Learning for Credit

THE L IFELONG L EARNING N ETWORK FOR THE EAST OF ENGLAND

Learning for Credit

A Guide to the Accreditation of Work-based Learning in the East of England

Part of the Regional Credit Agreement

Mick Betts and Lyn Brennan

January 2009

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There are few companies or businesses in which some kind of in-company training, continuing professional development (CPD) or other work-based learning is not available to employees. However, much of this is not formally recognised. Accreditation, in the sense explained in this guide, is the process through which this kind of learning is formally recognised by a university or validating agency as having an equivalent credit value in terms of a level and volume (how difficult and how much) to formal learning within their institutions. Units of accredited learning can be freestanding, part of a CPD scheme or built in to a range of standard and bespoke higher education awards and qualifications. This guide explains the processes involved, the benefits to all parties and offers pointers to good practice and achieving successful outcomes.

For information about the accreditation of prior and experiential learning – the processes used to enable the reuse or repurposing of existing formal learning or learning from experience - usually referred to as ‘APEL’ or ‘APCL’ - see the companion volume to this guide called Credit for Learning – A Guide to the Accreditation of Prior Certificated and Experiential Learning in Higher Education in the East of England(Betts and Crichton: 2009)

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Section 1 1. Introduction 1 1.1 General 1 1.2 What is meant by accreditation? 1 1.3 How do higher education institutions in the region use the term 1 accreditation? 1.4 What is the purpose of accreditation? 2 1.5 What outcomes may result from accreditation? 2 1.6 What is the extent of accreditation activity? 2 1.7 What is the benefit of credit? 3 1.8 What are the key benefits of accreditation? 3

Section 2 2. Practice – the process of credit rating learning in the work place 4 2.1 General 4 2.2 Identifying learning outcomes 4 2.3 Establishing the level of the learning 5 2.4 Designing assessment requirements and assessment criteria 6 2.5 Identifying learning resources 7 2.6 Establishing quality assurance and enhancement mechanisms 7 2.7 Identifying and training assessors of work-based learning 8 2.8 Management of the programme 9

Section 3 3. Frequently asked questions about regulations for accreditation 10 3.1 Is there a common regulatory framework relating to the accreditation 10 of work-based programmes? 3.2 Can a programme be awarded freestanding general credit? 10 3.3 Is there a limit to how much credit from an external programme can 10 be awarded and at what level? 3.4 Can learners achieve credit if they have completed an external 11 programme of learning prior to it being accredited? 3.5 Does the credit rating of an external programme have to equate to 11 the module size used in the higher education institution or awarding body?

Section 4 4. Features and benefits of good accreditation practice 12 4.1 For employers and other providers 12 4.2 For higher education institutions and awarding bodies 13

Appendices 1. The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) 2. Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges in the East of England 3. Credit and qualifications frameworks – an overview 4. Level descriptors 5. Example Programme Specification Form 6. Example Module/Unit Specification Form 7. Glossary of definitions, terms and acronyms

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1. Introduction

1.1 General This guide deals mainly with the accreditation of learning at higher education levels (FHEQ 4 – 8). The accrediting bodies referred to throughout therefore, would normally be universities or other higher education institutions. The new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) also offers the opportunity for work-based learning to be accredited at all levels from 1 – 8 but although it is based on similar principles of describing and measuring learning as those described here, its primary purpose in recognising units of learning is to place them within a public, national qualifications and credit framework. More information about the QCF is available below in appendix 1.

1.2 What is meant by accreditation? Accreditation refers to processes whereby learning that has taken place outside of the university context may be recognised as equivalent to learning achieved within it. In general usage, the term accreditation may be used to describe the kite marking of a programme or of an organisation, in order to establish its fitness for purpose or to affirm the quality or standard of the provision. Although the term is sometimes used in this way within higher education contexts too, it is used in a more restricted sense in this guide to describe the processes whereby universities, awarding bodies or validating agencies, evaluate learning from other providers against the higher education benchmarks of volume and level of credit. Accredited learning may have been achieved through a programme of classroom based activities, open and flexible learning, through structured work-based learning or a combination of these approaches.

1.3 How do higher education institutions in the region use the term accreditation? Universities and colleges in the region (see list of universities and colleges in appendix 2) use the term accreditation to describe:

a. Credit rating of programmes delivered by another education provider b. Accreditation of in-company training c. Accreditation of short courses/CPD programmes d. Assessment of work-based learning, either as part of programmes such as foundation degrees or, in a limited number of cases, leading to the award of freestanding Certificates of Credit

The term is also used in a similar way by awarding bodies and validating agencies, such as the Open College Network in the Eastern Region (OCNER) and the Cambridge Access Validating Agency (CAVA) to describe:

e. Accreditation of units and courses that contribute to the modular credit framework for Access Diploma programmes or f. Accreditation of an organisation’s in-house training to contribute to tailored qualifications or courses.

1.4 What is the purpose of accreditation? Accreditation enables individuals, companies or organisations to have the quality and standard of the learning that has taken place recognised. By establishing equivalence with learning in higher education and by achieving recognition of the credit value and level of the learning: • individuals may be able to gain admission to higher education courses and may also be exempted from part of the course because they have already achieved some of the required credits • professional bodies may be able to gain a higher education award for their professional development programmes, often resulting in the dual outcomes of both a university award and professional recognition • companies may have the quality of their personal development programmes recognised and, in addition, may either gain entry onto an existing university award or be able to use the credit achieved as a platform on which to build bespoke awards validated by one or more universities.

