technology awarded by the Department of Skills Development under the Ministry of Human Resource Malaysia are not currently being recognized as legitimate entry qualifications into most universities under the Ministry of Higher Education. Thus, the very people in possession of the necessary skills required by TVET teachers cannot enter the system crying out for them in face of the absence of a formalized APEL model. Beyond TVET teacher training a limited implementation of APEL is implemented by the Open University system (due to its open entry system), a few public and private training institutions under auspices of the Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia. Where APEL has been implemented in public universities, it is limited to a specific faculty that is not involved in TVET. Where research has been carried out the findings suggest a persisting lack of awareness, clarity about the nature, value and purpose of APEL and institutional bureaucracy and inexperience. Furthermore the situation suffers from an absence of expertise in assessment of experiential learning, all of which remain constraining factors for widespread implementation of APEL- in Malaysia (Kaprawi, Razzaly, & Raja 2010). While APEL implementation is in the process of maturing in Malaysia, an important question that has to be dealt with most urgently concerns to what extent a guarantee can exist safely confirming that institutions are capable of offering a quality assured APEL programme. Its (albeit limited) implementation of APEL still contains the outstanding issue that quality assurance is issue to be dealt with. Most significant is the urgent need to assess the quality assurance of existing practices on APEL for TVET teacher training (TVET-TT) in Malaysia in particular and in South-East Asian countries in general. It is generally considered that some South East Asian countries could well be at a similar developmental stage as Malaysia, but others may have advanced further in implementing APEL and its quality assurance. Thus, experience and expert sharing with these countries is crucial in setting up a benchmark for APEL of TVET-TT in this region.

3 Methodology

This research incorporates qualitative design and specifically implements the case study method. The case study approach was chosen for the purpose of gathering multiple perspectives and resources to render as complete as possible an explanation of the APEL process. Furthermore, the case study model can also be used as descriptive research for observing the individual or group as a whole. To explore the phenomena of the study, documentation, interview and focus group were utilized. The research aim is to assess the existing APEL TVET-TT practices of the participating RCP partner countries including Malaysia to develop a model for implementing APEL and developing quality assurance methods.

3.1  Data gathering methods

Data was gathered use three methods: document analysis, interviews and focus group discussion.

i.   Document analysis

Documents analysis was conducted to identify the gaps in APEL practices of the countries participating as well as nations across the globe. Journal articles, conference papers, and research reports from South Africa, Australia and North America were used as main materials for document analysis. A first draft of an APEL model based on the document analysis was developed for further discussion.

ii. Interview

Semi structured interviews were conducted accompanied by two APEL experts of Open University Malaysia and the Malaysian Qualification Agency to obtain details on APEL implementation in Malaysia. These two experts were chosen as they were from institutions where APEL is already in operation. The essence of the interviews focused on the status of APEL implementation in the country and the challenges faced in its implementation. The interviews provide support for improving the draft model and in identifying gaps in existing practices revealed by comparison with the model.

iii. Focus group discussion

Focus group research can often produce data rarely to be obtained from individual interviewing and observation. For this reason focus group discussion is a powerful tool for obtaining informative knowledge and insights (Kamberelis & Dimitriadis 2011). Three focus group discussions were conducted throughout the project. Two focus group discussions, involving members from participating countries (Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam), were carried out for the purpose of drafting and finalizing the APEL model. The other discussion was executed for validatation of the Malaysian APEL model by experts from several local universities which were: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), UTHM, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)-Space, University of Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Wawasan open University (WOU), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Universiti Perguruan Sultan Ibrahim (UPSI).  The focus group discussion helped strengthen the generic model considered feasible for use in Malaysia. It is quite possible that this model is appropriate for other countries wishing to implement or strengthen their APEL system.

3.2  Participants

The study was conducted with participants from three countries: Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam all of which are RCP members. Laos, Indonesia, and Cambodia were also invited to share their knowledge and experiences for this research. These countries are, to a reasonable extent, quite representative of the varying scenario of APEL implementation in TVET-TT for South East Asia.

The purposive sampling was used to select members from six RCP countries as participants. The research subjects were the experts in the related field. The selected experts all have vast experience in dealing with APEL process in their institutions. The participants invited to the project work at the Open University, Open University Malaysia (OUM) and Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA).

Open University Malaysia (OUM) is one of the private higher education institutions in Malaysia given the mandate to implement an open entry system by the government for the purpose of lifelong learning education. This system permits the OUM to enrol students with more flexible entry requirements. Thus, APEL is used for entry purposes as well as advanced stages of the OUM syllabus. Wawasan Open University (WOU) is also one of the key APEL players in Malaysia permitting students to enrol at WOU through APEL process.

MQA is the main government body managing APEL implementation in the country. The agency is responsible for standardizing the APEL process and acting as a reference centre for higher education institutions in Malaysia. MQA awards individuals that pass the APEL application with APEL certificate. This certificate is to act as a license for enrolment of the individuals for any HEIs with low academic qualification. However, it is important to note that MQA does not provide any places for the applicants in the HEIs. The HEIs decide whether they accept the individuals with APEL certificate or not based on their policy and requirements.

3.3 Research procedure

In thematic analysis, the data was obtained through an interview with two respondents of the Open University Malaysia and Malaysia Qualification Agency.  The interview took place in two different settings with the same thematic questions at respective institutions. The data was transcribed and analysed in terms of the current situation of APEL implementation.

Concurrently, document analysis was conducted to determine the gaps based on the similarities and differences of APEL practices of the countries participating. The journal articles, conference papers, research reports, and other relevant reading materials were thoroughly analysed and interpreted. The findings from both thematic analysis and document analysis were utilized to create a theoretical draft of an APEL model. The model was distributed to the participating countries which were then all requested to provide feedback on the model.

To support the findings from the interviews and gap analysis, three rounds of focus group discussions were developed. The first round of focus group discussion involved experts from local educational institutions and members of participating countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, and Cambodia. The discussion of the APEL model was conducted at the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). Several methods of discussions were implemented to refine the definition of the APEL process model from different perspectives in line with the respective needs and educational policy. The methods comprised brainstorming, dialogue sessions and debate between the representatives of the countries participating.

After two months analysing the data from the first round of focus group discussions, the second round of focus group discussion was carried out. At this point, the main purpose of the focus group discussion was to obtain a consensus from the local universities’ practitioners on the first draft of APEL model. The result found that awareness of APEL among the local universities had increased and they were willing to share their views on APEL to improve the first draft. One major difference during this round was the how detailed characteristics of the APEL model for the Malaysian APEL process model were developed.

The final round of focus group discussions were conducted in Kuala Terengganu to obtain validation for the extensive model to be used by the participating countries. It was attended by the representatives of the participating member countries. Several models (e.g. Malaysia APEL model and Vietnam APEL model) were compared and integrated to form the finalized APEL model. Figure 1 shows the flow of the research process.

Figure 1:  Flow of the Research Process

4 Data analysis

There are many existing methods for the analysis of data for creating a qualitative method. In this research, the data was obtained using two qualitative methods: document analysis and thematic analysis. The methods were used to answer all the research questions.

To answer the first research question, both methods were used. Document analysis was used to obtain the status of APEL practices from the participating countries and thematic analysis was used to get the status of APEL practice in Malaysia.

For the second and third research questions document analysis was used. These were the APEL policies of various higher education institutions around the world.

For the last two research questions, answers were provided by document analysis and focus group discussion. The focus group discussions were carried out during a workshop on APEL held by the research team. The focus group discussion participants were the representative of several Asian higher education institutions and experts from Malaysia. The focus group discussions arrived at a consensus for the APEL theoretical model and created a validated model for the use in Malaysia and partners countries too. Table 1 shows the analysis plan for each research question.

Table 1: Analysis plan for research question.

5 Findings and discussion

The findings emanated from the data analysis and results from document analysis, interviews (thematic analysis) and focus group discussion. The findings will be analysed and explained in sequence to answer the research question and draw the conclusions from the research.

5.1  What is the current status of APEL practices?

• APEL in South Africa can be seen as a means for making up for the unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities that dogged their past. It is a tool for the implementation of the reconstruction and development programme. As a result APEL is extremely well developed and has been utilised  for the development of human capital development in South Africa.
• In Australia, APEL implementation and practices are long and well established. The concept is in line with the use of learning contracts in work-based higher education that provides a channel for recognizing prior working experiences as criteria for university programmes admission and advanced ranking.
• APEL is widely practiced in North America to recognize and accredit the learner’s prior experiential learning. However, the implementation of APEL is decentralized and based on states and educational institutions. Similarly, the APEL is essentially directed at university programmes admission and credit transfer for advocating lifelong learning.
• Likewise, APEL in Europe is well in place. The development of APEL is in line with the Bologna Declaration of 2001 that recognized the need for accreditation of prior experiential learning. APEL has been successfully applied in various disciplines including teacher training in vocational education making higher education more accessible and attractive.
• The status of APEL implementation varies between Asian countries. APEL practices have already been established in Thailand. However, policy in Thailand does not allow the implementation for APEL in TVET-TT as the APEL system has been established for other disciplines. APEL is also practiced in Indonesia to a certain extent for TVET-TT. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia do not implement APEL in their system.
• Regarding Malaysia, APEL has been well implemented in some private universities for admission and advanced studies. In public universities, however, the concept of APEL is applied but limited to university programme admission.

5.2  The similarities and/or differences between APEL practices

The similarities and/or differences are based on document analysis. The initial difference is in the terminologies used. There are various international terminologies for APEL such as Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). In Malaysia, the term APEL is used and denotes a systematic process that involves the identification, documentation and assessment of prior experiential learning to determine the extent to which an individual has achieved the desired learning outcomes for access to a study programme and/or awards of credit (MQA 2009).

The second difference lies in the number of activities and the types of activities at each stage. The pre-assessment stages include pre-entry, initial contact, pre-screening, pre-application counselling, learning identification and application for APEL itself. Most of the activities in pre-assessment stages involve; i) initial contact with the candidate i.e. an institution, to create awareness of APEL via marketing, ii) advise and mentor the candidate on APEL procedure and iii) pre-screening the candidate’s viability and identify credits and units that can be claimed or awarded. At the assessment stage, the activities are i) mentoring and advising the candidate to build on the evidence through specific methods provided by the advisor, ii) assessment evidence provided by the course subject-matter expert, iii) verify the authenticity of evidence, iv) appeal process and provide feedback on assessment and the final awarding of the credit or certificate to the successful candidate based on the institution-determined policy.  The process continued to the post-assessment stage consisting of recording the data, post APEL counselling and training.

Most of the institutions practiced similar activities whereas at the pre-assessment stages initial contact was carried out (see Table 2). Candidates contacted the institution to obtain clear information on APEL policy and procedure before making application. Learning identification is also carried out in most institutions to ensure candidates apply for the appropriate study programme that accepted APEL entry or credit transfer.  At this point the institution may have its own rules and policy on how much credit can be awarded by APEL (EUCEN 2007).

At the assessment stage, preparation for assessment was carried out in many institutions as it was felt that it could provide guidance to candidates to carry out the assessment method. In this case, explanation has to be provided on methods for gathering evidence and the types of evidence that prove a candidate’s competence (Venter 1999). Cohen et al. (1993) point out that candidates must be encouraged to describe the experience in which learning took place. The advisor must also advise candidates on how the prior learning may contribute to particular qualification. Feedback is carried out in only a few institutions such as SAQA, MQA, UNISA, MQA (Malaysia), OUM, NQV and FETAC.  The purpose of the feedback stage was to notify the result to candidate either through post or email.  

In the post assessment stage, recording has become one of the important procedures in many institutions. Results were recorded according to the university information system requirements. In Australia, recording took place according to credit points or credit banks. The credit bank is a system allowing students to store credits for later use (Cohen et al. 1993). The records are also used to notify the faculty of the credit granted for APEL. In the meantime, post counselling was only considered in certain institutions such as UNISA, Australian University, Staffordshire University, NYATANGA and National Vocational Qualification. The purpose of the process was to counsel the learner on possible future career options. If the candidate did not obtain his/her credit via the traditional academic route, special attention was given to the study techniques and advice to enable the learner to learn within the institution (Venter 1999).

5.3  The Extensive APEL Model

An extensive model of APEL explains the process of APEL application for TVET-TT. This model can be used as a referral model for all participating countries. Table 3 illustrates the description details of the APEL process model from the pre-assessment stage, assessment stage, award and post-assessment stage.  The extensive process model consists of four main stages: Pre-assessment, Assessment, Award, and Post–assessment stage. The pre-assessment stage prescribes the activities to be undertaken by institutions and applicants to determine eligibility for initiation of APEL application. The assessment stage determines the suitability of an application for a specific programme. If eligibility is determined, the applicant is then be awarded an APEL certificate at the award stage; recording of application results and counselling takes place at the post-assessment stage

Table 2: The Extensive APEL Process Model for TVET-TT Programme

Assessment is a critical aspect of APEL thus details of the assessment components are further described in Table 4. Table 4 illustrates the extensive assessment components and gives a detailed description of how assessment is to be made, including the characteristics of advisors and assessors, assessment methods and criteria, certification and appeal.  The advisors play a very important role in the assessment process. For instance, one of the advisor’s responsibilities is to assist candidates in identifying learning outcomes associated with the experience and identify areas where claims can be formulated. However, to give effective advice and guidance, the advisor must have a good understanding of what needs to be demonstrated to meet the learning outcomes of the programme. Hence, the advisor must be confident he or she can provide advice on the types of evidence appropriate especially when demonstrating learning through experience (EUCEN 2007).

Assessment methods appropriate for APEL assessment as proposed by participants and knowledge gained from document analysis are the challenge test and portfolio. The challenge test can be prescribed in many forms such as test, demonstration and site visits. According to Algonquin (2007) the challenge test is a method of assessment administrated by the faculty to measure an individual’s learning achievement regarding the course learning requirements. It measures learning demonstrated via written and non- written evaluation whereas the portfolio is a document presented formally that describes the learning achievement of prior experience, links the learning to specific college course learning requirements and shows validation or proof via third party documentation and other forms of evidence. 

In conjunction with the chosen assessment methods, the portfolio enables articulation of learning from the learner’s perspective as learner’s experience and it is the most comprehensive tool available for the assessment of prior learning. Hence portfolio development engages the applicant in a process of self-review before beginning a programme of study thus enabling a process of self-discovery achieving self-esteem via affirmation of personal competence, development of academic skill and establishing a theoretical and practical understanding of the learning process. The two assessment instruments discussed have also been individually used by OUM, where candidates are assessed using either the challenge test or portfolio (Yick 2012).

