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©International Council on Archives
60 rue des Francs Bourgeois, 75003 Paris, France
Reproduction by translation or reprinting of the whole or of parts by non‐commercial organizations will be authorized provided that due acknowledgement is made.
Original illustrations by Gaspard Fournié.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword of the President of ICA
Introduction: From one European Conference to the other, from one SPA conference to the other
Chapter 1 ‐ Development of a competency model and management of the project
1.1. From diagnostics to the vision of the profession
1.2. Defining goals and objectives
1.3. Project participants and methodology
1.4. Producing a competency model: defining profiles
1.5. Creating tools for assessment, education and training
1.6. Disseminating the model and keeping it up‐to‐date
Chapter 2 ‐ Professional profiles
2.1. What is a professional profile and what is the archivist profession?
2.2. Method
2.3. Sectorising the profession
Foreword of the President of ICA 5
Introduction: From one European Conference to the other, from one SPA conference to the other 7
Chapter 1 ‐ Development of a competency model and management of the project 12
1.1. From diagnostics to the vision of the profession 12
1.2. Defining goals and objectives 14
1.3. Project participants and methodology 18
1.4. Producing a competency model: defining profiles 20
1.5. Creating tools for assessment, education and training 22
1.6. Disseminating the model and keeping it up‐to‐date 23
Chapter 2 ‐ Professional profiles 27
2.1. What is a professional profile and what is the archivist profession? 27
2.2. Methodology 30
2.3. Sectors within the profession 30
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2.4. The contents of the profession
2.4.1. Functions based on archival theory
2.4.2. General functions
Chapter 3 Competencies and competency profiles
3.1. Definitions
3.2. The use(fullness) of competency profiles
3.3. Components of competencies
3.4. Domain‐specific competencies
3.5. Core competencies
3.6. A framework for comparing and developing competency profiles
Chapter 4‐ Acquisition of competencies: the role of education and training
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Acquiring competencies through education
4.3. Acquiring competencies through training
4.4. Acquiring competencies through continuing professional development
4.5. Conclusion
Chapter 5‐ Evaluation of competencies
2.4. The components of the profession 32
2.4.1. Functions based on archival theory 32
2.4.2. General functions 33
Chapter 3 Competencies and competency profiles 35
3.1. Definitions 36
3.2. The use(fullness) of competency profiles 38
3.3. Components of competencies 39
3.4. Domain‐specific competencies 40
3.5. Core competencies 41
3.6. A template for comparing and developing competency profiles 41
Chapter 4‐ Acquisition of competencies: the role of education and training 47
4.1. Introduction 47
4.2. Acquiring competencies through education 49
4.3. Acquiring competencies through training 53
4.4. Acquiring competencies through continuing professional development 56
4.5. Conclusion 58
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5.1. Introduction
5.2. The concept and meaning of the Evaluation of Competencies
5.3. Those that provide evaluation and features of the process
5.4. Different models of certification
5.5. Accreditation
5.6. Certification
5.7. Conclusion
APPENDIX 1‐ A FORMAT
APPENDIX 2‐ CASE STUDY 1: THE NETHERLANDS MODEL
APPENDIX 3‐ CASE STUDY 2: THE MODEL OF THE ASSOCIATION DES ARCHIVISTES FRANÇAIS
APPENDIX 4‐ CASE STUDY 3: ‘The Helsinki Workshop’
APPENDIX 5‐ GLOSSARY
APPENDIX 6‐ BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX 7‐ ILLUSTRATIONS
5. Chapter 5‐ Assessment of competencies 59
5.1. Introduction 59
5.2. The assessment of competencies 60
5.2.1. Characteristics of the assessment of competencies 60
5.2.2. Benefits of the assessment of competencies 61
5.2.3. Fields of assessment 62
5.2.4. Methods of assessment 63
5.3. Certification 66
5.4. Conclusion 67
APPENDIX 1‐ A TEMPLATE 69
APPENDIX 2‐ CASE STUDY 1: THE NETHERLANDS MODEL 79
APPENDIX 3‐ CASE STUDY 2: THE MODEL OF THE ASSOCIATION DES ARCHIVISTES FRANÇAIS 98
APPENDIX 4‐ CASE STUDY 3: ‘The Helsinki Workshop’ 118
APPENDIX 5‐ GLOSSARY 139
APPENDIX 6‐ BIBLIOGRAPHY 144
APPENDIX 7‐ ILLUSTRATIONS 150
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PREFACE
Martin Berendse, President of the International Council on Archives
In our rapidly changing world, exciting new technologies abound. Archivists have to be prepared and ready to meet the challenges of the digital era. In their effort to maintain high standards of professionalism, it is essential and ever more urgent that they develop the appropriate skills and competencies.
This handbook is a guide for national associations and other organizations to develop professional and competency profiles. Also, an overview of carefully selected best‐practices, as found in various European countries, will be helpful in comparing profiles currently in use.
In compiling this handbook, the working committee soon found that a single reference profile for all countries would not be desirable or very useful. What’s required is an up‐to‐date guide to assembling competence profiles that fit circumstances in each country individually.
In a wider sense, this handbook reflects our expectations of the international archival community. Instead of taking a prescriptive approach, we aim to support our members by providing a vision for the future and a set of tools to set them on their way. Of course, such profiles will be time and culture bound. They can vary from country to country and from one (archival) culture to another. Still, competency profiles will inevitably show commonalities worldwide, in spite of substantial variety.
It is much recommended that professional associations and archival institutions develop competency profiles. They are a statement of the archivist’s tasks and responsibilities and provide a clear outline of essential knowledge and skills. In this way, competency profiles may help stimulate the development of proper curricula and courses.
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Competency profiles that are workable and effective will help enhance professionalism in the recordkeeping domain. I am most confident that this handbook will be a source of inspiration to colleagues around the world.
THE CORE COMPETENCIES: SOCIABILITY
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INTRODUCTION
FROM ONE EUROPEAN CONFERENCE TO THE OTHER, FROM ONE SPA CONFERENCE TO THE OTHER
The story of this project started in May 2006, at the European conference, held in Warsaw. The participants at the 7th European Conference on Archives met to debate the subject ‘Archivists, profession of the future in Europe’. They adopted a resolution encouraging ‘the European Branch of the ICA (EURBICA) and the Section for Professional Associations of ICA (SPA) to carry out a feasibility study for a project to develop a European competency framework for the archival profession’.1 The resolution was the real starting point for the project, which was initiated by the Committee on Professional training (ICA/CPT) in the form of a reflection on competencies proposed at the Vienna international congress on Archives.2 The project had a general framework and terms of reference, provided by the conference, but it had also a ‘soul’. From its initiation with the CPT, Hans Scheurkogel, professor at the Archiefschool of Amsterdam and chair of the ICA section on Archival Education, supported the project in a very personal way, as was evident at the opening session of the European conference. The authors of this handbook would like to pay tribute to Hans, whose input and contribution were essential to the project and in particular to chapter 2 of this manual. This is the reason this work is dedicated to Hans Scheurkogel.3
1 http://www.archiwa.gov.pl/en/7th‐european‐conference‐on‐archives‐main/resolution.html?template=archiwa_home 2 All the committees were suppressed in 2004, though the CPT group went on supported its ongoing projects, among them the reflection on competencies 3 Hans Scheurkogel sadly passed away in 2006 and is greatly missed by his friends and colleagues.
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During the conference in Warsaw, a number of archivists believed that it would be very difficult, probably impossible, to develop a single model for Europe, taking into account the different traditions and working environments, and the fact that in a number of countries, education programmes strongly influenced the definition of the profile and not the contrary.4 The academic approach was still predominant, and in some cases, the archivist was considered as a researcher before being a professional. Margaret Crockett, in her presentation at the conference, reported on some of the obstacles, including diverse archive traditions and approaches to recordkeeping, language barriers, specific idiosyncrasies of national and regional archive heritages and a plethora of different training and education systems and standards. Moreover, having considered different existing models throughout Europe, it appeared that the methodologies and approaches for developing the model could vary considerably between and within countries. In 2007 the Section for Professionals Associations (SPA) of ICA published a paper summarising the current state of archival and recordkeeping competencies, certification and accreditation programmes in various countries throughout the world.5 That paper, which included several case studies, can be considered as facilitating reflection on these issues for the first time. However the authors were surprised by the small number of initiatives throughout the world, all of them developed by professional associations. There might exist ‘official’ models at the national level developed by public institutions, but in most of the European countries, this was not obviously the case. Consequently the working group decided, in the framework of the International Conference of Professional Associations, held in Madrid in October 2007, to give priority to the methodological aspect and not to a precise definition of content. The project therefore does not define a European competency model, but provides a framework which will enable any institution, organisation, or association to develop its own competency model in any culture, context or working environment. You will not therefore find in this handbook a defined set of competencies but rather a framework based upon various case studies, aiming to guide and support your reflection.
4 Including Hans Scheurkogel, Margaret Crockett, Joan Boadas Raset and Christine Martinez. 5 Sources relating to archival and recordkeeping competency and certification and accreditation programs, 2007, available at www.ica.org. Since the publication other competency models have been developed, including the French one.
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The project is important to all ICA members. Though it was promoted by the European Branch, EURBICA, and in its first stage only included European countries and professional associations from SPA, it will be of benefit to all of the ICA membership. Advocacy and promotion are among the core priorities of ICA, featuring in objective 1 of the organisation’s strategic direction 2010‐2018. A key issue faced by the working group was how to promote, both at the national and the international level, a profession that we ourselves are not able to properly define. How can ICA members prove that in their own environment and working culture, they have a key role in supporting good governance, democracy and transparency by ensuring competent recordkeeping, and supporting research? The profession has always needed to demonstrate its importance, a fact which is evident throughout the world, and which is not necessarily the case for other professions. It is therefore essential that ICA can support the profession throughout the world, in providing a relevant competency framework which takes into account cultural diversity and varying professional practices. Further benefits resulting from the development of a competency model will be proposed in chapter one of this handbook. To sum up, the framework can be considered as a template for the profession as a whole.
Professional competencies concern all professionals whatever their background or role. The framework has been developed for a wide range of bodies and individuals: national archives, professional associations, national agencies, private companies, archival education and training institutions and many others. It is a practical handbook and is not aimed at academic scholars.
What will they find in this handbook? It sets out a competency framework; comprising several chapters dealing with the following issues.
Chapter One addresses the conduct of a competency project: why one should develop a competency model and how it can be used. The benefits and advantages of such a project, the ‘ownership’ of the outcome, those who should be involved and the context will also be considered. The chapter also examines communication and review in two phases; guidance for the first stage of development deals with the provision of information to stakeholders, commissioning bodies and future users; the second stage considers the dissemination of the outcome, including the development of a communication plan, which should be appropriate to the intended audience. Dissemination on the internet, for example, using Web 2.0 to encourage user feedback, will all contribute to the maintenance, systematic revision and updating of the model. The acceptance and endorsement by stakeholders, which will significantly contribute to anchoring the product, will also be studied in this section.
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Chapter Two deals with, and develops, a definition of a professional profile and how it differs from a job description. The levels within a professional profile and the tasks and responsibilities implicit within legislation, professional standards and ethical issues are also examined as are the level of abstraction and detail required.
Chapter Three is concerned with competency profiles. From an analysis of the case studies, this section will present commonalities and divergences and serve as a tool to enable the user to understand the examples provided in the annexes. It will provide a definition of a competency and competency profile. It will also consider competencies for professional qualifications, for further professional development, and the context into which the competency model has to fit, by using organisational competency manuals, legislation, by‐laws and regulations. The vocabulary used in the examples will be studied to consider what makes the profession unique, the answer to which will be shaped by comparison of the different models. The range of people who will use the competency model will also be considered.
Chapter Four examines the acquisition of competencies focusing on issues surrounding education and training, mentoring, continuous professional development, and on‐the‐job/off‐the‐job learning. It will study the impact of education on competencies and vice versa. The role of teachers, mentors and pedagogic competencies will also be examined and the possibility that the education culture and legislation in a country might be ‘competency driven’ will also be explored. Finally, the implications of the embedding of archival studies within other disciplines’ programmes, for example, history, information management, library studies, culture studies and media studies, and their interdependence, will be discussed, as well as the accreditation of educational programmes.
Finally, Chapter Five deals with the assessment of competencies and personal certification, and the goals, objectives and prerequisites of these activities. It will investigate the bodies and individuals carrying out assessment and certification, and will attempt to define the type of indicators which might show that a candidate has mastered the competencies described in the competency model. The definitions of ‘staff‐review’, ‘peer‐review’ and self‐assessment will be developed.
In addition the manual contains annexes including case studies, a glossary of archival terminology, a bibliography, the ICA code of ethics, examples of professional profiles and competency profiles and job descriptions.
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This framework has been developed and written by a working group comprising representatives from a number of associations and individuals with experience in this field. From ICA/SPA, the representatives were Berndt Frederiksson, the Swedish Association of Archivists; Josep Conejo Muntada, the Association of Catalonian Archivists; Agnès Dejob and Christine Martinez, the French Association of Archivists and Thijs Laeven, the Dutch Association (KVAN). Two EURBICA countries participated, Spain, with María del Carmen Cuevas Blanco, and Finland with Jari Lybeck. Caroline Brown and Patricia Whatley from the Centre for Archive and Information Studies (CAIS), University of Dundee, offered their expertise as professionals and educators. The handbook was developed over several meetings of the working group. These nine colleagues are the collective authorship of the handbook.6
The working group has adopted a comprehensive view of the archive profession, which includes the functions of records managers. Therefore, the term ‘archivist’, when used in the text, also includes records managers.
The 2010 European conference, in Geneva, was an important milestone for the project, during which the first final draft of the methodology was presented to the SPA steering committee, four years after the Warsaw resolution. The second international conference of professional associations to be held in Edinburgh in August 2011, four years after that of Madrid, where the project was discussed in its earliest phase, will not be less important: the working group will present its work in its final version to the international professional community, and publish it for consultation and assessment. Then this handbook will become hers.
We hope that it will match the needs and expectations of our colleagues throughout the world.
6 Introduction, Christine Martinez ; Chapter 1, Agnes Dejob & Jari Lybeck ; Chapter 2, Berndt Frederiksson ; Chapter 3, Thijs Laeven ; Chapter 4, Caroline Brown & Patricia Whatley ; Chapter 5, Josep Conejo & Maria Del Carmen Cuevas Blanco. All the chapters have been read over by the nine members of the group; Jari Lybeck made a rereading to ensure the coherence of the chapters in relation to each other, and the overall edition work has been done by Patricia Whatley and Caroline Brown.
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CHAPTER 1
DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPETENCY MODEL AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECT
This chapter provides guidelines on the management of the development of a competency project.7 It details the elements to be considered during the main stages of the project, which are, a definition of a vision of the profession, a definition of goals and objectives, identification of the participants and the methodology, production of the professional and the competency profiles, production of other tools (for assessment, education and training) and the dissemination of the model.
1.1. From diagnostics to the vision of the profession
This section deals with the context of the project.
Analyzing the context of and the requirements for a competency model To have a clear idea of the requirements for a model, it is important to identify and investigate the current professional situation, for example:
• publications, literature, articles • surveys, statistics (about job vacancy advertisements, for example)
7 Although examples are not provided in the text itself, case studies are available as annexes.
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• existing competency models (national or sectoral), assessing the qualities and whether they can be adapted within a particular context
• professional standards • existing legislation • official reports from professional organisations and government agencies.
Defining a vision of the profession
It is important to conceptualise a vision of the profession. This preliminary stage provides a basis on which the professional and competency profiles can be supported. It is easier, with a clear vision, to draw a detailed professional portrait of the archivist. The pilot studies of competency profile projects indicate how important it is to clarify a view of the profession and the function of the archivist.
No precise vision is formulated here, as each individual project develops its own. The Helsinki workshop organised in October 2010 by ICA and National Archives of Finland, (see Appendix 4) considered this issue.