1.5 What outcomes may result from accreditation? There may be a number of different outcomes of accreditation processes:

a. Credit rating of a programme of learning to establish a volume and level of credit that may be used to gain admission with credit onto an undergraduate or postgraduate programme of study offered by a higher education institution b. Credit rating of a programme of learning to establish a volume and level of credit that may contribute to a bespoke award developed specifically with the company or organisation c. Recognition of the equivalence of a programme of learning provided within a company or organisation to higher education benchmarks by establishing the volume and level(s) of credit d. Accreditation of a programme of learning in order to establish a volume and level of credit for the purpose of establishing the academic standard of the programme and to enable individual participants to be awarded Certificates of Credit in respect of the learning achieved.

1.6 What is the extent of accreditation activity? Most higher education institutions in the region are increasing their accreditation activity, or have already done so in the light of the government’s Employer Engagement agenda.

The full range of potential outcomes of accreditation may not be available in all institutions. For example, some institutions accredit only that learning from other providers that can contribute to one of their own awards, by establishing a match between the learning achieved from a programme delivered by another provider and the learning that would otherwise be achieved by completing modules or units on the university’s programme. In these institutions, accredited external learning cannot result in freestanding credit. Alternatively, others may use the learning achieved on an external programme as a building block on which to design bespoke programmes for and with companies and organisations in those ‘niche’ areas in which they have particular strengths and expertise.

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1.7 What is the benefit of credit? Assigning a credit and level value to learning achievements has benefits to learners because it locates their learning within a national credit framework, thus opening up greater opportunities to transfer credit into a wider range of programmes and awards.

Credit is the term used by higher education institutions to summarise and describe an amount of learning. A credit value identifies the volume (how much) and the level (how difficult) of learning undertaken. The diagram at appendix 3 shows the equivalence of qualifications in terms of credit volume and level, from entry level up to level 8. This has been revised in response to the second edition of the FHEQ (August 2008) and the development of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).

Most institutions use their own modules or units as the basis on which they assign credit to in-company courses or work-based experiential learning, through a process of ‘module matching’. Details of the principles and processes for the credit rating of learning are discussed in detail in the next section.

1.8 What are the key benefits of accreditation? Accreditation: • demonstrates investment in and commitment to high quality work-based learning and the professional development of staff • increases staff motivation through having learning internally and externally recognised and valued • enables enhanced staff appraisal processes and outcomes • enables bespoke learning to be tailored to focus explicitly on achieving company objectives • offers a flexible approach that enables work-based learning to track company needs • gives national and international recognition of company based learning programmes and of the quality of workforce development • gives companies and universities the benefits of a two way exchange of ideas and expertise which may contribute to the achievement of business goals for both.

2. Practice – the process of credit rating learning in the workplace

2.1 General In order for a programme of learning to be given a credit value it is essential that the learning matches higher education benchmarks. In a credit based system the relevant criteria are that:

• learning outcomes have been clearly identified • the level of the learning has been established • robust assessment processes are in place and assessment criteria developed • learning resources are identified • quality assurance and enhancement mechanisms are in place to ensure the continuing quality of the programme, including regular review and management of the learning experience • workplace assessors have been identified where appropriate • monitoring of assessment and programme management arrangements have been established with the higher education institutions.

In-company programmes are often not presented in a form whereby accreditation can take place immediately. Some programmes may not have detailed learning outcomes identified and may not be formally assessed. In many cases a Certificate of Attendance may be issued to show that a training programme has been completed but little formal assessment may have been required. If training is linked to achievement of National Occupational Standards, some workplace assessment of competence may be associated with a training programme but this may not be sufficient for the award of higher education credits. Similarly, although some objectives may have been identified for a structured training event, these may not be sufficiently explicit to identify the learning outcomes, or the level, of the learning.

In consequence, some programmes of workplace learning may require additional development before they are in a form where they can be accredited. Higher education institutions may therefore need to spend time with an external provider, developing and redesigning programmes, in order to bring them to the necessary standards for accreditation.

2.2 Identifying learning outcomes It is a fundamental principle of accreditation that the learning that must be achieved is clearly identified; credit cannot be awarded for experience alone. Learning outcomes are described in terms of what an individual is expected to know, understand and be able to do on completion of the learning activity.

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At the start of the accreditation process, there are likely to be differences between learning contexts in terms of how clearly learning outcomes are articulated. ‘Learning on the job’ is often not fully described in terms of the learning outcomes to be achieved but, instead, may be described in terms of business objectives. Demonstration of competencies, for example when work-based learning is evaluated against the achievement of National Occupational Standards, may emphasise the skills dimension – what individuals are expected to be able to do – and may require more work to be done to draw out the knowledge and understanding outcomes. Professional training programmes are more likely to have some learning achievements identified as requirements for achieving membership, fellowship or chartered status. However, even in this context, the requirements are often specified in terms of years of experience rather than the achievement of specific learning outcomes.

Some companies and organisations may not be familiar with the terminology of learning outcomes as used in higher education programmes and it is normally the task of the accrediting higher education institutions to act as a translator between the two contexts. This translation work is essential because it is important that companies and organisations fully understand and ‘own’ the learning outcomes to be achieved. Without this understanding, it is unlikely that learners will receive the necessary guidance and support that they will need to be successful.

2.3 Establishing the level of the learning Most higher education institutions in the East of England describe the learning outcomes of modules or units of learning in terms of the level of difficulty. However, for the majority of companies or organisations presenting programmes for accreditation this will not necessarily be familiar practice. Tradition- ally higher education programmes have been described in terms of years – for example by referring to the first, second or third year of a degree programme. The modular, credit accumulation and transfer scheme (CATS) has had the effect of putting more emphasis on learning wherever and however it has been achieved and has therefore shifted the focus away from the complexity of the input (teaching) onto the complexity of the output. Higher education institutions will therefore need to work with other providers to ensure that they understand and can apply the concept of level as used within higher education. A good understanding of level enables a much clearer picture of patterns of personal and professional development and progression.

