Foundation, Higher and Extended Project Qualifications

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• Foundation, Higher and Extended Project
  Qualifications

QCA
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Background

• The 14-19 White Paper (DfES, February 2005) set
  out the Governments intention to offer an
  extended project to stretch all young people at
  advanced level and test a wider range of skills.
  This was described as
• a single piece of work, requiring a high
  degree of planning, preparation and autonomous
  working. The projects would differ by subjects,
  but require persistence over time and research
  skills to explore a subject independently and in
  real depth.
• Projects have been developed at
• Level 1 Foundation Project (60 glh)
• Level 2 Higher Project (60 glh)
• Level 3 Extended Project (120 glh)

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Background

• Foundation, Higher and Extended Projects are
  free-standing qualifications and may be taken by
  any students
• They are mandatory components of the Foundation,
  Higher and Advanced Diplomas respectively.
• The grading is as follows
• Foundation A-B
• Higher A-C
• Extended A-E
• The Extended Project was piloted from 2006-2008
• The Foundation and Higher Projects are being
  piloted from 2007-2009

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Characteristics of projects

• Students
• choose their own topic and plan their project
• carry out research and select and use resources
• develop the project to achieve their intended
  outcomes
• carry out a full evaluation
• present their findings
• The project may have as its outcome
• a report of an investigation
• a dissertation
• an artefact
• a performance
• Projects may involve group projects, but the
  individuals role needs to be clearly identified

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Comparison of AO1 Manage (15-25)
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Comparison of AO2 Use resources (15-25)
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Comparison of AO3 Develop Realise (35-45)
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Comparison of AO4 Review Communicate (15-25)
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Teachers involvement in the delivery of projects

• Teachers' involvement is
• to deliver the taught element, including the
  teaching of research skills, critical thinking
  skills, ethical issues, etc, and advising on
  project management
• to support students in scoping the project to
  ensure that they will meet the criteria
• to monitor student progress to ensure that they
  remain on target to complete the project by the
  due date
• to mark the project (this will be externally
  moderated by the awarding body)
• to authenticate the work as that of the student

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Extended Project

• The Extended Project is a qualification that
• is equivalent in size to about half of an A level
• will provide a tool kit of skills that better
  prepare students for higher education and
  employment
• Carries UCAS points as follows
• A 70 points
• A 60 points
• B 50 points
• C 40 points
• D 30 points
• E 20 points

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Assessment of the extended Project

• The following aspects will be assessed
• identifying, designing and planning the project
• selecting, organising and using a range of
  resources analysing data, applying findings and
  demonstrating understanding of any linkages,
  connections and complexities of the topic
• selecting and using a range of skills to take
  decisions critically and achieve planned outcomes
• evaluating all aspects of the project using a
  range of communication skills and media to
  present the outcomes of the project

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When to take the extended project

• There is flexibility as to when students take the
  Extended Project. For
• example, it may be positioned
• as a culminating activity at the end of a course
• in the middle of a scheme of work for a one-year
  course
• towards the end of the first year of a two-year
  programme
• to run over the end of the first year and the
  start of the second year of a two-year programme
• Students should be advised to target completion
  of the extended project
• in their second year since they will have
  increased maturity and are likely to have
  developed their skills to a greater extent
• at a time well removed from submission
  dates/examinations for other assessments in their
  programme to avoid conflicting pressures
• at a time that will allow them to include
  reference to it in their UCAS application form

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Performance descriptions at the A/A boundary

• AO1 Manage
• Candidate has personally identified effective
  tasks and appropriate objectives, has justified
  their choice and has engaged with them
• Project title is phrased as a clearly focused
  question, hypothesis or brief
• The work is well-planned, well-organised,
  coherent and includes appropriate autonomous
  review and modification
• AO2 Use Resources
• A rich and varied range of sources of information
  is used critically and effectively
• Research skills, technical language and/or
  specialist vocabulary are evident and
  well-developed
• There is evidence of clear understanding of the
  complexities of the topic
• There is evidence of synthesis through the making
  of relevant links to related areas

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Performance descriptions at the A/A boundary

• AO3 Develop and Realise
• There is considered response to guidance
• There is reference to problems encountered and
  justification of action taken to address these
• There is evidence of the development of skills
  and of clear understanding of the topic area
• Candidate achieves a high quality and appropriate
  outcome that realises most of the intentions of
  the project
• AO4 Review and Communicate
• The candidate carries out an in-depth evaluation
  in relation to stated objectives and to own
  learning and performance
• The outcomes are clearly presented, including
  findings and conclusions that are clearly related
  to the original objectives
• The candidate makes use of a range of appropriate
  presentation skills
• The candidate responds well to questions

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Examples of projects

• A cultural comparison of Japanese Manga and
  American superhero comics
• An investigation into why England experiences
  seismic activity
• An investigation of the changes in architecture
  that took place over the years at Lilleshall
  Abbey
• Anti-Bullying What is bullying and what are its
  factors?
• Are ASBOs an effective method of solving
  antisocial behaviour?
• Are mobile phones affecting health?
• Can science explain the nature of happiness?
• Can we justify scientific research on animals?
• Creating a database with an automatic ordering
  facility when stocks reach a certain level

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Examples of projects continued

• Does a biographical reading of Mary Shelleys
  novels add or detract from a greater
  understanding of her work?
• How has life improved for black South Africans
  since the demise of apartheid?
• How have advances in technology affected
  globalisation?
• How important is body image in society today?
• Is digital switch over akin to decimalisation?
• Is graffiti art or vandalism?
• Is surgery the answer to cosmetic defects?
• Is the media to blame for causing Islamophobia?
• Is the NHS as bad as the media portrays it to be?
  