Societal, economic, technical, professional, educational and regulatory contexts all impact on the archival profession and, consequently, on the competencies that they require. An important contextual issue is the societal role of the archival profession. For, example, does the profession contribute to justice, equality and well being in society, an issue closely related to legislation? The societal role depends largely on the organisations which employ archivists, both in the public and private domains. Economic factors are also important. If the archival profession can demonstrate that its functions bring economic benefits, the profession’s position in society will be raised.
The following issues should also be considered when defining a vision: • differences and similarities between the archivist and the information specialist • differences and similarities between the archivist and the records manager (each project should decide if a distinction should be made)
• the role of archives and archivists; what is the archivist’s role in society ?
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• the strategic direction of the archival body must be taken into consideration. Archives contribute to the capacity of the organization to make decisions
• points of entry into the profession and career progression, continuing professional development, archival solidarity, the role of national associations.
It is also important to consider who will develop and define the model and which stakeholders should be involved. The professionals and professional associations have specialised knowledge of the relevant issues, particularly if they represent several kinds of employers. Other points of view may have to be taken into account, for example, human resources and management, if the model is to fit within the broader organisational context. The issue of responsibility will affect the implementation of the competency model and assessment, certification and accreditation.
1.2. Defining goals and objectives
It is important to define the project goals carefully:
While being based on a number of theoretical principles of archival theory, defined during the previous stages, the model essentially constitutes a concrete instrument to attain certain practical goals.
A list of possible goals ...
• clarifying required competencies (including common terminology) in the different areas of archival work • enhancing the quality of archival work • providing a long‐term vision for the profession • promoting the profession
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• attracting new professionals and other human resource activities • contributing to the planning and implementation of archival education and training programmes • providing professionals with an overview of work opportunities in the archives field • supporting individuals in their professional development and career progression • providing employers with a precise description of the profession • giving the public a realistic view of the work carried out by archivists • helping professionals to influence legislators and other decision makers • providing a basis to negotiate job descriptions, qualifications and salaries • providing a tool which can be used in the certification/registration of professionals and the accreditation of training schools/programmes
• providing a document which can be used to review changes within the profession • facilitating cooperation with other professions, for example, information managers, IT‐specialists, librarians, museum curators and lawyers
• facilitating international cooperation, for example, in benchmarking projects.
The above list will correspond to many of the goals and objectives of individual projects but may need to be prioritised, in accordance with the development of the project. During the development process, priorities may change which may impact on other stages.
… which determines the audience of the competency model … Choosing objectives will help you to define the audience you intend to reach and influence. Different target groups can be identified, falling into several categories.
The wider level of target groups includes:
• organizations which manage employment, for example, ministries
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• organisations responsible for arranging recruitment for jobs in public service • organisations representing employers, for example, associations, trade unions • government bodies responsible for overseeing archival legislation • private companies
At employer level
• human resources services • finance and accounting services • senior management
At professional level:
• other information professionals : for example, librarians, museum curators • associated professions: for example, information technology, logistics, communication, conservation, audiovisual technology, history.
• Universities and other training bodies And at the individual level:
• people who work in archives and other recordkeeping contexts:
o to help them to manage their careers (to choose training, to be certified or registered, to assess their competencies.) o to improve the way they practice, to stimulate discussion and contribute to the promotion of a professional identity
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o to inform non‐specialist managers of archives departments (senior management) o to provide information to new entrants to the profession
• students, or potential archivists, to help them to choose a career
There is rarely a single target group; the audience may change between the beginning and the final development of the model. The main target audience may depend on the stage of the project. For example, the job descriptions in the model may be used by individual professionals while the goal of the model as a whole is to promote the profession. Knowing who your audiences are will help you to choose the experts you need to make the project successful, and to choose the appropriate form(s) of communication.
… and the appropriate form(s) of communication … You may require specific tools to develop different aspects of a competency model. For example, if the priority is education, tools for the acquisition and the assessment of each competency must be clearly stated. If the purpose is to encourage the recruitment of qualified archivists in organisations, functions and activities and their outcomes must be clearly detailed. The competency model and tools you choose must be compatible with the requirements of interested parties.
… to implement during the project
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Communication is not only important during the last stage of the project, when the tools which have been created will be disseminated. The project managers must deliver information about the progress of the project and the expected results; and encourage debate and feedback.
The last section of this chapter deals with different forms of communication.
1.3 Project participants and methodology
Input from a wide variety of professionals and interests is important as is widespread general support from within the profession. A professional association or similar body should demonstrate the need for a competency model and support its development.
The participants and the role each one plays should be defined at the beginning of the project.
The commissioner
It is vital to determine in clear terms who is the owner (commissioner) of the process and its outcome. It could be, for instance, a professional association, a government body or an educational organisation. The commissioner has a crucial role in defining the objectives and identifying the other participants in the project.
The long‐term commitment of the commissioner is vital to ensure updating of the project and its sustainability over time.
The commissioner may establish a steering committee to supervise and manage the project group and monitor the budget.
The project implementers
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The commissioner and the party which produces the model may, or may not, be the same body. The implementing body may be a professional association, a consultant or any other archival expert.
A representative working group should be established, which operates according to an agreed project plan. The group should include archivists from different working contexts and experts in areas such as training, legal matters and human resources. The inclusion experts from all of your target groups may make the dissemination of the model easier. The members must work as a group with designated roles and responsibilities.
The working group may change during the later stages of the project, but it is important to keep the same composition during the theoretical stages and the development of the profiles. The development of the more practical elements can be shared and, at that stage, other specialists, publishers for example, may be included.
Consultation
During the preparation of the profiles it is necessary for the group to commission feedback from the profession and from groups outside the project and its partners. These should include archivists and other professionals and stakeholders, both internal and external. Feedback can be provided in many ways, from individuals groups, questionnaires and workshops. (See appendix no 4). Those implementing the project must produce a proper synthesis of all the feedback that has been gathered. The feedback must be interpreted and disseminated to participants and relevant amendments made to the model. Participants should be able to see how their views have influenced the work as it progresses.
Project methodology
The main participants must agree on the project plan which should include a budget, a time schedule, a validation process, definition of the aims and activities, a communication plan, staffing and facilities (meeting rooms with equipment), outcomes and deliverables. This plan should be formally approved. Finally, the project must end with the adoption of the outcomes by the commissioner and other concerned parties, as appropriate.
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1.4. Producing a competency model: defining profiles There are various ways to organize and develop a competency model. This section looks at the key stages.
Chapters Two and Three deal with professional and competency profiles in more detail.
Defining the professional profile
The professional profile consists of a precise definition of an archivist’s role, which will been determined by the strategic vision of the body in which the archive is based. This stage of the project consists of a number of steps including:
• Defining the goals/tasks that the archivist undertakes and their responsibilities: o the core mission: what is the basic nature of the archival profession? What makes it unique? How does it relate to other
professions? o requirements and skills vary within different professional contexts, leading to a segmentation of the profession.
Different sectors may produce different competency models. It is desirable that the models contain, in least in part, a common set of competencies.
o In some archival traditions the professions of the archivist and the records manager are closely related. In other traditions the two domains are not so close. Whatever the adopted approach is, it is important to state it in clear terms.
o What is the role of academic/non‐academic education and training? o How can generic activities, for example, management, be taken into account? o The list of activities and tasks (see chapter two) may contain varying levels of detail. While it may not be necessary to
mention very basic tasks the list of activities should be adapted to the objectives of the competency model.
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Another factor is that archival work takes place at different levels of responsibility and competency. These include basic, intermediate and expert levels and operational, tactical and strategic. These are often seen as identical but there are differences of usage and meaning. It is possible for experts to be working at operational as well as strategic levels.
Defining the competency profile The skills and knowledge required to achieve practical tasks and goals must be analysed to determine the competencies required of the profession. Based on the analysis of activities, functions and tasks (see chapter two) a list of the elements (knowledge, skills and behavioural skills or aptitude) that belong to the competency profile(s) of an archivist must be drawn up (see chapter three).
The following are key stages in this process:
• Deciding the key ’aptitudes’ or ’behavioral skills’ required by archivists and whether they should they be included in the model. • Considering the working context (sectoral and national) and the related professional requirements. While different sectors may
require different skills a flexible holistic view of records creation, management, appraisal, preservation, and reader service is required regardless of context.
• Drawing up a list of relevant terms and expressions to be used in the model. In some cases the commissioner may wish to incorporate this into a larger generic competencies project, for example, across a large organisation.
• Choosing vocabulary used to describe the competencies is very important. It involves identifying links between functions, activities, tasks (see chapter two) and competencies and between skills, knowledge and aptitude required.
• Deciding on an appropriate level for the competencies which will be determined by the intended use of the model. In some cases it might not be appropriate to include all low level competencies.
• Assessing the competencies should be undertaken in relation to the expected outcomes. The criteria must be clear, to provide a basis for the evaluation and to define the content of training.
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1.5 Creating tools for assessment, education and training
The competency model can be the basis for the creation of different tools, including the following examples: • Defining required competencies can help training or education providers to adapt their programmes; the categories of
competencies, theoretical or practical, can also inform different methods of acquisition. • A tool for assessment of training programmes can be developed and become the basis for an accreditation system. • Standard job profiles can be produced; once the levels are defined, the list of the required competencies for each level can also be
made. • Assessment or self‐assessment tools can be developed. Chapters Four and Five examine education/training and assessment in
more detail.
THE CORE COMPETENCIES: KEEPING YOUR SELF‐CONTROL
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1.6. Disseminating the model and keeping it up‐to‐date
The model should be disseminated as widely as possible to generate feedback. This should be undertaken throughout the project.
Choosing the format and media
The format and media of the documents should be chosen according to:
• the main aims of the project • the audience • the stage of the project • the dissemination plan
A competency model may contain several tools, from the definition of the professional profile to a self‐assessment tool. Consideration should be taken concerning the organisation of the ‘package’, which may comprise one document or multiple documents.
Whatever the media, sufficient care should be taken of the design of the document, because the content may be highly technical and difficult to read. If the target group includes non‐archivists appendices will be useful, for example, the addition of a glossary. For archivists it might be useful to add vocabularies from other specialities, for example, information technology.
The project documentation should include a dissemination plan to raise awareness of the project. A list of contacts should be drawn up.
Practical issues
When deciding on appropriate dissemination tools the following should be considered:
• How extensive and freely available should the dissemination be; free, easy to ’copy and paste’, or protected?
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• A web version is highly recommended, easy to disseminate and easy to use for the non‐specialist public; it can be: static (simple downloading of post‐profiles, like in the French archivists association website: www.archivistes.org‐ see appendix no 3)
interactive: with several kinds of navigation, expert/assisted
• A database is generally more appropriate for professionals than for the general public who may find it difficult to use.
• A paper version is often essential, a pamphlet, booklet; diffusion by mass distribution, mailings etc., which can also be made available as a pdf file which can be downloaded on the internet.
• Personal contact; dissemination should not only be virtual, the model can be presented in meetings and in seminars.
• To reach certain target groups a presentation kit might be produced together with the model.
• Articles in professional and non‐professional journals can be valuable in disseminating the model.
• Members of an organisation can also participate in dissemination, including members and employees of professional associations. Internal communication in the work place and the use of networks are valuable ways of raising awareness of the model.
• If the project work group includes members of the target group dissemination will be more effective. Organizing the feedback.
In order to be of long‐term use, it is important to ensure that the competency model remains up to date and relevant to the profession. Regular review dates should be integral to the model and communication and interaction must continue to take place during review periods. An individual or group should take responsibility for this. A contact name should be included on the documentation, to collect the feedback and communicate this to those responsible for future updates.
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Summary
A competency model project aims to define the professional profiles (functions, activities and tasks) of archivists and the competencies (knowledge, skills and aptitudes) they need in order to become, to be and to remain professionals. The project has a number of goals. It promotes the profession in many ways (for example, in the field of education and training), gives the public a realistic notion of the work of archivists and helps to communicate with other professions. The national/local context will determine which goals have the highest priority.
The project has always a commissioner (owner) which can be a public or private organisation. This may, or may not be, the same as the implementer of the project. The project must be carefully organised. It must have clear goals and there must be awareness of context, for example, the environment where the project takes place and its target audience. Terminology and the scope of the project should be defined clearly. The project must have a time‐schedule, work plan and budget.
It is essential that during the process formal and informal feedback is taken into account. Dissemination of the results of the project, based on a communication plan, is a vital part of the project. It includes defining the audience and choosing the appropriate form(s) of communication.
It is also important to decide how to keep the results of the project up‐to‐date and to embed review dates into the document.
Summary
A competency model project aims to define the professional profiles (functions, activities and tasks) of archivists and the competencies (knowledge, skills and aptitudes) they need in order to become, to be and to remain professionals. The project has a number of goals. It promotes the profession in many ways (for example, in the field of education and training), gives the public a realistic notion of the work of archivists and helps to communicate with other professions. The national/local context will determine which goals have the highest priority.
The project has always a commissioner (owner) which can be a public or private organisation. This may, or may not be, the same as the implementer of the project. The project must be carefully organised. It must have clear goals and there must be awareness of context, for example, the environment where the project takes place and its target audience. Terminology and the scope of the project should be defined clearly. The project must have a time‐schedule, work plan and budget.
It is essential that during the process formal and informal feedback is taken into account. Dissemination of the results of the project, based on a communication plan, is a vital part of the project. It includes defining the audience and choosing the appropriate form(s) of communication.
It is also important to decide how to keep the results of the project up‐to‐date and to embed review dates into the document.
26
Summary: the main stages of a competency model project
1. From diagnostics to the vision of the profession • Analyse the context and the requirements of a competency
model • Define a vision of the profession 2. Defining goals and objectives • Define goals (choose priorities) • Determine the audience • Find the appropriate form(s) of communication • Communicate throughout the project 3. Project participants and methodology • Commissioner/project implementers/other protagonists: define
their roles • Other methodologies: agree on a budget, a time schedule and a
validation process
4. Producing a competency model: defining profiles • The professional profile
• Archivists’ field of work • Define the levels of operation for archive professionals
5. Creating tools for assessment, education and training
6. Dissemination the model and keeping it up‐to‐date • Adapt the format and media • Practical issues 7. Organising feedback
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CHAPTER 2
PROFESSIONAL PROFILES
2.1. What is a professional profile and what is the archivist’s profession?
The concept of a professional profile has different meanings in different contexts. For the purpose of this report we use the term as a
collective profile describing the profession of archivists, ‘what an archivist actually does, what his/her tasks and responsibilities are’. The
professional profile constitutes the basis for the competency profile. (See chapter 3)
We are aware of the fact that the term professional profile is already in use in behavioural science, where it means a description of the
experience required for a particular job. In an archival context, however, the meaning is broader and corresponds well to the term competency
profile.
A complement to the professional profile is a job profile, which is a more detailed analysis of what individual groups of archivists are doing. For
example, in a large archival institution it can be useful to create different job profiles for different departments within an institution.
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A professional profile can be used for two main purposes. Firstly, the most common purpose is to describe broadly the profession in each
country. Secondly, professional profiles can be used to outline a vision, this is, what the archivist should be doing. The term is then used for
the purpose of developing and defining the profession.
The basis for a professional profile is to establish what is unique to each profession. For the archival profession this comprises:
• The time perspective
Archivists work with information that has been created in the past, preserving and making this information accessible. Archivists
also work with the current information ensuring that it will be accessible and in the future.
• Evidential value
Archivists work with original items. Archives are evidence of processes and transactions and an important aspect of the
profession is to ensure that provenance and context is preserved, so that the information remains reliable and can be properly
understood.
• Relation to processes
Archival information is the product of administrative, business and other processes. The purpose of archival activities is to acquire
and structure this information and make it possible for it to be re‐used by the creator and others.
• Appraisal
Possibly the most important function of an archivist is to evaluate and to decide which information can be disposed of and which
should be kept. The format to be retained must also be considered.