Definition of Level: a level is an indicator of the relative difficulty or challenge, complexity, depth of study and learner autonomy.

Higher education works with a hierarchy of levels, in which higher levels generally subsume lower levels. Generic level descriptors have been developed to describe the characteristics and context of learning expected at each level in the hierarchy. Because there are different ways in which learning can be described, there are several different sets of level descriptors in use that focus on specific aspects of learning. Many higher education institutions in the East of England are members of SEEC, a consor-

tium established to promote opportunities for credit accumulation and transfer and use the SEEC Level Descriptors. Other higher education institutions and the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) use the NICATS descriptors, which also have a summary version for easy reference, included here in appendix 4. The SEEC and NICATS descriptors share many similarities and draw on common features to establish level e.g. • the complexity of knowledge and understanding • the standard of cognitive skills • key or transferable skills achieved • the expected responsibility of the learner • the autonomy or independence of the learner • the amount of guidance required by the learner.

Level descriptors are generic in the sense of not being restricted to a particular subject area or a particular context and are therefore equally useful for staff designing programmes within higher education institutions and staff within companies and organisations preparing programmes for accreditation. They are also very useful in establishing the level of learning that has already been achieved – for example from experience in the workplace. Generally, especially when linked to the learning outcomes of modules, level descriptors provide a threshold standard – in other words they describe essential learning or the minimum acceptable quality of learning that must be achieved.

2.4 Designing assessment requirements and assessment criteria Some work-based learning programmes either have no assessment associated with them, or the assessment processes are not sufficiently robust to meet the standards required by higher education institutions. Again, providers of work-based programmes are unlikely to be familiar with assessment requirements in the higher education context. For a programme to be accredited, higher education institutions will work with the providers to: • develop an assessment specification for each unit or module of learning which spells out what the learner must do e.g. write a report, demonstrate skills in the workplace, give a presentation, compile a portfolio • develop assessment criteria, using level descriptors, to indicate the standards that will be used to evaluate the work • ensure that procedures are in place for communicating to learners the precise assessment requirements and the criteria on which they will be judged • reach a decision about whether the assessment will be graded or at a pass level and in the case of the former, ensure that the assessment criteria specify the criteria for evaluation at the different grades • ensure that arrangements are in place to enable the assessments to be conducted appropriately e.g. access to tools, equipment and other resources; arrangements for submitting assessments and recording marks; processes for moderating the assessments within the company or organisation prior to confirmation of marks by the higher education institution

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• clarify who will do the assessing – this is particularly important when private training providers, or the higher education institution itself, are involved in the delivery of programme material.

2.5 Identifying learning resources It is impossible to be specific about the learning resources that work-based learning providers must put in place to support learners in achieving the required learning outcomes. Programmes vary consider- ably in their scope, scale and contexts. Similarly, providing organisations vary in terms of their size, whether the programme is specific to most employees or members, or to only a small section. The nature of relationships between provider organisations and higher education institutions also varies in terms of how much input to a programme each provides and whether the higher education institution has the specialised resources needed to support the programme. Large companies and organisations tend to have a lot of materials available in-house or can provide access to specialist web-based resources, whereas a very different pattern may apply in small organisations. What is important is to ensure that the learning resources needed to support a programme are clearly identified and the resource bank enhanced, if required, as a condition of receiving accreditation and that this information is readily available to all users.

2.6 Establishing quality assurance and enhancement mechanisms For a successful accreditation outcome to be achieved, the key principle to be upheld is that there must be demonstrated comparability between the standards and good practice of an external programme of learning and those applied to the higher education institution’s internal programmes and awards. Thus, decisions regarding the accreditation of learning will be made on the basis of equivalence with the academic standards and processes used in the approval and review of internal programmes and awards. In consequence, although the precise processes for approving the accreditation of a programme will accord with the quality assurance processes of the responsible higher education institution, companies and organisations will need to demonstrate that they have themselves put in place suitable arrangements for the approval and regular review of programmes and are able to manage the programme effectively.

Although there is variation in the detail, most higher education institutions in the region that are en- gaged in accreditation of external programmes subscribe to the following principles and procedures.

Principles • Only learning that can be demonstrated as resulting from a programme of study will be accredited • Learning outcomes must be assessed and the assessment process moderated using equivalent quality assurance mechanisms to those used in the assessment of ‘internal’ (i.e. university) programmes of study • The credit rating of a programme is based upon academic judgements of equivalence between its learning outcomes, level, size and the standards applied to approval of the University’s own programmes

• Decisions are informed by reference to explicit criteria such as those given in the programme specification and in statements of learning outcomes; statements about professional competency may also be relevant.

Approval process requirements • Identification of appropriate academic standards, particularly in terms of the specification and level of the learning outcomes of the programme • Quality of the student experience and quality of educational support provided • Details of the assessment specification and assessment criteria for the programme as a whole or for individual units within it • Ongoing quality management and enhancement of the programme.

Documentation The documentation required for this purpose will normally be a proposal document to include: • an overview of the programme as a whole, for example in the form of a Programme Specification (see appendix 5) • statements of the aims and intended learning outcomes of the programme • an explanation of how the proposed credit volume and level has been arrived at (the methodology) • a rationale to justify and explain the level and volume of credit proposed • a description of the learning support available and training provided to support learners in achieving the aims and learning outcomes specified • an explanation of the structure and content of the programme • details of the proposed assessment requirements and proposed assessment criteria • details of the staffing, management and learning resources available to the programme • quality assurance and enhancement arrangements, including student evaluations and feedback to students on assessed work • any national, professional or statutory body requirements • specification of individual modules or units where these are proposed for individual credit rating.

