BASICS OF IT TALENT TRAINING QUALITY ASSURANCE

Enacted: 1.12.2020.

Last modified: 1.12.2023.

1. General Provisions

1.1 IT Talent OÜ (registry code: 12735787, notice of economic activities of manager of continuing adult education 246623) organizes professional development training for adults.

1.2 Information about upcoming training sessions is available in the IT Talent training calendar, which is visible on the training istitution's website: https://academy.ittalent.ee/courses

1.3 IT Talent OÜ staff can be contacted via email ([email protected]) or by phone at (+372 506 0627).

2. Conditions and Procedure for Ensuring the Quality of Curriculum

2.1 When developing the curricula, IT Talent OÜ follows the Adult Education Act, the continuing education standard, professional standards, and guidelines provided by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research. The basis for creating a curriculum for vocational or professional further education is usually the relevant professional standard.

2.2 In curriculum development, we consider market demands and the needs of the target group. IT Talent OÜ's training sessions are practical, and the teacher's priority task is to assist students in achieving the learning outcomes.

2.3 When creating the curriculum, we also take into account the needs of potential and/or current employers.

2.4 The curricula are developed based on outcome-based principles.

2.5 The curriculum specifies:

• the curriculum title,

• curriculum group,

• learning outcomes,

• conditions for starting studies (if they are a prerequisite for achieving learning outcomes),

• total volume of studies (including the auditory, practical, and independent lessons),

• curriculum content,

• teaching methods,

• description of the learning environment,

• list of educational materials (if educational materials are required to complete the curriculum),

• assessment methods, criteria, and conditions for graduation, as well as the issued documents;

• description of the necessary qualifications, education, or work experience for conducting the training.

2.6 IT Talent OÜ's training curricula are publicly available on the company's website under the "Courses" section: https://academy.ittalent.ee/courses.

2.7 The curriculum development is the responsibility of the head of IT Talent OÜ. The updating of training curricula takes place at least twice a year.

2.8 We update the curriculum based on new directions, trends, and other information gathered at conferences and training events.

2.9 We also update the curriculum based on feedback from students after the training, making changes as needed to enhance the quality of education.

2.10 Any changes to the curriculum will be published on the website immediately after approval and no later than before the opening of registration for the training.

3. Quality Assurance Conditions and Procedure for Teachers

3.1 IT Talent OÜ teachers are practitioners and professionals in the field they teach, holding higher education qualifications. More detailed information about teachers can be found here: https://academy.ittalent.ee/about-us.

3.2 IT Talent OÜ teachers participate in professional training and conferences to enhance their competence at least twice a year.

3.3 IT Talent OÜ teachers improve their skills in adult education through andragogical training and conferences at least once a year.

3.4 The performance of teachers is evaluated based on students’ feedback after the training, and if necessary, suggestions are provided to teachers for improving the quality of education.

4. Conditions and Procedure for Ensuring the Quality of Learning Environment and Educational Materials

4.1 IT Talent OÜ's training mostly takes place in e-learning format, unless specified otherwise. E-learning involves the use of computers, mobile phones, the internet, and digital learning materials to enhance the quality and efficiency of education.

4.2 In exceptional cases, we use training rooms located at Veerenni tn 36a/2-4, Tallinn. All rooms comply with the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for indoor spaces, providing ample light, good ventilation, suitable temperature, and necessary equipment.

4.3 The sizes of training groups vary based on the content of the training, but we prefer smaller groups to ensure an individualized approach.

4.4 IT Talent OÜ teachers follow andragogical principles in their work, considering each student as an equal partner in the learning process. Teachers create a safe psychosocial learning environment where students are treated equally and supported.

4.5 E-learning is supported by a learning platform that:

• provides students access to recorded video lessons, educational materials, tests, and independent assignments via computer or mobile phone,

• helps structure the training and maintains consistency by visualizing the student's journey,

• allows the integration of motivational and playful elements to increase student motivation and maintain an optimal learning pace,

• enables teachers to monitor the student's progress, completed lessons, and modules,

• offers continuous communication with teachers and fellow students, allowing feedback and questions during any video lesson or test,

• creates a comfortable and supportive e-learning environment to ensure individual development, sustained learning motivation, and support for students' future independent learning.

4.6 During auditory and practical lessons (including e-learning), we ensure that students take sufficient breaks for rest and movement.

4.7 Students receive extensive educational materials, including additional resources (articles, videos, and/or books) for independent study. The materials are modern, adapted to the appropriate difficulty level, and support the achievement of training goals and subsequent independent learning.

4.8 Educational materials distributed during training are created by teachers and/or used in accordance with copyright laws, respecting the personal and property rights of the authors.

4.9 Educational materials are updated based on feedback collected during training and conferences, as well as post-training student feedback.

4.10 Access to learning materials is determined by the conditions of the training and remains available after the end of the training for the period specified in the conditions.

5. Continuing Education Feedback Collection Procedure

5.1 IT Talent OÜ's continuing education procedure stipulates that we collect and analyze feedback from all stakeholders. The purpose of collecting feedback is to improve the curriculum and learning process. The results of the analyzed feedback serve as the basis for enhancing the quality of continuing education.

5.2 The responsibility for conducting feedback lies with the head of IT Talent OÜ.
5.3 Feedback is collected during each training in several ways:

• An introductory online survey helps assess the participant's professional level, expectations for the training, and anticipated difficulties that may affect the effectiveness of learning and hinder the desired learning outcomes.

