Credential Assessment Why or why not to do it in-house Wendy Loat

Credential AssessmentCredential Assessment

Why or why not to do it in-houseWhy or why not to do it in-house

Wendy LoatWendy Loat

Easier said than done…Easier said than done…

Information on web applies only to Information on web applies only to “current” credentials“current” credentials

Printed materials are costly and Printed materials are costly and require constant updatingrequire constant updating

Easy to unintentionally allow biases Easy to unintentionally allow biases to creep in – my education is better to creep in – my education is better than everyone else’sthan everyone else’s

Too easy to make assumptions based Too easy to make assumptions based on limited informationon limited information

Cost of Reference MaterialsCost of Reference Materials

IHU - $630 for books, $450 for CDIHU - $630 for books, $450 for CD Both allow one access to online Both allow one access to online

versionversion American Council book - $45 American Council book - $45 Chinese Universities handbook - Chinese Universities handbook -

$420$420 Indian Universities $350Indian Universities $350 Country specific guides – costs varyCountry specific guides – costs vary

Annual SubscriptionsAnnual Subscriptions

Access to NOOSR Country Guides Access to NOOSR Country Guides (produced by Australian government) (produced by Australian government) - $1255 - $1255

NARIC Website - $2250 for 1 to 5 NARIC Website - $2250 for 1 to 5 usersusers

AACRAO – still in its infancy but cost AACRAO – still in its infancy but cost is reasonable ~ $600is reasonable ~ $600

Other PublicationsOther Publications

PIER/AACRAO guides - ~$75-100 PIER/AACRAO guides - ~$75-100 eacheach

Commonwealth Universities Commonwealth Universities Yearbook - $400Yearbook - $400

Acquisition of previously published Acquisition of previously published IHU etc – priceless…IHU etc – priceless…

Canadian ReferencesCanadian References

Few and far betweenFew and far between IQAS in Alberta has several published IQAS in Alberta has several published

on-line at on-line at http://employment.alberta.ca/cps/rdehttp://employment.alberta.ca/cps/rde/xchg/hre/hs.xsl/5218.html /xchg/hre/hs.xsl/5218.html

ICAS in Guelph has a “beginner” ICAS in Guelph has a “beginner” guide for Russia, China and Romania guide for Russia, China and Romania - $50- $50

Document IssuesDocument Issues

When to verifyWhen to verify When verification is impossibleWhen verification is impossible Staying on top of work politicsStaying on top of work politics Guilty until proven innocentGuilty until proven innocent Why verification is sometimes Why verification is sometimes

irrelevantirrelevant

Often in the Current Process…Often in the Current Process…

Assessment of academic credentials Assessment of academic credentials is often done by those who are is often done by those who are knowledgeable in respiratory therapyknowledgeable in respiratory therapy

Assessment of competencies Assessment of competencies required for the profession is often required for the profession is often outsourced to academic institutionsoutsourced to academic institutions

Outsourcing isn’t a bad thing; can Outsourcing isn’t a bad thing; can increase perception of more increase perception of more equitable assessmentequitable assessment

General Guiding PrinciplesGeneral Guiding Principles

Assessment outcomes may vary but Assessment outcomes may vary but methodology and process the samemethodology and process the same

Like snowflakes, no two services are Like snowflakes, no two services are alike; use precedents, do extensive alike; use precedents, do extensive research, share findings and consult research, share findings and consult each othereach other

All subscribe to the General Guiding All subscribe to the General Guiding Principles for Good Practice in the Principles for Good Practice in the Assessment of Foreign CredentialsAssessment of Foreign Credentials

““Overarching Principles”Overarching Principles”

1. 1. Assessment should be Assessment should be performed without any form of racial, performed without any form of racial, religious, political, or sexual religious, political, or sexual discrimination. discrimination.

2.2. Holders of foreign qualifications Holders of foreign qualifications should have adequate access, upon should have adequate access, upon request, to an assessment of their request, to an assessment of their foreign qualifications. foreign qualifications.


3.3.The procedures and criteria used in the The procedures and criteria used in the assessment of foreign credentials should assessment of foreign credentials should be clear, rational, and reliable. The be clear, rational, and reliable. The methodology recommended aims to make methodology recommended aims to make assessment procedures consistent and assessment procedures consistent and clear and to ensure all applicants receive a clear and to ensure all applicants receive a fair consideration of their application. fair consideration of their application.

4.4.Procedures for the evaluation of foreign Procedures for the evaluation of foreign credentials should be periodically credentials should be periodically reviewed with a view to increasing clarity reviewed with a view to increasing clarity and eliminating, when possible, and eliminating, when possible, requirements leading to undue requirements leading to undue complications in the procedure. complications in the procedure.