Most higher education institutions or awarding bodies will supply a template for completion of the Programme Specification Form and Module/Unit Specification Forms. Examples are provided at appendix 5 and appendix 6.

2.7 Identifying and training assessors of work-based learning A major challenge for providers of work-based learning programmes is to identify appropriate supervisors or managers in the workplace, who are capable of evaluating the performance of learners to the required standard. This is particularly important when learning outcomes have not previously been formally assessed. Many higher education institutions report that they have provided training programmes to support work-based assessors; some have even provided programmes for this purpose that are themselves credit rated.

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Some staff within the higher education institution may also need training in order to understand the specific assessment requirements of the external programme. For this reason, some higher education institutions provide training to both internal and external assessors at the same time as this is considered to be particularly beneficial.

It must be recognised that at times, the skills that must be demonstrated in the workplace are so highly specific that only the candidate’s supervisor can assess them. Given that the evaluation of performance cannot be done anonymously, this can come into conflict with the traditional requirements within a higher education institution that candidates are either anonymous or independent assessors moderate their assessment. It is important therefore, to ensure that there are transparent criteria applied to the assessment and that effective ‘signing off’ procedures are developed.

However, assessment of work-based learning in the context of in-company programmes is, for the most part, conducted by staff within the higher education institution or by recognised Associate Staff. In some cases, formative assessment may be conducted by workplace supervisors, but summative assessment tends to take the form of written assignments that are set and marked within the awarding higher education institution.

2.8 Management of the programme A key variable here is the extent to which the programme is managed by the provider or by the higher education institution. Where the higher education institution is involved in delivering programme content, particularly in cases where previously validated ‘shell’ modules are used to capture the learning outcomes, the higher education institution tends to take the main responsibility for managing the programme. In other cases, the external provider may take the main responsibility for managing the programme and communicating with the learners. It is important that the responsibilities of all parties are clearly identified at the point of accreditation of the programme.

Within higher education institutions, management of the credit rating process varies in terms of whether it is managed centrally or devolved to Schools or Faculties. Some higher education institutions have a combination of both, having both a central point of contact and mechanisms for co- ordinating approaches, but with significant responsibility for the development and management of programmes being the responsibility of Schools and Faculties. What is particularly important therefore is that there are clearly identified points of contact for providers wishing to explore the possibility of having programmes accredited and similarly that there are good systems in place for following up an enquiry.

3. Frequently asked questions about regulations for accreditation

3.1 Is there a common regulatory framework relating to the accreditation of work-based programmes? There is a lot of common ground. However, just as all higher education institutions have their own institutional regulations concerning their internal programmes, there are differences in the regulations that relate to the accreditation of external programmes. Given that a key principle of accreditation is to demonstrate comparability with internal programmes, many higher education institutions in the region are moving towards a position where similar regulations apply to both types of programme.

3.2 Can a programme be awarded freestanding general credit? For a number of institutions in the region, assessed credit based learning from an external provider can contribute only specific credit towards an internal award. Accreditation of external programmes, therefore, cannot result in the award of freestanding credit. Where this is the case, the higher education institution engages in a process of establishing a match between the learning outcomes of the external programme and the learning outcomes of modules in a validated award. Since learners will be registered as students with the higher education institution, the volume and level of credit that has been approved in relation to the external programme will appear on their transcripts.

3.3 Is there a limit to how much credit from an external programme can be transferred to a university award and at what level? Those institutions that prohibit the award of freestanding general credit in respect of an external programme will normally have regulations that establish a maximum volume of credit that may contribute to an award. In most cases, credit from an external programme will be managed in much the same way as the inclusion of prior certificated learning for the purpose of individual admission with credit. The maximum volume of credit accepted by the majority of institutions is in the range of half to two thirds of the total volume of credit required for the award.

Some institutions also have restrictions on the level of the credit that can be included, for example specifying that credit from an external programme cannot be used in the final stage of an honours degree programme. However, in some cases the learning from an external provider may be considered equivalent to that of specialist final stage options. Two institutions in the region do not permit any credit achieved through the accreditation of an external programme to contribute to postgraduate awards.

Institutions that permit the award of freestanding general credit (i.e. credit not linked to an award) do not normally place limits on the volume or level of credit that can result from an external programme. In these cases, the accreditation will simply state the volume of credit at the appropriate levels that

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have been achieved. Credit may be awarded at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and does not need to relate to the volume and level requirements of university awards.

3.4 Can learners achieve credit if they have completed an external programme of learning prior to it being accredited? Some institutions will permit the ‘retrospective’ award of credit on the part of learners who have already achieved the learning outcomes of an external programme, provided that the programme remains the same as the programme that has been accredited and that learners can provide evidence that they have satisfactorily completed all of the required assessments. However, since many external programmes will have been changed in order to achieve accreditation and most will have new assessment arrangements introduced, this is unlikely to be an option in the majority of cases.

Learners in this position generally have two options: they may complete the same assessments as those being undertaken by new learners on the programme, including attendance at some learning activities as a refresher, or they may provide evidence of their learning achievements by means of an APEL process – for example by compiling a portfolio of evidence. Institutional regulations may impose a time limit restricting the length of time that may have elapsed since the external learning programme was undertaken.

