SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Mentor and advise learners in Higher Education and Training

SAQA US ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE
14299	Mentor and advise learners in Higher Education and Training
ORIGINATOR
SGB Higher Education & Training
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-
FIELD			SUBFIELD
Field 05 - Education, Training and Development			Higher Education and Training
ABET BAND	UNIT STANDARD TYPE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Undefined	Regular	Level 7	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L7	10
REGISTRATION STATUS		REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE	SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		2018-07-01	2023-06-30	SAQA 06120/18
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard.

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

A practitioner who has achieved this unit standard will be able to contribute to the development of the learner (including learners with special needs, such as disabilities) as a whole person, by facilitating the learner's educational and occupational development.

Practitioners who achieve this standard will be able to:

Facilitate the holistic development of learners;

Promote the learner's sense of responsibility to society;

Advise learners with respect to their strategies of learning and occupational interests;

Refer learners to appropriate counselling services;

Evaluate own practice when mentoring and advising learners.

This unit standard lays the basis for developing further competencies in HET practice by contributing to the development of learning skills, career progression and lifelong learning.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The credit value is based on the assumption that an HET practitioner being assessed against this standard will have a prior qualification at NQF Level 6 or above in their main academic field of expertise, and concurrent experience of mediating/ facilitating learning in HET.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE

The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:

Mentoring refers to the non-directive guidance of learners with respect to their learning and occupational development. It includes role modelling, but excludes specialised psychometric testing and counselling, which are the responsibility of professional psychologists.

Advising refers to guiding learners with respect to resources and opportunities that may further their academic and career development.

Learners include those with special needs, such as physical or learning disabilities.

Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria.

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1

Facilitate the holistic development of learners.

OUTCOME RANGE

Facilitation refers to the practice of using non-directive strategies to empower learners to take charge of their own learning.

Holistic development refers to the balanced development of learners' individual characteristics in terms of the various facets of their development (e.g. intellectual, career, physical, social, emotional) at the relevant stage of their growth.

Development refers to the learner building onto, and transforming, personal attributes, knowledge, abilities and cultural heritage by using the resources of the institution to progress towards self-actualisation.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. The facilitation is accomplished in a non-directive manner, by presenting opportunities for learners to engage in problem-solving activities to develop their own knowledge and competencies. Learners are encouraged to articulate and critically examine their own needs, goals, values and opinions, and to ask questions of information and clarification.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. Holistic approaches to development are applied to make provision for learners' individual characteristics, and their stages and processes of adjustment and growth in HET.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2

Promote learners' sense of responsibility towards society.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. Learners are encouraged by the practitioner to reflect on their experiences as members of communities, and their consequent responsibilities.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. Appropriate techniques are used by the practitioner to assess the extent to which learners display a sense of responsibility towards society. Information so gathered is used to promote further learning.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

3. Learners are encouraged by the practitioner to reflect on how they can integrate democratic principles into their lives.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Democratic principles include representivity, equity, justice, and accountability. Democratic choices should be based on reason.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

4. Learners are encouraged by the practitioner to make choices that reflect awareness and appreciation of diverse points of view.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Diverse refers to a range of significant differences between people, which include, e.g. gender, age, ethnicity, values, ability/disability, advantage/disadvantage, and interactions and perspectives that arise therefrom.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3

Advise learners with respect to development of their strategies of learning occupational interest.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. The learner is advised by the practitioner about how to obtain access to resources and develop effective learning strategies that will help them succeed in their discipline or field of study.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. A framework is provided that enables learners to identify and compare their own resources and competencies with the resources and competencies required for their intended occupations, and identify further development needs.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

3. The advice provides sufficient information to enable learners to make reasoned choices with respect to their programmes and future occupations, and to find and apply for appropriate further education and/or job opportunities.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

4. The advice is given in a caring, accountable manner, recognising the diverse and holistic needs of learners, and encouraging them to assess and realise their potential.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4

Refer learners to appropriate counselling services.

OUTCOME RANGE

Counselling services vary in terms of availability, but may include psychological and career counselling, psychometric testing, financial aid, medical assistance and help with study skills and registration.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. Records of referrals are up to date, orderly, confidential and secure.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. Criteria for referrals are clear and reasonable.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

3. Referrals are made only when necessary and whenever necessary.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

4. Referrals are followed up by the practitioner.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5

Evaluate own practice when mentoring and advising learners.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

1. The evaluation identifies own strengths and weaknesses and their possible impact on learners, using all sources of information and feedback appropriate to the context.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

2. The evaluation contrasts the results of mentoring and advising with the objectives thereof, and identifies areas for further development.

UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

Anyone who assesses learners against this standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.

Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard, or that will assess it, must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.

Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA in accordance with its guidelines and procedures. Therefore, anyone wishing to be assessed against this unit standard may apply to be assessed by an assessment agency, assessor or provider that is accredited by the relevant ETQA.

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

Practitioners should have a knowledge and understanding of:

Holistic theories of development that describe HET learners' stages and processes of growth;

The notion of diversity;

Democratic principles and practices.

Individual and group facilitation techniques;

Technologies for providing information to learners;

Specialised testing, counselling and support services that are available;

Learning strategies appropriate to the specialized academic discipline or field;

Institutional resources to support learning, and how to access them;

Techniques for obtaining feedback and reflecting on practice;

The value of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Skills Development Act for academic and career development.

Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):

UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Problem-solving: practitioners assess the career information needed by learners.

Entrepreneurship: practitioners identify entrepreneurial opportunities that are available for people qualified in their discipline/field.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING

Teamwork: practitioners and learners work together to analyse learners' needs and opportunities.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING

Self-organisation: practitioners keep records orderly and secure.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Information processing: practitioners identify and manage academic and career information of value to learners.

Strategies of learning: practitioners evaluate their most effective facilitation strategies.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communication: practitioners communicate with learners through a variety of media (written, spoken, electronic).

UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE

Use of technology: practitioners use appropriate literature and/or computer-based academic and career information, and technologies such as applications for financial support.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING

Systemic understanding: practitioners relate the programmes in which they teach to learners' career interests.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO CONTRIBUTING

Cultural and aesthetic sensitivity: practitioners encourage learners to reflect critically on social values.

Citizenship: practitioners identify and explain democratic principles to learners.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015.

UNIT STANDARD NOTES

Notes to assessors:

Assessment of practitioners against this standard should meet the requirements of established assessment principles, and should be appropriate to the practitioner's workplace context. Integrated assessment practices should be used to ensure that learners have meaningfully integrated the specific outcomes, embedded knowledge, and critical cross-field learning outcomes. These assessment practices may include demonstrations, simulations, interviews, and portfolios of learners' records, materials and evaluations.

Values:

The practices identified in this unit standard should promote the values of affirmation and non-discrimination as described in the Bill of Rights and Employment Equity Act.

QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD:

	ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	STATUS	END DATE	PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
Core	63711	Bachelor of Geographical Information Science (GISc)	Level 7	NQF Level 07	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2018-06-30
Core	23113	Post Graduate Certificate: Higher Education and Training	Level 7	NQF Level 07	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2023-06-30	As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

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