Fiona Williams

1
Fiona Williams

• Transitions Project Officer
• Fife Tayside Wider Access Forum
• www.fifeandtaysideforum.org.uk

2
Helen Wallace

• Senior Community Learning Development Worker
• Angus Council Education Department

3
Partnership projectAngus Council CLD, Angus
College and University of Dundee

• Pilot the use of the SCQF to support progression
  and transition for adult learners across a range
  of community settings.
• Pilot the use of the University of Dundees
  on-line PDP for adult learners to support
  progression and transition to FE and HE level
  programmes.

4
Using SCQF

• To develop short programmes which can be
  benchmarked against SCQF levels
• To develop community based programmes to be
  credit rated and levelled.
• To identify where RPL can be used to support
  progression and transition.

5
Challenges..

• How do we apply SCQF to community based informal
  learning?
• How can SCQF be used to support RPL in this
  context?
• Can SCQF support course design in CLD?

6
Challenges

• What happens when formal assessment methods are
  introduced?
• Can the SCQF support progression from community
  learning?

7
What we have done so far!

• Get Set..Go!
• Pre-access course developed in partnership
• SCQF used to attribute level and credit points

8
What does it include?

• Practical sport
• Volunteering and educational pathways
• Adventure experience
• Sports Science
• Fitness Assessments
• Practical, skiing, Kayaking, High Ropes
• 10 week course - 4 hour sessions each week

9
Impact on the college?

• CLD staff developed links with college staff
• College developed credit rating processes
• Supported good practice in course design
• SCQF procedures simple to embed within existing
  quality systems

10
How did we apply the SCQF to Get Set..Go?

• Learning Outcomes agreed by partners
• Course content and assessments developed and
  agreed
• SCQF level descriptors used to identify level and
  credit points

11

• Formally submitted programme to college credit
  rating panel
• SCQF level 3 with 2 Credit points
• College quality system approves credit rating
  process
• Programme delivered to learners and assessments
  carried out
• HMIe supported new quality procedure for credit
  rating and levelling

12
What we hoped would happen!

• Learners on Get Set..Go! would be empowered by
  knowing what level they operated at during the
  course
• Motivated them to move on and progress
• Able to compare their achievement on the SCQF to
  other Scottish qualifications
• Helped them explain to employers what they have
  done!

13
SCQF and Pre-Access provision

• Structured course
• Clarity of outcomes for learners and tutors
• Clear assessment methodology
• Can be used again and delivered to new groups of
  learners
• Supports progression onto other learning

14
Other SCQF work

• Development of Community Activists course and
  training pack
• Will be credit rated and levelled through SQA
  (provisional 24 Credits at SCQF level 5)
• Joint partnership working
• Available nationally
• Standardised content and assessment
• Can be used as RPL tool

15
Other approaches

• Use SCQF to benchmark new or existing programmes
• Avoids formal assessment which can create
  additional barriers for disengaged learners
• Benchmarking provides an indication of where the
  learning sits within a national framework
• Can provide opportunities for RPL

16
Living Working in Angus

• This course is designed to enable Eastern
  European and other international workers and
  their families gain an understanding of living
  and working in Angus to participate more fully in
  their communities.

17
Background

• Large number of Eastern European workers in the
  local area
• Developed ESOL work
• Individual requests for support on issues such as
  housing, law, health, employment and education
• Isolated pockets of workers

18
Course content

• UNIT 1 Exploring Scottish Culture
• UNIT 2 Understanding Employment
• UNIT 3 Health Services
• UNIT 4 The Law in Scotland
• UNIT 5 Leisure and Transport
• UNIT 6 Political Systems
• UNIT 7 Other Services

19
Process?

• Identify staff within CLD to develop a programme
• Write in Learning Outcomes using templates and
  guidance
• Discuss the SCQF levels during writing of units
• Benchmark against SCQF level descriptors

20
Benefits?

• Standardised units of same level
• Clear understanding of what is to be delivered
• Staff across the service could contribute to
  development
• Programme is clearly defined for use across Angus
  and in a range of contexts
• Progression and transition routes clearer

21
Knock on effect

• ESOL programme is more relevant to needs
• Developing units using SCQF framework gives an
  idea of the level participants are operating at
• Easier to work with mixed ability groups

22
Issues to consider

• What does it mean for the learner?
• Can using the SCQF increase opportunity?
• Does it help motivate and inspire?
• Can it help the practitioner develop and deliver
  better programmes?

23
Resource implications?

• Staff development time
• Curriculum development time
• Cost of submission (4,000) through SQAs SCQF
  credit rating service
• Colleges and Universities - no set fee
  dependent on programme?
• Appeals, RPL, external quality assurance
  procedures in place

24
Discussion and feedback

• What support is required from SCQF to enable
  learners to access RPL in transition from
  Community to College to Higher Education?
• Where can RPL be used in conjunction with SCQF
  developments?
• What are the staff development implications?