3.5 Does the credit rating of an external programme have to equate to the module size used in the higher education institution or awarding body? By using the module base of their own institution as the benchmark against which to make a credit rating, higher education institutions seek equivalence with modules that may have a credit value of 10, 15, 20, 30 or 45 credits, depending on the institution and sometimes the course of study. The volume of credit associated with a module is based on how many ‘notional learning hours’ are needed to achieve the credit. Notional learning hours include all learning activity – classroom based learning, work-based learning, individual study and assessment and there is a nationally accepted agreement that 1 credit = 10 notional hours of learning.

Some institutions will have regulations that require the credit rating of an external programme to match the size of the standard module base used internally. Some institutions have a wide range of acceptable module sizes, others will permit only one or two. In the context of external programmes, credit rating of a piece of learning may not match the conventional size of modules and may be for as little as 2 or 5 credits. However, the regulations of some higher education institutions may prohibit recognition of learning at a volume lower than the smallest module size offered.

For some qualifications, awarding bodies such as OCNER and CAVA require providers to present their training programmes in terms of a pre-specified volume of credit, although there may be some choice in relation to the combination of module sizes proposed.

4. Features and benefits of good accreditation practice

4.1 For employers and other providers Benefits Getting internal training and work-based learning accredited may take time and effort to achieve, but there are many business benefits. • The process will help to make more explicit the learning outcomes participants are expected to achieve • Putting in place robust assessment processes will provide a measure of the extent to which the intended outcomes are being achieved and whether the workforce development opportunities provided are fit for purpose and meet company objectives • As well as the clear benefits to individual members of staff, companies or organisations will gain national and international recognition of the quality of workforce development provided • Having learning achievements accredited can facilitate and enhance staff appraisal processes within a company or organisation • Companies and organisations may also benefit from the expertise of staff in the university or college, which may contribute to the achievement of business goals.

Getting started • Preparing a proposal for accreditation may take quite a lot of time, so it is worth taking the opportunity to engage in a thorough review of the training and workforce development programmes provided • Be aware that preparing a programme for accreditation may place heavy demands on the time of both your staff and those of the higher education partner(s). Unless either your own organisation or the higher education partner(s) have external sources of funding available to support the development of the proposal, your organisation may be required to find the necessary resources. Be aware too, that higher education institutions may charge for validation services and for the subsequent registration of students.

Developing good practice • A successful outcome will require effort on both sides to translate between the cultures of business and of higher education. Take time to work on this. Be aware of differences in terminology and attempt to build a common language in order to ensure that there is genuine understanding of each other’s requirements

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• Make sure that the staff who will be involved in the delivery and assessment of the programme are well briefed about the demands the programme will make on them and that they are supportive of the development. Involvement in an accredited programme can demand extra work and staff will need to see the benefits and feel that their contribution is valued • It is a good idea to have some kind of user testing of the proposed programme by the future participants prior to it going forward to validation. This helps to make sure that the participants feel that the programme is appropriate and that the assessment requirements are manageable • It is good practice to work with the higher education institution to produce a handbook for participants on the programme in order to ensure that the participants are clear about what they need to do, what support is available and what the administrative arrangements are • Your organisation will need to make sure that it can manage the accredited programme. This re- quirement relates particularly to the management of assessment arrangements and the provision of appropriate learning support. This is particularly important where there is work-based assessment of performance; you will need to ensure that there are suitably experienced staff to undertake the assessing, that they understand fully the requirements of the higher education partner and that the assessment is in a form that can be externally moderated.

4.2 For higher education institutions and awarding bodies Benefits • New commercial partnerships with business and industry • Development of flexibility of curriculum content and delivery • Development of new programmes • Refreshing and updating of mainstream curriculum through exchange of ideas with business and industrial partners • Enhanced recruitment into existing awards • New areas of activity and professional development opportunities for staff • New opportunities for other partnership activity such as research and consultancy.

Getting started • It is very important to recognise the importance of spending time with external providers, to understand their culture and modes of operation and to establish a means of translating between the two cultures • External providers may not be familiar with the language of learning outcomes and modules, therefore they may need help to identify their learning outcomes, to design modules and to ensure that these are at the appropriate level for the outcomes sought • Be careful about how regulations and requirements are presented to the external provider as they can be put off by what may appear to them to be overly bureaucratic processes. It is important to ensure that the external provider understands the point of what they are asked to do, rather than being presented with what may appear to be rigid directives

• External providers may be unfamiliar with the descriptions of levels as used in higher education and it is worth taking the time to help them with this.

Developing good practice • Recognise that learning in the workplace is often not sequential in the same way as on a structured course. Learning at work may take place at a number of different levels simultaneously; at high levels in specific areas of expertise or responsibility but at lower levels in other areas that are nevertheless essential to successful performance • Learners in the workplace may not complete one module before moving on to another. For them, the organisation of areas of learning into modules may be somewhat artificial and they may need help to keep track of how their learning maps onto the learning outcomes of individual modules. A good personal development planning (PDP) process can help with this, especially if it fits in with the company’s own personal development review and appraisal processes. A further consequence is that participants on a programme may neither start nor finish a module at the same time as other participants as there may be variation in how each works through the programme • Learning in the workplace is about outputs, not inputs. It is likely that the outcomes required by the external provider are more than those resulting from structured training programmes alone. Most companies and organisations will require demonstration in the workplace that learning has been applied • It is essential to put in assessment processes for accreditation to occur but most universities operate a fine-graded system of assessment. This may not be feasible in the workplace and there may not be assessors able to do it. In such cases, it is important to establish that the regulations of the higher education institution also permit a pass/fail outcome • The use of supervisors to assess performance in the workplace may challenge standard university regulations and procedures relating to the objectivity of assessors. In the workplace context, there may only be one person who can evaluate the demonstration of a particular competence and anonymity of candidates may be impossible to achieve • Advise the external provider on how to manage the involvement of external examiners; in particular make sure that they are aware that with oral or performance based assessments there may be issues about what is available for the external examiner to moderate • Although there are different ways of managing accreditation processes within higher education institutions, make sure that external providers know how to make contact by ensuring that those responsible are clearly identified and that robust arrangements are in place for involving staff with relevant expertise in the process • Consider whether the learning of an external provider has to be presented for accreditation in volumes of credit that match the module sizes used internally.

