Case Study - Using the NRS in a course using accredited curricula

This Scenario is particularly useful for those using the Certificates of General Education for Adults and reporting using the NRS. The Certificates of General Education for Adults (CGEA) are used extensively across Australia for adult literacy and numeracy programs.

This large inner city TAFE Institute runs a range of programs across three campuses. The course is funded by the state training authority who require accountability for the funding in terms of student contact hours. Successful completion of the course through demonstrating of the competencies is recorded and retained by the Provider. A Certificate is issued to the student, or if they fail to achieve all the competencies required, Certificates of Attainment for completed modules are issued.

The course discussed here is the Certificate 1 in General Education for Adults (Foundation). To achieve the Certificate students will need to successfully demonstrates competence at level 2 in all four streams of the Certificate. The streams are Reading & Writing, Oral Communication, Numeracy and General Curriculum Options. The content of the course is not fully determined until the participants are enrolled in order to meet the group goals and interests.

Certificate 1 in General Education for Adults (Foundation) provides for 640 hours of class. The course runs for a year, covering at least 15 hours a week.

For state training system accountability purposes, providers collect statistical information on enrolments and student contact hours related to courses. However, where places in Certificates of General Education for Adults courses are funded by the Commonwealth Literacy and Numeracy Programme, NRS reports on individuals will be required. (Another on-line NRS Case study is provided specifically for the Literacy and Numeracy Programme).