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Pre-entry qualifications – keeping teaching staff informed Clare Carter, Roisin Curran, Sarah Maguire University of Ulster. Context. Concern about poor progression of first year students Concern about study skills of incoming students

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  1. Pre-entry qualifications – keeping teaching staff informedClare Carter, Roisin Curran, Sarah MaguireUniversity of Ulster

  2. Context • Concern about poor progression of first year students • Concern about study skills of incoming students • Concern about student expectations (or lack of) of independent study • Growing awareness that we lacked knowledge of students’ prior educational experiences

  3. Types of qualifications • A level • AVCE – now Applied GCE • BTEC • Content may be different • Teaching style has similarities

  4. Teaching at secondary level • Highly specified courses • Specification available to students • Teacher will relate teaching to specification • Reading outside text book not generally encouraged

  5. Assessment • Mark schemes available and highly specified • Coursework drafted and feedback given several times before final submission • Exams limited in time (AVCE/BTEC – only limited number of exams) • Modules may be retaken to improve mark

  6. What does this mean for student learning? • It is very teacher-dependant - structured and focussed by the teacher • Feedback on progress and assignments is frequent, with opportunities to improve before submisssion • Only the best students will read around the subject • It is assessment-driven

  7. What do we expect? • Independent learners • Once-only submission of coursework • Students to understand what is feedback and how to use it • Reading-around the subject for the best marks

  8. Staff Development • Started with conference • Workshops for faculties • Academic Induction • PgCHEP modules

  9. Activities Task 1 • Compare content of qualifications with current 1st year curriculum content Task 2 • Focus on the assessment of secondary qualifications, particularly the style of questions, and compare with current assessment in first year modules Task 3 • Reflect on student’s previous learning and teaching experience and compare to lecturer’s expectations of 1st year students

  10. Materials provided • Course specifications • Chief Examiner’s reports • Exam papers • Exam answers (if available)

  11. Feedback • ‘this should be compulsory for all staff’ • ‘now I understand that it’s not all the student’s fault’

  12. Changes in practice • Tutorials • Shorter exams in first semester • Study skills incorporated in first year modules

  13. What’s next? • Changes to A levels – first entrants 2010 • Number of modules • Applied A levels • Diplomas –a limited number offered for entrants in 2010 • Construction & Built Environment • Creative & Media • Society, Health & Development • Information Technology • Engineering

  14. Sources of information • Exam board websites • OCR – www.ocr.org.uk • QCA • www.qca.org.uk/14-19/ • www.qca.org.uk/qca_5396.aspx • Dept of Children, Schools and Families • www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/QualificationsExplained/DG_070676

  15. Contact: c.carter@ulster.ac.uk

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