• Interactive feedback allows participants to openly share their thoughts, suggestions, and concerns throughout the entire learning period, promoting direct communication and allowing real-time adjustments to better meet participants' needs.

• A final online survey helps analyze the learning experience, cognitive and stress loads, as well as their impact on motivation and achieved learning outcomes.

5.4 Participants can make suggestions for improving the content and format of the learning process and provide assessments for:

• course content,

• personal development,

• educational materials,

• teaching methodology,

• structure of the classes (learning process speed, atmosphere, clarity of explanations, opportunities for practicing what is learned, etc.),

• teacher's performance,

• organizational aspects of the course.

5.5 The collected feedback is analyzed at the end of each training, and the results are discussed by the training teachers and management. A consolidated analysis is conducted twice a year to provide even better and higher-quality training.

6. Evaluation of the Quality and Effectiveness of Education

6.1 IT Talent OÜ ensures the quality of continuing education, adhering to the Adult Education Act of Estonia, continuing education standards, principles of training organization, feedback collection procedures, and criteria of evaluation.

6.2. Organizing continuing education at IT Talent OÜ takes place year-round, with curriculum updates occurring twice a year to consistently improve the quality of education and ensure the transmission of contemporary knowledge and skills.

6.3 The process of organizing continuing education at IT Talent OÜ includes assessing training needs, planning and developing the curriculum, organizing training, evaluating and analyzing results, and continuously improving and enhancing the curricula according to the description provided in the guidelines.

6.4 To ensure the quality of continuing education at IT Talent OÜ:

• We create the necessary conditions and environments for learning and continuously update the learning environment and materials.

• We employ diverse and appropriate adult education methods, fostering an open atmosphere that promotes learning and development.

• We engage qualified teachers, trainers, and mentors in the educational process, ensuring they stay abreast of the latest knowledge, regularly attend training, seminars, and conferences.

• We adhere to andragogical principles, ensuring that teachers, trainers, and mentors participate in at least one annual professional development session to enhance their qualifications in adult education.

• We consistently and systematically develop the content, structure, and methods used in our curricula.

• We regularly seek and analyze feedback from students and clients, taking the results into account in curriculum development and the implementation of continuing education.

• Throughout the learning period, we monitor indicators of training satisfaction and the success rate of each student's completion.

• Based on feedback, we analyze the balance of cognitive and stress loads and their impact on learner motivation.

• We maintain ongoing communication with graduates to assess their success in finding employment and the extent to which the knowledge and skills acquired during the course contribute to their professional development. We make necessary program enhancements to help our graduates feel more confident in their workplace after completing their studies.

• We pay attention to the frequency of learners continuing with subsequent courses, tracking whether it increases or decreases. We consider recommendations from our alumni for their colleagues and acquaintances, including those made on social media, incorporating them into the ongoing development of our educational programs.

7. Customer Communication

7.1 IT Talent OÜ communication languages are Estonian, Russian, or English.

7.2 Students enrolled in continuing education are contacted by phone or email. All registered individuals receive necessary information about the training at least 2 days before the start of the training.

7.3 Communication between the teacher and students primarily occurs through the learning platform, email, and phone.

7.4 General information related to training and events is shared through the learning platform, email, and a private Facebook group exclusive to the students, teacher, and teacher assistant.

7.5 Students have the right to contact the teacher regarding questions related to the learning process, receive feedback on their knowledge, skills, and results, and understand the evaluation criteria.

7.6 Students have the opportunity to express their opinions on the curriculum and learning process and/or make suggestions for improvement.

7.7 The teacher considers the preferences of students and, if necessary, supplements the learning materials and process.

8. Document Management

8.1 The processing of personal data collected by IT Talent OÜ is aimed at organizing educational activities and fulfilling the requirements and obligations stated by the Adult Education Act of Estonia.

8.2 IT Talent OÜ processes the personal data of students in accordance with all relevant activities and corresponding European Union regulations and laws of the Republic of Estonia, based on legitimate interests or student consent.

8.3 Generally, for service provision and fulfilling legal obligations, we collect the following personal data:

• student's name,

• personal identification code,

• contact details (phone, email).

8.4 The student's email address is added to IT Talent OÜ's database and the newsletter recipient list.

8.5 Subscribers to the newsletter receive marketing messages if the student has given consent. Newsletter recipients have the right to opt-out at any time.

8.6 IT Talent OÜ maintains a register of students and graduates, including the student's last name, study group, contact details, personal identification code, and the certificate number of graduates.

8.7 IT Talent OÜ ensures the confidentiality of students within the applicable law and implements appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect student data from unauthorized access, illegal processing or disclosure, accidental loss, changes, or destruction.

8.8 Personal data is shared with third parties only to the extent necessary for the purposes of training, such as sharing data with teachers to facilitate personalized training structures and with the training client.

8.9 IT Talent OÜ employees are informed about data protection matters. Access to personal data is provided only to individuals with a work-related need.

8.10 Data is stored in a private electronic information system until the objectives related to the training are fulfilled or as long as the fulfillment of obligations set by law requires.

8.11 For more details, IT Talent OÜ's privacy policy is described here.

8.12 Data protection is overseen by Julia Jolkin, the head of IT Talent OÜ, at [email protected].
8.13 For obtaining information about personal data processing, correcting data, submitting complaints, and withdrawing consents, inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

The IT Talent OÜ Continuing Education Quality Assurance Procedure is effective from December 1, 2020.

Last modified: December 1, 2023.