O - R Glossary

OECD	Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (Go to the OECD website)
OFSTED	Office for Standards in Education (UK). (Go to the OFSTED website)	Back to A-Z menu
OSH	occupational safety and health.
outcome	see learning outcome.
panel leader	the single pair of eyes with the overall responsibility for leading a panel of markers, setting the standard of marking for external assessments, the quality of marking across the panel and writing the Panel Leader's Report.
PCET	Post-compulsory education and training.
PDS	Provider Development and Support, a NZQA business group.	Back to A-Z menu
peer assessment	assessment of individual performance undertaken by fellow learners.
performance criteria	Performance criteria specify the quality of the critical evidence required to meet the outcomes in the elements. Collectively, they provide the standards against which elements are assessed.
performance indicators	statements against which the performance of an organisation or system is assessed.
PoBoC	payment on behalf of the Crown.
portfolio	a learner's personal collection of evidence of achievement; also a method of gathering evidence.	Back to A-Z menu
PPTA	Post Primary Teachers' Association. (Go to the PPTA website)
prescription	the content, skills and knowledge to be assessed in a qualification or examination.
Principal's Nominee	A staff member nominated by the principal of a school, who carries out duties and responsibilities on behalf of the school and liaises with the Qualifications Authority for the purpose of the administration of all NZQA rules and procedures.
private training establishment	non-state-owned organisation, registered with NZQA, that provides post-school education and training. Often known as a PTE.
programme	term used to encompass courses of study and/or research activity.	Back to A-Z menu
protected terms	organisational and qualifications titles that cannot be used without authority: including university, polytechnic, college of education; degree, Bachelor, Master, doctor, National/New Zealand Certificate, National/New Zealand Diploma.
provider	an individual or organisation supplying education and/or training and/or assessment services; includes schools, polytechnics, colleges of education, private training establishments, government training establishments, wānanga and workplaces.
provisional entrance	a means of entrance to university for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents under 20 years of age who have left school on completion of year 12. With the phasing in of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement the nomenclature used by the universities is changing to discretionary entrance. (For details see the NZVCC website)
PSA	Public Service Association. (Go to the New Zealand PSA website)
PTE	private training establishment.	Back to A-Z menu
QAD	Quailty Assurance Division, a NZQA business unit. (See the NZQA website for more details)
QRS	Qualification Recognition Servicess, a NZQA business unit. (More details)
QMS	quality management systems.
qualification	requirements for certification established by a recognised standards-setting body or an education provider. (See also the Register)
qualification developer	an organisation that develops qualifications that are submitted for approval to a quality assurance body; the development process must involve and have the support of the appropriately recognised expert bodies related to the subject title and major content of the qualification.
quality assurance	a collective term used for activities used to ensure that business is carried out effectively and efficiently.	Back to A-Z menu
quality assurance body	a body that has legislated or delegated authority for quality assurance functions. Such organisations include the Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP) of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee (NZVCC), the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), the ITP New Zealand - Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand and the Colleges of Education Accreditation Committee (CEAC). (See Register for more details)
quality assured qualification	a qualification that is approved by any of the recognised quality assurance bodies. (See Register for more details)
quality audit	an independent examination of a management system to see whether activities are effective in achieving an organisation's goals and objectives.
quality management	coherent management activity that ensures quality policies and objectives are set, implemented and evaluated.
quality management system	a system of clearly defined organisational structures, processes, responsibilities and resources used to assure quality.	Back to A-Z menu
range	Range statements provide clarification of the standard, or an outline of the critical evidence to be considered in assessment, to ensure that standards have been met. They may also provide context and clarify limits. Range statements can apply to all outcomes in the standard, an element outcome, or a performance criterion.
RCC	recognition of current competency. (See recognition of prior learning)
recognition of current competencies	see recognition of prior learning
recognition of prior learning	assessment that makes use of indirect evidence of achievement and/or evidence from activities that are undertaken without first requiring additional learning; often called recognition or assessment of current competencies; the term 'recognition' is meant to imply that skills and knowledge will be recognised by some form of assessment against established criteria. (More details)
reconsideration	reconsiderations apply to externally assessed written examinations only. Candidates may apply for a reconsideration if they believe that a paper has not been marked correctly. A candidate applying for a reconsideration cannot apply for a review of the same standard/University Entrance, Bursaries and Scholarship subject. (See the NCEA Rules and Procedures for more information)
Record of Achievement	an individual learner's transcript of unit standards and achievement standards credited and national qualifications completed, provided by NZQA from a national database. (More details.)	Back to A-Z menu
(the) Register	the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications (commonly know as the Register) is a list of all quality assured qualifications in New Zealand. The Register has ten levels and comprises qualifications that are registered in accordance with an agreed set of title definitions. (Go to the Register)
registered assessor	an assessor registered by an accredited national standards-setting body to assess learners. Assessment usually take splace in the workplace.
registration (of establishments)	a process for ensuring that a private or government training establishment is able to provide a sound and stable learning environment; establishments are required to be registered before they can be accredited. (More details.)
registration (of unit standards, achievement standards and qualifications)	a process that ensures unit standards, achievement standards and national qualifications have received appropriate national endorsement and meet the technical requirements of NZQA; the process concludes when these are entered onto the Framework database; standards and qualifications are reviewed periodically. (More details)
reporting	supplying information on the progress and achievements of a learner.	Back to A-Z menu
review	if a candidate believes a mechanical error has been made in the marking of their external assessment material (eg a section of work not marked, the incorrect transfer of grades or marks), he or she can ask for a review. Review requests must be made in writing and within a specified timeframe. Candidates who request a review cannot also request a reconsideration.
RoA	Record of Achievement.
RPL	recognition of prior learning.

Page updated: 07 August 2007