LEARNERS GUIDE

SOURCE AND PRESENT INFORMATION

Published by

HEART TRUST/NATIONAL TRAINING AGENCY

Produced by

TVET Resource Centre

Gordon Town Road
Kingston 7
Jamaica W.I.

*** 2003***

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 LEARNERS GUIDE

2003 HEART Trust/NTA

Kingston
Jamaica

This material is protected by copyright. Copying this material or any part of it by any means,
including digital or in any form is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained from
the HEART Trust/NTA.

Design and Development work

done by the Learning Resource
Unit of the TVET Resource Centre

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 1

Welcome ................................................................................................................... 1
This Competency Unit.................................................................................................... 1
Before You Start ............................................................................................................. 2
Planning Your Learning Programme ............................................................................. 2
Self-Assessment Checklist ............................................................................................. 3
How To Use This Learners Guide ................................................................................ 4
Using the Computer and Other Resources ..................................................................... 5
Method of Assessment.................................................................................................... 6

Element 1&2: Find, prepare and present information .................................................... 7

Self-Assessment Checklist ........................................................................................................ 14

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LG THHGAD0101A SOURCE AND PRESENT INFORMATION

LG- THHGAD0101A:
SOURCE AND PRESENT
INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

Welcome

Welcome to the Learners Guide for Competency Standard Source and Present
Information. This is just one of a number of Learner Guides produced for the
Commercial Food Preparation Skills stream of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, and
it is designed to guide you, the learner, through a series of learning processes and
activities that will enable you to achieve the specified learning outcomes for the
competency unit.

The content of this guide was developed from the Competency Standard
THHGAD0101A, which is one of the basic building blocks for the National Vocational
Qualification of Jamaica (NVQJ) certification within the industry. Please refer to your
Learners Handbook for a thorough explanation of standards and competencies, and how
these relate to the NVQJ certification.

You are also advise to consult the Competency Standard for a better understanding of
what is required to master the competency.

This Competency Unit

Source and present information addresses the knowledge and skills requirements for
sourcing and presenting information. The competency is comprised of the following
elements:

Element 1&2: Find, prepare and present information

As you go through each element you will find critical information relating to each one.
You are advised to study them carefully so that you will be able to develop the necessary
knowledge, skills and attitudes for source and presenting information.

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Before you start

Before you start this Learners Guide, you need to:

a. Obtain a Learners Logbook that you `will use to record evidence of your new
skills/competence. As you demonstrate your new skills, record your activities and
have your learning facilitator sign off on them. This will allow you to provide
evidence of your competence when you are being assessed against the competency
standard.

b. Ensure that you have access to the facilities and equipment necessary for learning.

c. Ensure that you are wearing suitable clothing, that tools and equipment are safe, and
that the correct safety equipment is used.

d. Plan your learning programme (see below)

e. Understand how to use this Learners Guide (see below)

Planning your learning programme

The self-assessment checklist on the following page will assist you in planning your
training programme as it will help you to think about the knowledge and skills needed to
demonstrate competency in this unit. As you go through the checklist you will be able to
find out what competencies you have already mastered and which one you will need to
pay more attention to as you go through the learning process.

To complete the self-assessment checklist simply read the statements and tick the Yes
or No box. You should do this exercise now.

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LG THHGAD0101A SOURCE AND PRESENT INFORMATION

SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
-Source and present information

Element 1&2:Find, prepare and present information Yes No

1. I can identify methods of gathering information

form relevant sources. ( ) ( )

2. I can use questionnaire to get feedback. ( ) ( )

3. I can present information . ( ) ( )

4. I can access and assess information sources from

relevance and applicability ( ) ( )

5. I can obtain information within designated timelines ( ) ( )

6. I can structure and express the range of information

in a clear and concise manner ( ) ( )

7. I can present information in a professional manner

appropriate to the circumstance ( ) ( )

8. I can make information available to the appropriate

person within the designated timelines ( ) ( )

How did you do?

If you ticked all or most of the Yes boxes, then you might not need to go through the
entire guide. Ask your learning facilitator to assist you in determining the most
appropriate direction for this competency.

If you ticked a few of the Yes boxes or none at all, then you should work through the
entire guide, even though some of the material may be familiar to you.

Plan your learning based on your answers. Be sure to involve your learning facilitator in
the planning process.

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How to use this Learners Guide

This Learners Guide is designed to assist you in working and learning at your own pace.

We suggest that you:

Go through the sections/elements as they are presented (starting at Section 1)

Check your progress at each checkpoint to ensure that you have understood the
material

Observe the icons and special graphics used throughout this guide to remind you of
what you have to do to enhance your learning. The icons and their meanings are as
follows:

Complete Assessment Exercise

This exercise requires you to think about the knowledge
and skills that you have or will develop in this competency
unit.