• Is surgery the answer to cosmetic defects?

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Examples of projects continued

• Origins of animal life - God or Science?
• Performing - Elton John (The student planned and
  put on a performance of Elton John's work,
  writing his own arrangements for performance by
  various ensembles)
• Should Great Britain buy a replacement for
  Trident?
• Should the abortion time limit be raised from 24
  weeks to 28 weeks?
• Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
• What is the best solution to the quantum
  mechanical measurement problem?
• What is the self-perception by Asians post 9/11?
• Why is childbirth before marriage increasing?

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Guidance on the extended project

• QCA has commissioned the production of guidance
  on the
• introduction of the extended project, which was
  published
• July 2008
• Guidance for managers
• Guidance on Preparing for the Delivery of Level 1
  and Level 2 Projects and Level 3 Extended
  Projects
• Guidance for practitioners
• an Introduction to Level 3 Extended Projects
• an Introduction to the Level 2 Project
• an Introduction to the Level 1 Project
• Guidance at www.qca.org.uk/qca_1
  8461.aspx
• Information leaflet at www.qca.org.uk/qca_190
  44.aspx

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Hair and beauty exemplar

• Ayisha wanted to know how different types of
  people responded to fashion images and how media
  campaigns in the beauty sector used images to
  target particular client groups.
• She reviewed research on the use of images in
  marketing. She then did her own research by
  assembling a range of advertising images from
  magazines, promotional material, etc. and
  selecting a range of people to interview about
  their reactions to them. She chose people of
  different ages, and from different social,
  cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and asked them
  to explain which images they identified with and
  why, and which images would encourage them to buy
  a product or service. She found the results were
  complex and fascinating and sometimes very
  surprising.
• She presented her findings as an analytical
  report (complete with images) in which she
  identified particular types of marketing image
  that appealed to specific consumer types and
  compared her own findings with those of other
  research. She did a full evaluation of the
  methodology that she had used.

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Business and finance exemplar

• On his work experience, Hari encountered examples
  of the psychometric tests used as part of the
  recruitment process in some organisations. He
  decided to pose the question 'What is the value
  of psychometric testing within the selection
  process for employees?
• He undertook desk research to find out the
  origins and use of psychometric testing. He
  devised a questionnaire to determine which
  psychometric tests were used by personnel
  managers for which types of job and how much
  importance they placed on them in their selection
  processes. He sent them to a number of personnel
  managers, whom he subsequently interviewed. He
  also interviewed some candidates to learn their
  views on the tests and to determine whether they
  completed them honestly or to try to meet the
  requirements of the post. His work experience
  firm helped him to make the contacts.
• He carried out a thorough analysis of the data he
  collected and drew conclusions on the value of
  the tests. The project combined Haris interest
  in business and psychology and his project
  presentation was made to his psychology class.

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Environment and land-based studies exemplar

• Charlotte became interested in plant-breeding,
  particularly some of the rare exotic plants she
  encountered in the colleges greenhouses. As her
  project, she decided to undertake an
  orchid-breeding programme, using aseptic
  techniques and sowing and growing orchid seeds,
  to determine the feasibility of conserving rare
  species by breeding and raising them out of their
  natural habitat.
• As part of her research, she visited the orchid
  house at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and was
  able to interview one of the specialist orchid
  curators about her work and the importance of
  conserving rare species. She also visited the
  Eden Project to see how they were building their
  orchid collection and how they chose their stock.
  She filmed both visits.
• In her report of the project, she produced a
  rationale for the importance of conserving rare
  species, a commentary on the process of growing
  the rare orchids and an evaluation of the success
  of the methods she had used in growing the
  plants. Her presentation took the form of an
  informative video.

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Hospitality exemplar

• Greg decided to investigate quality in the
  provision of conference services. He researched
  what constituted high quality service and devised
  a questionnaire for customers to enable him to
  determine the quality of provision actually
  delivered.
• He then researched local businesses to find what
  they offered and asked their permission to
  interview some of their clients. He also found
  some contacts of his own who allowed themselves
  to be interviewed including individuals
  organising educational conferences and training.
  He used this information to compare the offer
  with customer aspirations and experience.
• The outcomes were a report on what constitutes
  good customer service in this field, together
  with a check-list of good practice for providers
  an analysis of local provision of conference
  services an analysis of client feedback on
  delivery of that provision and an evaluation the
  methodology used. In his presentation of
  findings, he made recommendations on what local
  businesses should do to improve their services,
  both in term of what they offered and how they
  delivered them.

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Manufacturing and product design exemplar

• Jade had an interest in the environmental
  benefits of different types of building products
  and their appropriate application in the building
  sector. Using windows as an example, she decided
  to find out what influences builders in their
  choice of product.
• She first carried out detailed research on the
  range of products available, noting all of their
  characteristics, including the environmental
  impact of the materials used and of their
  insulating properties. Using the contacts she had
  made in her work experience she visited different
  construction sites and photographed the different
  types of windows being installed. She then
  interviewed the architects, using a prepared list
  of questions, to determine why they had selected
  their product and discussed with them the
  benefits and costs of their chosen type of
  window.
• She presented her findings as a computer slide
  show with an accompanying audio commentary which
  explained her findings and included taped
  extracts from her interviews with the architects.