told to breach/ignore union directive by management

techteacher

hi all

need some advice on this please? as stress levels are high at the moment and this needs to be resolved...

While we are all told to be caring and de- stress your students by management in this crazy covid climate and look after students then next email to say... told by management to have new assignments instead of exams for all classes before 11.00am for review.

the union issued a directive on Friday to not comply with this redesigned assessment

I have contacted the union but waiting to hear back:eek:

rainbowtrout

I'm a bit confused. New assignments instead of what exams? Summer tests? Are ye having staff meetings on Skype or Teams or something?

r93kaey5p2izun

I assume relating to QQI?

Contact your Area Rep. Or just union head office even. Do not breach the directive. It is imperative that QQI standards and quality assurance measures are upheld. Alternatives to the usual format may be required, but that should be decided at an official level, not on an ad hoc local basis. That would undermine the validity of the QQI award. Your students are best served by you following the directive.

techteacher

Ayan Tight Silencer wrote: »

I assume relating to QQI?

Contact your Area Rep. Or just union head office even. Do not breach the directive. It is imperative that QQI standards and quality assurance measures are upheld. Alternatives to the usual format may be required, but that should be decided at an official level, not on an ad hoc local basis. That would undermine the validity of the QQI award. Your students are best served by you following the directive.

yes all QQI in further ed

and getting my students through is my goal, waiting on the rep but other union members not complying with directive is disheartening..... united we stand divided we fall...I know I will be singled out at a later day:mad:

techteacher

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I'm a bit confused. New assignments instead of what exams? Summer tests? Are ye having staff meetings on Skype or Teams or something?

may exams in further ed
online staff meetings

r93kaey5p2izun

Insist you will be following the directive. State you are refusing to undermine the validity of the QQI award by not following official quality assurance procedures, in the best interest of your students. Await specific advice from TUI.

I know it's difficult when local management are unprofessional - which ignoring QQI procedures and telling staff to breach a union directive as fellow members is. Hang in there.

RealJohn

techteacher wrote: »

yes all QQI in further ed

and getting my students through is my goal, waiting on the rep but other union members not complying with directive is disheartening..... united we stand divided we fall...I know I will be singled out at a later day:mad:

Have you said it to the union rep in your centre? Surely, they should be recommending non-compliance with the instruction from management until the union has given it the okay, if they do?

combat14

does anyone have a link to, or copy of new directive please?

haven't got a copy yet and pretty much being asked to redesign assessment on an ad hoc teacher by teacher (module by module basis) - all very unclear at the moment ...

r93kaey5p2izun

It was the contents of a letter from the General Secretary and emailed by my branch. Contact your branch or Area Rep to have it sent on. It was quoted in the email, so I don't have a copy to post, and I don't see it on the website yet. Get on to them to put it up properly.

The key part is:

"I understand that in a number of ETBs, our members in Further Education/PLC settings are being asked by local management to devise contingency assessments to replace the end of year examinations.
 
I wish to make it clear that while the TUI has raised this matter with ETBI and QQI nationally and has sought appropriate discussion and consultation, there has not yet been substantive discussion – much less agreement as to what is appropriate, reasonable and sustainable.

Unilateral impositions and/or demands by local management are not acceptable to the Union. Therefore, members should not co-operate with such impositions or comply with such demands and should not submit contingency assessments pending the necessary national discussions."

r93kaey5p2izun

There's an update on this day. Discussions are in progress and they expect to issue further information and advice by Thursday 2nd April.

deiseindublin

Sorry for being a bit thick Arlessienne, but who is issuing further info? Our union or your local QQI provider? I'm DDLETB and we've heard zilch.

Really wondering how this can be done with group interviews, exams, skills demos, specialist software etc.

combat14

LOETB staff told to consider changing exams to assignments or maybe online exams. Haven't heard anything since - await update later in week.

Students were last told schools open 20 April. Exams start end of April as normal....

Reluctant to make changes to assessments till see what
is happening at a national level. Hopefully more clarity later in week.

r93kaey5p2izun

deiseindublin wrote: »

Sorry for being a bit thick Arlessienne, but who is issuing further info? Our union or your local QQI provider? I'm DDLETB and we've heard zilch.

Really wondering how this can be done with group interviews, exams, skills demos, specialist software etc.

The TUI. I received an email from my branch containing a message from the General Secretary. It says talks between TUI and ETBI have commenced today. I am teaching one QQI module in a DDLETB centre this year and have heard nothing from them or local management re assessment either.

The key issues TUI are pushing are: a coherent approach to alternative assessment across the ETB sector; reasonable timelines; workload; maintaining standards and integrity of programmes; disparity in access to IT. Their priority is ensuring learners are facilitated to complete their courses and acquire certification, without being disadvantaged.

combat14

Just wondering if there has been any update from the TUI on end of year assessments?

This is what I got from my own ETB - The following decisions have been made:

- written examinations and other face-to-face assessments scheduled for current FET courses will not take place.
- The written examinations will be replaced, where feasible, by alternative assessments, and in certain cases, by online exams.
- Skills Demonstrations: Where possible, learners will be asked to submit recorded videos of skills being demonstrated at home. Where this is not possible or practicable, Skills Demonstrations will be replaced with written assessments.
- Arrangements to facilitate the completion of Projects (or their replacement with alternative assessments) will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Just wondering are all ETB's taking same approach and are TUI on board?

r93kaey5p2izun

No update from TUI yet. No information from the ETB either other than to say keep teaching online. I'll update here when I get any update from the union. I strongly recommend you contact your area rep combat14 for clarification on those arrangements - they may well be agreed, but don't go ahead without getting advice.

r93kaey5p2izun

https://www.tui.ie/news/contingency-assessment-arrangements-in-fet-agreed-national-approach.13727.html