Definition Box
Words/phases are defined or explained in this box. The
words/phases being explained are in bold print.

Checkpoint
This denotes a brain teaser and is used to check your
understanding of the materials presented. No answers are
provided for the questions asked.

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Activity
This denotes something for you to do either alone or with
the assistance of your learning facilitator.

Reference
Points you to the reference materials and other support
documents or resources used in compiling the unit content.

Ask your learning facilitator for help if you have any problem with the interpretation
of the contents, the procedures, or the availability of resources

Complete each activity as you come to it. If the activity requires you to perform an
actual task, be sure to tell your learning facilitator when you get to that activity so
that he/she can make the arrangements, if necessary

Get your learning facilitator to sign and date the Learner Logbook when you have
completed an activity

Complete the self-assessment checklist at the end of each section or element.

When you have worked through all elements of the guide, and when you can tick every
Yes box, you are ready for assessment and may ask your learning facilitator to assist
you in making the arrangements to have your performance assessed.

Using the Computer and Other Resources

Where your activities refer you to the library, computer and Internet resources, ask your
learning facilitator to assist you with locating these resources. If you are getting your
training in an institution, there may be a library and computer laboratory. If this is not
the case, visit the local library and find out what resources are available.

If you are new to the computer and the Internet, someone should be able to show you
how to use these resources.

Please note that in many of your activities you have been referred to information on the
Internet. This is because the Internet has a vast amount of information that can help you
in acquiring the particular competencies. We would like to advice you, however, that we
cannot guarantee that all the sites will be available when you need them. If this happens,
ask your learning facilitator to assist you with locating other sites that have the
information you require.

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Method of Assessment

Competency will be assessed while work is being undertaken under direct supervision
with regular checks, but may include some autonomy when working as a team. You are
advised to consult the associated competency standard for further details relating to the
assessment strategies.

You may now start your learning. Have fun while you work!

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ELEMENTS 1&2: FIND, PREPARE AND PRESENT INFORMATION

LEARNING OUTCOMES

As you work through this element, you should acquire the knowledge and skills to find and
present information. Your learning facilitator is there to assist you through the various activities.
Upon completion you should be able to:

1. Identify methods of gathering information from relevant and applicable sources.

2. Obtain current and accurate information in the form of feedback.
3. Understand and use a basic questionnaire.
4. Present information to relevant leadership sources in a professional manner.
5. Present information in a clear, concise and structured manner.

Do you believe that learning new information in your daily interaction is important to your job?
In your personal lives, you have seen how information helps you to improve communication
with your family and friends. The same is true in organizations, as information helps people
make better choices about goods and services.

As part of a service industry, you should be able to source information and present it in the form
of feedback from customers. You should pass on information to management so that action can
be taken for improved service if the information is negative, or to commend staff when the
feedback is positive.

Information helps you to be a better worker in the industry and this is one way of securing your
employment. Naturally, in keeping with your training, you should source and present
information in a polite manner. Your approach to the customer should be warm and endearing.

CHECKPOINT:
How do you think that your customers would feel if you were to
approach them in an aggressive manner?

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TIP: Sourcing information from customers should be done in a timely and polite manner.
You should use the information to take corrective action and/or, consulting your learning
facilitator.

ACTIVITY:

One of your customers complains that he has a difficult time

digesting the spicy foods on your menu. In pairs, discuss what action
you will take in this regard?

Reference:
http://www.sba.pdx.edu/faculty/alanra/araccess/sourehp.htm

Understanding feedback

Good customer service relies on feedback.

CHECKPOINT:
What is feedback? When you communicate with someone, how do
you know that the person understands what you are saying?

You can check the persons verbal and non-verbal actions such as a nod of the head, a
questioning look, answers of yes or no or a look of interest or disinterest. Communicating
requires a good attitude to get the most out of the interaction.

In the same way, you can get feedback from your customers to see how satisfied they are with
the service/facilities.

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Why do you think that some properties spend so much time in obtaining feedback? Naturally, it
improves quality of product/service. Information gathered from simple research, like eliciting
feedback, is very critical to transformation of organizations. This is part of internal evaluation.
It is like checking out your family members to make sure that everything is in order in your
household.

Obtaining feedback

Oral

You can talk to your customers informally about the product/service being offered. You can get
valuable information from informal conversations.

ACTIVITY:

Working in pairs, role play the following:

Tourist visiting from Europe

You are asked about your stay in Jamaica since your arrival three
days ago. You will tell what you like but you should mention some of
the things you do not like, for example the mosquitoes at nights.

