Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

SISOCVE201A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Demonstrate caving skills

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency SISOCVE201A - Demonstrate caving skills
Description This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to participate in supervised, minimal impact caving activities. This unit focuses on the demonstration of simple caving skills, such as navigation and laddering, in caves with frequently travelled tracks and marked routes.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application This unit applies to those working as assistant outdoor adventure leaders, assistant caving guides, or support staff under supervision in caves with frequently travelled routes, tracks, markers and obvious natural surroundings.This unit also applies to outdoor recreation leaders working for outdoor education or adventure providers; volunteer groups; not-for-profit organisations or government agencies.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites Nil
Competency Field
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities
Slides
PPT
Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Plan for a caving activity.
  • Identify food and water requirements according to contextual issues including suitability of food for the cave environment.
  • Access relevant sources to interpret weather information.
  • Identify an activity location and outline possible cave features, hazards and risks according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
  • Establish and confirm an appropriate communication system to use in cave.
  • Obtain suitable map or maps and plan a route according to map information.
  • Identify emergency or contingency escape routes.
       
Element: Select equipment.
  • Select equipment and check working order according to organisational policies and procedures.
  • Adjust and fit equipment to ensure comfort and safety.
  • Select personal clothing and footwear according to design and construction features appropriate to the location.
       
Element: Navigate in a cave.
  • Follow a route in a cave, with and without a compass, demonstrating use of underground navigation aids.
  • Apply techniques for estimating the distance travelled.
  • Identify features in the cave using map and compass.
  • Select an efficient route suitable to the group and conditions.
       
Element: Move with minimal impact through a cave.
  • Move efficiently through cave and negotiate hazards and features according to organisational policies and procedures and relevant legislation.
  • Apply techniques and procedures to minimise cave impact according to organisational policies and procedures and relevant legislation.
  • Identify appropriate techniques for newly discovered caves.
  • Identify types of damage and foreign material which should be isolated from the cave environment.
       
Element: Navigate cave hazards and obstacles.
  • Negotiate cave hazards and obstacles according to caving techniques that minimise environmental damage.
       
Element: Evaluate caving activity.
  • Evaluate relevant aspects of the activity.
  • Identify improvements for future caving experiences.
       


Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

applies relevant process to plan equipment and supply requirements appropriate for the conditions and duration of the caving activity

navigates a route using a map and ensures movements are of minimal impact

seeks advice and feedback from leader and evaluates and reflects on own caving performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and improvements.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure participation in multiple caving activities that are of sufficient breadth and duration to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance.

Assessment must also ensure access to:

resources and information, such as maps and weather sources, to plan and prepare for the activity

a suitable cave, with frequently travelled routes, tracks, markers and obvious natural surroundings

a qualified leader or supervisor

caving, navigation and safety equipment.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of strategies used to plan a minimal impact caving route

observation of safe participation and demonstration of simple caving skills, such as ascending and descending a ladder

third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

SISOOPS201A Minimise environmental impact.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assignment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

literacy and numeracy skills to:

read and interpret maps

analyse weather information

calculate grid and magnetic bearings

planning and organising skills to source and allocate resources and equipment

communication skills to:

interact with group leader and other participants

problem-solving skills to:

identify and negotiate cave hazards, features

follow a route and locate position in a cave using a map and compass

Required knowledge

policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of all caving activities

care and maintenance of caving equipment to ensure prolonged life span and safety requirements

food and water requirements

different types of caves, and associated features, hazards, risks, and how to apply minimal impact techniques

safety procedures, such as common communication methods and calls used between participants

navigation techniques to determine location, direction and potential hazards under supervision

basic weather information to ascertain possible conditions and their affect on the activity

emergency procedures and understanding of potential hazards relevant to the location to ensure risk minimisation to self and others.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Food and water requirements may include:

menu planning and preparation

range of foods

cooking methods

suitability of food for the cave environment.