Table 3: The extensive APEL Process Model on Assessment for TVET-TT Programme

Upon meeting all the requirements of the assessment successfully, the applicant is awarded the APEL certificate, however should they fail an appeal process is in place that they may resort to.

6 Perspectives toward regional implementation of APEL in VTE

6.1  Conclusions

The findings of this research provide an overview of the process in developing a model valid for use in a real situation. In general, APEL has been well implemented in the education system and policy on several continents i.e. Africa, Australia, Europe and North America. However, in Asia the implementation of the APEL process is still developing. The implementation of APEL in education is a relatively new system based on recent findings. Therefore, an appropriate model of APEL, may help other institutions to implement APEL in a systematic and efficient way. Though there is still much work to be done, this research is valuable as it is pioneer research in the development of the APEL system in the Malaysian Higher Education system. The outcomes from this research can be a source of guidance for future research in the area. Needless to say, many other intrinsic and extrinsic outcomes have been generated by the research process. Thus, the area covered by this research may help in finding alternative ways fir developing TVET and increase the quality of TVET’s product in general.

Based on the findings, an extensive APEL model for the TVET-TT programme in process and assessment has been developed. The APEL model is used for university programme admission and advanced ranking. The process model comprised four stages: pre-assessment, assessment, award and assessment. The APEL assessment model, consists of eight components comprising of advisor, assessor, coordination, assessment method, portfolio, interview, challenge test and assessment

6.2  Recommendation

Based on the implications of this study, a number of recommendations have been found useful for future research plans. Before rolling out a research on APEL, steps should be taken to ensure that the concept is well understood by the research member. Research leaders may choose suitable and related members or give a brief explanation of APEL to members before the research begins. This may help in reducing times and confusion between the members and provide a more rigid and directed outcome from the discussion.

The limitations of the research discussed here can provide opportunities for future research. Firstly, the research methods used were mainly of the qualitative paradigm with a small number of respondents, thus preventing us from making statements for generalization. If quantitative data collection methods such as questionnaires were implemented, we could provide solutions to cope with the difficulties and challenges in APEL implementation. This can help to provide insights into how widespread certain issues are regarding APEL implementation and give valuable help for suggestions regarding the APEL model. For future research, a mixed method approach on the same topic should be carried out to get a bigger picture on the situation. To this purpose different groups of samples should be assigned to provide data for the research.

Secondly, our research only focuses on the APEL model that represents but a small part of the bigger APEL process. The scope of this research does not include other critical stages of the APEL process such as the assessment and appeal. Due to this limitation, findings from this study only represent ‘half the picture’. The study of the individual stages provides an opportunity for future research in experiential learning. Here researchers can focus on specific stages, such as the pre assessment, assessment or post assessment stage. Research should also focus on the policies of APEL implementation rather than the process itself. Investigating this issue will prove quite fruitful and help reveal the other half of the picture.

References

Cohen. R., Flowers, R., McDonald, R., & Schaafsma, H. (1993). Learning from Experience Counths. Recognition of Prior Learning in Australian Universities. University of Technology, Sydney. 55.

EUCEN (2007). BeFlex+ Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Online: http://www.eucen.eu/BeFlexPlus/TrainingMaterials/08_RPL.pdf (retrieved 23.3.2013).

Kamberelis, G. & Dimitriadis, G. (2011). Focus Group: Contingent Articulations of Pedagogy, Politics and Inquiry. In Lincoln, Y.S. & Denzin, N. K (eds.).The discipline and practice of Qualitative Research. The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. SAGE Publication: Singapore.

Kaprawi, N. (2011). Leveraging Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) For Human Capital Development. Malaysia: UTHM.

Kaprawi, N., Razzaly, W., & Raja, N. (2010). Model for Recognition of Prior Learning for Technical Programmes in Malaysia. Proceedings of the third Regional Conference on Engineering Education and Research in Higher Education (RCEE & RHEd), 7-9 June 2010, Kuching, Sarawak.

Lincoln, Y. S. & Denzin, N. K. (2011). The discipline and practice of Qualitative Research.The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. SAGE Publication: Singapore.

Malaysian Qualification Agency (2013). Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning. Online: http://www.mqa.gov.my/  (retrieved 10.3.2013).

Ministry of Education, Malaysia (2011). Strategic Interim Plan, Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia 2011-2020. Online: http://www.moe.gov.my/userfiles/file/Pelan%20Strategik%20Interim%20KPM%202011-2020.pdf   (retrieved 10.3.2013).

Ministry of Human Resource (2009). Department of Skills Development: Presentation for Induction Seminar of Assessment Officers – Recognition of Prior Learning (PP-PPT), Malaysia Skill Certification.

Venter, A.  (1999). A Model for Recognition of Prior Learning in Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. Degree Paper Report. Rand Afrikaans University.

Yick, L. K. S., Fadzil, M., & Singh, H. K. D. (2011). MyAPEL: Towards Recognition of Prior Learning at Open University Malaysia: Open University Malaysia.

