LHCP REVIEWED TO PROMOTE TEST INTEGRITY AND IMPROVE USER EXPERIENCE

BY EDITH OYOSORO

THREE YEARS FOLLOWING LAUNCH of the Landscape Horticulture Certification Program (LHCP), volunteers from across the country gathered at the CNLA Office in Milton ON for a full-day meeting to review the new certification program. Specifically, the meeting aimed to address shortcomings with the hands-on practical exams for technicians while ensuring uniform test delivery criteria and a seamless user experience in Valid-8, the online practical test platform.

At inception, hands-on practical test criteria were delicately balanced to allow for a wide range of conditions that could exist across job sites. The review presented an opportunity to address current challenges with the practical tests while pursuing more uniform test delivery criteria and encouraging positive test-taking and assessment practices for candidates and assessors respectively.

Recommendations from the review were grouped into three broad categories related to (i) updates to candidate and assessor guidelines, (ii) changes to the assessment process, and (iii) changes to module units and criteria. To strengthen hands-on practical test assessment, a mechanism for pairing assessors to review candidates’ Valid-8 submissions was proposed along with the following: l Use a checklist format and include a ‘Your Task Today’ section in the candidate guide.

Growers Canada

l Increase the timeline for assessing test submissions from 2 weeks to 4 – 6 weeks.

Jamie Aalbers Growers Sector Specialist jamie@cnla-acpp.ca www cnla.ca l Establish a LHCP Review Panel to provide technical expertise for addressing test related issues l Institute a Candidate Appeal Process

Landscape Canada

Anne Kadwell, Landscape & Retail Sector Specialist anne@cnla-acpp.ca www cnla.ca

Timeline to implement these recommendations is June 2023, after which new and in-progress candidates will be transitioned to the revised test format.

Climate Change

Newly Certified

Frydda Sandoval, Environmental Policy Coordinator frydda@cnla-acpp.ca www cnla.ca

Cassandra Deenen, CLHM - ON

Tamara Dolotova, CLHT - BC

Earth Art Landscape Inc. Accredited Company - ON

GOVERNMENT & HR

Leslie Sison Industry & Government Specialist leslie@cnla-acpp.ca www cnla.ca

For questions and more information, contact Edith Oyosoro at certification@cnla-acpp.ca; 647 724 8650.

Lhcp Certification

Edith Oyosoro edith@cnla-acpp.ca www.cnla.ca