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• Access
A key objective of the archivist is to make archival information accessible. Archivists should be aware of the unique character of
archival information. They should consider the principle of provenance and apply archival theory when arranging and describing
the information in archives.
When defining the archival profession it is also important to clarify what the profession does not include. This approach may be useful in
comparing the archival profession to similar professions, such as librarians and information managers.
In a modern environment it is necessary to define what we mean by the term ‘archivist’ and this should involve an analysis of appropriate
theories and methodologies. It is important to remember that in this context establishing a professional profile is not a goal in itself but a tool
to be used in creating a competency profile.
It is also important to use agreed terms. In this manual we use the term ‘archivist’ to define the profession. In doing so, we include the roles of
both archivists and records managers. In this handbook the records continuum is used as a model for the profession. However, in many
countries archivists and records managers are perceived as two separated professions, in which case two separate sets of professional profiles
are required.
When analysing the professional profile it is important to distinguish between what an archivist should be doing and what an archivist does.
The former involves legal requirements and professional standards which have been examined in Chapter One. In this chapter we concentrate
on the role of the archivist in practice.
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2.2. Methodology
A body of scientific literature exists relating to the analysis of professions. It is important to use relevant research and theory to establish
professional profiles but the aim here is to create a practical approach, not to produce a theoretical model.
We suggest that an empirical methodology is adopted to assemble the necessary data as the analysis should be carried out at micro‐level. It is
only by using specific, practical cases that general rules can be formulated. One such method is conducting interviews. Archivists, users of
archives and decision makers, for example, managers or politicians, should all be interviewed. Whichever approach is chosen it should be
meaningful at the operational, tactical and strategic levels of the profession. Good practice in interviewing should be followed, including using
agreed criteria and questions.
2.3. Sectors within the profession
There are a number of ways to describe the professional profile. One approach uses a vertical model, another takes a horizontal perspective.
There may be overlaps between levels, for example, professionals may also play a strategic role.
The vertical model
There are three main levels of the profession (see also Chapter 3):
• Managerial / strategic
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Directors and other decision makers
• Professional
Archivists and records managers. This level may have sublevels; junior, intermediate and senior/expert.
• Operational level
Assistants
It is necessary to recognise what these different groupings do and how their duties differ from each other. This handbook concentrates on the
second group.
The horizontal model
There are different ways in which the profession can be categorised:
• Public sector archivists
o State, municipal and local sector
• Private sector archivists
o business, charities, popular movements, societies
• Traditional archivists / archivists concerned with modern records management
• Consultant archivists / trainers / educators
The above categories must be identified within each country and the similarities and differences between sectors analysed.
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2.4. The components of the profession
To create a professional profile it is essential to ask four basic questions:
• What does the archivist do? • How is done? • Why is it done? • What knowledge and skills are required?
There are two main areas of responsibility, which are described below. For the purposes of the handbook the term ‘function’ is used to
describe these areas of responsibility. Each function consists in its turn of activities and activities consist of different tasks. (See Chapter 3)
One set of functions is based on archival theory, the other deals with generic skills.
2.4.1. Functions based on archival theory
A body of archival theory has been developed to guide archivists in practice.
• Control over records creation including the development of classification and filing systems and retention schedules and related
procedures.
• Appraisal
• Preservation
• Arrangement and description
• Access and outreach
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To what extent it is necessary to analyse activities within each function depends on how well defined the archival theory is and how
homogeneous the archival society is, in each country. When creating a professional profile it is not necessary to analyse each task, although
job profiles are likely to create both activities and tasks.
The extent to which these different functions are carried out depends on the sector and the level at which the archivist is working. For
example, for an archivist working with current records, controlling records creation is of fundamental importance. For an archivist in a
collecting institution, arrangement, description and access may be priorities. For an assistant it might be unusual to perform appraisal.
In the development of a competency profile the regularity with which the different functions are carried out is not as important as whether
they are relevant within the context of the profession, the sector and the country.
2.4.2. Generic functions
• Project management
• Human resources management
• Budget and financial management
• Strategic planning
• Estates management
• Communication, promotion and advocacy
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These functions are not normally specific to the archival profession but will have to be taken into account, particularly when developing
professional profiles at the managerial level.
Once a professional profile has been created, this will then be used to develop a competency profile, outlined in the next chapter.
THE CORE COMPETENCIES: ABIILITY TO WORK WITHIN A TEAM
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CHAPTER 3
COMPETENCIES AND COMPETENCY PROFILES
The illustration shows the cohesion between Professional Profiles (P‐profiles) on the one hand and Competency Profiles (C‐profiles) on the
other. A Professional Profile describes an archivist’s professional activities. The vertical arrow shows the relationship between what is done
and the expected / required achievements or outputs that are the result of activities (the ‘performance’). In order to be able to produce these
outputs the archivist has to have certain competencies (indicated by the horizontal arrow). The diagram shows that there is only an indirect
Professional &Competency profiles: coherent view What does an archivist do? How? Why?
Activities & responsibilities
What outputs does an archivist produce?Performance
What knowledge, skills,attitudes are required?
Competencies
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relationship between competencies and outputs. This chapter asserts that a professional demonstrates that competencies have been
adequately mastered through performance outputs.
3.1. Definitions
There are many definitions of the ‘competencies’ and ‘competency profiles’. These vary from the highly specialised and scientific to the
informal and practical. In this handbook ‘competency profile’ is used for the list of competencies that are associated with a specific
professional profile (see Glossary). The professional profile is the basis for the competency profile. The professional profile describes the tasks
and responsibilities that define the profession. The competency profile states the knowledge and skills needed to carry out these tasks and
responsibilities. Of course, there are many professional archival profiles. For example, the profile of an archivist working in the public sector
will be different from the profile of one working in the private sector.
The words ‘competence’ and ‘competency’ are often used with little distinction. In addition, the words sound similar in different languages
(compétence in French, competentie in Dutch, Kompetenz in German, competencia in Spanish, competència in Catalan, kompetens in Swedish,
not to mention toimintakelpoisuutta in Finnish). Like the concepts of archives and records management the definitions of competencies may
vary according to national culture and tradition.
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This chapter will not seek to develop a universal definition of competency but will use the following working definition, ‘a ‘competency’ is a
blend of knowledge, skills and aptitudes that are required by an archivist to achieve a recognised level of professional performance’. More
than one competency is required, which is measured by performance. Competency can be mastered at different levels of proficiency.
Three elements are essential in this definition: knowledge (facts and concepts and their relationships), skills (capacity to achieve work related
mental or physical tasks) and aptitude (innate ability). In French these concepts are clearly referred to as ‘savoir’, ‘savoir‐faire’ and ‘savoir‐être’
respectively. Each can be acquired, learned or developed. The three components belong together and should not be dissociated. For example,
an archivist may have knowledge of relevant archival legislation but, in addition, needs to be able to interpret and apply this within the
appropriate national and organisational context. To do this successfully the archivist will also require an ability to communicate effectively.
A distinction must be made between ‘competency’ on the one hand and ‘qualification’ at the other hand. Qualification refers mainly to
educational and vocational standards, certificates and diplomas. Ideally, a qualified person is always competent but a competent person does
not need to be formally qualified.8
8 Angela Stoof Tools for the identification and description of competencies PhD thesis 2005, Heerlen (Netherlands), Open University (p. 48)
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3.2. The usefulness of competencies and competency profiles
Designing competency profiles or defining competencies may be done by stakeholders when developing professional profile. This may occur
when the profession is developing or evolving, for example, the management of digital records or when a new post is created.9 These
stakeholders may be professional association, educational institutions, trade unions or any organisation in the field of records and archives
management.
Competencies and competency profiles may be developed for different purposes:
- education
- (self‐)assessment
- planning of continuing professional development (CPD)
- creating job profiles
- registration, certification and accreditation
- human resource activities (hiring, staffing, CPD, etc.)
9 See for example Elizabeth Shepherd Archives and Archivists in 20th Century England Farnham, Ashgate, 2009.
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The objective of his chapter is to develop, through case studies, a template which will enable professionals to develop their own national
competencies and competency profiles. Examples from different countries will assist comparison. The template can be used as a checklist but
can be altered as local circumstances require.
3.3. Components of competencies
The key attributes of competencies are:
1. A competency is an integration of three elements: knowledge, skills and aptitude.
2. Competencies may be affected by a person’s character, values, state of mind and role
3. Competencies can develop throughout a professional career
4. A competency can be measured through a person’s behaviour, performance, outputs or accomplishments.
5. These outputs may vary, for example, filing a record or making a disposal schedule, or may represent more abstract activities, for
example, making a judgment or a decision.
6. The outputs can be reflected on, challenged and justified within the context of a particular profession, occupation, function or role.
7. The outputs can be compared to the desired performance for a given competency in a given context.
8. Competencies can be measured at different levels of proficiency.
9. The set of competencies required for a profession is variable but must be limited to a manageable number.
10. Competencies can focus on aspects of the profession or on a specific role, for example, archival description.
11. They also can be generic and applicable to more than one profession, for example, management skills.
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Professional development consists of activities undertaken to acquire or master one or more competencies through initial qualification or
lifelong learning. A useful definition of continuing professional development (CPD) is ‘A regime of training, research and contribution in the
individual’s own professional arena which aims to update, expand and enhance skills, knowledge and expertise.’ 10 Lifelong training can be a
component of CPD, and CPD can lead to formal education.
A useful tool in developing competencies is an agreed knowledge base. In Australia, for example, professional associations have produced a
joint ASA/RMAA Statement of Knowledge for Recordkeeping Professionals. 11 In the US ARMA and ICRM (ARMA’s certifying body) have
developed an extensive bibliography covering essential archives and records management literature. 12
3.4. Domain‐specific competencies
It is useful to make a distinction between domain independent and domain specific competencies, although they may both be part of a
competency profile. The latter relates to professional activity, for example, ‘preservation’ or ‘access’. The former relates to many professions,
for example, ‘planning’ or ‘skills in public speaking’.
10 Crockett, M. Continuing professional development and the hallmarks of professionalism: An overview of the current environment for the record-keeping profession. Journal of the Society of Archivists, 28(1): 78, 2007 11 See http://www.archivists.org.au/course‐accreditation (last visit March 2010). 12 See https://db.icrm.org/crm/index.jsp and follow the path: study outline and bibliography for a download (last visit March 2010).
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3.5. Core competencies
Another useful distinction is that between core competencies and others, which may be considered additional, accessory or supplementary.
What is core depends on the context. For example, ‘palaeography’ or Latin might be considered additional, but for an archivist working in a
Cathedral Archive it is a core competency.
The concept of ‘core competencies’ was developed in the 1990s by Prahalad and Hamel. They use it to identify a company’s unique added
value which distinguishes it from its competitors. This concept has been applied to the field of human resources management and
development by Peter Senge in his 1990 publication. The core domain‐specific competencies of the archives and records management
profession are often those which distinguish it from related professions such as librarians, museum curators and information management. In
developing a national set of competencies or a national competency profile, concentration on the core competencies may be the first stage.
Core competencies may, of course, vary between sectors. While there may be a limited number of core competencies, a competency profile
may contain other non‐core competencies, described at varying levels of detail.13
3.6. A template for comparing and developing competency profiles
13 A detailed list of competencies may be called a job description in some contexts.
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This template is not prescriptive but has been developed as a tool for professional associations of archivists and relevant organizations within
Europe.
This framework can be useful in two ways:
1. to compare different (national) competency profiles. (See the national case studies in the Annexes.)
2. to develop new (national) competency models. (See Chapter 1)
The template at Appendix 1 has three columns (excluding the reference numbers):
1. Descriptor = element of the analysis format; in some cases the descriptor is stated as a ‘yes‐no‐question’ with a question mark; in other
cases it is an open question.
2. Value = in this column you can give the identifying and discriminating answer to the question; try to give a short answer.
3. Comments and remarks = here you can give more details about the actual value, explanation, references etc.
The template is divided into separate sections:
Section 1 addresses definitions and the benefits of the competency model.
Section 2 is relevant to all national case studies.
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‐ Section 2.1 is concerned with the context and relates to the owner, the commissioner, the developer, availability and access. It includes a
vision of the profession, which should be a prerequisite when developing professional and competency profiles.
- Section 2.1.2: the domain covered by the profile: archives, records management or both.
- Section 2.1.3: related domains: are other domains included.
- Section 2.1.4: the purpose of the proposed model, for example, education or career development. In the European context it may be
helpful to identify the EQF levels in education that are targeted. 14
‐ Section 2.2 deals with ‘coverage’. The competency descriptions in the profile(s) can be stated in terms of:
- Career steps: early, mid, late
- Levels of operation: strategic, professional, operational
- Salary scaling
Levels of operation (see illustration below) must be distinguished from career steps.
14 EQF means European Qualification Framework, adopted in 2008. It makes (eight) educational levels and educational systems comparable between EU countries. It makes qualifications understandable across member states. Refer to Wikipedia for a quick glance or find a leaflet on the official EU website (available in many languages) ec.europa.eu/education/pub/pdf/general/eqf/leaflet_en.pdf (checked October 2010).
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Levels of Operation
Strategic Making policy and generating resources
Professional Making and implementing tools
Operational Applying methods and tools
All levels:
− Advising and reporting to senior personnel
− Managing and mentoring
− Peer to peer learning and sharing of expertise
− Autonomy and self‐reflection
‐ Section 2.3 is the core section and examines how competencies are defined:
Section 2.3.1: the chosen approach; desktop research, field research or a combination of both. Is the approach pragmatic or
theoretical?
Section 2.3.2: how are the competencies categorised and arranged?
Section 2.3.3: different types of competencies:
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− Non domain specific: these may be included in competency profiles for archivists or records managers; they always
need to be associated with domain specific ones.
− Domain specific: they are about the professional domain of the archivist / records manager; this is what makes these
professions distinct from others.
− Role specific: the profiles may be for specific positions within a single organisation or within a group or sector.
Section 2.3.4: the sectors that are covered. Please refer to chapter 2 section 3.
Section 2.3.5 and 2.3.6: description of the competencies.
Section 2.4: ‘proficiency’ and ‘development’
• 2.4.1: how should competencies be acquired? At what stage during a professional’s career?
• 2.4.2: (self‐) assessment? Is the model for external or self‐assessment?
• 2.4.3: How is proficiency measured and at what level?
• 2.4.4: What performance indicators can be used?
• 2.4.5: How can assessment lead to improvement?
• 2.4.6: Recognition and validation of prior learning.
Performance indicators are criteria which are used to demonstrate and measure competencies. For example, if ‘archival description’ is a
competency, an output might be ‘making a finding aid’ and the performance indicator might be based on the following criteria:
− quantity produced in a given time
− quality
46
− conformity to standards
− ease of use
− evaluation / user feedback
When determining proficiency levels, one might refer to the following graph, which is based on Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1980. One might also refer
to Atherton 2010.
You can find the template in Appendix 1. The same table has been used to describe the Netherlands and French models. Please refer to the
Appendices 2 and 3.
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CHAPTER 4
ACQUISITION OF COMPETENCIES: THE ROLE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The acquisition of competencies is approached in a number of ways. These may include education and training, continuing professional
development (CPD) as well as learning on the job. This chapter examines these methods of acquisition.
4. 1. Introduction
Once a competency framework is developed the next stage is a consideration of how the competencies will be acquired. This will to some
extent be dependent on the environment in which the framework is being developed. The factors that may influence this include:
• Who has developed the competency framework and to what purpose. A framework developed by a professional association is likely to
include competencies that can be acquired in different ways to a framework developed by a company for its employees
• How the competencies are described and tested. A competency framework based on tasks will require different approaches to
acquiring those competencies than one based on levels of knowledge and skill
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• The role of education in the professional environment. In many countries a degree in a relevant discipline is seen as a prerequisite to
becoming a professional archivist or records manager, however it should be appreciated that there are many ways to acquire
knowledge and skills outside the formal educational environment.