Citation

Jailani, M.Y. et al. (2013). An extensive model for implementing APEL and quality assurance in TVET teacher training system for South East Asia. In: TVET@Asia, issue 2, 1-17. Online: http://www.tvet-online.asia/issue2/jailani_etal_tvet2.pdf (retrieved 30.12.2013).

The current pre-service training undertaken by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers in higher learning institutions cannot be expected to provide adequate occupational skills. Thus further additional training is necessary to raise the vocational competence of TVET teachers. The purpose of this article is to discuss the current provisions for further training under the Malaysian Ministry of Education’s (MoE) TVET system. The discussion presented in this article is one of the outputs of a Regional Cooperation Platform (RCP) project that evaluates the curriculum for further training in occupational skills for vocational teachers with a particular focus on the field of metal cutting. Document analysis, focus group discussions and interviews were conducted to gather data for this project. Unpublished and published government reports were analyzed and a group of 16 teachers from vocational colleges, which are under the MoE, participated in the focus group discussions and interviews. The data analysis results show that further training is in fact provided to TVET teachers as part of their in-service training. However this training is often customized to existing needs and may change from time to time. Thus, the hours of training received may differ from one teacher to another. Limited opportunities for further training is also an issue that needs to be resolved. When provided, the further training curiculum is usually designed specifically based on the metal cutting module as offered by the vocational colleges under the MoE. In addition to job competence skills, instructional skills training are also incorporated in the training programs to enhance their instructional competence in metal cutting. In conclusion, although there is no standard curriculum for further training in the metal cutting occupation for TVET teachers, continuous efforts through in-service training are made to support TVET teachers’ development of their occupational skills.

1 Introduction

The term ‘further training’ refers to training that is provided to TVET teachers upon successful completion of their specified teacher training program. Further training on occupational skills in particular are necessary in order to increase competence of every TVET teacher, and ensure that teachers are transferring updated knowledge, technology, and current occupational skills to students. For that reason, a standard curriculum and development for further training in a particular area should have a clear definition and a comprehensive mechanism for achieving this goal, especially for industrial partnerships. Because input from industry is deemed important in designing curriculum development for further training, the mechanism of further training for TVET teachers should be well-structured from the grassroots. However, there are no standards for further training on occupational skills at present, which has resulted in diverse forms and modes of further training for TVET teachers (SkillsMalaysia 2013).

Typically, practicing TVET teachers under the Ministry of Education system in Malaysia are either diploma holders who graduate from TVET institutions such as polytechnics and community colleges, or degree holders who graduate from universities. In general, teachers who graduate from polytechnics and community colleges are relatively better equipped in terms of hands-on competencies compared to university graduates. This is due to higher opportunities for hands-on training which are provided within the respective TVET institutions as part of their diploma programs, and which give greater emphasis on skills training (Department of Higher Education 2013). However, irrespective of their qualifications, most of the newly-qualified TVET teachers are still in need of further training in occupational skills, notably in the field of metal cutting, in order to better serve their respective students.

To enhance the skills of secondary school leavers, guidelines were set by the Ministry of Education that all TVET teachers must possess a minimum of Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 3 (Supervisory Level) i.e. one level higher than the expected skill of secondary school leavers who are supposed to achieve the Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 2 (Operation and Production Level) upon graduation. Thus, to meet this requirement, some universities are realigning their teacher preparation programs. One such university is the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia that has incorporated skills training into its degree programs via its Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education starting from 2012. For example, the students from its Bachelor in Vocational Education (in electrical electronic) will be awarded Level 3 of the Malaysian Skills Certificate in addition to the degree conferred. The skills training component of the curriculum is designed with industry input while taking into account existing training needs of pre-service teachers. Thus, the integrated program as a whole has been designed to meet the degree and occupational skills requirement without lengthening the overall study duration of TVET teachers. However, the integrated program could only cater to limited occupational skills requirements and thus further training for TVET teachers is still a necessity for many occupational skills areas.

As mentioned before, there is yet to be a common standard for further occupational skills training of TVET teachers in the country. The absence of a standard curriculum for further occupational skills training at the national level in an area as specific as metal cutting has resulted in the adoption of diverse methods and approaches to further training of TVET teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to describe the current provision of further training in occupational skills for vocational teachers for metal cutting under the MoE TVET system.

1.1 Malaysian TVET Structure

Several ministries such as the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Youth and Sports provide for TVET opportunities in Malaysia (Alias & Hasan 2013). However, the focusof this paper is on TVET programs provided under the Ministry of Education where TVET forms part of the general education system.

General education is provided at both primary and secondary level. Primary education is compulsory to all children from the age of six, followed by five years of secondary education. Secondary school leavers with the Malaysian Examination Certificate or Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) qualifications can then opt to continue their education in Form Six (post-secondary level provided in schools), Matriculation College programs or in pre-university programs to obtain pre-university qualifications. At the post-secondary level, school leavers have the opportunities to pursue their studies at the certificate or diploma level. The diploma level is for secondary school certificate holders (SPM) from the age of 17 onwards whereas the bachelor degree level is for those with post-secondary qualifications such as the Malaysian Higher School Certificate or Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), matriculation certificate, General Certificate of Education (GEC) ‘A’ level or other equivalent pre-university qualifications.

