IPTA – INSTITUTO PROFISSIONAL DE TECNOLOGIAS AVANÇADAS
A PORTUGUESE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
Cristina Bastos
IPTA is a vocational/technical private school located in Porto, North of Portugal, with level IV courses (secondary education) and also level V (equivalent to upper secondary school)
Vocational courses provide a broad range of secondary-level training, their main purpose being to prepare students for the labour market.
These courses last for three academic years. They are divided into modules of varying length, which can be combined in different ways and cover three components: socio-cultural, scientific and technical training. The technical component varies from course to course and accounts for approximately 52 % of total training hours, of which 13 % are spent training in a work environment.
Successful completion of these courses leads to a Level 4 vocational qualification and a diploma in secondary education, allowing students to pursue their studies at a higher level.
These courses are provided by the network of State schools run by the Ministry of Education and by vocational schools, most of which are privately run, like IPTA
IPTA main aim is the preparation of qualified youngsters for active life despite the possibility for them to continue their studies in the University. We have always given a great importance to an individualized education, with a strong emphasis given to professional traineeships.
There are also EFA courses, included in the long life learning national education plan, through which adult students have voluntarily returned to school and are trying to improve or acquire skills and school certificates they didn’t have the opportunity of getting when they were supposed to and when they were in a regular school.
IPTA is also an active partner of the enterprises, the community and some local associations.
At the moment there are four different level IV professional courses at our school:
· Technical Course in 2D and 3D Animation
· Technical Course in Multimedia
· Technical Course in Sound
· Technical Course in Computer Facilities Management
School management and leadership
IPTA has a General Director, based in Lisbon, who is the legal representative of the school and mainly responsible for financial and administrative issues.
There is also an Advisory Council, which integrates members of the social, educational, technical, professional and local community. This Council has no management responsibilities and it represents the social and the professional community. Its members belong mostly to enterprises and universities, having representatives of parents and students as well. It helps the school to identify the effective needs in the labour market
I am the Pedagogical Director of IPTA and I have to ensure that the school provides quality education by creating conditions for effective teaching and learning. Therefore, all the issues concerning curriculum management, teachers, students, and the conditions under which they and other education employees work are my responsibility. This role also includes the teachers´ appraisal and the internal evaluation of the school.
School Quality System
(Quality assurance in vocational education and training
The Member States and the European Commission have been establishing a European Quality Assurance Reference Framework (EQAVET) to promote and monitor continuous improvement of national systems of vocational education and training (VET).
EQAVET, which was adopted by EU Member States in June 2009, is a reference tool for policy-makers based on a four-stage quality cycle that includes goal setting and planning, implementation, evaluation and review. It respects the autonomy of national governments and is a voluntary system to be used by public authorities and other bodies involved in quality assurance.)
School Quality System - External evaluation
In Portugal public and private schools are encouraged to use this framework, involving all relevant stakeholders, being still voluntary though. To guarantee the indicators proposed in the EQARF (European Quality Assurance Reference Framework) there are several official organizations that help and supervise the schools in the process of evaluating their quality.
School Quality System – IPTA Internal evaluation
Relating to EQARF indicators and having in mind the characteristics and goals of this vocational school, each year we implement a quality system based on an internal evaluation process.
This process focuses on the following referential:
· Students -
Satisfaction survey (school facilities and services, teachers, management);
Results (academic and internship results)
Employability rate;
Pursuit of higher studies rate
· Parents –
Satisfaction rate (school facilities and service, teachers, class tutors, management).
· Teachers –
Satisfaction survey (school conditions, facilities and equipment, management);
Self-assessment;
Teachers´ appraisal
· Intermediate structures (Class Tutors Council; Courses Directors Council; Students´ Psychologist and Advisor Coordinator):
Self-assessment of their roles;
Role-assessment.
· Education employees/co-workers –
Satisfaction survey (school conditions, facilities and equipment, management);
Self-assessment
Workers´ assessment
· Enterprises/organizations (where our students accomplish their training)-
Satisfaction rate (Trainees´ personal and social competences; professional skills; school training Supervisor; information flow between our school and the enterprise/company)
At the end of the school year, all these data are analyzed, processed (and most of them also disclosed), giving feedback of eventual problems/needs/constraints and helping to build procedures to change, to improve quality.