• The competencies themselves. Are there generic or innate competencies that can’t be taught or acquired and that depend on a
person’s natural aptitudes? For example, public speaking, advocacy and leadership skills.
This chapter examines how competencies may be acquired. It uses as a basis Margaret Crockett’s definition of competencies as ‘the knowledge,
skills and characteristics which an individual must possess in order to fulfil professional responsibilities and carry out the range of work required
in a professional role.’15 (In this Handbook we have referred to aptitudes, rather than characteristics.) In addition, it should be remembered, as
Crockett acknowledges, that non‐professional competencies such as management skills may be required for some positions and that a
competency framework may also include skills and knowledge required by those working in non‐professional or in what is sometimes referred
to as paraprofessional roles.
When developing a competency framework it is essential to consider how these may be acquired. It would be counterproductive to develop a
framework without ensuring that the structures, opportunities and expertise was in place to deliver these competencies effectively. As stated
above what these structures and opportunities are will vary depending on who is developing the framework and why, but the majority of
competency frameworks will, and should, allow for a variety of methods of acquisition. These may be developed and delivered in the form of
education and training or they may be acquired by the individual through continuing professional development.
15 M. Crocket, ‘Continuing Professional Development and the Hallmarks of Professionalism: An Overview of the Current Environment for the Record‐keeping Profession’, Journal of the Society of Archivists Vol. 28, No. 1, April 2007 pp 77‐102
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4. 2. Acquiring competencies through education
Is formal education essential in the acquisition of competencies? In many countries in order to operate in a professional environment a
degree is preferred if not required, so does it follow that any competencies which are based on professional knowledge and understanding
should be acquired through formal education? Education provides the opportunity for sustained, reflective learning, an understanding of
theory and its role in record keeping, and engagement with current research. While it is possible, for example, to have an understanding of
the theory behind appraisal or to be able to carry out an appraisal decision without this, education is undoubtedly beneficial in acquiring these
competencies. However education is not essential in the acquisition of competencies, indeed, as we shall see, some competencies are better
acquired by other means. It does, however, play an important role in developing professional knowledge and skills.
While this is not the place for a full discussion of the role of archival or recordkeeping education, anyone seeking to develop a competency
framework should be aware of some of the debates and issues surrounding this subject.
‐ What is taught?
What should educational programmes cover? Are there core subjects that should be considered essential in professional education and
that all educational programmes should include? Should these subjects be reflected in competencies i.e. should a competency
framework contain some essential elements and if so what should these be?
‐ Archives / records management
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In some countries no distinction is made between these two areas16 while in others they are treated as two separate, albeit strongly
linked, professions. Should an educational programme teach both areas or should programmes be specialised?17 Should archival
education be taught in a broader context of information and digital management? What impact does this have on what is taught? If
archival programmes are embedded in larger colleges or schools such as information management or history what are the
consequences of this? There are issues here for the development of a competency framework. If archives, records management or
digital preservation are taught separately, can the knowledge acquired be judged by the same competency profile?18
‐ Who decides what should be taught?
If the content of archival education programmes is decided with little reference to practitioners how can these programmes guarantee
that their graduates will be competent to act as professionals in a working environment? Most commonly there is a dialogue between
academics and practitioners as to the contents and format of programmes. In the United Kingdom university programmes are
developed by the universities themselves but accredited by the professional association19, the Archives and Records Association UK,
working to agreed criteria. These criteria outline the knowledge and skills that have been recognised by both academic and professional
stakeholders as essential for someone wishing to work in a professional environment. As such they form a solid basis for developing a
16For example, in Swedish and Finnish education and training no principal difference is made between records and archives management. 17 In the United Kingdom most archive degrees will include an element of records management, while several universities, such as Northumbria and Dundee offer degrees specialising in records management only. 18 During the development of the National Occupational Standards in the United Kingdom the difficulties of creating competency levels that would suit both archives and records management was demonstrated. Does fetching and carrying require the same skill from an archivist as from a records manager for example? For more information on the National Occupational Standards see http://www.lluk.org/national‐occupational‐standards.htm, accessed April 2010 19 In Sweden there is a special state agency which inspects and accredits university programmes, including records management and archival programmes. Recently the agency evaluated the records and archives management programme of the University of Stockholm.
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set of competencies for the profession. 20 The British system is not however typical in Europe and in many countries the dialogue
between academics and practitioners could be improved.
‐ Theory v practice
Should educational programmes concentrate on theoretical knowledge and leave the acquisition of practical skills to on‐the‐job or other
training? While it is possible to separate concepts relating to the characteristics of a record from the practical process of devising a filing
system, the work of a professional involves reflecting on and understanding why you are doing something at the same time as being
able to do it. Education programmes should teach theory, but with an understanding of how to apply this in practice. Preferably there
should be the opportunity for students to actively apply their knowledge during internships or work experience placements. If
educational programmes teach both theory and practice it is possible to acquire competencies relating to both knowledge and skills
from these programmes. It is, however, rare that graduates from archival programmes become very skilled in practical tasks and it is
likely that these competencies will be acquired elsewhere. When developing a competency framework the interrelationship of theory
and practice should be remembered. Competency frameworks should reflect the importance of knowledge i.e. understanding the
theory and concepts that underpin the profession. Programmes also depend on the educational culture of the country and the
pedagogic approach may vary according to the position of the programme in the wider education system.
‐ Level of education
20 The criteria are available at http://www.archives.org.uk/careerdevelopment/startingout/postgraduatecourses/revisedaccreditationcriteriaforpostgraduatecourses.html accessed April 2010
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Much of the discussion about archival education relates to degree level qualifications, usually, although not exclusively at postgraduate
level. A competency framework for professionals should be developed with reference to the levels of knowledge and skills that such a
programme would be expected to produce. If a country has an educational programme it is possible to base a framework partly on the
criteria developed for these programmes. However, on a national level competency frameworks are increasingly developed so they map
to existing or developing systems of national qualifications, often known as qualification frameworks, which cover several educational
levels. Australian competency standards, for example, have been established within the context of the Australian Qualification
Framework 21 and in the United Kingdom work is being done to develop qualification specifications for the Libraries, Archives and
Information Services workforce that will map to National Occupational Standards already in place.22 The range of these qualification
frameworks is broad, covering school level to postgraduate, and will include vocational as well as more traditional education and
training. While there may not be specific archive or records management qualifications at all of these levels using a national qualification
framework to develop competency frameworks has many benefits. A framework already exits in which to place the framework and this
framework will clearly map to recognised national educational and vocational standards.
There is clearly an interrelationship between archival education and competencies. What is taught, how it is taught, at what level and by
whom will have an impact on the development of a competency framework. Equally the skills and knowledge identified in a framework should
influence archival educators. As Marian Hoy says ‘competency standards are a tool for curriculum development.’23 However archival
21 See M. Hoy, ‘Record‐keeping Competency Standards: The Australian Scene’, Journal of the Society of Archivists Vol. 28, No. 1, April 2007 pp 47‐65 22 Work in this area is being done by Life Long Learning UK, for more information see http://www.lluk.org/3074.htm, accessed April 2010 23 Hoy, Journal of the Society of Archivists Vol. 28, No. 1, April 2007 p 50
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educational programmes are not the only way to acquire knowledge and skills. In some countries there are no education programmes
available and clearly the acquisition of knowledge and skills should not end with the culmination of a university degree. Indeed, as was
previously, stated some skills will be better acquired in the workplace or through some other forms of training.
4. 3. Acquiring competencies through training
Training is a key way of acquiring competencies. It is important to consider the range of training possibilities available, whether it is effective
in delivering the skills and knowledge required, and how the effectiveness of this training can be evaluated. Some points to take into account
include:
‐ Who delivers the training
Training can be informal and delivered on‐the‐job and in‐house or it can be delivered by external agencies such as professional
associations or expert bodies. In France a training centre run by the Association des Archivistes français is an important player in the field. In 2011,
for example, it will arrange c. 40 2 to 3 day training courses. In Spain, the Catalan Association of Archivists (Associació d’Arxivers de Catalunya) is
equally important as a training organisation. Its co‐operation with the University of Barcelona started in 1988 and a new School of archival and
documentary studies, Escola d’Arxivistica I Gestió documental de Catalunya (ESAGED) was established in 2002. The school is attached to the
University of Barcelona, with the close collaboration of the association of archivists. ESAGED provides a master’s degree in records and archives
management which normally takes two years to complete. In Finland, there are three associations of archivists. One of them, the Association of
Business Archivists, is active in training and provides a number of one‐day courses. A more substantial training programme is the ‘Professional
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degree´ which is provided in collaboration with the human resources development company, Rastor. The degree is delivered by blended learning,
with 11 class days plus distance and online learning. A Finnish peculiarity is the substantial role of the National Archives Service (which comprises
The National Archives and seven provincial archives) as a training organization. The Service provides c.800 hours of lectures, mainly for people who
are already in the labour market. The training is mainly basic training, although quite varied. The National Archives Service has also a higher
educational program but this kind of education is mainly taken care of by universities. In order to adequately cover the range of competencies
in your framework you may need to be prepared to work with several training providers. A professional association may be able to
deliver effective training on archival standards but another body may be better placed to deliver management training. How do you
decide who is qualified to deliver suitable training? Will you recognise a training course from a particular trainer as suitable to
demonstrate the acquisition of a particular competency?
‐ How it is delivered
Are courses delivered at international level suitable or should the focus be on national and local training? Does training imply some kind
of practical activity and, if so, can it only be delivered in situ or are online or distance learning courses suitable? How can online courses
which are teaching, for example, cataloguing, be judged to be suitable? How can we ensure that training is delivered to people who find
it difficult to travel or who are not able to get time off work?
‐ Who it is aimed at
Can competencies be acquired by attending training aimed at other information professionals such as librarians? If so which skills could
be acquired this way? Is it in fact more beneficial to undertake training in some areas, for example management, with people from
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different professions? How should this be reflected in a competency framework? The French Ministry of Culture and Communication is a
good example of this. It is planning to arrange cross‐sectoral training courses, for example, on security issues.
‐ What it costs
This point applies to all methods of acquiring competencies. A competency framework will be beneficial to many stakeholders – the
individual, the employer and the profession as a whole. Who is to pay for this? Employers need to be encouraged to allow staff time to
attend training courses and preferably to contribute towards the costs. Aside from employers should we expect individuals to fund their
own training and other forms of development? Or should the body which has developed the competency framework be prepared to
subsidise the training and development? In the United Kingdom the Archives and Records Association has subsidised training events in
what they see as core skills and there is no fee for enrolment on the Registration Scheme, while bursaries are available for candidates to
attend training sessions.24 ARMA’s RIM Self‐Assessment tool is also free if you are a member but an application fee is required to
become a Certified Archivist in the USA.25
Just as education can assist in developing practical as well as theoretical competencies so should training aim to impart knowledge as well as
skills. To facilitate the success of a competency framework is important to ensure that a wide range of training opportunities is available and
delivered by a variety of providers.
24 For more information on the Registration Scheme see http://www.archives.org.uk/training/registrationscheme.html accessed April 2010 25 See http://www.arma.org/competencies/index.cfm and http://www.certifiedarchivists.org/ both accessed April 2010
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4. 4. Acquiring competencies through continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) is a range of activities undertaken by an individual throughout their career which aim ‘to update,
expand and enhance skills, knowledge and expertise’.26 As such CPD is an essential component in acquiring competencies and in keeping them
relevant and up to date. Training can provide a core part of this and many professionals are increasingly turning to education to update their
knowledge through taking modules offered by University programmes.27 However CPD should involve more than just attending training
courses or enrolling on educational programmes. It offers the opportunity to acquire competencies through more flexible, less structured
means and can include activities undertaken by the individual alone rather than organised by others. As such it is available to more people
than training and education programmes and has the potential to encourage the acquisition of a broader range of competencies. Some
activities which could be included in CPD are:
• Mentoring and buddy schemes
• Job swaps
• Attending conferences
• Writing articles and undertaking research
• Involvement in professional organisations and committees
• Teaching and training others
26 Crockett, Journal of the Society of Archivists Vol. 28, No. 1, April 2007 p 78 27 The University of Dundee offers around 30 modules by distance learning which can be taken for CPD, for more information see http://www.dundee.ac.uk/cais/cpd/, accessed April 2010
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• Transfer of non‐professional skills to the working environment
• Reflective activities at work, such as formal reviews and presentations to colleagues of goals achieved
CPD can be encouraged formally and informally by employers, organisations and professional associations. Registration and certification
schemes such as those developed by the Archives and Records Association UK and the Academy of Certified Archivists in America are aimed,
primarily, at encouraging recently qualified professionals to continue with their acquisition of knowledge and skills. In the UK there is currently
no formal CPD programme after Registration while in American Certification must be renewed every 5 years. In the UK most archivists will be
registered, but this is not the case with Certification in America. The issue of whether CPD should be compulsory is a contentious one; a
compulsory CPD programme throughout a professional career would certainly facilitate the acquisition of competencies and go some way
towards ensuring the adoption and success of a competency framework. However there are many reasons why a compulsory programme may
not be established. If this is the case it is recommended that opportunities for CPD are put in place and an environment to encourage continued
learning and development is created. An interesting framework has been developed in America by ARMA. Their Records and Information
Management Core Competencies self‐evaluation tool is itself a form of CPD. Using the tool encourages self‐assessment and participation in CPD
at the same time as promoting competencies within the profession. 28 As with training, CPD requires the participation and support of all
stakeholders. To ensure a successful competency framework it will be necessary to convince professionals, employers and professional
associations of the value of CPD at all stages of a person’s career.
28 See http://www.arma.org/competencies/index.cfm, accessed June 2011.
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4. 5. Conclusion
This Handbook defines competencies as ‘knowledge, skills and aptitudes. It may be that some competencies depend on behaviours or aptitudes
that are innate, such as public speaking, and cannot be learned. The majority can, however, be acquired through education, training and
continuing professional development. For a competency framework to be successful the opportunities for education, training and development
should be wide‐ranging, supported by stakeholders in the profession and competency framework, and appropriate for and available to a broad
range of people, whatever their professional level.
Established educational programmes and a well structured training and development programme can help in the creation and success of a
competency framework. Similarly the continued updating of this framework, with the identification and addition of new skills and knowledge,
should inform the provision of education and training. How the accreditation and evaluation of these CPD, training and education programmes
impacts on a competency framework is discussed in the next chapter.
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CHAPTER 5
ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCIES
5.1. Introduction The assessment of competencies, as has already been stated in previous chapters, is the last stage in the establishment of a competency model and preliminary work is needed to identify and standardise the competencies. The assessment of competencies is a process which provides a means of testing whether all personnel working in an archive have the knowledge and skills necessary to allow them to perform their tasks. This is achieved by examining the competencies developed by an individual and comparing them with criteria set out in the competency model. This process may result in the certification of professional competence, public recognition, and acknowledgement of the ability to work professionally. Assessment and certification are valuable for the professional, as they provide professional status and wider public recognition. In addition the process of assessment publicises these professional competencies and skills. The objective of this chapter is to explain the assessment process, including its characteristics, types of assessment, methodology and benefits and professional certification.
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5.2. The assessment of competencies 5.2.1 Characteristics of the assessment of competencies To make the assessment of competencies a reliable process and one which is accepted by organizations and society, it has to observe a series of requirements and characteristics. First, the general requirements that an organization must meet in order to undertake the assessment process are objectivity, independence and impartiality. Second, the formal characteristics that are required are:
• Validity: evaluative organizations should operate within a recognised and legitimate institutional framework. These should be formally established by a representative body with authority to guarantee the validity and credibility of the process.
• Transparency: The assessment process should be open and visible to all stakeholders and should be accountable. The process should also be defined in a public document containing the competencies.