For those who are keen to pursue their studies in technical and vocational education (TVE) after SPM, they can enroll in certificate or diploma programs that are offered by polytechnics and community colleges. Undergraduate and postgraduate programs up to doctoral level are offered by universities and university colleges. Each level may be further subdivided according to the nature or purpose of the qualifications.

TVET under the MOE however, begins much earlier i.e. at the lower secondary school level with the introduction of Basics in vocational education courses in mainstream programs (Ministry of Education 2012). These courses are offered to provide choices to students who are more inclined to practical and hands-on learning which lead to the Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 2. At the upper secondary level, more choices are open to students with three TVET streams offered under the MOE namely the technical stream, the vocational stream, and the skills training stream. The vocational streams are offered in vocational colleges in order to meet the following objectives:

• To provide pre-employment skills as well as general education,
• To provide diversified technical courses tailored to the country needs,
• To consolidate career guidance in technical and vocational field and,
• To establish smart partnership with industries.

There are currently 78 vocational colleges operating in Malaysia that offer vocational courses in electrical and electronic engineering technology, mechanical and manufacturing engineering technology, civil engineering technology, transportation, hospitality, business, information and communication technology and agriculture (Technical and Vocational Education Division 2013).

At the post-secondary level, there are 30 Polytechnics and 68 Community Colleges, administered directly by the Department of Polytechnic Education and Department of Community College Education of the Ministry of Higher Education (Economic Planning Unit 2006; Department of Higher Education 2013). The programs offered at these institutions lead to the award of a certificate, diploma and an advanced diploma qualification.

Meanwhile, at tertiary level, there are six technical universities (these used to be known as university colleges) that have been established by the government to cater for the increasing demand for technical education at a higher/tertiary level. Aside from the community colleges, polytechnics and universities, some government ministries also carry out training activities at the technician/sub-professional and craft levels for school leavers, such as the Ministry of Human Resources, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, and other government agencies.

With regards to private education institutions, TVET at the tertiary level is provided by the University of Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Infrastructure University College, University of Technology Petronas, University of Tenaga Nasional, and many other established private higher educational institutions leading to the award of a diploma or a degree.

As a result of the current educational system for TVET teacher training, TVET teachers hold either a bachelor’s degree or diploma qualifications. A bachelor degree is a four year program including teaching practice while a diploma program is a three year program. TVET teachers obtain training from technical universities or teacher training institutes. The government is currently in the process of enforcing the requirement that all secondary school teachers must be degree holders. Therefore, some TVET teachers who are diploma holders are currently in the process of obtaining their degrees from public universities.

2 Methodology

As previously mentioned, this paper is one of the outputs from a Regional Cooperation Platform (RCP) project. The goal of the RCP project is to evaluate the curriculum for further training in occupational skills for vocational teachers in the field of metal cutting in TVET institutions under the Ministry of Education. Data were triangulated from document analysis, focus group discussions and interviews. Triangulation was used to achieve a higher validity of findings through the combination of multiple data sources (Kimchi et al. 1991).

2.1 Document analysis

The purpose of document analysis was to gather relevant information on the current status of metal cutting courses within the TVET schools program in Malaysia. The main contexts of document analysis included the teacher training program, training curriculum, skill standards, training providers, and teacher engagement on metal cutting. Unpublished and published documents were gathered and analyzed from multiple sources; articles from online and printed journals, technical reports from government and documents from official government web sites. The documents were analyzed according to clustering of similar meanings using coding techniques to build up a set of definite themes of the study.  

2.2 Focus group discussions

Focus group discussions were conducted to discover TVET teachers’ perceptions and opinions toward training for metal cutting competence. The focus group discussions data are expected to increase the credibility and validity of the document analysis results (Edmunds 1999). Sixteen teachers from vocational colleges under MoE participated in the focus group discussions and interviews. The participants in general, have more than five years’ experience teaching welding technology or ‘metal cutting’ courses in vocational colleges, previously known as vocational schools. The participants volunteered to share their knowledge and experiences on metal cutting training which helped researchers to have a better understanding on skills training implementation in Malaysia. The qualitative data gathered from the focus group were analyzed and synthesized accordingly.

2.3 Follow-up interviews

In addition to document analysis and focus group discussions, follow-up interviews were also conducted to support the findings from the previous methods. Two participants from the focus group were selected to further discuss the metal cutting training provided for TVET teachers under the MOE.

Both of the two interview participants agreed that metal cutting training should be regularly implemented by the training providers. They also suggest that the training providers should update their training curriculum to be in line with the latest technological know-how on metal cutting such as water-submerge cutting.