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Appendices

1. The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)

2. Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges in the East of England

3. Credit and qualifications frameworks – an overview

4. Level descriptors

5. Example Programme Specification Form

6. Example Module/Unit Specification Form

7. Glossary of definitions, terms and acronyms

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Appendix 1 The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)

What is the QCF? The framework is a new way of recognising skills and qualifications. It does this by awarding credit for qualifications and units (small steps of learning). It enables people to gain qualifications at their own pace along flexible routes.

How will the QCF help me understand the qualifications system? At present, it is hard to understand all the different types of qualification that learners hold - what level they are, how long they take to complete, what content they cover, and how they compare to other qualifications. The new framework will help present qualifications in a way that is easy to understand and measure.

How will it work?

Credit and level Every unit and qualification in the framework will have a credit value (one credit represents 10 hours, showing how much time it takes to complete) and a level between Entry level and level 8 (showing how difficult it is). There are three sizes of qualifications in the QCF: • Awards (1 to 12 credits) • Certificates (13 to 36 credits) • Diplomas (37 credits or more).

So in the new framework you can have an award at level 1 or an award at level 8. This is because the qualification type ‘award, certificate, diploma’ represents the size of a qualification, not how difficult it is.

Each qualification title contains the following: • the level of the qualification (from Entry level at the bottom to level 8 at the top) • the size of qualification (award/certificate/diploma) • details indicating the content of the qualification.

Simply by looking at the title of a qualification you will be able to see how difficult it is, how long it will take the average learner to complete, and its general content. To understand the level of difficulty of the units and qualifications in the new framework it might be helpful to know that GCSEs (grade A*- C) are level 2, GCE A levels are level 3 and a PhD is a level 8. Knowing this can help to position the difficulty and challenge of each level in the framework.

Benefits For learners the QCF will: • offer more freedom, choice and flexibility • give easy access to information about the commitment needed for different routes to achievement, let- ting learners balance that commitment with family, work and other responsibilities • allow them to build up credits at their own pace and combine them in a way that will help them get where they want to be • enable them to transfer credits between qualifications to avoid having to repeat their learning • record all their achievements on an electronic learner record, encouraging them and others to value their past achievements

For learning providers (schools, colleges, workplaces) the QCF will: • enable them to design more flexible programmes, suitable to the individual needs of learners • help them improve retention and progression rates by recognising smaller steps of achievement more frequently • track all learners’ achievements through the use of a unique learner number (ULN) and an individual’s electronic learner record, giving providers standard inormation about each learner’s past achievements • help them describe achievements to employers and learners in a language that is easy to understand

For employers the QCF will: • help them to measure quickly the level and size of achievements of prospective employees • enable them to get in-house training recognised within a national framework • describe levels of achievement in terms everyone can understand • make training options and pathways clear, helping employees and employers find the right training for their learning and business needs.

The information above has reproduced from the QCA website www.qca.org.uk.

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Appendix 2 Higher Education Institutions

and Further Education Colleges in the East of England

Higher Education Institutions Anglia Ruskin University Cranfield University Norwich University College of the Arts Open University Royal Veterinary College University of Bedfordshire University of Cambridge University Campus Suffolk University of East Anglia University of Essex University of Hertfordshire Writtle College

Further Education Colleges1 Bedfordshire Hertfordshire Barnfield College Hertford Regional College Bedford College North Hertfordshire College Dunstable College Oaklands College Shuttleworth College West Herts College

Cambridgeshire Norfolk Cambridge Regional College City College Norwich College of West Anglia2 College of West Anglia2 Huntingdonshire Regional College Easton College Peterborough Regional College Great Yarmouth College

Essex Suffolk Braintree College Lowestoft College Chelmsford College Otley College Colchester Institute Suffolk New College Epping Forest College West Suffolk College Harlow College South East Essex College 1 This list does not include Sixth Form Colleges Thurrock and Basildon College 2 Campuses in both Cambridgeshire and Norfolk

Appendix 3 Credit and qualifications frameworks - an overview

Qualifications and Credit Framework for Higher Education NVQs Framework (QCF) Level Qualifications (FHEQ) Award Certificate Diploma Qualifications 1-12 credits 13-36 credits 37 or more credits and indicative credit1

Professional Doctorates eg EdD/DBA - 540 BTEC Advanced Professional 8 Doctoral Degrees eg PhD, DPhil City & Guilds (Not normally credit based) 5 BTEC Advanced Professional Masters Degrees eg MA, MSc - 180 City & Guilds National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC) 7 Postgraduate Diplomas and PGCE - 120 Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) Post Graduate Certificate - 60

BTEC Professional Bachelors Degree eg BA(Hons), BSc(Hons) - 360 City & Guilds National Proficiency Tests Council 6 Graduate Certificates and Diplomas - 120 Institute of Leadership & Management Professional Graduate Certificate of Ed. -120

BTEC Professional Foundation Degrees (Fd) - 240 City & Guilds Diplomas of Higher Education (Dip HE) - 240 4 National Proficiency Tests Council 5 Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) - 2402 Institute of Leadership & Management

