Glossary
Accessible The degree to which a product, device, service, or environment can be accessed by as many people as possible.
Advocate A person who supports someone to make their voice heard, or ideally to speak up for themselves. Advocacy within social services is about supporting people to have more control when dealing with services.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Use of forms of communication other than speaking, such as: sign language, 'yes, no' signals, gestures, picture board and computerized speech systems to compensate (either temporarily or permanently) for severe expressive communication disorders
Appraisal A judgement or assessment of the performance of someone, usually a subordinate.
Assessment The process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs.
Awarding body An organisation accredited and regulated to award specific qualifications, to verify that assessment in approved centres is being carried out systematically, validly, and to national standards, and to certificate candidates.
Awarding body approval Qualifications can be delivered and assessed in various types of organisation, following an awarding body approval process.
Award providers Education and training providers who deliver awards.
Blended Learning A blending of different learning methods, techniques and resources and applying them in an interactively meaningful learning environment. Learners should have easy access to different learning resources in order to apply the knowledge and skills they learn under the supervision and support of the tutor/trainer inside and outside the classroom.
Capacity building The development of core knowledge, skills and capabilities, such as communication skills, reflective practice, health and safety and leadership.
Carer's allowance Carer's Allowance is a taxable benefit to help people who look after someone who is disabled. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person that you care for.
CD-ROM Stands for 'Compact Disc – Read Only Memory'. Compact disc that is used with a computer (rather than with an audio system); a large amount of digital information can be stored and accessed but it cannot be altered by the user
Citizen Leadership An activity that happens when citizens have power and influence and responsibility to make decisions. Citizen leadership happens when individuals have some control over their own services. It also happens when citizens take action for the benefit of other citizens.
Coaching Creating possibilities and providing guidance to others in a relationship of trust. It includes facilitating, bringing visions to life and enabling people to achieve.
Codes of Practice Written guidelines issued by an official body or a professional association to its members to help them comply with its ethical standards.
Consultations Communicating with stakeholders seeking their opinions to inform decision making.
Contribution Opportunity to have your views heard.
CTRPL Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning.
Curriculum planning The process of setting goals, developing strategies, and outlining tasks and schedules for the setting of courses, coursework and course content.
Direct observation of practice Form of assessment useful for practical subjects where the learner is observed doing a task.
Educational processes Educational methods used to provide the student or learner with knowledge and/or skills in various subject or vocational areas.
Ethical interventions Ways of working with people that promote empowerment and well being.
Evaluation The systematic assessment of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.
Facilitator Someone who makes progress easier.
Fee Waiver Request for reduction or elimination of application, testing or financial aid form fees, usually based upon financial need.
Formative assessment Assessment designed to give learners feedback on their progress towards the development of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes rather than assessment for marks or grades.
Formative recognition Evidence from prior formal and informal learning and experience that might contribute to the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.
The Big Plus is the national campaign launched in 2004 to encourage adults in Scotland who need help with reading, writing and numbers to access local support.
Individual Learning Account ILA Scotland is a Scottish Government scheme that helps you pay for learning that you can do at a time, place, pace and in a way to suit you. It’s for people who have an income of £22,000 a year or less, or who are on benefits.
Involvement Participation or engagement or sharing in the activities or common interest of others.
Induction A process that covers any and all arrangements made to familiarise new employees and volunteers with the organisation with relevant job related or course information and might include; health and safety regulations, general conditions of employment and the work of the section or department in which they are employed.
John O'Brien's 5 Service Accomplishments The Five Service Accomplishments of Community Participation. Each accomplishment recognises the interdependence that exists between individuals, and challenges and strengthens the relationship between people with disabilities and other community members. The five accomplishments are; Community Presence, Relationships Choice, Competence, Respect.
Learning outcomes A statement which identifies what a learner is expected to know, understand or do as a result of successfully completing a process of learning.
Long term health condition Long-term conditions are chronic illnesses that can limit lifestyle, such as diabetes, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Mainstream Educating students with additional learning requirements in regular classes.
Mentoring Provides support, advice and guidance in a relationship which is confidential, open and non-judgmental and where the mentor listens and asks questions which promote the mentee to reflect on their own development.
Naturally occurring Day to day activities
Participation Different mechanisms for the public to express opinions regarding political, economic, management or other social decisions.
Partnership An agreement between two or more parties to work collectively to achieve common goals.
Portfolio In learning and development this refers to a method of assessment that includes a collection of work produced by a learner to meet learning outcomes.
Power imbalance A person, group, or nation having great influence or control over others
Principle A basic rule or standard, especially in relation to conduct or behaviour.
Professional development Ongoing learning and development to improve and extend professional practice.
Professional Discussion The purpose of the discussion is to probe the level of competence of the individual and to be certain that his/her actions are based on a firm understanding of principles which support practice. Thus the questioning will normally centre on the reasons for selecting specific actions, the alternatives considered and the factors taken into consideration, as well as an evaluation of successes and failures and learning points for the future. This can be captured by means of audio/videotape, written summaries and evidence of structured questioning (e.g. question checklist or structured interview schedule).
Quality assured Internal and external methods ensure that standards and procedures are adhered to and that delivered services meet performance requirements.
Recognition Acknowledgement or approval of something e.g. the staff were delighted with the recognition of their work
Role A role is a set of recognised behaviours, rights and obligations in a social, work or family situation.nRPL Recognition of Prior Formal or Informal Learning
Reflective practice The application of the skill of reflection to our practice with the intention of improving our professional practice. Boud, Keogh and Walker (1985) defines reflective practice as "an activity in which people recapture their experience, think about it, mull over it and evaluate it"
Scottish Credit Qualification Framework The Scottish Credit Qualification Framework (SCQF) is intended to help describe programmes of learning that lead to the various qualifications; support the development of routes to progress from qualification to qualification; and maximise the opportunities to transfer credit points between qualifications.
Shadowing Spending time observing someone who is doing the job already. The shadower spends time with the shadowee, watching, listening and learning what the job is about and what is involved in a typical day’s work.
Standard Criterion: the ideal in terms of which something can be measured.
Summative recognition Evidence of formal and informal learning and experience that might contribute towards credit within the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.
Summative assessment Evaluates a learner's progress up to that point and provides a summary of where they are.
Supervision Within social services this refers to the process of guiding, supporting and assisting employees or volunteers to carry out their duties, role and tasks to improve outcomes for service users and carers and to achieve planned organisational goals.