NFQ Level 3 3N0608 Art and Design Assessment Brief 2026 | QQI

3N0608 Assessment Brief

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to equip the learner with the knowledge, skill and competence to explore aspects of the visual arts and to communicate using a range of media and materials. The award is designed to provide opportunity to generate images using a range of techniques and to develop personal creativity and visual awareness.

Learning Outcomes

Learners will be able to:

1. Describe a range of visual arts
2. Describe the maintenance and storage requirements for art tools and equipment
3. Use a range of art and design elements
4. Use a range of two and three dimensional materials and media
5. Experiment in a range of elements and media
6. Use a range of tools, equipment and materials safely
7. Use colour and monochromatic media to record observations and communicate ideas and feelings
8. Communicate an idea visually within two and three dimensions including from source materials and appropriate personal visual responses
9. Solve specified design problems through visually documented planning and research
10. Present own work as part of a display.

Assessment General Information

Details of FET assessment requirements are set out in Assessment Guidelines for Providers.

All FET assessment is criterion referenced. Successful achievement of the award is based on learners attaining the required standards of knowledge, skill or competence.

The techniques set out below are considered the optimum approach to assessment for this component. In exceptional circumstances providers may identify alternative assessment techniques through the provider’s application for programme validation which are reliable and valid but which are more appropriate to their context.

Assessment of a number of components may be integrated across programmes for delivery, provided that the learning outcomes of each minor award are assessed.

Group or team work may form part of the assessment, provided each learner’s achievement is separately assessed.

All providers are required to submit an assessment plan as part of their application for programme validation. Assessment Plans will include information relating to scheduling and integration of assessment. See current FET validation guidelines at www.qqi.ie.

Assessment Techniques

In order to demonstrate that they have reached the standards of knowledge, skill and competence identified in all the learning outcomes, learners are required to complete the assessment(s) below.

The assessor is responsible for devising assessment instruments (e.g. project and assignment briefs, examination papers), assessment criteria and mark sheets, consistent with the techniques identified below and FETAC’s assessment requirements.

Programme validation will require providers to map each learning outcome to its associated assessment technique. See current FET validation guidelines at www.qqi.ie.

All learning outcomes must be assessed and achieved Portfolio / Collection of Work         100%.

Description

Portfolio / Collection of Work

A portfolio or collection of work is a collection and/or selection of pieces of work produced by the learner over a period of time that demonstrates achievement of a range of learning outcomes.  The collection may be self-generated or may be generated in response to a particular brief or tasks/activities devised by the assessor.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learners may be assessed on the basis of their prior knowledge and experience.  Providers must be specifically quality assured to assess learners by this means. To do so they must complete B10, see Provider’s Quality Assurance Guidelines and be included on the Register of RPL approved providers. See RPL Guidelines at www.fetac.ie for further information and registration details.

Grading

‘Successful’ indicates that the learner has achieved all of the learning outcomes for the award with some supervision and direction. The learner has demonstrated autonomy of action and has taken responsibility for generating appropriate evidence for all learning outcomes.

FET Award Standards

QQI award standards are determined within the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), http://www.nfq-qqi.com.  QQI determines standards for the education and training awards that it makes itself and that are made by providers to whom it has delegated authority to make an award. Providers offering programmes leading to QQI awards must have their programme(s) validated in accordance with current validation policy (see www.qqi.ie).

Award standards are designed to be consistent with the NFQ’s award classes i.e. major, special purpose, supplemental  and minor awards. They are expressed in terms of learning outcomes i.e. concise statements of what the learner is expected to know or be able to do in order to achieve a particular award. Learning outcomes for FET awards are contained within the associated specifications:

Award standards are thresholds, they describe standards of knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired, and where appropriate, demonstrated, by a learner before an award may be made.

Award standards will be reviewed from time to time as necessary. Minor changes may be made by the QQI executive outside the review cycle where necessary. Changes to standards are published on QQI’s website. Providers with validated programmes and providers with delegated authority to make awards are responsible for monitoring relevant standards and making necessary responses to changes.

FET Credit

Every FET certificate and component specification includes an FET credit value (Table 1). FET credit is quantified in multiples of 5 FET credits (up to 50 hours of learner effort). Learner effort is based on the time taken by typical learners at the level of the award to achieve the learning outcomes for the award. It includes all learning time involved including: guided learning hours, self-directed learning and assessment.

Table 1: FET Credit Values

Guide to Level

Learning outcomes at this level relate to a low volume of practical capability and of knowledge of theory. The outcomes relate to the performance of relatively simple work and may be fairly quickly acquired. Outcomes at this level may also confer a minimum employability for low skilled occupations and include functional literacy and numeracy.