• Currency: the review mechanisms should be publicly available and be established in advance of the process. The assessment should not be regarded as conclusive due to constantly evolving professional contexts, including technological innovation and organizational changes, which may amend the qualifications and competencies. In addition, acquisition, assessment and the subsequent certification of these new skills have to be linked to the professional careers of employees and the consequent possibility of career promotion and development.
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• Significance. A publicly available register of certified professionals should be established to document, control, update and publicise details of certified members. The register will be of special relevance in raising social awareness of the profession, as well as leading to greater awareness of the profession within both the public and private sector.
5.2.2. Benefits of the assessment of the competencies.
Organizations view employees as a major asset, therefore it is beneficial to employers that staff work to their full potential and that organizations contribute to the personal and professional development of their staff. The adoption of a model based on professional competencies can also form the basis for the selection and assessment of archives staff. It should be noted that the assessment of competencies has a number of utilities, to both archival organizations and their personnel, and should result in tasks being carried out more efficiently and effectively, thus leading to an improvement in the quality of services offered to the users. The following benefits to archival organizations should be highlighted:
• Contribution to the planning criteria and policy for staff recruitment
• A greater understanding and knowledge of the activities of archival staff
• the adoption of continuous professional development to facilitate the acquisition of new professional competencies,
• greater motivation and integration of staff with the objectives and culture of the organization,
• increased flexibility and versatility of staff
• more effective selection of new staff
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• better valuation of staff
For staff, the following potential benefits should be highlighted.
• Increased and improved mobility of labor
• Increased levels of equal opportunities for access to and maintenance of employment
• The ability to develop an individual training programme
• An increased knowledge of their professional status in relation to the competencies required by their particular job • the identification of competencies to be improved or developed
• Professional recognition of competencies gained by the professional archival organization
• improved status within the organization
During a competency process it is necessary to define and limit the area which will be evaluated. This requires taking into account the different professional profiles that may exist in an archival organization and the different competencies each has. The specific functions and tasks defined for them must also be taken into account, as documented in Chapter 2 ‐ job profiles.
5.2.3. The fields of assessment of competencies Each model of assessment of competencies has to assess the following aspects:
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• Professional education, which can be considered to comprise three levels: initial education, specific education and continuing education. o Initial education is the minimum education required to permit entry to the profession, normally an undergraduate degree
o Specific education in archives and records management is that which covers specialist knowledge required for the profession. These
can be offered by universities at post‐graduate level, or by specific archival bodies, such as Archival Associations, National Archives, etc.
o Continuing Education is carried out by professionals throughout their career, which leads to the development of their professional
skills and personal development. This can be offered by businesses and organizations, trade unions professional associations and universities, through, for example, distance learning programs.
• Professional work experience, which allows the abilities and professional skills acquired in the course of professional work to be
assessed.
• Critical examination of the training required to obtain professional certification: this section should allow both the theoretical and practical knowledge required to gain professional certification to be quantified and assessed.
5.2.4. Methods of assessing competencies Methods of assessing professional skills depend on the agents which carry out the process. Two basic models can be identified:
1. The assessment by an organization that has legal jurisdiction for this purpose. This process ends with professional certification.
2. Self‐assessment. This process is undertaken by the professional to assess their competencies and abilities in accordance with a predefined standard. The procedure does not necessarily end with the certification of professional competencies.
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The assessment
Professionals can be evaluated through two different models; the certifying agent may be an independent agency assigned this task or a national model:
• The first model of assessment and certification is where the body responsible for certification is an independent body, such as, for example, a professional association or a specially created certifying body. In most cases, this system only permits certification at the basic professional level of archivist and cannot differentiate between the different professional levels In this model, aspects of both education and practical experience have to be assessed. It might also include an examination, though this is not always an obligatory part of the process. A specified level of educational achievement or a set number of years of experience can be offered in lieu of the examination. The greatest advantage of this system is that certification is ‘universal’; in other words, it is fully accepted both in the public and private sector. This is very important for communication and relations between professional and the private sector since the contractor has access to a register and thus to professionals who have certificated professional skills in archives and records management. On the other hand, the universality of this model means that the skills which have to be demonstrated and certificated are very general and varied, which suggests that they do not emphasize the specialist nature of the profession.
• The second model is the national model, where the public administration or archives that operate a selection process for potential employees are charged with certification through competitive examination. In this case, every public body (local, regional or state) or participating archive has its own assessment process. Normally, this consists of validating the experience and education of candidates by way of examination, but every agency decides on their own process and how every stage of the process is validated. The process, its stages and the standards for assessment should be published in advance. The results of each stage should also be made public.
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The most interesting aspect of this system is that it adapts and changes to fit the post concerned in such a way that the required skills are adjusted to meet the needs of the workplace. On the other hand, this type of model of certification only applies within the administration or archives offering the post and as a consequence, when changing organization it is necessary to recommence the process of assessment/selection. Another disadvantage is that the process is not the same for all bodies, which indicates the heterogeneous nature of the skills and competencies being sought. The self‐assessment
Self‐assessment is the process by which the professional can assess their own competencies and capabilities in accordance with a model which they can use to compare across indicators, and which identifies the strengths and weaknesses of their knowledge and professional skills. The objectives of this process are different depending upon the stage in career:
• To guide the choice of university course: if the self‐assessment process is done before the start of university studies, the results may serve to enable students to target their studies appropriately
• To redirect careers: if the process takes place during an established career, the results could reorient their career or further develop
their skills to better position themselves in the job market or improve their salaries. In either case, the person can develop their own training route, from college to continuing education, by the creation of a career development plan. This process can be repeated and amended as needed. Self‐assessment can relate to individuals or affect all professionals in the organization. In this last case, the process can be useful:
• to revise the training template • to define their roles according to their skills • to develop a training plan
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The self‐assessment is a personal process and the results do not have to make public. The self‐assessment is carried out through an examination or test that has different sections according to the professional competencies to be evaluated. For example, the test used by the ARMA assesses six areas:
• Business Functions • RIM Practices • Risk Management • Communications and Marketing • Information Technology • Leadership
The final result of the process is a document identifying the strengths and training needs to ensure the compliance of professional goals. Depending on the formality of the assessment process, this can culminate in a certificate of professional competence. The problems observed in the self ‐ assessment process are the reliability and credibility of the process. As this is a personal process and do not necessarily have to be made public, there are organizations that do not recognize these results. 5.3. Certification Certification of skills, as already mentioned, is a public, formal and temporal recognition that a person has demonstrated the capacity to do their job. The skills assessed are mapped to agreed criteria, which do not necessarily have to have been acquired as a result of following an educational program. This method allows the regularization and standardization of skills acquired by archivists which have been acquired in a more ‘informal’ manner, such as through work experience. According to the practices and actions of each country there are two models for the certification of professional competence, which are not mutually exclusive;
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• where the certificate is issued by the organization providing the training at the end of the training process
• where the certification is issued by an independent specialized agency of the institutions involved in training and the acquisition of
their professional competencies. Once certified, the next step is the entry in the register of certified professionals. This register serves a double function:
• controlling, updating and publicity professionals in archives
• the existence of a list of professionals who certify a range of knowledge and skills, through which the labour market feeds, both for the public to the private sector
5.4. Conclusion The main consequence of introducing a model of competency assessment is to be able to assess objectively the professional standards of the profession. These standards have to be made public to increase transparency and reliability of the assessment process, and this publicity helps the visibility of our profession in the labour market, as it explains our functions and disseminates them in both the public and private. At the same time it signifies that the establishment of professional standards will lead to a revision and examination of the established system of education to enable it to adapt to the new professional realities.
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THE CORE COMPETENCIES: DYNAMISM AND CAPACITY TO REACT
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Descriptor Value Comments and remarks
1. Definition of the basic concepts Competency / competency framework / competence as opposed to competency and to qualification
1.1. Existing definitions 1.2. Chosen (working) definition 1.3. Benefits of competency models / framework2. Domain‐specific national competency frameworks Per nation and per framework
2.1. Context data
2.1.1. Formal characteristics
2.1.1.1. Owned by whom?
2.1.1.1.1. Professional association
2.1.1.1.2. Government body
2.1.1.1.3. Education organisation
2.1.1.1.4. Others
2.1.1.2. Commissioned by whom?
APPENDIX 1: A TEMPLATE (see chapter 3)
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2.1.1.3. Developed by whom?
2.1.1.4. Published when?
2.1.1.5. Updated since? (sustainability)
2.1.1.6. Published where?
2.1.1.7. Public or restricted access? Restricted, e.g. password required
2.1.1.8. Available for free or priced? If priced: what price?
2.1.1.9. Recognized by whom? i.e. civil effect
2.1.1.10. Vision on profession included? Actual status and future developments
2.1.1.11. User guidelines provided?
2.1.1.12. Feedback mechanisms available? Feedback to improve the contents of the framework
2.1.1.13. Justification / explanation of the development process available?
2.1.2. Which domain?
2.1.2.1. Archival domain
2.1.2.2. Records management domain
2.1.2.3. Both / integrated
2.1.3. Relation to adjacent domains e.g. library, museum, information management, IT specialist
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2.1.3.1. Included Domain‐specific profiles are part of more generic framework for neighbouring domains
2.1.3.2. Inclusive Domain‐specific profiles are the more generic framework, which contains other domains
2.1.3.3. Exclusive Domain‐specific profiles are distinct from those for other even adjacent domains
2.1.4. Goals / objectives intended realised Distinguish: intended opposed to realised; this is about the objectives that are explicitly claimed
2.1.4.1. Initial education EQF levels; this can be detailed in section 2.4.1. and 2.4.5.
2.1.4.2. Further education EQF levels; this can be detailed in section 2.4.1. and 2.4.5.
2.1.4.3. Career development / CPD Continuous Professional Development
2.1.4.4. HRM and/or HRD Human Resource Management / Development
2.1.4.5. Accreditation of education programs This can be detailed in section 2.4.6.2.
2.1.4.6. Certification / registration of professionals This can be detailed in section 2.4.6.1.
2.2. Coverage data
2.2.1. Career steps coverage i.e. do profiles apply to the underlying .... professional?
2.2.1.1. Early career Junior / starter (not yet fully qualified)
2.2.1.2. Mid career Intermediate / fully qualified
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2.2.1.3. Late career Senior / expert / specialist (more than fully qualified)
2.2.2. Levels of operation coverage This must be distinguished from career steps; the professional can make a career within functions at tactical level; or otherwise: a career step does not necessarily lead to a higher level.
2.2.2.1. Strategic / senior – executive staff
2.2.2.2. Tactical / professional staff
2.2.2.3. Operational staff
2.2.3. Salary scaling included?
2.3. Content data
2.3.1. Approach for defining competencies
2.3.1.1. Top down Theoretical approach / essentially desktop research
2.3.1.2. Bottom up Pragmatic approach / based on field research
2.3.1.3. Others
2.3.1.4. Justification of chosen approach Explanation of the (pragmatic, theoretical or scientific) basis to justify the choices made in this section of the framework
2.3.2. Criteria for categorising
2.3.2.1. RK task domains Record Keeping
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2.3.2.2. Functions of RK system
2.3.2.3. Others
2.3.3. Type of competency
2.3.3.1. Common competency (non domain‐specific) In general these are so‐called ‘meta competences’ which cannot be seen like independent items on themselves, they always depend from other (domain specific) knowledge, skills and competence
2.3.3.1.1. Academic competencies i.e. competencies of a highly educated professional in general, like problem analysis and problem solving; making and motivating choices (with high incertainty)
2.3.3.1.2. Workplace competencies i.e. competencies that are identified by the organisation, like awareness for sustainable development, learning to learn or ethical competence, entrepreneurial competence, cultural competence; organisational sensitiveness, relationships with supervisors, gaining information regarding the company, the industry, or job duties
2.3.3.1.3. Personal effectiveness i.e. competencies like competence of foreign languages, communicative competence, intercultural behaviour; such as self‐confidence, interpersonal skills, working effectively with others, professional meeting/email/telephone etiquette, networking, written communication, time management, organization, decision making
2.3.3.2. Domain specific competency (archives / records management)
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2.3.3.2.1. Archives
2.3.3.2.2. Records management
2.3.3.2.3. Record keeping
2.3.3.2.4. Others
2.3.3.3. Position specific competency (job, function e.g. pharmaceutical industry, university hospitals)
2.3.3.3.1. Within single organisation
2.3.3.3.2. Within specific type of organisation
2.3.3.3.3. Other
2.3.4. Sector(s)
2.3.4.1. Public domain or private enterprise?
2.3.4.2. Sector wide (e.g. state government or pharmaceutical industry)
2.3.4.3. Single organisation (e.g. city archives of Girona or Schering‐Plough Netherlands)
2.3.4.4. Specialised department within organisation (e.g. images department)
2.3.5. Body / description Format for the description of competencies
2.3.6.1. Definition of descriptive elements The format may contain different categories of descriptive elements; the categories may be in a hierarchy; each category may be defined or explained
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2.3.6. Type of descriptors
2.3.6.1. Conduct indicators (examples of) observable behaviour in executing professional tasks
2.3.6.2. Output (performance) indicators (examples of) observable output (products) as the result of professional activities or tasks
2.3.6.3. Task description (examples of) recognisable professional activities that belong to typical jobs or to the profession
2.3.6.4. Knowledge description (distinct from skills, attitude)
2.3.6.5. Skills description (distinct from knowledge, attitude)
2.3.6.6. Attitude description (distinct from knowledge, skills)
2.3.6.7. Others
2.4. Proficiency and development data
2.4.1. Acquisition of competency Does the framework (competency profiles) give indications on how the competency(‐ies) may be acquired?
2.4.1.1. Recognised diplomas required at entry in job Proofs that competency(‐ies) has(have) been acquired before applying for a job or a function; e.g. diplomas, certificates, etc. (formal initial education) or assessment of prior learning
2.4.1.2. To be developed on the job Competency(‐ies) can be acquired by post initial learning on the workplace (training on the job)
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2.4.1.3. To be developed off the job Competency(‐ies) can be acquired by post initial learning outside the workplace (training off the job)
2.4.2. Assessment of competency Does the framework contain or refer to instruments designed for (self‐) assessment? is an instrument for (self‐) assessment provided to measure proficiency?
2.4.2.1. (reference to) self‐assessment tools
2.4.2.2. (access to) other assessment tools
2.4.2.3. Others
2.4.3. Proficiency level variables / proficiency rating scale To be distinguished from section 2.2. In section 2.2. the question is: ‘do the profiles make a distinction between different levels, steps etc.?’ In section 2.4.3. the matter is: ‘does the instrument for (self‐)assessment measure (levels of) proficiency?’
2.4.3.1. Basic
2.4.3.2. Foundational
2.4.3.3. Intermediate
2.4.3.4. Advanced
2.4.3.5. Expert
2.4.4. Performance level indicators Does the instrument for (self‐)assessment lead to a judgment on proficiency?
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2.4.4.1. Does not meet expectations
2.4.4.2. Meets expectations
2.4.4.3. Exceeds expectations
2.4.5. Improvement of competency Is the framework used for this purpose? does the framework refer to specific activities of specific suppliers?
2.4.5.1. (reference to) training off‐the‐job
2.4.5.2. (reference to) training on‐the‐job
2.4.5.3. (reference to) coaching
2.4.5.4. Others
2.4.6. Recognition / valuation of prior learning Is the framework used for this purpose? does the framework refer to specific activities or specific organisations?
2.4.6.1. By means of certification
2.4.6.2. By means of accreditation
3. Presentation of national case studies / examples of competency frameworks
3.1. Example 1
3.2. Example 2
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3.3. Example 3
3.4. etc.
