1. Quality Assurance and Evaluation in Initial Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Finland The evaluation is based on law, Vocational Education Act 630/1998 The providers of education have to evaluate the education they give and the educational outcomes. Two levels –Self assessment –External evaluation Quality development in schools and institutes is based on quidance and support from the authorities, not to external control or inspections

2. Evaluation systems  Most common evaluation system in vocational education institutes is based on EFQM, the European Quality Model.  The providers of education can choose other evaluation systems as well.  The NBE is publishing guidebooks and recommendations for quality management  A new recommendation will be published autumn 2007.  The recommendation is based on national education policy objectives, EFQM principles and CQAF, Common Quality Assurance Framework (Quality recommendation of the EU)

3. National Evaluation of Vocational Education and Training National evaluations were on NBE:s responsibility before 2003 They included a self assessment questionnaire for students, teachers and working life representatives and also a uniform test of learning results During 1995 -2002 NBE made national evaluations on following fields of vocational eduation and training: –Crafts and Design –Tourism, Catering and Home Economics –Metalwork and Machinery, Electrical Engineering –Social and Health Care, the starting period of Practical Nurse vocational education and trainig –Forestry (and Timber) –Business and Administration –Educational Guidance and Councelling

4. The Education Evaluation Council Set by the Ministry of Education Organizes the national evaluation of education since 2003 Contributes to the development of evaluation Promotes evaluation research Acts as an expert network National evaluations done by Evaluation Council: –On-the-job –learning, 2005 –Co-operation between upper secondary schools and vocational schools in providing education and teaching, spring 2006 –Effects of vocational education and training on regional development, autumn 2006

5. National Quality Indicators 1.Performance-based funding Performance-based funding is given to 2/3 of the providers of education depending on how good results they get. The Measures and their weighting: EFFECTIVENESS –The Placement in employment, 40 % –The Further education measure, 15 % PROCESSES –The Drop-out measure, 15 % –The Graduation measure, 15 EMPLOYEES –The Teacher Qualification measure, 11 % –The Staff-Development measure 6 % Measures are combined into an index describing the performance of The education provider.

6. 2. Quality Award Competition An annual competition, which is based on applications from the providers of vocational education and training Two steps in applying: 1.A written application including: - Short general description of the organisation - desciption of the operations and results in nine EFQM-sectors - special themes (varies annually) 2.External audit of the audit group –The external audit group visits the six best ones of the applied organisations –They interview groups of students, teachers, other staff, managers, stakeholders –And visit different learning environments of the organisation ------- after competition … 3.The six organisations get a feedback report 4.The 2 -4 best are given an award 5.The winner organisations promise to tell about their best practises (dissemination, valorisation)

7. Skills Tests as a National Evaluation System of Learning Results Student assessment in VET is renewed in autumn 2006 Vocational competence will be assessted by practical skills tests mostly in the working places Representatives from working life are assessing the vocational skills together with teachers and the student Teachers collect the data from the assessments The data is given to NBE:s database

8. Skills Tests as a National Evaluation System of Learning Results The database constitutes the basic materials for the national evaluation system of learning results The database gives information of learning results in the level of study modules The database is collected during and as a part of normal work because the assesment dokumentation must be done anyway The providers of education get information of the outcomes of the education they give The NBE gets information of the status of learning results in the national level The project has published a report in english http://www.edu.fi/julkaisut/evaluation_1_2005.pdf

9. Assessment and Evaluation in Educational Municipal Federation of the Kalajokilaakso Region Assessment in the Annual Report of Operation and Economy –Includes objectives and results of the organisation and its units –Balanced Scorecard and EFQM model framework Feedback Inquiries –From students at the beginning and at the end of studies –From the personnel once a year –From the companies about every other year –From other stakeholders about every fifth year

10. EFQM assessment Every 2-4 years –Self-assessment and external audit –Includes all the operations, processes and results of the organisation Description of operations and results Assessment of personnel and students in groups The Management team assesses and chooses: –The most important strengths in nine EFQM sectors –The most important things to improve in nine EFQM sectors Choosing the issues to improve Plans of development Taking part in the competition of Quality Award in VET Taking part in the national evaluations Assessment of self-chosen themes and processes in the organisation