Contextual issues may include:

type of cave or site

length of cave or site

soundness of rock

volume of water

ease of access

weather conditions at top and bottom

Relevant sources may include:

bureau of meteorology

media

national parks and wildlife centres

police.

Weather information may include:

satellite images

daily and weekly forecasts

maximum and minimum temperatures

weather warnings.

Features may include:

squeezes

rock piles

sumps

duckunders

streams

water pools

mud

crevasse

loose floors

false floors

vertical pitches

speleothems

fossil and bone remains

flowstone

rimpools

Dripholes

oolite deposits

palaeokarst

soil crusts

cones

Hazards may include:

rock piles

fauna and flora

sharp edges water

unstable floor or roof

darkness

elevated carbon dioxide levels.

vertical pitch.

Risks may include:

hypothermia

flooding

exhaustion

dehydration

phobias

lost party member

stings or bites.

Relevant legislation may include:

occupational health and safety

permits or permission for access

environmental regulations.

Organisational policies and procedures may include:

occupational health and safety

use and maintenance of equipment

communication protocols

emergency procedures

minimal impact caving codes

code of ethics

Australian Speleological Federation Codes and Guidelines.

Map or maps may include:

detailed cave maps

developed long sections

cave maps with only wall details and labels

guide books and diagrams.

Map information may include:

grid lines and numbers

magnetic declination

scale

map legend

significant cave features

topographic features

markers

distance estimations

grid bearings

slope

water depth

speleothems

cross sections.

Equipment may include:

caving equipment

navigation equipment

safety and first aid equipment.

Navigation aids may include:

survey markers

track markers

lines

signs

arrows

compass

maps

air flow

water direction

man made infrastructure

significant cave features

speloethems.

Techniques for estimating the distance may include:

time

observation of surroundings

pacing.

Techniques and procedures to minimise cave impact may include:

caving slowly

avoiding sensitive areas

keeping to marked tracks

not touching anything except as required for safety purposes

avoiding disturbance to cave fauna, including bats, birds, nests, reptiles and arthropods

leaving bones where found or moving them carefully to side of track

carrying containers for removal of waste material, including all toileting waste

avoiding unnecessarily eating in a cave

avoiding strong smelling or messy food

eating over a container.

Techniques inside caves may include:

bridging

squeezing

crawling

rock scrambling

swimming

climbing

chimneying

wading.

Obstacles may include:

narrow passages

water

speloethems

vertical squeeze.

Relevant aspects of the activity may include:

planning process

factors affecting selection of equipment

navigation and laddering skills.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Identify food and water requirements according to contextual issues including suitability of food for the cave environment. 
Access relevant sources to interpret weather information. 
Identify an activity location and outline possible cave features, hazards and risks according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 
Establish and confirm an appropriate communication system to use in cave. 
Obtain suitable map or maps and plan a route according to map information. 
Identify emergency or contingency escape routes. 
Select equipment and check working order according to organisational policies and procedures. 
Adjust and fit equipment to ensure comfort and safety. 
Select personal clothing and footwear according to design and construction features appropriate to the location. 
Follow a route in a cave, with and without a compass, demonstrating use of underground navigation aids. 
Apply techniques for estimating the distance travelled. 
Identify features in the cave using map and compass. 
Select an efficient route suitable to the group and conditions. 
Move efficiently through cave and negotiate hazards and features according to organisational policies and procedures and relevant legislation. 
Apply techniques and procedures to minimise cave impact according to organisational policies and procedures and relevant legislation. 
Identify appropriate techniques for newly discovered caves. 
Identify types of damage and foreign material which should be isolated from the cave environment. 
Negotiate cave hazards and obstacles according to caving techniques that minimise environmental damage. 
Evaluate relevant aspects of the activity. 
Identify improvements for future caving experiences. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SISOCVE201A - Demonstrate caving skills
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

SISOCVE201A - Demonstrate caving skills

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: