Been there, done that - Life lessons learnt...
Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Management Practice) –
NQF7 (new 8)
 Strategic level programme offered to middle - senior managers from
Corporate, Government and the SETAs;
 Adopts a Systems Thinking and Action Learning approach;
 Offers Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to managers with work
and life experience but no first degree;
 Programme spans 18 -24 months with three 8-day contact modules
plus one non-contact Action Learning project module, all interspersed
with intermodular periods for workplace learning and assessment;
 Articulation options
Commerce or Mphil.
exist
for
movement
into
the
Masters
in
The following clients, inter alia, provide student cohorts:
o AngloGold Ashanti (global)
o Anglo American
o Barrick Gold
o Itron
o BoE
o JP Morgan
o Woolworths
o Namibia Water Board
o INSETA
o Services SETA
o Department of Public Enterprises
o South African Post Office
o Department of Health (Oliver Tambo Fellowship)
o Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (Tralac - Africa)
o The Waterfront Company
o Pam Golding; Anne Porter
Jerry and Brad
Recognition of Prior Learning In the University context, the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
is the evaluation and acknowledgement of the knowledge and
skills that a candidate has gained other than through formal
study to enable him/her to gain access to higher education even
though he/she doesn’t necessarily meet the normal entrance
requirements. This includes knowledge gained as a result of nonformal study, paid and unpaid work experience, community and
organisational involvement and individual inquiry.
RPL is based on a developmental model, not a deficit model of
adult learning; it builds on knowledge and skills that adults have
already acquired. RPL facilitates lifelong learning.
We use RPL for access and advanced standing.
RPL as an assessment instrument Relevant candidates should be measured against:
 Academic capabilities and skills – ‘graduateness’;
 Management capability;
 Specific work field or discipline.
Note: Candidates will also provide
experiential learnings from community
involvement, home and education (in
the manner explained in the following
slides).
Our friendly RPL case study... Graham North
Graham started out at Adecco Recruitment Services, a Swissowned global company, as the Group Treasury and Legal
Manager. Adecco’s SA HO is in Durban and it boasts 15
branches countrywide. Graham has since been promoted to
Company Accountant, in addition to the above-mentioned
portfolio.
I’m very thankful to Graham for granting me permission to
showcase his RPL document, as it is a very personal account
of one’s life.
I will be reading excerpts from Graham’s accounts of his:
• Working years (BBC)
• Academic years (GSB)
• Entrepreneurial years (property passion)
• Family years (terminal illness in family)
Adapted from My Story by Graham Marc North – July 2009
Critical questions to ponder  What do I know?
o
context of job/organisation/profession;
 Can I communicate?
o
orally; in writing; in different contexts; in a group;
 Can I work with others?
o
recognise needs of others; influence/persuade/motivate others; contribute
to group planning and decisions; lead a group;
 Can I solve problems?
o
recognise and analyse a problem’s component parts; formulate and
evaluate possible solutions; plan to deal with it; deal with it; evaluate the
outcome; plan to avoid similar problems;
 Can I collect and use information?
o
find and extract relevant information from a variety of sources; reorganise
information for a particular purpose;
Critical questions to ponder – continued...
 Can I evaluate my own performance?
o
in carrying out particular tasks; in a variety of roles – parent, committee
member, employee etc; identify own strengths and weaknesses; plan
effectively for future development;
 Can I evaluate the performance of others?
o
assess the skills of others; set up and apply measures of performance –
production targets etc; and
 Have I mathematical or numerical skills?
o
calculate in different ways; solve mathematical problems in different
contexts; keep accounts etc.
Content knowledge -
The KNOWLEDGE base consists of:
 declarative knowledge – understanding of rules and theories etc;
construct and map new knowledge; accept multiple perspectives;
 procedural knowledge – select and apply essential procedures in
context; understand enquiry and research and how to relate it to field;
 conditional knowledge – when to use procedures, skills etc; why they
work and under what conditions; why one is better than another.
Skills of Management Practice –
Apply knowledge to problems and issues  Problem solving – deal with unfamiliar concrete and
abstract problems and issues using evidence-based solutions
and theory-driven arguments;
 Information processing – good information retrieval skills;
critical analysis and synthesis of data; using IT appropriately;
 Communication – present and
communicate information, ideas and
opinions in well-structured arguments.
Self Development –
 Operate in variable and unfamiliar learning contexts –
responsibility and initiative;
 Accurately self-evaluate and identify own learning needs; and
 Interact effectively in a learning group.
Draft Level Descriptors for NQF6 (7) – Applied Competence
Learners should demonstrate:
 a well-rounded and systematic knowledge base in one or
disciplines/fields and a detailed knowledge of some specialist areas;
more
 a coherent and critical understanding of one or more disciplines/field’s
terms, rules, concepts, principles and theories; an ability to map new
knowledge onto a given body of theory; and acceptance of a multiplicity of
‘right’ answers;
 effective selection and application of the essential procedures, operations
and techniques of a discipline/field; an understanding of the central methods
of enquiry and research in a discipline/field; a knowledge of at least one
other discipline/field’s mode of enquiry;
 an ability to deal with unfamiliar concrete and abstract problems and
issues using evidence-based solutions and theory-driven arguments;
 well-developed information retrieval skills; critical analysis and synthesis
of quantitative and/or qualitative data; presentation skills following
prescribed formats, using IT skills appropriately;
 an ability to present and communicate information and their own ideas
and opinions in well-structured arguments, showing an awareness of
audience and using academic/professional discourse appropriately.
Draft Level Descriptors for NQF6 (7) – Autonomy of Learning
Learners should demonstrate:
 a capacity to operate effectively in complex, ill-defined
contexts;
 a capacity to self-evaluate exercising personal responsibility
and initiative;
 a capacity to manage learning tasks autonomously, ethically
and professionally; and
 a capacity to continue to learn independently for continuing
academic/professional development.
Suggested student process for RPL construction Generic
Competencies
Specific
Field/Discipline
Successes and
Events
Competencies and
Skills List
Task 2
Task 1
What did I need to know?
Task 3
Relate generic to own specific field
Affinity
Diagram