BTEC Professional City & Guilds Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE) - 120 National Proficiency Tests Council 4 Higher National Certificates - 120 Institute of Leadership & Management

14-19 Advanced Diplomas3 BTEC Nationals, City & Guilds, NPTC, ILM 3 Access to HE Diploma - 60 Advanced Apprenticeships 3 A Levels3

14-19 Higher Diploma3 2 BTEC Firsts, City & Guilds, NPTC, ILM Apprenticeships 2 GCSEs (A-C grades)3

14-19 Foundation Diploma3 1 BTEC Introductory, City & Guilds, NPTC, 1 GCSEs (D-G grades)3

BTEC Certificate in Life Skills and Certificates in Skills for Working Life City & Guilds Entry National Proficiency Tests Council

1 The FHEQ is a qualification framework and indicative credit volumes are shown here for information only. 2 Some higher education institutions recognise 180 credits for Higher National Diploma qualifications. 3 A Levels, GCSEs and 14-19 Diplomas are placed here to give an indication of level although they are not yet fully integrated within the QCF.

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Appendix 4 Level descriptors

Most universities in the East of England use the SEEC level descriptors which can be found at www.seec-office. org.uk. The QCF uses the NICATS descriptors (available at www.nicats.ac.uk) which are very similar and equally effective as a means of determining the level of learning proposed for accreditation. The NICATS brief level descriptors are detailed below. (SEEC and NICATS are both credit consortia, initially set up to cover the South East of England and Northern Ireland respectively).

NICATS summary generic level descriptors The level descriptors should be seen as a developmental continuum in which preceding levels are necessarily subsumed within those which follow. Learning accredited at the following levels will reflect the ability to:

Entry level Employ recall and demonstrate elementary comprehension in a narrow range of areas, exercise basic skills within highly structured contexts and carry out directed activity under close supervision.

Level 1 Employ a narrow range of applied knowledge, skills and basic comprehension within a limited range of predictable and structured contexts, including working with others under direct supervision, but with a very limited degree of discretion and judgement about possible action.

Level 2 Apply knowledge with underpinning comprehension in a number of areas and employ a range of skills within a number of contexts, some of which may be non-routine and undertake directed activities, with a degree of autonomy, within time constraints.

Level 3 Apply knowledge and skills in a range of complex activities demonstrating comprehension of relevant theories; access and analyse information independently and make reasoned judgements, selecting from a considerable choice of procedures in familiar and unfamiliar contexts and direct own activities, with some responsibility for the output of others.

Level 4 Develop a rigorous approach to the acquisition of a broad knowledge base; employ a range of specialised skills; evaluate information, using it to plan and develop investigative strategies and to determine solutions to a variety of unpredictable problems; operate in a range of varied and specific contexts, taking responsibility for the nature and quality of outputs.

Level 5 Generate ideas through the analysis of concepts at an abstract level, with a command of specialised skills and the formulation of responses to well defined and abstract problems; analyse and evaluate information; exercise significant judgement across a broad range of functions; and accept responsibility for determining and achieving personal and/or group outcomes.

Level 6 Critically review, consolidate and extend a systematic and coherent body of knowledge, utilising specialised skills across an area of study; critically evaluate new concepts and evidence from a range of sources; transfer and apply diagnostic and creative skills and exercise significant judgement in a range of situations; accept accountability for determining and achieving group and/or personal outcomes.

Level 7 Display mastery of a complex and specialised area of knowledge and skills, employing advanced skills to conduct research, or advanced technical and professional activity; accepting accountability for all related decision making including use of supervision.

Level 8 Make a significant and original contribution to a specialised field of inquiry demonstrating a command of methodological issues and engaging in critical dialogue with peers; accepting full accountability for outcomes.

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Appendix 5 Example Programme Specification Form

P r o g r a m m e S p ecification F o r m ( P S F )

1 Date of first approval Enter the date of initial approval event and most recent review event Date last reviewed where applicable

2 Programme title Enter the title of the accredited programme. If more than one programme is accredited, a separate PSF should be completed for each one

3 External providers(s) Enter key names of development team members and the organisation

4 Internal partners Identify names of key members of Higher Education Institutions and its partners

5 Teaching/learning support Enter details of all parties who will teach or provide learning support for providers the programme

6 Link tutor(s) Insert name of person within the higher education institution who will take the lead role in continuing liaison with the external provider

7 Accreditation adviser Insert name of person who has led the development process on behalf of the HEI and who will support the review process

8 Relevant QAA1 and PSB2 Give details of QAA subject benchmark statements or other professional benchmark statements or statutory requirements that apply in full or in part to this programme where appropriate

9 Programme aims The programme “aims” should be succinct and may, for example, be expressed in terms of a combination of: • meeting local, national or international needs • supporting the CPD3 needs of staff of an organisation, including the fulfilment of professional body requirements • supporting work-related projects and development activity

10 Intended learning The “intended learning outcomes” should be expressed in terms of : outcomes and the means • the knowledge and understanding (and the application of such by which they are achieved knowledge) that a student will be expected to demonstrate on suc- and demonstrated cessful completion • the acquisition of a range of intellectual, practical and transferable skills and their application in a range of contexts, including the workplace

When drafting intended learning outcomes it may be helpful to refer to: • any relevant elements of QAA subject benchmark statement(s) • qualification descriptors • level descriptors • any PSB requirements • a statement of the learning teaching and assessment methods used both to promote the learning outcomes and to demonstrate their achievement by the student should accompany the learning outcomes

11 Entry requirements Describe what criteria will be used to select students for the programme, including details of any required prior learning, or length of experience required

12 Programme Component Where the programme is accredited as a whole, this section should Details describe what makes up the programme e.g. 3 workshop days and self- managed learning activities, 4 modules etc. together with a brief description of each one.