3 Discussion and Findings

3.1 Provisions for a metal cutting curriculum

There is no specific program for metal cutting that is offered by any TVET institutions under the Ministry of Education. Nonetheless, metal cutting teaching and learning materials are embedded within another program such as the Welding Technology Program that is offered by vocational colleges under the MOE. Specifically these materials are embedded within the Introduction of Welding Technology module that includes metal cutting materials under the following units:  

• Cut metal using disc cutter
• Cut metal using power saw
• Cut metal using band saw
• Cut metal using circular saw
• Cut metal using hydraulic squaring machine
• Cut metal using hand lever shear

(Ministry of Education 2012)

Metal cutting is offered as part of a larger program to enable students to be competent workers in the industry, and providing workers for industry is part of Malaysia’s efforts to raise Malaysia to developed country status by 2020.

In the context of curriculum design and development, there is no specific philosophy or references for metal cutting curriculum and training. However, all TVET related training falls under the umbrella of the National Education Philosophy, including the metal cutting curriculum which is designed to comply with this.

3.2 Further training for TVET teachers

In practice, professional development provided for vocational teachers is organized and coordinated by the Division of TVET Coaching Development, Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) Division, MOE. The main focus of the in-service TVET program is to strengthen the vocational skills of TVET teachers through programs that are strategically designed to meet the needs of the country. The training programs are designed to take into account the needs for personal mastery, development of mental models, shared vision, team learning, and system thinking. To streamline the functions and activities of in-service curriculum development, the aims and objectives of the program are set by the Division of TVET Coaching Development, under the TVE Division of the MOE as follows:

• To improve teachers’ teaching performances
• To improve teaching and learning management performances
• To improve relationships with industry
• To improve image, identity, and work ethics of vocational college teachers
• To improve teachers’ knowledge and skills

The aims and objectives indicate that the primary purpose of in-service training for vocational teachers is to emphasize teachers’ engagement in teaching. It is also to help and encourage vocational teachers to develop new teaching interventions in their instructional practices as teachers.

In general, in-service training emerges when there are requirements and needs from concerned parties which involve the implementation of the existing program offered by vocational colleges in Malaysia. It can be a one-off or a continuous program depending on the situation. The in-service training curriculum development is illustrated in Figure 1.

The TVET Training Development Division under the Ministry of Education is responsible for organizing, coordinating, and monitoring any training programs under the vocational colleges. The budget allocations for the training programs are provided by the Ministry based upon the training programs planned by the TVET training development division for the specific year.

Figure 1: Curriculum Development for in-service training under the Ministry of Education, Malaysia

3.3 Development of the in-service training curriculum

The training curriculum is usually custom-made for the specific needs of TVET teachers at any particular time. Thus, in addition to the in-house input from the training division staff, the division also receives relevant and valuable input from top management of the MOE as well as from other divisions and individuals under the Ministry who are associated with either the planning or the implementation of the in-service training programs.

They include:

• The Academic Management Division
• The TVET Staff Development Division
• The School Operations Management Division
• Schools
• TVET teachers from schools under the Ministry of Education

The MOE, in its efforts to provide up to date and industry relevant training programs, works closely with the Ministry of Human Resources. The Ministry of Human Resource has its own TVET training curricula which are overseen by the Skills Development Department under the Ministry. Successful participants who have undergone the training programs under the Ministry of Human Resources are awarded the Malaysian Skills Certificate (Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia [SKM]) which ranges from Level 1 (lowest) to Level 5 (highest). All TVET training providers under the Ministry of Human Resources must be accredited by the Ministry so that they comply with the National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) requirements, which have been developed by National Vocational Training Council (NVTC), which is part of the Ministry of Human Resources. NOSS is a standard document that specifies the expected competency level to be achieved by a skilled worker according to his/her specific occupation. By integrating the NOSS requirements in the in-service teacher training programs, teachers are not only competent for school-teaching but are also industry-recognized for their skills.

Apart from the formal in-service training programs that TVET teachers can attend to improve their skills, the achievement in-service training programs’ objectives are also supported via other forms of professional development programs such as competency-based education and training offered by other agencies, coaching and mentoring by peers, traineeship programs, teacher networks, collegial interactions with expert colleagues, attending seminars, participation in school enterprise projects and participation in industrial attachment programs.

3.4 In-service training programs in metal cutting

The metal cutting training curriculum for vocational college teachers is designed to meet the needs for teaching the metal cutting module that is offered by vocational colleges under the MOE. The National Teacher Training Philosophy provides guiding principles for TVET teacher-training for all TVET programs including metal cutting.

Further training is provided to metal cutting teachers through in-service training. Theory and practice are included in the in-service program to provide sufficient knowledge and skills to vocational teachers in order to enhance their teaching abilities in metal cutting as well as competence in metal cutting. To enhance their job competence in metal cutting, the in-service TVET teacher training programs incorporate the need to meet the National Occupational Skill Standards (NOSS), the skills standards under the Ministry of Human Resources referred to earlier in this paper. By combining the standards from the Skills Development Department which are recognised by industries, teachers have industry- accepted competencies and are in good stead to train students to obtain the same recognition from industry.

