Providing high quality support materials

for SQA’s qualifications - Our roadmap for China –

Update September 2012

Martyn WareHead of Assessment Development and Delivery

BISU, Beijing, Thursday 13 September 2012

Overview• What support materials are• Why they are valuable• SQA’s approach to providing support

materials• Update since September 2011• Discuss our thinking and plans to make sure

we will meet your needs

What are support materials?

‘….all material which SQA produces to support the delivery, assessment and quality assurance of our qualifications’

Why support materials are important• Enhance centre, lecturer and learner

experience• Help ensure consistency in delivery and

assessment• Strengthen quality assurance • Benefits to centres, SQA and learners

Purposes of support materials

Types of support materials

Our support materials roadmap – from September 2011

Our roadmap for China – Stage 1• Map existing materials to existing HND Business

frameworks• Identify other resources that can support delivery

e.g. ESoL formative assessments• Identify wider resources to support delivery and QA• Highlight other resources that can be freely used e.g.

Mahara e-portfolio • Establish clear understanding of needs and priorities

Stage 1- Update• Map existing materials to existing HND

Business frameworks Summarised in spreadsheet on website

• Identify other resources that can support delivery

Links from website to e.g. ESoL formative assessments

• Identify wider resources to support delivery and QA

e.g. SQA Academy courses, SQA guidance documents

• Highlight other resources that can be freely used e.g. Mahara e-portfolio

Summary information and links available through the website

Stage 1- Update

• Establish clear understanding of needs and priorities

Greater focus for SQA over past year and captured in this strategy

Dialogue in May on future approaches e.g. blended learning

Stage 1- Update

Stage 2 - Update• Develop new materials and resources based on

understanding of needs and priorities Learner guides being updated: CMEPH update to follow

• Build capacity in centre staff to develop materials SQA Academy package on developing assessments for prior

verification

• Establish SQA Academy as key source of support • Trial provision of e-learning support for one

framework

Updating Learner Guides

• Not part of SQA’s original plan• Now underway in response to feedback• Learner guides are not a textbook: they need to be

used in combination with other resources• The world keeps changing (so impossible to keep LGs

completely up to date…..)• Further update on processes and timescales from

CMEPH

Blended learning trial

• Outline SQA’s original thinking and plans

• Summarise feedback from May workshops

• Propose revised plans in light of this feedback

Defining blended learning

‘....the pedagogic methodology that uses a range of learning and teaching resources. These are:•traditional didactic classroom teaching•the use of texts from which students learn•the use of the internet to access learning•the use of online virtual learning environments (VLEs) to host resources that can be used independently by students or in a classroom setting......’

Reasons for encouraging use of blended learning• Broaden the range of teaching and learning

approaches• Ensure that graduates are as fully prepared as

possible for further study outside China• Protect the SQA HND’s reputation as a high

quality and forward-thinking international qualification

Rationale for the trial

• Staff are experienced in delivery of HND and ready for new approaches

• Greater use of technology generally in life and learning

• Preparation for further study outside China• Greater flexibility in how courses are delivered

Purpose of the trial

‘...to build a clearer understanding of the specific challenges associated with the use of blended learning in our Chinese centres and, importantly, help to inform plans for a larger scale roll out of blended learning approaches.’

Feedback from May events• General recognition of the need to adopt new

approaches• Needs strong driver to encourage and

motivate learners• Strong attachment to paper• Practical issues for centres e.g. access to ICT• Staff readiness• Degree of change during 2012

Revised approach • Plans reviewed in light of feedback from May• Defer start of trial until Sept 2013 • Allows time to become more familiar with

new Business framework• Develop blended learning and assessment

together to encourage learners • Offer guidance and support in preparation for

the trial

Our support materials roadmap

Stage 3

• Build on what works from Stages 1 and 2• Roll out e-learning for Business framework

and business units in other frameworks• Develop new approaches based on emerging

needs, priorities and models

Summary• We remain committed to providing high quality and

up to date support materials• Our 2011 strategy remains our framework• Elements of our plan have been delivered: others are

in progress• We have sought feedback and revised our plans in

response• Our focus remains on enhancing the experience of

SQA’s qualifications for centres and learners

谢谢你