PDA Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural Industries: Cultural Learning at SCQF level 6

Professional Development Awards (PDAs) extend or broaden professional or vocational skills and are linked to National Occupational Standards. This PDA is also linked to the Euro-Aspire validation criteria. Euro-Aspire connects European organisations that informally educate people in and through creative activities.

The PDA in Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural Industries: Cultural Learning at SCQF level 6 includes artistic practice, principles of practice, sharing knowledge and skills, and developing social potential.

It also covers the following high-level transferable skills: effective communication, effective interpersonal skills, reflecting on experiences, personal strengths and development needs, and evaluating and improving performance using feedback.

This qualification is available through colleges, training providers and some employers. Centres wishing to offer these qualifications must have a letter of support from the Cultural Learning Euro-Aspire team.

It has been designed to be delivered as a taught course and will normally be available as a combination of workshops and self-directed study.

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The PDA in Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural Industries: Cultural Learning at SCQF level 6 has been developed in partnership with employers and industry so it is fit for purpose.

It will help employers meet skills gaps and provide continuing professional development for staff, while learners will gain knowledge and skills needed for progression in the workplace.

It can be offered to people are working within the cultural learning sector and have a minimum of 12 months' experience.

The unit-based structure aids timetable flexibility. Units are typically 80 hours of learning and they can be delivered on an open-learning, flexible delivery, full-time or part-time basis.

This PDA provides progression routes to further study (see Progression).

The target audience is those in work, or seeking employment, who require a specific skill set.

Access

Entry is at the discretion of the centre.

This award is for community, participatory or socially-engaged artists or creative professionals delivering cultural learning. It is also suitable for novice creative business advisers, creative entrepreneurs, cultural managers, and cultural policy or cultural development workers.

Learners can be employees, freelancers, interns, apprentices or volunteers in the creative and cultural industries with at least 12 months practice-based learning in any of these roles or in any combination of these roles.

The units in the PDA have been mapped against the National Occupational Standards for Creative and Cultural Skills.

Learners would have the opportunity of progressing to Professional Development Awards (PDAs) in Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural industries: Cultural Learning at SCQF level 8 or Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural industries: Creative Business Development and Support at SCQF level 8.

Centres applying for approval to offer this qualification must have a letter of support from Cultural Learning Euro-Aspire team.

Assessors and verifiers must be able to meet SQA's general requirements for technical/occupational competence as outlined in the Systems and Qualification Approval Guide.

Each individual unit specification gives detailed information on the evidence requirements and approaches to assessment for each unit.

The units will be holistically assessed, by the means of:

  • a series of work products, audio-visual recordings, documents and commentaries, eg short video sequences, sound-bites, blogs or specific written or visual documentation
  • three reflective statements: a self-awareness statement, a values statement and a context statement that refer to the learner's role in creative business support
  • a 20-minute professional dialogue held between two assessors and the learner, of which a video-recording is made, solely for assessment

Group award code: GL4T 46

The PDA in Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural Industries: Cultural Learning at SCQF level 6 consists of four mandatory units.