The in-service training implementation as shown in Figure 2 illustrates the contributors to the curriculum development (instructors, TVET teachers, standards requirements) as well as the components of the resulting curricula (theory, practice and evaluation).

Figure 2: In-service training implementation based on Malaysian vocational teachers qualitative responses

The curriculum for the metal cutting training is equivalent to the module used at vocational colleges with some additional advanced level of knowledge and skills. Furthermore, the curriculum meets the requirements of the MOE and Department of Skill Development, Ministry of Human Resources requirements. Additionally, the vocational teachers gain an insight into the didactical knowledge and competencies of metal cutting. However, one respondent suggests that the practical component of the metal cutting curriculum should be extended so that vocational teachers could achieve greater mastery of metal cutting skills.

Blends of comprehensive theoretical and practical work are used to deliver the content of metal cutting in-service training. Lectures, discussions, slide presentations, hand-outs, paperwork, and appropriate teaching materials are some of the strategies included in the theoretical aspect. Tests are then used by the instructors to measure the level of understanding of vocational teachers. For practical work, instructors prefer to demonstrate and apply types of metal cutting for vocational teachers to perform job-related metal cutting tasks based on specific evaluation of the training. Hence, vocational teachers acquire substantive knowledge and develop useful skills that can be taught to their students. In the end, the participants of metal cutting training will be awarded a certificate by the Skill Development Department, Ministry of Human Resources.

3.5 Selection of participants for further training in metal cutting

Places for in-service training (further training) are limited and thus the selection of teachers for training is very competitive. One of the criteria (in addition to length of service) is that teachers must show potential for developing advanced level competencies which means that they should have some form of certificate that is recognized by the Ministry of Human Resources. The teachers who participate in further training have to undergo the selection process within their respective vocational colleges. In general, vocational teachers who have more than five years of teaching experience have attended a metal cutting in-service training program at least once before.

3.6 Trainees to trainers ratio

The number of participants per training session is often limited to no more than 20 persons to ensure quality training. Thus, based on the focus group discussion, the ratio of trainees per instructor is approximately 20:1.

3.7 Training providers

The responsible departments or institutions that support the metal cutting in-service training programs are from government and private agencies. Among the agencies that work with the MOE in providing metal cutting training to TVET teachers in vocational colleges are the industrial training institutes, Department of Skills Development, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), Department and the Advanced Technology Training Centre (ADTEC). Most of these agencies are under the Ministry of Human Resources. Thus, there is close cooperation between the MOE and the Ministry of Human Resources in providing training and developing competencies among metal cutting teachers of vocational colleges.

The selected metal cutting instructors for the in-service training programs are selected from amongst the permanent workers of those training providers. The highest level of academic achievement of instructors is usually bachelor degree level in mechanical engineering/technical skill, while others hold a diploma and/or certificate. Those who are recognized to have good job experiences in metal cutting also have the opportunity to share their knowledge and skills with the participants. Twelve out of the 16 vocational teachers proposed that ideally, there should be at least three instructors present to teach metal cutting during training to ensure that adequate attention can be given to the needs of the trainees to reach the desired competence. Generally speaking, the in-service training duration varies from as short as five days to as long as two years depending on the needs of the teachers, the location of the training (local or overseas) as well as the availability of budget.

3.8 Basic conditions for delivering the curriculum in practice

Trainers are selected from experts in the following categories: experts from industry; from existing instructors in other Ministries or from among teachers under the MOE. The trainers must possess the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) that are at a higher level than the target level of the trainees. All trainers from the industry must possess SKM level 5. However, trainers from schools may not have the certificate but must give evidence that they have the right competencies, such as the Malaysian Vocational certificates. They are not required to be a degree holder. A training program is attended by around 20 trainees and ranges from 5 days to two years (full-time).

The training organization is hired on an “as needed basis”. They can be a private or a government organization. The main requirement is that the training organization has the appropriate facilities to run the training programs. Financing is provided by the MOE or the Ministry of Higher Education since these teachers are under their jurisdictions. Certifications are provided by the MOE or the MOE in collaboration with the training providers, or by the Skills Development Department depending on the terms and conditions of the training.

4 Conclusion

This paper discusses the outcomes of the evaluation of the curriculum for further training in occupational skills for vocational teachers in metal cutting in Malaysia, which is part of a larger study under the RCP research project. According to current practices, TVET teachers are provided with in-service training for further upgrading their competence in metal cutting or welding skills. The quality of in-service training is ensured by limiting the space and maintaining the ratio per training session to no more than 20 persons. The training provider must also fulfill several requirements relating to the physical equipment and trainer expertise in the area.Although, there is no standard curriculum for TVET teachers in the metal cutting occupation, continuous efforts through in-service training are made to support TVET teachers’ development of their occupational skills.

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Citation

Sulaiman, N. et al. (2014). Further training in occupational skills for vocational teachers: the case of metal cutting in Malaysia. In: TVET@Asia, issue 3, 1-13. Online: http://www.tvet-online.asia/issue3/sulaiman_etal_tvet3.pdf (retrieved 30.06.2014).