4. Development of a national competency framework
4.1. Available models
4.2. Available tools
4.3. Evaluation of case studies
4.3.1. Tips and pitfalls
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Context
Descriptor
Value Comments and remarks
1. Definition of the concepts
1.1. Existing definitions
(+) These are not discussed in the profiles themselves, but in accompanying articles
1.2. Choosen (working) definition
Kerncompetentie = brede omschrijving van de kennis, inzicht, vaardigheid en attitude die de professional bezit die werkzaamheden in dit domein uitvoert. Uitgewerkt in vaardigheden en (voorbeelden van) beroepstaken. Kennis en inzicht zijn doorgaans
APPENDIX 2 – CASE STUDY 1: THE NETHERLANDS MODEL
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voorwaardelijk voor de vaardigheden.
[Core competency = a broad description of the knowledge, understanding, skills and aptitudes that a professional masters who is working in a given (activity) domain of archives and records management. Each competency has been worked out in a series of skills at one hand and (examples of) professional tasks at the other hand. Knowledge and understanding have not been stated separately, they are thought to be conditional to the skills.]
1.3. Benefits of competency models / frameworks
(+) These are not discussed in the profiles themselves, but in the introduction to the profiles and in accompanying articles.
2. Domain‐specific national competency frameworks
2.1. Context data
2.1.1. Formal characteristics
2.1.1.1. Owned by whom?
KVAN Royal Association of Archivists in the Netherlands
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2.1.1.1.1 Professional association
+
2.1.1.1.2 Government body
‐‐
2.1.1.1.3 Education organisation
‐‐
2.1.1.1.4 Others ‐‐
2.1.1.2. Commissioned by whom?
Archiefschool Dutch Archives School (since 2009, part of Amsterdam Polytechnics / Hogeschool van Amsterdam) Netherlands / Advisory Board on programs
2.1.1.3. Developed by whom?
ad hoc Commissie Beroepsprofiel Archivaris
Ad hoc Committee Professional Profile of the Archivist – composed of representatives of different stakeholders and concerned parties
2.1.1.4. Published when?
2004 and 2007 2004 part 1 = Archivist in repositories
2007 part 2 = Archivist in record creating
2.1.1.5. Updated since? (sustainability)
‐‐
2.1.1.6. Published where?
www.archiefschool.nl
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www.kvan.nl
2.1.1.7. Public or restricted access?
public
2.1.1.8. Available for free or priced?
free
2.1.1.9. Recognized by whom?
KVAN The profiles were originally commanded and owned by the Archiefschool; KVAN has recognized them informally first and later KVAN took over the ownership
2.1.1.10. Vision on profession included?
+ For both parts: actual status and future developments
2.1.1.11. User guidelines provided?
+
2.1.1.12. Feedback mechanisms available?
‐‐
2.1.1.13. Justification / explanation of the
(+) Not as part of the profiles; by separate publications in journals
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development process available?
2.1.2. Which domain?
Records continuum Although in two distinct parts with different lay‐out, the two profiles reflect the same basic competencies and activity domains, with differences in the details / specifications; some members of the committee would have favoured a single integrated profile, others did not (the latter have won).
2.1.2.1. Either archival domain
Part 1
2.1.2.2. Or records management domain
Part 2
2.1.2.3. Or both / integrated
‐‐
2.1.3. Relation to adjacent domains
e.g. library, museum, information management, IT specialist
2.1.3.1. Included ‐‐
2.1.3.2. Inclusive ‐‐
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2.1.3.3. Exclusive + Domain‐specific profiles are distinct from those for other even adjacent domains
2.1.4. Goals / objectives
intended realised
2.1.4.1. Initial education
+ + Higher education (Archiefschool programs) EQF levels 6 Bachelor and 7 Master / second and first cycle (Bologna)
2.1.4.2. Further education
+ + Higher education (Archiefschool programs) EQF levels 6 Bachelor and 7 Master / second and first cycle (Bologna)
2.1.4.3. Career development / CPD
+ (‐‐) Due to poor dissemination, the profiles are hardly used for this goal
2.1.4.4. HRM and/or HRD
+ (‐‐) Due to poor dissemination, the profiles are hardly used for this goal
2.1.4.5. Accreditation of education programs
(+) (‐‐) Not to my knowledge in official (state) accreditation schemes; the profiles played a small role in the discussion on how the Archiefschool programs fit to the expectations / requirements expressed by the sector itself
2.1.4.6. Certification / registration of professionals
+ not yet The profiles are going to play a (prominent) role in the certification / registration scheme now under construction in the Netherlands
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2.2. Coverage data
2.2.1. Career steps coverage
2.2.1.1. Early career (‐‐)
2.2.1.2. Mid career + Core target group
2.2.1.3. Late career (+) Implicitly included (the senior is more than fully qualified)
2.2.2. Levels of operation coverage
2.2.2.1. Strategic / senior – executive staff
+
2.2.2.2. Tactical / professional staff
+
2.2.2.3. Operational staff
‐‐
2.2.3. Salary scaling ‐‐
2.3. Content data
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2.3.1. Criteria for categorising
2.3.1.1. RK task domains
(+) Occasionally (as a verification of ‘RK system functions’ – reference Peter Horsman’s introduction text)
2.3.1.2. Functions of RK system
+ In the 1st place
2.3.1.3. Others ‐‐
2.3.1.4. Justification of chosen approach
‐‐ In separate journal articles
2.3.2. Approach for defining competencies
2.3.2.1. Top down + In the 1st place: theoretical approach / essentially desktop research (working committee)
2.3.2.2. Bottom up (+) In the 2nd place: pragmatic approach / based on field research (interviews etc.)
2.3.2.3. Others ‐‐
2.3.3. Type of competency
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2.3.3.1. Common competency
2.3.3.1.1 Academic competencies
+
2.3.3.1.2 Workplace competencies
‐‐
2.3.3.1.3 Personal effectiveness
‐‐
2.3.3.2. Domain specific competency
2.3.3.2.1 Archives + in one profile
2.3.3.2.2 Records management
+ in the other one
2.3.3.2.3 Record keeping
‐‐
2.3.3.2.4 Others ‐‐
2.3.3.3. Position specific competency
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2.3.3.3.1 Within single organisation
‐‐
2.3.3.3.2 Within specific type of organisation
‐‐
2.3.3.3.3 Other ‐‐
2.3.4. Outreach of competency
2.3.4.1. Public domain / private enterprise
both
2.3.4.2. Sector (e.g. state government)
0
2.3.4.3. Organisation (e.g. city archives)
0
2.3.4.4. Department (e.g. acquisition)
0
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2.3.5. Body / description
2.3.6.1. Definition of concepts
(+) only in accompanying publications
2.3.6.2. Justification of process and assumptions
(+) only in accompanying publications
2.3.6. Type of descriptors
2.3.6.1. Behavioural indicators / behaviour examples
(+) 2004 part 1 = Archivist in repositories profile
Profile hierarchy of ten ‘core competencies’ one for every task domain – each core competency subdivided in N skills / abilities – each skill / ability defined by a number of illustrative professional tasks plus their output (‘examples’, not an exhaustive list).
2007 part 2 = Archivist in record creating profile
Profile hierarchy of twelve ‘core competencies’ – each core competency defined by a number of illustrative professional tasks plus their output (‘examples’, not an exhaustive list)
2.3.6.2. Output (performance) indicators
(+)
2.3.6.3. Task description
(+)
2.3.6.4. Knowledge description (distinct from
‐‐
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skills, attitude) SEE ANNEX for examples
NOTES 1) The makers of the profiles think the two profiles can be integrated into one.
2) In part 2 the intermediate level of ‘skills’ has been deleted because of technical reasons (repetition of lowest level tasks + outputs).
2.3.6.5. Skills description (distinct from knowledge, attitude)
(+)
2.3.6.6. Attitude description (distinct from knowledge, skills)
‐‐
2.3.6.7. Others ‐‐
2.4. Proficiency and development data
2.4.1. Acquisition of competency
2.4.1.1. Recognised diplomas required at entry in job
‐‐
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2.4.1.2. To be developed on the job
+
2.4.1.3. To be developed off the job
+
2.4.2. Assessment of competency
2.4.2.1. (reference to) self‐assessment tools
0
2.4.2.2. (access to) other assessment tools
0
2.4.2.3. Others 0
2.4.3. Proficiency level variables / proficiency rating scale
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2.4.3.1. Basic 0
2.4.3.2. Foundational 0
2.4.3.3. Intermediate 0
2.4.3.4. Advanced 0
2.4.3.5. Expert 0
2.4.4. Performance level indicators
2.4.4.1. Does not meet expectations
0
2.4.4.2. Meets expectations
0
2.4.4.3. Exceeds expectations
0
2.4.5. Improvement of competency
2.4.5.1. (reference to) training off‐
+
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the‐job
2.4.5.2. (reference to) training on‐the‐job
0
2.4.5.3. (reference to) coaching
0
2.4.5.4. Others 0
2.4.6. Recognition / valuation of prior learning
2.4.6.1. By means of certification
+
2.4.6.2. By means of accreditation
(+)
3. Presentation of national case studies / examples of competency frameworks
3.1. Example 1
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3.2. Example 2
This is dealt with in the current Handbook. 3.3. Example 3
3.4. etc.
4. Development of a national competency framework
4.1. Available models
This is dealt with in the current Handbook. 4.2. Available tools
4.3. Evaluation of case studies
4.3.1. Tips and pitfalls
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In the Netherlands, competency oriented education and learning are very common. Most university programs are competency oriented;
higher archival and records management education included. The same holds for initial public education at lower levels. Commercial training
courses of all kind often are competency driven. Many Human Resource Management (HRM) work in private companies and public
organisations is competency based, eg staffing, career development / planning and continuous education activities are based upon
competency (gap) analysis. State government ministries and local government organisations use so‐called competency handbooks for such
HRM activities. There exist computer based self‐assessment tools for staff to position themselves and to get feedback on possible
improvement steps.
Nevertheless, competency thinking is under attack by those who prefer a more traditional way of education in which knowledge and skills are
more prominent and neatly distinguished from each other, and where different subjects are taught apart from each other. This last objection
can be overcome if the archival community would agree upon a common knowledge base (see above).
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Task domains (repository)
Design of archival systems
1. Evaluation of archival systems 2. Arrangement 3. Access 4. Appraisal, selection, acquisition 5. Managing and preservation 6. Use and usability 7. Research 8. Education and presentation 9. Generic competency (common to all task domains)
Part of the profile of an archivist working in a repository. The format also holds for the second profile (archivist in a record creating organisation).
Task domain #4 = Access Core competency = The archivist is able to make archives accessible from the point of view of the business processes that have generated them. Ability (skills) Professional tasks (examples)
1. The archivist reconstructs the (historical) institutional and societal context of the archive and its creator.
a. Doing retrospective organisation and business research in view of access or appraisal and selection. b. Analysing and describing actors, business processes, tasks and transactions.
2. The archivist analyses archives and archival systems in view of making archives accessible.
c. Evaluating if access tools must be developed, and if so, which one(s) and in which way.d. Evaluating if available access tools are adequate or need adaptation, and if so, in which way.
etc.
etc.
ANNEX (section 2.3.6.) Examples taken from the profiles.
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Task domains (record creation)
1. Generic competency (common to all task domains)
Specific competency
2. Archival systems: design, development, implementation, management, assurance, enforcement and evaluation
Aspects
3. Ingest 4. Capture 5. Arrangement and access 6. Appraisal and selection 7. Managing and preservation 8. Use and access 9. Research 10. User education and information
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APPENDIX 3 – CASE STUDY 2: ASSOCIATION OF FRENCH ARCHIVISTS MODEL
Context
The competency model of the Association des Archivistes français (AAF) was published in 2008 first online, then as a free available paper brochure provided
to the main stakeholders. It presents a complete re‐definition of our profession. Its elaboration gave the members of the working group an opportunity to
think about our identity as professionals and the way we intend to be presented. This led the working group to develop an in‐depth analyze of some basic
concepts, with an introspective approach, and to describe the activities and skills of a professional. But this was only the first step; the goal was to go
further, and to impose the model to the professional community. That is why the group proposed a communication strategy.
The French project context and its objectives
The French context: archivists and records managers’ place in organizations
The competency models used by archives organizations and by organizations which manage employment in France are inappropriate, neither in the public
administrations nor in the business sector. They do not make clearly the difference between archivist and librarian or information manager. Sometimes
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they even reduce our profession to its handling aspects, or keep a complete silent about our specific domain. It can be a handicap in different
circumstances: looking for trainings opportunities, managing our careers, or performing our manager role, etc.
There are two main reasons for this situation. The first one is a general lack of acknowledgement of our profession and of its value. We struggle every day
against stereotypes, people thinking archives are relics and archivists, guardians of temples.
The second one is the fact that archivists work in very various contexts. The heterogeneity of employers makes it difficult to give a definition of the archives
professions. Public administration, which comports itself various kinds of institutions, private companies, small associations do not all consider the function
the same way and their priority is given to one or another aspect : to the cultural role of archives, to legal issues, to the information management strategy,
or even only from a logistic point of view. This has consequences on the way we practise our activities. There is not only one model for the archives
department management transposable everywhere, but several. This is probably the reason why there have been first in France, various and sectoral
competency models.
The birth of the project and its objectives
The AAF is divided into sections, which correspond to different working environments and employers. Among others there is a section of business archives
which published the first competency model of the association in 2001. It was presented in the ICA international congress held in Vienna (2004). It describes
the archives and records department activities and gives a typology of position descriptions adapted to business companies.
At the same moment, the Direction des archives de France (Ministry of Culture and Communication) also published a competency model consisting in five
position descriptions corresponding to the French grades for governmental public administration. The AAF was involved in the process of development of
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these position descriptions, but did not considered them as a complete competency model applicable to the profession as a whole, and decided to pursue
the work. For example, these models could barely be used by archivists of territorial public administrations.
With its transverse approach, the AAF was able to make different people work together so as to produce a flexible model which could be applied anywhere.
On the other hand, the AAF model was conceived mostly as a support for the promotion of the profession. Since the project started the idea was to
negotiate with the Ministry of Employment and other organizations so that they could consider the AAF model and integrate it in their patterns. The model
is also supposed to help archivists, providing them operational tools to analyze the way archives departments/services are organized, and to manage their
careers and their professional development (training).
The methodology
The working group.
The team comprised qualified members representative of their professional environments. The project was developed from 2004 onwards so the
composition of the working group has changed. However it always included the president of the association, the training center manager (volunteer) and its
permanent employee; in addition each section of the association appointed a representative. Members of an organization called the ‘Collectif A8’, which
brings together associations of young professionals and has become an expert in the employability issues, were also associated. Before the model was
released a call for comments was organized and all the members of the AAF could express their opinion.
Defining activities and skills.
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The first need was to precise where the group should start from: it considered the archival theory and traditionally accepted concepts which were
compared to realities. The notions, updated, were then transposed into actions, activities or tasks. The group spontaneously used the traditional logic which
consists in distributing the archivists’ missions in four domains: records management and acquisition, classification and description, conservation and
preservation, and access and promotion. A separate chapter was devoted to the management of an archives and records department.
Once activities were listed, there were connected with categories of knowledge, technical and behavioural skills and competencies.
This has been a long work, with difficult debates because of the different corporate cultures. However a consensus and common formulations were found,
which any professional could accept. This shows archivists share a common culture and a solid ‘doctrine’.
The first version published in 2008 is the result of this first phase of the reflection.
The positions descriptions
The second phase consisted in defining different positions, different levels of responsibility and qualification and therefore in developing standard position
descriptions.
The difficulty came from the fact that it is uneasy to describe definitely how an archive department should be composed and managed, because of the
working environment. It also depends on the type of archives we are managing: medieval palaeography can be essential for a job, or completely useless,
the same for skills in the legal field for instance.
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Furthermore, there is often a gap between the responsibility level and the position or the recruitment level. There are as more over qualified than under
qualified employees in our institutions. In small organizations, archive managers are in general recruited at the bottom of the scale even if they are
responsible for the whole records lifecycle. On the opposite side, the manager of a big archives department, recruited at a high grade cannot avoid low level
tasks, especially if there is a lack of staff. This reality can be difficult to assume or to explain. Yet, the model must take it into consideration and not be de‐
connected from reality.