5.5. The general approach to foreign The general approach to foreign credentials and how they are compared credentials and how they are compared to a particular system should take into to a particular system should take into account the diversity of educational account the diversity of educational traditions in the world. traditions in the world.

6.6. The same basic methodology should The same basic methodology should apply whether the statement is for: apply whether the statement is for:

a)a) general employment purposes general employment purposes

b)b) entry into secondary and postsecondary entry into secondary and postsecondary institutions institutions

c)c) entry into a regulated occupation entry into a regulated occupation


7.7. Assessment criteria for the evaluation of Assessment criteria for the evaluation of foreign credentials have been elaborated foreign credentials have been elaborated with a view to increasing consistency and with a view to increasing consistency and with the objective of treating similar with the objective of treating similar cases in a reasonably similar manner cases in a reasonably similar manner across Canada. It is recognized across Canada. It is recognized nevertheless that a margin of flexibility nevertheless that a margin of flexibility in making decisions is essential and that in making decisions is essential and that decisions may vary according to the decisions may vary according to the provincial/territorial system of education. provincial/territorial system of education.

““General Procedures”General Procedures”

8.8. The evaluation of a foreign credential should: The evaluation of a foreign credential should: a)a) situate the credential within the framework of situate the credential within the framework of

the education system to which it belongs, the education system to which it belongs, taking into account its relative place and taking into account its relative place and function compared to other credentials in the function compared to other credentials in the same system; same system;

b)b) identify the level and type of credential in the identify the level and type of credential in the system of the country in which recognition is system of the country in which recognition is sought that is most comparable to the foreign sought that is most comparable to the foreign credential, taking into account the purpose credential, taking into account the purpose for which recognition is sought; for which recognition is sought;

c)c) determine whether similarities between determine whether similarities between foreign and domestic credentials are foreign and domestic credentials are sufficient for recognition. sufficient for recognition.


9.9. The evaluation should take into The evaluation should take into account past practices in similar account past practices in similar cases in order to ensure cases in order to ensure consistency in recognition practice. consistency in recognition practice. Past practice should be recorded in Past practice should be recorded in an inventory and used as a an inventory and used as a guideline for making consistent guideline for making consistent decisions. Substantial changes of decisions. Substantial changes of practice should be justified and practice should be justified and recorded. recorded.


10.10. Assessment decisions are Assessment decisions are based on the information available based on the information available to the assessment service at the to the assessment service at the time the assessment is performed. time the assessment is performed. Further information may result in Further information may result in the modification of the assessment the modification of the assessment decision. decision.


Agencies must outline fees and Agencies must outline fees and what they coverwhat they cover

How long assessment will takeHow long assessment will take Types of required documentsTypes of required documents Types of services offeredTypes of services offered Limitations of the assessmentsLimitations of the assessments ““Official” documents versus Official” documents versus

verificationverification

What the 7 Credential Assessment What the 7 Credential Assessment Services can do for YouServices can do for You

Applicant deals directly with the Applicant deals directly with the service – documents, fees etc.service – documents, fees etc.

Service can provide detailed analysis Service can provide detailed analysis of credential, placing it in context of credential, placing it in context with Canadian systems of educationwith Canadian systems of education

Can verify authenticityCan verify authenticity Complete all necessary research – Complete all necessary research –

have expensive databanks as have expensive databanks as repositories of previous assessmentsrepositories of previous assessments

What the 7 Credential Assessment What the 7 Credential Assessment Services can do for You Services can do for You con’tcon’t

Confirm length and level of programConfirm length and level of program Can “convert” grades and credit Can “convert” grades and credit

hourshours Have an extensive network for Have an extensive network for

informationinformation Can work with NARTRB members to Can work with NARTRB members to

develop a required courses templatedevelop a required courses template

Other AdvantagesOther Advantages

Process has appearance of greater Process has appearance of greater transparency – applicants won’t feel transparency – applicants won’t feel the “gatekeeper” is doing the the “gatekeeper” is doing the evaluationevaluation

No significant time or money has No significant time or money has been spend by NARTRB membersbeen spend by NARTRB members

Time can be better spent analysing Time can be better spent analysing competenciescompetencies

Even More AdvantagesEven More Advantages

YOU can select which service you want to YOU can select which service you want to work with and tell them what YOU wantwork with and tell them what YOU want

In most cases, assessment will be done In most cases, assessment will be done more quickly as services/agencies have more quickly as services/agencies have the resources in place already to do the the resources in place already to do the assessmentassessment

You can concentrate on what you do bestYou can concentrate on what you do best

Questions?Questions?

Presented by Wendy Loat on behalf of Presented by Wendy Loat on behalf of NARTRBNARTRB

[email protected]

416 762-8389416 762-8389

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Credential Assessment Why or why not to do it in-house Wendy Loat