140 likes | 281 Views
Academic review of HE in FECs. Student support: an overview. Alan Bradshaw Assistant Director QAA. Academic review of subjects. Directly funded provision Groups of subjects reviewed over 2-3 years Peer review Quality and standards. Standards. Intended learning outcomes (ILOs)
E N D
Academic review of HE in FECs. Student support: an overview Alan Bradshaw Assistant Director QAA
Academic review of subjects • Directly funded provision • Groups of subjects reviewed over 2-3 years • Peer review • Quality and standards
Standards • Intended learning outcomes (ILOs) • Curriculum • Assessment • Achievement Threshold judgement
Quality of learning opportunities • Teaching and learning • Student progression • Learning resources – includes staff Each aspect has separate judgement: commendable, approved, failing
Strengths • Use of practitioners in creative and performing arts • Vocational relevance • Range of specialist facilities/colleges • Flexible patterns of delivery • Approachable teaching staff and learning resource staff
Main areas for further development Remain: • quality assurance at the subject level • student assessment and • embedding academic infrastructure
From Jan. 2002: student support • Support from staff consistently a strength • Small groups assist additional contact with staff • Students value dedicated and approachable staff in both teaching and learning resources
Areas for development • Timely formative feedback which identifies how to improve • Clarity on the student – academic tutor – employer/mentor interface to ensure each understands the roles of the others.
ICT resources Good practice includes: • early identification of LR needs in programme planning • clear identification of HE needs in LR budgeting, provision and availability • links between LR availability, ILOs and content of units/modules
ICT resources 2 • Provision of LRC induction • Continued/additional support for returners • Need to ensure consistency of learning opportunities for all students studying programme across different sites/modes of study
VLE usage • Increasingly common in foundation degrees • Allows access from college, work, home • Allows employer access • Contains student handbook, course and other information e.g. study skills events • Supports all modules • Some include mentoring guidelines for employer access • Links to student resources incl. study packs
VLE usage 2 • Sets out and supports teaching and learning strategies • On-line tutoring • On-line progress files/PDPs • Allows student interaction • Access to welfare system • Promotes consistency of experience for students
Ways forward 1 • Colleges to include commentary on JISC funding in self evaluation documents • Staff development • Better publicity for JISC Regional Support Centres • Work with AoC and other organisations • Offer presentations at QAA autumn HE and FE conference 27 Oct. London email: hefeconference@qaa.ac.uk
Ways forward 2 • Draft revised section of Code out for consultation (qaa.ac.uk/public/COP/cprovis/draft/ contents.htm) • Learning from HE in FECs in England:sharing good practice • Seek ways of sharing good practice across sector.