The chosen solution consists in proposing adjustable position descriptions. Four position levels (from manager / executive to less qualified employee) have
been defined. They propose to users a list of activities and skills, some of which can be modulated according to pre‐determined grades. For example,
palaeography can vary from 0 to 4, while other more vital skills can vary between 3 and 4 or not vary at all, if they concern core competencies.
Further developments
Further steps will tackle certification, training and self assessment issues. Comparing the model with that of ARMAs competency model, the latter is much
more pragmatic and seems to have been conceived with the will to help individuals. The starting point seems to be the description of the reality, and the
priority, to help individuals to get adapted to it, whereas the AAF model pretends to show what reality should be and how it should comply with theory.
Different logics are possible and complementary, however comparison with other existing models and approaches will help the working group to update
and improve the model and maybe to reconsider the approach.
The dissemination
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The content development must go with a specific publication format. The existing online publication will be completed by an interactive version which aims
to help users to build a position‐profile step by step, adapted to their working context.
The dissemination of the model addressed to various targets is considered as a priority: mailing list of contacts, meetings with representatives of the main
organizations involved in employment management and with training institutions/universities have been included in the project plan.
Conclusion
From the AAF experience, the main ingredients to develop a competency model could be:
1. A working group composed by professionals. The AAF project did not associate an expert in Human resources management however it could
have been interesting;
2. associating professionals from various working contexts and with various background;
3. adopting the bottom up approach;
4. being conscious that flexibility is essential, without making concessions about the core competencies;
5. proposing a format adapted to the target;
6. being aware that it is a long term work. The model will soon loose its interest if the content is not updated.
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Framework for comparative approach applied to the AAF model
Descriptor Value Comments and remarks
5. Definition of the concepts
5.1. Existing definitions ‐‐
5.2. Chosen (working) definition ‐‐
5.3. Benefits of competency models / frameworks
Described in the introduction and in related articles.
6. Domain‐specific national competency frameworks
‐‐
6.1. Context data
6.1.1. Formal characteristics
6.1.1.1. Owned by whom?
6.1.1.1.1. Professional association AAF Association des Archivistes français
6.1.1.1.2. Government body ‐‐
6.1.1.1.3. education organisation ‐‐
6.1.1.1.4. others ‐‐
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6.1.1.2. Commissioned by whom? AAF
6.1.1.3. Developed by whom? AAF‐Groupe référentiel métiers
ad hoc working group comprising representatives from the various sections of the association
6.1.1.4. Published when? 2008 Published in French and English for the 2008 international congress, but the English version should be checked.
6.1.1.5. Updated since? (sustainability) ‐‐ New components under development, including professional profiles.
6.1.1.6. Published where? www.archivistes.org Has also been printed and freely disseminated to various stakeholders. A new online version enabling users to build specific profiles will be soon available.
6.1.1.7. Public or restricted access? public
6.1.1.8. Available for free or priced? free
6.1.1.9. Recognized by whom? AAF
6.1.1.10. Vision on profession included? +
6.1.1.11. User guidelines provided? +
6.1.1.12. Feedback mechanisms available? A survey has been conducted several months after the publication, and results published in an article in the AAF Newsletter.
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6.1.1.13. Justification / explanation of the development process available?
(+) Not as part of the profiles; by separate publications in journals.
6.1.2. Which domain? Records continuum Single profile, though presented from a French professional approach.
6.1.2.1. Either archival domain ‐‐
6.1.2.2. or records management domain ‐‐
6.1.2.3. or both / integrated +
6.1.3. Relation to adjacent domains e.g. library, museum, information management, IT specialist
6.1.3.1. Included ‐‐
2.1.3.2. Inclusive ‐‐
2.1.3.3. Exclusive + Domain‐specific profiles are distinct from those for other even adjacent domains
6.1.4. Goals / objectives intended realised
6.1.4.1. Initial education + ‐‐ It is difficult to measure the impact on education programmes as the model was published by the end of 2008.
6.1.4.2. Further education + + The training programme of the association is taking
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the model into account.
6.1.4.3. Career development / CPD + (‐‐) Difficult to measure
6.1.4.4. HRM and/or HRD + (‐‐) Job descriptions published on demand by the AAF seem to take the model into account. Also some feedback through the survey.
6.1.4.5. Accreditation of education programs (‐‐) (‐‐) There is no official accreditation programme
6.1.4.6. Certification / registration of professionals
+ not yet There not yet a certification scheme or programme available in France.
6.2. Coverage data
6.2.1. Career steps coverage
6.2.1.1. Early career +
6.2.1.2. Mid career + Core target group
6.2.1.3. Late career + Implicitly included
6.2.2. Levels of operation coverage An annex has been developed proposing levels of operation profiles
6.2.2.1. Strategic / senior – executive staff +
6.2.2.2. Tactical / professional staff +
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6.2.2.3. Operational staff +
6.2.3. Salary scaling ‐‐
6.3. Content data
6.3.1. Criteria for categorising
6.3.1.1. RK task domains (+) Depending of what is meant by ‘recordkeeping’
6.3.1.2. Functions of RK system +
6.3.1.3. Others ‐‐
6.3.1.4. Justification of chosen approach ‐‐
6.3.2. Approach for defining competencies
6.3.2.1. Top down + Using the definition of the core missions of the archivist in France
6.3.2.2. Bottom up + Sub divisions (under core missions) being the activities performed by archivists (from the experience of the members of the working group).
6.3.2.3. Others ‐‐
6.3.3. Type of competency
6.3.3.1. Common competency
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6.3.3.1.1. Academic competencies +
6.3.3.1.2. Workplace competencies
6.3.3.1.3. Personal effectiveness ‐‐
6.3.3.2. Domain specific competency
6.3.3.2.1. Archives +
6.3.3.2.2. Records management +
6.3.3.2.3. Record keeping ‐‐
6.3.3.2.4. Others ‐‐
6.3.3.3. Position specific competency
6.3.3.3.1. Within single organisation ‐‐
6.3.3.3.2. Within specific type of organisation ‐‐
6.3.3.3.3. Other ‐‐
6.3.4. Outreach of competency
6.3.4.1. Public domain / private enterprise both
6.3.4.2. Sector (e.g. state government) ‐‐
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6.3.4.3. Organisation (e.g. city archives) ‐‐
6.3.4.4. Department (e.g. acquisition) ‐‐
6.3.5. Body / description
2.3.6.1. Definition of concepts (+) Only in accompanying publications
2.3.6.2. justification of process and assumptions
(+) Only in accompanying publications
6.3.6. Type of descriptors
6.3.6.1. Behavioural indicators / behaviour examples
+
6.3.6.2. Output (performance) indicators ‐‐
6.3.6.3. Task description +
6.3.6.4. Knowledge description (distinct from skills, attitude)
+
6.3.6.5. Skills description (distinct from knowledge, attitude)
+
6.3.6.6. Attitude description (distinct from knowledge, skills)
+
6.3.6.7. Others ‐‐
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6.4. Proficiency and development data
6.5. ```````````` Acquisition of competency
6.5.1.1. Recognised diplomas required at entry in job
‐‐ Nothing is mentioned in the model about acquisition of competencies.
6.5.1.2. To be developed on the job ‐‐
6.5.1.3. To be developed off the job ‐‐
6.5.2. Assessment of competency
6.5.2.1. (reference to) self‐assessment tools ‐‐
6.5.2.2. (access to) other assessment tools ‐‐
6.5.2.3. Others ‐‐
6.5.3. Proficiency level variables / proficiency rating scale
6.5.3.1. Basic 0
6.5.3.2. Foundational 0
6.5.3.3. Intermediate 0
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6.5.3.4. Advanced 0
6.5.3.5. Expert 0
6.5.4. Performance level indicators
6.5.4.1. Does not meet expectations 0
6.5.4.2. Meets expectations 0
6.5.4.3. Exceeds expectations 0
6.5.5. Improvement of competency
6.5.5.1. (reference to) training off‐the‐job 0
6.5.5.2. (reference to) training on‐the‐job 0
6.5.5.3. (reference to) coaching 0
6.5.5.4. Others 0
6.5.6. Recognition / valuation of prior learning
6.5.6.1. By means of certification ‐‐
6.5.6.2. By means of accreditation ‐‐
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Cover ‐page of the AAF online model
114
Example of presentation‐page of the model dedicated to arrangement and description‐French version
115
Example of presentation‐page of the model dedicated to arrangement and description‐English version
116
Example of position description
117
AAF training offer‐example of new training courses proposed as an impact of the model
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APPENDIX 4‐CASE STUDY 3: HELSINKI WORKSHOP ‘VISION CASE STUDY’
14 October 2010
Objectives
1. Making the audience discover basic concepts and a possible approach to developing a set of archivists’ competencies suitable to the present and near future Finnish context.
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2. Testing the workgroup’s Competencies Framework Handbook and collecting feedback from participants and team members.
Outcomes
1. The National Archives of Finland is not unwilling to take the lead (or to be involved in it) to proceed with the planning of a project to develop such a set of archivists’ competencies. The workshop can be considered a very first step.
2. The workshop taught the workgroup members that – apart from basic understanding of core concepts – a shared vision on the profession is required. The discussions shifted away from the programme and stressed this point. Eventually, the workgroup have rewritten the handbook’s text in this respect.
Preparations and participants
The workgroup has prepared a programme including the activities that it intended to be executed by the attendants. Workgroup members have given papers and chaired parallel sessions.
The National Archives of Finland hosted the meeting and took care of all the logistic and organizational requirements. These included: selecting and inviting the attendants, conference rooms, equipment, staff to take notes, catering. The active role of the deputy director‐general underlined NA’s involvement.
The attendants were professional (managing) archivists, archival educators and representatives from archival institutions. They all were highly educated (master level and up) and came from throughout the country. They were about 30 in total.
The workshop was held on Thursday 14 October 2011.
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Overview of the conference room.
Programme
See annex 1.
The programme had high ambitions and consisted of three parts:
1. lectures: introduction of concepts and examples;
2. workshop 1: identification of core competencies;
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3. workshop 2: identification of output indicators and of educational consequences.
See annex 2 for the tasks and exercises in the workshops. Apart from the tasks, all participants were given a working definition of “competency” and of the targeted subjects.
Presentations / Papers
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²Agnès Dejob presenting the French competency profiles
Thijs Laeven presenting the Netherlands Professional and Competency Profiles (P&C).
123
Josep Conejo Muntada developing the Catalonian case study, based on a study of legislation, rules and standards
124
Armi Helenius on the possible benefits of a Finnish competency profiles project.
125
Workshops / Results
One of the subgroups at work (workshop 2)
Workshop 1 Core Competencies
126
Post‐It stickers (selection)
127
Workshop 1: Vision of the profession
128
Workshop 2A Output Indicators for (some) Core Competencies
Unfortunately, both the workshops were engaged in the same task. This was noticed too late to have one of them changing subjects. The group was split up in two different rooms. We thought it better to integrate the outcomes of the two workshops.
Workshop 2B Educational consequences
Jari Lybeck and Armi Helenius organizing workshop outcomes. Consequences for initial education and for further education.
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Wrapping Up
Evaluation
“[…] time too short, but expected to be useful as a first step […] a two‐day event would have been better” (director private archives)
“the subject is very important for me as an internships’ coach” (professional association representative)
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“The Finnish audience was very motivated and the debates were fruitful. The discussions led us to re‐write some parts of the handbook in order to develop aspects like the preliminary reflection about the vision of the profession. I listened carefully the experience of the participants, various and rewarding. I left with the impression that the Finnish participants were energized by this day.”
(A member of the team)
“A positive thing was the wide coverage of the audience: three Universities, the National Archives Service, three archives associations, a couple of municipalities, a business enterprise. A positive thing was also, of course, the quite lively discussion we witnessed. People were clearly interested in the competency model concept. Some people complained that there wasn't enough time for discussion, especially the summing‐up discussion was too short and fragmented, they think.”
(Another member of the team)
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Annex 1: Helsinki workshop programme
PROGRAMME
ICA/NA workshop at the National Archives of Finland, 14 October 2010
DEFINING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES ‐ A KEY TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE ARCHIVES FIELD?
9:15‐9:35 Welcome : Deputy Director‐General Eljas Orrman, the National Archives
Introduction to the workshop: Jari Lybeck
Coffee break
9:35‐10:00 Presentation of the Swedish competency model : Berndt Fredriksson
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10:00‐11:30 Presentation of the ICA Professional Competencies Project (including some national examples): Agnès Dejob, Thijs Laeven, Christine Martinez, Josep Conejo Muntada
11:30‐12:30 Lunch break
12:30‐13:00 The Finnish approach to professional competencies: Senior Research Officer Armi Helenius, the National Archives
13.00‐14:00 Workshop series 1 (identifying core competencies)
14:00‐14:30 Plenary discussion on results from workshop 1‐ Chair Berndt Fredriksson
14:30‐14:45 Coffee break
14:45‐15:30 Workshop series 2 (one part of the audience = identifying output indicators for core competencies; another part = educational consequences of this approach)
15:30‐16:00 Plenary discussion on results from workshop 2‐ Chairs Armi Helenius and Thijs Laeven
16:00‐16:30 Wrapping‐up; results and next steps: Christine Martinez
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Comments : Eljas Orrman
16:30 Closure : Jari Lybeck
ICA Project Group (present):
Josep Conejo Muntada, the Association of the Catalan Archivists
Carmen Cuevas Blanco, Senior Archivist, the Archive of the Royal Chancery of Valladolid, Spain
Agnès Dejob, the Association of the French Archivists
Berndt Fredriksson, Archivist at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs/Professor of Archival Science, University of Stockholm, Sweden
Thijs Laeven, Independent Senior Consultant in Human Resource Development, the Netherlands
Jari Lybeck, Senior Adviser, the National Archives, Finland
Christine Martinez, Deputy Secretary General Programme, International Council on Archives
Excused: Caroline Brown and Patricia Whatley (University of Dundee)
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Annex 2: Helsinki workshop task schedule
In our view this workshop is a kind of kick off for the Finnish professionals and their associations to get involved in a competencies project. The workshop will make a start, but will certainly not deliver a ready‐made competencies (or whatever) profile. There will certainly remain work to be done by the Finnish colleagues.
So, there are two objectives:
1) make the audience enthusiastic for setting up a Finnish competencies project;
2) show them how they could pick this up in a more or less systematic way. We think this must be the central part of the presentation of our 'model' and handbook.
That is why the expectations must be clear and not too high from the beginning. The last part of the workshop is crucial to engage participants to work further and to develop a project and a project team in order to give a follow up to the workshop outcome. The workshop will just make a start.
Audience
• 40 to 50 Finnish experts in archiving and archival education • Level = bachelor, graduate and up.
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Subgroups
Depending on actual professional activities, like 1) managers 2) trainers 3) professional staff 4) board members of professional associations, or elsewhere on yes/no familiar with modern record and archives management principles.
Task rotation schedule for the working group
Overall chair of this workshop (morning and afternoon) =J. Lybeck
Welcome by Eljas Orrman, DDG of the National Archives
Speakers morning:
• Swedish model = B. Frederiksson • ICA project = C. Martinez (including a work definition of the ‘competency’ concept in a nutshell) • French example = A. Dejob • Dutch example = T. Laeven • Catalonian example = J. Conejo Muntada
Workshop leaders [with co‐trainers]; secretaries will be provided with by the NA.
Workshop 1 = C.Martinez (first subgroup) and A. Dejob (second subgroup).
