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NQAI Workshop Credits and Modules Experience of Implementing ACCS Scheme in ITS

NQAI Workshop Credits and Modules Experience of Implementing ACCS Scheme in ITS. Dermot Finan Registrar IT Sligo. Résumé. Recap - Credits and Credit Accumulation Institute’s experience in applying ECTS Implementation of ACCS Scheme Examples of programmes offered through ACCS Scheme

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NQAI Workshop Credits and Modules Experience of Implementing ACCS Scheme in ITS

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  1. NQAI WorkshopCredits and ModulesExperience of Implementing ACCS Scheme in ITS Dermot Finan Registrar IT Sligo

  2. Résumé • Recap - Credits and Credit Accumulation • Institute’s experience in applying ECTS • Implementation of ACCS Scheme • Examples of programmes offered through ACCS Scheme • Innovative applications of ACCS Scheme e.g. National Certificate in Engineering in Combined Studies e.g. National Certificate in Interdisciplinary Studies • General Comments NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  3. What are ECTS Credits? • Numerical value is allocated to course units (normally modules or subjects) to describe student workload • ECTS is based on a full student workload and is not limited to contact hours only • 60 credits represent the workload of an academic year of study and 30 credits represent a semester’s workload • Programme boards examine the full structure of the course and allocate credits from the “top down” i.e. year 4 down to year 1 • Credits may be allocated to project work and placements • Elective modules are allocated credits NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  4. Award of ECTS Credits to Students • Students should not get credits simply for attending lectures or spending time abroad • Students must satisfy the assessment regulations specified at the host institution • Credits not awarded for good marks achieved but can have a significant bearing on level of overall award • Full academic recognition should be given in the home institution for credits earned in host institutions NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  5. From the late 1970’s onwards the ITS developed tangible links in the form of a joint Diploma and student exchanges with Institutes and Colleges in France and Germany. At that time there was tacit pressure to introduce a scheme to facilitate student mobility and EU funding schemes developed to encourage student and staff exchanges .e.g. ERASMUS. In the years following the publication of NCEA Policy on Accumulation of Credits and Certification of Subjects in 1989 and the emergence of European guidelines on ECTS the Institute became actively involved in offering subjects and courses through the ACCS scheme and the three Schools - Business and Humanities, Engineering and Science provided programmes at different levels using this scheme. Institute’s Experience NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  6. Programmes By ACCS Scheme NC in Business Studies, ND in Business Studies and Bachelor of Business Studies NC and ND in Applied Social Studies in Social Care NC and ND in Computing ND in Art in Fine Art NC in Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, in Industrial Automation and in Electronics ND in Technology in Quality and BSc in Quality Management NC in Science and ND in Science in Pharmaceutical Science BSc In Environmental Science and Technology

  7. Implementation of ACCS Scheme • programmes can be offered in modules or groups of modules • learner assessment may be tailor made to suit both the provider, learner and sponsor where appropriate • mentoring role provided by provider e.g. advice offered to learner by academic staff on pre-requisites and co-requisites. • easier to apply the Prior Experiential Learning Scheme and decide on exemptions • greatly enhances and facilitates part-time participation in education • no additional validation needed for ACCS scheme • alphabetic grades achieved returned to HETAC by the provider and Single Subject Certificates issued to learners. Institutes with Delegated Authority make own awards • provides opportunity for Institutes and Colleges to work more closely and design programmes from approved suites without seeking a further validation of modules. e.g. NC in Combined Studies or NC in Interdisciplinary Studies NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  8. Practical Examples of ACCS Scheme • NC and ND in Business Studies and Bachelor of Business Studies • ND in Science in Safety & Health & Industrial Hygiene • BSc Occupational Safety & Health • MSc in Environmental Health & Safety Management • NC in Engineering in Electronic Engineering, ND in Engineering in Industrial Automation and B.Eng in Product Design • Some other very successful examples are : NCC and NDC while some others not included are NDA Fine Art and BA in Fine Art, ND in Technology in Quality and BSc in Quality Management NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  9. National Certificate in Business Studies ACCS 120 Credits usually taken over 3 years Commenced in 1970 as part-time evening programme. Offered by ACCS continuously since 1989 National Diploma in Business Studies in Management Applications ACCS 60 Credits usually taken over 1 calendar year Bachelor of Business Studies ACCS 60 Credits taken over 2 years NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  10. National Certificate in Science Full-time 120 Credits National Diploma in Science in Safety & Health & Industrial Hygiene ACCS 60 Credits taken over 2 years BSc in Occupational Safety & Health ACCS 60 Credits taken over 2 years MSc in Environmental Health & Safety Management ACCS 60 Credits taken over 2 years NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  11. NC in Electronic Engineering 1987 - 1990 120 Credits taken over 3 years ND in Industrial Automation ACCS 1990 - 1992 60 Credits taken over 2 years B.Eng in Product Design ACCS 1999 - 2002 120 Credits M.Eng Full-time funded research 2002 - present 60 Credits NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  12. National Certificate in Engineering in Combined Studies • Programme agreed in co-operation with Masonite Ireland producer of timber compounds • Modules taken from four approved full-time National Certificate courses in Engineering i.e. NCE in Mechanical, NCE in Electronic Engineering, NCE in Industrial Automation and NCE in Computer Aided Precision Engineering • Proposed delivery over 2.5 years in modules of varying duration to satisfy stakeholders. Commenced in March 2002 and will conclude in August 2004 • Delivery on site in Masonite near Carrick-on Shannon • Expertise from Masonite provide occasional practicals/tutorials/lectures e.g. MD and Functional Heads • Student profile – 20 participants ranging from operative to apprentice to manager of function • Gender – 19 male 1 female NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  13. National Certificate in Engineering in Combined Studies ACCS Scheme Stages 1 & 2 NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  14. National Certificate in Engineering Combined Studies ACCS Scheme Stages 2 and 3 NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  15. National Certificate in Interdisciplinary Studies • In co-operation with Abbott Ireland Ltd ITS developed an interdisciplinary programme with a strong engineering orientation. • Abbott Ireland Ltd were the sponsors of the programme and they requested the inclusion of a range of subjects US style from the Institute’s menu. • In particular they requested that certain Business and Science modules be offered to their operatives • The programme incorporated subjects /modules mostly from the National Certificate programmes in the School of Engineering but also a limited number from programmes in the Schools of Science and Business and Humanities. • The successful students were conferred with the award of NC in Interdisciplinary Studies NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

  16. General Comments • The ACCS scheme has been one of the most innovative, progressive and successful initiatives advanced by NCEA since its inception. It is fair to conclude that the major stakeholders - students, employers, providers and the awarding bodies have derived much benefit from the initiative. • ACCS students receive no funding unlike full-time students who are normally exempt from paying fees • Many full- time students have part-time jobs of varying hours so its difficult to categorise such students as full-time • The distinction between full-time and ACCS scheme should be re-examined and relaxed • The alphabetic grading system is used in assessing ACCS students. At award stage occasionally difficulties have arisen in tracking accurately past results. The new Banner system should help greatly in providing accurate records of student performance. • A strong argument exists for having a unified system of grading thus replacing the two existing systems with the best of both. Registrars in co-operation with HETAC are at present working on this project. NQAI Workshop 28 01 04

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