Dining room waitress

You will politely ask your guest about her visit to Jamaica, how she
has been enjoying it since her arrival three days ago. You will read
non- verbal cues that despite the glowing praises for Jamaica, there is
something that with which she is not too happy. You follow up on
that non-verbal cue to find out what is the source of the unhappiness.
You eventually learn that mosquitoes are the problem at nights in her
room. You should apologise on behalf of the property and offer to
seek a remedy.

Questions: What do you do with the information about the

mosquitoes?
Do you follow up to see that action is taken?
Do you inform your guest that you reported the matter
for action to be taken?
Discuss the questions with your learning facilitator.

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You can get feedback through a set of structured questions designed by management for you to
administer. This is a basic questionnaire. You can record the answers by tape recorder for
transcription at a later date, or you can write the answers on the questionnaire form.

It is important that when you gather information, whether written or oral, that you take care to:

be accurate in recording the information based on the questions asked

be timely, collecting information while issues are current, for example,
soon after the meal is completed it is best to ask the customer how
enjoyable was the meal
listen - listening is an important factor in the communication process
keep information confidential so persons can trust you and feel
comfortable to speak with you in the future.

Tip: Politeness is a basic factor in your interaction with your customers, whether formally or
informally.

Written

In the written form, the questionnaire is given to the customer to fill in answers to the questions.

You must seek permission from the customer to administer the questions as well as to record the
answers.

A questionnaire - is a set of
questions structured to provide
information by way of answers.

The success of the questionnaire depends on the types of questions asked and how they are
asked?

Good research questions should be

simple and direct.

drafted using a common language, a language that both parties use.
short
free from double-barreled questions
without double negatives

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ACTIVITY:

Find out from your learning facilitator some other things to consider
when preparing salads.

Find a recipe for a salad in a recipe book, on the Internet, or ask your
learning facilitator to recommend one.
Make sure the ingredients are in season. Prepare the salad. Show the
salad to your learning facilitator or supervisor and ask for his/her
opinion on what you have done.

Other methods of gathering data include:

Self administered mailed questionnaires

Face-to-face individual interviews
Telephone surveys
Group interviews

ACTIVITY:

Working in pairs, role play the following:

One person pretends to be a visitor dining in a local restaurant.
The other pretends to be the waiter/waitress who served the visitor a
meal.
Conduct a face-to-face interview to find out how the visitor enjoyed
the meal and its service.

Discuss the outcomes with your learning facilitator.

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Focus groups

You can interview a group of people at the same time to get information/feedback through focus
groups
You can use a focus group at any point in information gathering/research

about a topic of interest

to stimulate new and creative concepts
to generate impressions of a new product or service

CHECKPOINT:
What are other reasons for using groups to gain information?

If you are interested in research, say market research, you can access courses in this field and
you will learn more about the methods of collecting information.

Presenting information

You have gathered information on product on services, what do you do with that information?
Pass it your learning facilitator for action. There are several ways to do this.

You have reviewed the information and selected what is appropriate. The critical part of
information gathering is to present information in creative and interesting ways. You can present
information in a number of ways for better understanding.

Can you hear it? This is auditory

Can you see it? This is visual
Can you read it? Written
Auditory-Visual combination
Visual-written combination
Auditory-written combination

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ACTIVITY:

Discuss examples of the ways in which information can be presented

with your learning facilitator.

To present information to your supervisor, you can tell him or her about the feedback you have
gained or you can write it in a concise, professional way. Writing a simple report is helpful for
your supervisor and yourself. This will help him or her to follow up in solving the problem or
appeasing the customers.

CHECKPOINT:
Do you recall how to use the Internet? Refer to web page
http://www.communties.org.uk/articles/pact1.html

ACTIVITY:

Use the Internet to find out more about presenting information and
writing reports.

Write a report to your supervisor about the barbeque you arranged for
customers who were stranded at the restaurant due to a delay of the
tour bus. What feedback did you receive from your customers?
Discuss with your learning facilitator.

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ARE YOU READY TO PROVE YOUR COMPETENCY?

Now that you have completed this element do the following self-assessment to see if you have
fully grasped all the components.

Checklist 1
Yes No

1. I can identify methods of gathering information

form relevant sources. ___ ___

2. I understand how to use questionnaire to get

feedback. ___ ___

3. I understand how to present information . ___ ___

Checklist 1
Yes No

1. Information sources are accessed and assessed from

relevance and applicability ___ ___

2. Information is obtained within designated timelines ___ ___

3. Where appropriate, text is drafted to include all

relevant information ___ ___

4. When presented, the range of information provided

is structured and expressed in a clear and concise
manner ___ ___

5. Information is presented in a professional manner

appropriate to the circumstance ___ ___

6. Information is made available to the appropriate

person within the designated timelines ___ ___

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