The five stages of Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement (RARPA)
Stage 1. Set aim(s) appropriate to an individual learner or groups of learners.
Evidence: Clearly stated aims for all programmes.
Stage 2. Carry out initial assessment to establish the learner's starting point.
Evidence: Record of outcomes of process of establishing learners' starting points.
Stage 3. Identify appropriately challenging learning objectives (initial, negotiated and revised).
Evidence: Clearly stated and suitably challenging objectives for all programmes and, wherever feasible, individually for each learner.
Stage 4. Recognise and record progress and achievement during programme (formative assessment), including tutor feedback to learners, learner reflection, progress reviews.
Evidence: Appropriate evidence includes: records of learner self-assessment, tutor records of assessment activities and individual or group progress and achievement. Learners' files, journals, diaries, portfolios, artwork, videos, audiotapes, performances, exhibitions and displays, individual or group learner testimony, artefacts, photographs and other forms of evidence.
Stage 5. Carry out end-of programme learner self-assessment, tutor summative assessment, review of overall progress and achievement in relation to appropriately challenging learning objectives, identified at the beginning of or during the programme. It may include recognition of learning outcomes not specified during the programme.
Evidence: Appropriate evidence includes records of learner self-assessment, group and peer assessment, tutor records of assessment activities and individual or group progress and achievement. Learners' files, journals, diaries, portfolios, artwork, videos, audiotapes, performances, exhibitions and displays, individual or group learner testimony, artefacts, photographs and other forms of evidence.
To keep up-to-date with RARPA developments, you can arrange to have e-bulletins
delivered directly to your desktop by the Learning and Skills Council
(LSC):
New
browser window: www.lsc.gov.uk/rarpa/.
From: 'Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement in Non-accredited Learning', published by the Learning and Skills Council in July 2005.