KiwiQuals Te Āhurutanga
The New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications
 

Level descriptors

LEVEL PROCESS LEARNING DEMAND RESPONSIBILITY

1

Carry out processes that:

  • are limited in range
  • are repetitive and familiar
  • are employed within closely defined contexts

Employing:

  • recall a narrow range of knowledge and cognitive skills
  • no generation of new ideas

Applied:

  • in directed activity
  • under close supervision
  • with no responsibility for the work or learning of others

2

Carry out processes that:

  • are moderate in range
  • are established and familiar
  • offer a clear choice of routine responses

Employing:

  • basic operational knowledge
  • readily available information
  • known solutions to familiar problems
  • little generation of new ideas

Applied:

  • in directed activity
  • under general supervision and quality control
  • with some responsibility for quantity and quality
  • with possible responsibility for guiding others

3

Carry out processes that:

  • require a range of well developed skills
  • offer a significant choice of procedures
  • are employed within a range of familiar contexts

Employing:

  • some relevant theoretical knowledge
  • interpretation of available information
  • discretion and judgement
  • a range of known responses to familiar problems

Applied:

  • in directed activity with some autonomy
  • under general supervision and quality checking
  • with significant responsibility for the quantity and quality of output
  • with possible responsibility for the output of others

4

Carry out processes that:

  • require a wide range of technical or scholastic skills
  • offer a considerable choice of procedures
  • are employed in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar contexts

Employing:

  • a broad knowledge base incorporating some theoretical concepts
  • analytical interpretation of information
  • informed judgement
  • a range of sometimes innovative responses to concrete but often unfamiliar problems

Applied:

  • in self-directed activity
  • under broad guidance and evaluation
  • with complete responsibility for quantity and quality of output
  • with possible responsibility for the quantity and quality of the output of others

5

Carry out processes that:

  • require a wide range of specialised technical or scholastic skills
  • involve a wide choice of standard and non-standard procedures
  • are employed in a variety of routine and non-routine contexts

Employing:

  • a broad knowledge base with substantial depth in some areas
  • analytical interpretation of a wide range of data
  • the determination of appropriate methods and procedures in response to a range of concrete problems with some theoretical elements

Applied:

  • in self-directed and sometimes directive activity
  • within broad general guidelines or functions
  • with full responsibility for the nature, quantity and quality of outcomes
  • with possible responsibility for the achievement of group outcome

6

Carry out processes that:

  • require a command of wide-ranging highly specialised technical or scholastic skills
  • involve a wide choice of standard and non-standard procedures, often in non-standard combinations
  • are employed in highly variable routine and non-routine contexts

Employing:

  • specialised knowledge with depth in more than one area
  • the analysis, reformatting and evaluation of a wide range of information
  • the formulation of appropriate responses to resolve both concrete and abstract problems

Applied:

  • in managing processes
  • within broad parameters for defined activities
  • with complete accountability for determining and achieving personal and/or group outcomes

7

Carry out processes that:

  • require a command of highly specialised technical or scholastic and basic research skills across a major discipline
  • involve the full range of procedures in a major discipline
  • are applied in complex, variable and specialised contexts

Requiring:

  • knowledge of a major discipline with areas of specialisation in depth
  • the analysis, transformation and evaluation of abstract data and concepts
  • the creation of appropriate responses to resolve given or contextual abstract problems

Applied:

  • in planning, resourcing and managing processes
  • within broad parameters and functions
  • with complete accountability for determining, achieving and evaluating personal and/or group outcomes

8

Involves skills and knowledge that enable a learner to:

  • provide a systematic and coherent account of the key principles of a subject area; and
  • undertake self-directed study, supervised research and scholarship in a subject area, demonstrating intellectual independence, analytic rigour and effective communication

9

Involves knowledge and skills that enable a learner to:

  • apply that knowledge, understanding, and problem-solving ability in new or unfamiliar environments, commonly through research or scholarship; and
  • demonstrate mastery of sophisticated theoretical subject matter, including the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity; and
  • communicate conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, commonly by way of a thesis, dissertation, report, or creative work

10

Involves knowledge and skill that enable a learner to:

  • Provide an original contribution to knowledge through research or scholarship, as judged by independent experts, applying international standards