Where individual units within a programme are separately accredited, list the titles of each module or unit included in the proposal. Module/Unit Specification Forms should be attached to the proposal document

13 Learning support Identify sources of advice and guidance available to students to support their programmes

1. Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2. Professional or Statutory Body, 3. Continuing Professional Development

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Appendix 6 Example Module/Unit Specification Form

M o d u l e / U n i t S p ecification F o r m

Accredited programme title Module/unit title Code Date of initial approval event Proposed level Proposed credit value Brief Rationale

Description of learner (target audience)

Learning hours Learning outcomes On successful completion of this module/unit learners will be able to: Knowledge and understanding

Intellectual and/or cognitive skills

Subject specific and practical skills

Transferable or generic skills

Indicative unit/ module content

Assessment specification

Learning support/indicative reading and resources

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Appendix 7 Glossary of definitions, terms and acronyms

APL/APCL The Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning. The identification and recognition of existing certificated learning as relevant to be used as part of a new qualification or award

Accreditation The process of awarding formal recognition, expressed as a volume and level of credit, to a given body of learning

Accumulate Build up credit to achieve a qualification (eg honours degree = 360 credits)

AEL The Accreditation of Experiential Learning (as distinct from ‘Prior’) ongoing throughout the programme of study

APEL The Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning. The identification, assessment and formal acknowledgement of learning achieved through work or life experience

AP(E)L The Accreditation of Prior Certificated and Experiential Learning. A term used when including both Certificated and Experiential Learning

Assessment Rules governing assessment including pass marks and other grades of assessment, number regulations of credits needed to complete an award or to progress to the next stage of an award.

CATS The Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme is the generic term used to describe the transfer of credit between higher education institutions

Certificated Learning which has been formally assessed by examination, essay, project or other means learning and for which a certificate and/or transcript has been given

CPD Continuing Professional Development

Credit A numerical value given to a unit of learning on the basis that 1 credit equals 10 notional hours of learning

Credit value Indicates the volume of learning or ‘how much’ learning is expected. For example, 20 credits describes 200 hours of learning

Credit level Indicates the relative level of difficulty of learning or ‘how hard’ it is. For example, learning at level 5 (equivalent to the second year of a full time degree) is ‘harder’ than learning at level 4 (equivalent to the first year of a full time degree).

Credit transfer A way of using credit gained in one higher education institution to transfer to another higher education institution or from one programme of study to another. This means that learners do not have to study the same learning twice

General credit The credit value of a qualification or freestanding unit/module of learning

Specific credit The amount of credit from a body of learning that is considered directly relevant (i.e.”specific”) to a new qualification and may therefore be transferred to it as APCL or APEL

FHEQ Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. The qualifications framework is designed to ensure a consistent use of qualification titles, levels and level descriptors. www.qaa. ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/fheq

HEIs Higher education institutions - this includes universities and colleges of higher education

Learning Express learning achievement in terms of what the student will know, understand or be outcomes able to do, on successful completion of a module, unit or qualification. A unit/module/ qualification will normally have several learning outcomes

Level descriptors Learning becomes more difficult at each level of study (for example, each subsequent year of study on a full time degree course) of an award. Level descriptors are used to facilitate course/ programme design by demonstrating the differences in achievement at each level

Module/unit A discrete block of learning with a coherent set of formally identified learning outcomes, which have been given a value (volume) and level of credit to show how much learning is required to be undertaken and how difficult it is. For example, 20 credits at level 4 equates to 200 hours of notional learning in the first year of a full-time degree

NICATS The Northern Ireland Credit Accumulation and Transfer System is a credit framework which is a set of principles and guidelines for valuing, describing, measuring and recognising all learning. www.nicats.ac.uk.

Notional hours The number of hours a student will need to spend, on average, in a range of activities, of learning including all teaching, self study and assessment, to achieve the learning outcomes

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QAA The Quality Assurance Agency. The core business of the QAA is to review the quality and standards of higher education in universities and colleges in the UK. www.qaa.ac.uk

QCF The Qualifications and Credit Framework is a new way of recognising achievement through the award of credit for units and qualifications in the regulated sector. All qualifications and awards in the regulated sector will be included in the QCF by 2010. (This does not include the HE qualifications in the FHEQ but both frameworks share common levels - see appendix 3). www.qca.org.uk

Qualification Exemplify the learning outcomes of the main qualification at each level and demonstrate descriptors the nature of change between qualifications at different levels

Recognition of This is the term used by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) in the context of prior learning the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) to describe ‘a method of assessment (lead- (RPL) ing to the award of credit) that considers whether a learner can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge, understanding or skills they already possess and do not need to develop through a course of learning’.

SEEC The Southern England Consortium For Credit Accumulation and Transfer has developed a set of principles and guidelines for valuing, describing, measuring and recognising all learning. www.seec-office.org.uk.

Transcript The formal, detailed record of a student’s achievements issued by a higher education institution which typically, will show modules titles, credit value and level, marks and grades achieved

Uncertificated Describes learning which has been undertaken and for which no certificate or transcript learning has been awarded and that usually has not been formally assessed

S u i t e 1 , L a n c a s t e r H o u s e ,

M e a d o w L a n e , S t I v e s ,

C a m b r i d g e , P E 2 7 4 LG

Te l +44 (0)1480 467073 ,

E m a i l [email protected] ,

W e b www.move.ac.uk

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