Plenary discussion = chaired by B. Frederiksson
Workshop 2A =T. Laeven (output indicators)
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Workshop 2B = A. Helenius (educational implications)
Plenary discussion = chaired by A. Helenius and T. Laeven
Results and further steps (what can / must be the follow‐up of this workshop? who is going to take the initiative? who will be responsible? what program? what participants? and so on) = C. Martinez
Final comments = Eljas Orrman
Tasks / exercises
1. Task / exercise for parallel sessions workshop 1 (identifying core competencies)
Presupposition
• Our targeted professionals are a) professionals concerned are archivists with university degree, working at senior staff level (other levels of professional staff will demand other competencies); b) professionals concerned are generalist, not specialist. They are concerned with many if not all aspects of the archival system. They cover the whole scale of processes, activities or tasks of an archive.
• Work definition of competency = a combination of knowledge, skills and behavioural attitudes required to perform a professional job at a more than moderate level. One job may require more than one competency. A core competency is a competency that crucially distinguishes archivists from e.g. librarians.
Given these presuppositions and given the definition, try to identify the core competencies required from a senior archivist/records manager by the archival community (to which the participants belong).
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2. Task / exercise for workshop 2A: (identifying output indicators)
Given the set of core competencies (workshop 1) and given the targeted professionals, what work output (or performance) can be expected? Identify the work output that helps to settle if the professional sufficiently masters the competency under discussion.
Try to repeat the exercise for more than one of the competencies in the set.
3. Tasks for workshop 2B: (identifying educational consequences)
Given the set of core competencies (workshop 1) and given the targeted professionals, what initial higher education programme will best prepare young professionals to start in this job? and what continuous professional development programme will best support active professionals to improve their performance?
We could give all the participants a handout, including work definition, tasks / exercises for all subgroups, expected results and formats of reporting. Including also the group subdivision?
Working and reporting formats for the subgroup sessions
Participants will be asked to write down their ideas on Post‐It stickers (5 minutes) and these will be stuck on flip over charts and then be structured on the basis of the discussion that will follow when the workshop leader and the co‐trainers start organizing and structuring the Post‐It stickers.
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Secretaries follow the process and not outcomes and discussion points. They make photographs of the structured Post‐Its on the flip over charts. There is hardly time for them to write a report during the sessions (maybe afterwards?). The photographs (and of course the flip over charts will be brought into the plenary session from the subgroup sessions.
In the plenary discussion the outcomes of the subgroups will be confronted and hopefully integrated. Remaining discussion points need not be solved in this workshop; that is the agenda for the follow up activities.
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APPENDIX 5
GLOSSARY
ACCREDITATION
The method of assessing programmes and courses established to educate and train potential entrants to a profession (Sources relating to archival and recordkeeping competency and certification and accreditation, SPA, 2007).
CERTIFICATION
The method of assessing the competencies of individual members of a profession (Sources relating to archival and recordkeeping competency and certification and accreditation, SPA, 2007).
COMPETENCY
1. The skills, knowledge and behavior required to work within a profession. These are acquired both through initial education and training and participation in a program of continuing professional development (Sources relating to archival and recordkeeping competency and certification and accreditation, SPA, 2007).
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2. Knowledge, skills and mode of conduct which must be acquired to achieve high level performance. A professional profile for a particular post is referred to as a job profile.
3. Knowledge, skills and characteristics which are necessary to undertake professional responsibilities and activities, and which cover all aspects of work performance (Margaret Crockett).
4. A blend of knowledge, skills and aptitudes that are required for an archivist to achieve an excellent performance in his profession. (working definition, see chapter 3, §3.1).
Three elements are crucial in this definition:
• knowledge :facts and concepts and their relationships;
• skills :capacity to achieve work related mental or physical tasks;
• aptitude :state of mind towards work, self and others.
5. A practical definition of ‘competency’ could be the following: ‘Competencies are the underlying skills, behaviors and knowledge required to perform well within a particular job role’ (see www.seethepeople.co.uk).
COMPETENCY TEMPLATE
1. Structure containing the elements (cf. Chapters 2 and 3) which are required to build a competency model.
2. A document or set of documents which give a range of different levels of competency (to allow for different staffing requirements) within the profession (Margaret Crockett).
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COMPETENCY PROFILE
• Range of competencies which must be acquired by an individual to become a professional.
• The list of competencies that are associated with a specific professional profile. (working definition, see chapter 3, §3.1).
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPEMENT (CPD)
Acquisition and updating of skills and knowledge throughout a career. See also see ‘Lifelong Learning’.
EDUCATION
Formal acquisition of knowledge.
LIFELONG LEARNING
All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence, within a personal, civic, social and/or employment‐related perspective (Communication of the European Commission, 2001).
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Performance indicators are observable and assessable achievements of a professional that demonstrate that he masters a given competency. E.g. if ‘archival description’ is a competency, one of the output indicators could be ‘making finding aids’ and the criteria could include the following elements:
• number (and production time)
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• quality (in relation to complexity)
• conformity to standards
• validation
• implementation
• evaluation / user feedback
(Working definition, see chapter 3, §3.1).
PROFESSION
Vocation founded upon specialized education and training and recognized as such by society.
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
List of tasks, activities and functions undertaken by the archivist.
RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (definition EU)
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a system whereby learning acquired through certified programmes and/or through experience can be acknowledged as a basis for entry onto formal programmes of study, and/or for gaining exemptions from parts of a programme of study. RPL is a generic term which incorporates Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), Accreditation of Prior Certified Learning (APCL) and Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
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Prior Learning is learning which has taken place prior to an application for admission to a specific formal programme of study at GMIT. It can be certified or experiential (non‐certified).
• Recognition of Prior Certified Learning
Where an applicant has already been awarded certification for a formal programme of study taken at another institution or training organization, this can be recognised for purposes of entry onto a programme at GMIT and may entitle the applicant to exemptions from some parts of that programme.
• Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning
Applicants for entry onto a programme of study may seek recognition of prior learning based on experience, including learning based on specific work experience and/or life experience. Such experiential learning may be recognized for purposes of entry onto a programme at GMIT and may entitle the applicant to exemptions from some parts of that programme. Generally, applicants must support their claim for recognition of prior experiential learning by providing a portfolio documenting their relevant experience.
TRAINING
• Planned, intentional and structured learning activity undertaken by (professional) educators to transfer knowledge and skills and practical application of knowledge.
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APPENDIX 6
BIBLIOGRAPHY
NB: the bibliography includes publications whose references have been provided by the members of the working group. Therefore, they might in other languages than English.
Asociació d’Arxivers i Gestors de Documents Valencians, Competències professionals, Revista d’Arxius, 2008.
ATHERTON J.S., Doceo; Competence, Proficiency and Beyond, 2010 (Available at: http://www.doceo.co.uk/background/expertise.htm
Backgrounds on degrees or levels of proficiency.
BIER M and PEDERSON C, ‘Utilizing Competencies to Build Skills and Promote the Records and Archival Profession’, paper delivered at the 2008 International Congress on Archives, Kuala Lumpur, 2008
CHEETAM G and CHIVERS G, Professions, Competence and Informal Learning, Cheltenham (UK), Edgard Elgar Publishing Ltd, 2005.
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They have given a very compact definition of ‘competency’: ‘[…] effective performance within a domain/context at different levels of proficiency’.
CROCKETT M, ‘Continuing Professional Development and the hallmarks of professionalism: An overview of the current environment for the record‐keeping profession’, in Journal of the Society of Archivists, no28, April 2007, pp. 77‐102.
CROCKETT M, ‘Continuing Professional Development: Who Needs It?’ Recordkeeping, October 2006.
DEJOB A, and MARTINEZ C, ‘El referente professional de la Asociacion de archiveros franceses: enfoque nacional y perspectiva internacional’, in Revista d’Arxius, Asociació d’Arxivers i Gestors de Documents Valencians, 2008, p. 123‐135.
DEJOB A, and MARTINEZ C, ‘Le référentiel métiers de l’Association des archivistes français : approche nationale et mise en perspective internationale’, in La Gazette des archives, n°218, 2010.
EBERHARDT K and MAC EWEN C, ‘Defining Australian Archival Competencies: History, Experience & Developments’, paper delivered at the 2008 International Congress on Archives, Kuala Lumpur, 2008.
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HOY M, ‘Recordkeeping competency standards: the Australian scene’, in Journal of the Society of Archivists, no28, April 2007, pp. 47 ‐ 65
HOY M, ‘What Next? How to support professional development in the information sector’, in Pember, M & Cowan, R (Eds.) Information & Records Management Annual, 2009, St Helens, Tasmania.
International Council on Archives, Section of Professional Associations (SPA), Sources relating to archival and recordkeeping competency and certification and accreditation programs, 2007, available on the ICA website www.ica.org in English and Spanish.
KAN, F VAN ‘Archive und Archivare ‐ wohin?’in Beruf des Archivars in den Niederlanden, in: Arhivpflege in Westfalen‐Lippe, 2009, S. 5‐8.
LYBECK J, ‘Pätevyysmäärittely kokoaa arkistonhoitajan yhteiset nimittäjät’. Akti. Arkistolaitoksen asiakaslehti 1/2011, pp. 16‐17.
MARTINEZ C, ‘La définition des compétences: quel rôle pour les associations professionnelles ?’, paper delivered at the 1st Internacional Congress of Professional Associations: Archiveros Asociados : desafios y oportunidades, Madrid, October 2007.
PRAHALAD C.K. and HAMEL G; ‘The Core Competence of the Corporation’, in Harvard Business Review, May‐June 1990, pp. 79‐91.
They have introduced the term ‘core competency’ in corporate (strategic management) circles.
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SCHEPERD E, Archives and Archivists in 20th Century England, Farnham, Ashgate, 2009.
SENGE P.M, The fifth discipline: the art and practice of the learning organization New York, Doubleday/Currency, 1990, translated in many languages.
Senge stresses that learning organizations are made by learning individuals. They are continuously learning (i.e. extending their knowledge and skills), not only in a formal way (courses and training) but especially in an informal way. See Wikipedia for a quick overview of Senges approach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fifth_Discipline).
STOOF A, Tools for the identification and description of competencies, PhD thesis 2005, Heerlen (Netherlands), Open University.
UHDE K, Welche Kompetenzen suchen Archive?: eine Auswertung von Stellenanzeigen 2002‐2004, in: Berufsbild im Wandel ‐ Aktuelle Herausforderungen fur die archivarische Ausbildung und Fortbildung: Beiträge zum 9. Archivwissenschaftliche Kolloquium der Archivschule Marburg (Veröffentlichungen der Archivschule Marburg, Institut fur Archivwissenschaft, 43) Marburg, Archivschule 2005, S. 127‐139.
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Useful links:
UK National Occupational Standards http://www.lluk.org/national‐occupational‐standards.htm
UK and Scottish National framework at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Qualifications_Framework
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/qualification‐and‐assessment‐framework/89‐articles/250‐explaining‐the‐national‐qualifications‐framework
Similar EU national frameworks are available on www if you make a search with "qualification framework" and the country's name. Society of Archivists UK Accreditation Criteria
http://www.archives.org.uk/careerdevelopment/startingout/postgraduatecourses/revisedaccreditationcriteriaforpostgraduatecourses.html
Australian Society of Archivists, Course Accreditation – Policy, Principles and Procedures http://www.archivists.org.au/sitebuilder/education/knowledge/asset/files/3/accreditation‐policiesprinciplesprocedures.pdf
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Institute of Certified Records managers
https://db.icrm.org/crm/index.jsp (and follow the path: study outline and bibliography for download).
EQF‐ European Qualification Framework
ec.europa.eu/education/pub/pdf/general/eqf/leaflet_en.pdf
Adopted in 2008. It makes (eight) educational levels and educational systems comparable between EU countries. It makes qualifications understandable across member states.
Short overview at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Qualifications_Framework
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APPENDIX 7
ILLUSTRATIONS
1. Interactive assistant to the composition of competency profiles. Netherlands projects
Selection of screenshots from the Dutch website www.divaprofielen.nl which was realized in 2002 by DIVA, the Netherlands sector institute for records and archives management.The website was conceived as an interactive profile generator. In four successive screens or in one overview screen the user specifies the criteria for a query request. This command makes a search in a big database composed of several hundreds of competency elements (descriptions). The
website then generates a competency profile.
Index page Translation
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Overview screen
Translation
DOMAIN
Generic [i.e. relevant for each professional] Overall [i.e. common to all of the following] Design Archival System Manage Archival System Assess Archival System Ingest Distribution and Mail Classification Access Appraisal, Selection and Acquisition Administration and Storage Availability and Information Research Education and Communication
LEVEL
Strategic
Tactical – instrumentation
Tactical – implementation
Operational
ASPECT
Knowledge
Skills
Attitude
TYPE
Profess
Organi
ICT
Legal
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The user may select more than one item in each list. The four lists are hierarchical, running from left (top) to right (bottom). Finally the screenshot says “next step: show search results”
Result page
Imagine that the user has ticked the boxes (query command): Overall → Tactical – Implementation → Knowledge → Organisational.
The result page will be a list of competency elements like this:
Translation
A second option is to create a “positioning form” which you may use to do some kind of self‐assessment, peer‐assessment or employee‐assessment.
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The user can store or print this form before or after completion.
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Other functions
The top left menu contains two more options. The first one is matching a query on “domain” and “level” items (demand) at one hand with educational offers at the other. A certain number of institutions have agreed to include short descriptions of their different types of courses in a given format. On the basis of a query request all relevant courses will be presented, including a hyperlink to the institution’s website for full details and inscription. This makes comparison and selection easier.
The second option redirects the user to the two professional and competency profiles for the highly educated archivist and records manager. These are the profiles that have been analysed in chapter 2 and 3 of this handbook. The user can select to download the profiles in PDF format as a whole, in parts or only the vision statement on the development of the profession.
The result will be the following (front page of the archivist’s profile):
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The list is more or less the same as the “domain” one in the screenshot presented above.
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If we select one of the domains (Appraisal, Selection and Acquisition) the result will be like this:
The main components in this format are:
o core competency (top line) o skills (lefthand column) o professional tasks – examples (right hand
column) P.M. As the website is no longer maintained, it does not reflect the actual insights. Presumably, it will be switched off by 2011. The two profiles of the archivist and the records manager will be available on the website of the professional organisation www.kvan.nl and in print.
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2. Interactive assistant to the composition of competency profiles. Translation into Finnish (Union of the Archives Branch – AAY, 2005).
The database underlying the Dutch www.divaprofielen.nl website has been translated into Finnish and published in a hardcopy version by the Union of the Archives Branch (abbreviation AAY in Finnish). This version (2005) can be downloaded on its website: http://www.aay.fi/pdf/vaatimusprofiilit_hollanti.pdf – we reproduce a small part of this version.
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3. Paper publication: competency model and job profiles. French Archivists Association (Association des archivistes français).
The French archivists association published in 2008 a competency model in a static version on its website (archivists.org), and as a paper brochure, which can be downloaded, as the job profiles produced as a complement in 2010: http://www.archivistes.org/Referentiel‐metiers
The competency model :
- front page
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- extract from the chapter ‘arranging and describing’:
activities knowledge technical skills behavioral skills
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- Extract from the job profile “expert archivist”: front page and chapter ‘required competencies’
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4. Database version of a competency model (Catalan Association of Archivists ‐ Associació d’Arxivers de Catalunya, AAC).
The Catalan association of archivists (Associació d’Arxivers de Catalunya) conceived its competency model as a database, which gives access, as can be seen on these two screenshots, to a catalogue of the functions of people working in records and archives departments.
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5. Self assessment tool (American Records Managers and Administrators ‐ ARMA).
The ARMA International RIM Self‐Assessment is a self‐evaluation tool based on the Records and Information Management RIM Core Competencies, which are designed to give individuals and organizations insight into the skills needed to successfully manage records and information. It is available on: http://www.arma.org. (Used with permission of ARMA).
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THE WORKING GROUP
Agnès Dejob
Jari Lybeck
Berndt Frederiksson
Thijs Laeven
Josep Conejo Muntada
Caroline Brown
María del Carmen Cuevas Blanco
Patricia Whatley Christine Martinez