PDA Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural Industries: Cultural Learning SCQF level 11

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 11 includes specialising in artistic practice, sharing knowledge and skills, developing social potential, and cultural learning leadership.

It also covers communication skills, inter-personal skills, how to think analytically and systematically, and the ability to use these skills to give an account of experiences. Learners will also develop expertise in the supervision of others and learn how to represent their practice and sector through advocacy to public, professional or policy-making audiences.

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 11 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 also be offered to people are working within the cultural learning sector and have a minimum of five years' 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.

Learners can be employees, freelancers, interns, volunteers or students in the creative and cultural industries with at least five years' 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 appropriate master's degree qualifications.

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. These statements will 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

Assessment will allow candidates to enhance their own practice.

Group award code: GL4R 51

The PDA in Practice-based Learning for the Creative and Cultural Industries: Cultural Learning at SCQF level 11 consists of four mandatory units.