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TRANSCRIPT
The revised Access to HE Diploma
specification – the why and how July 2013
Kath Dentith
Head of Access, QAA
Developing a revised Diploma specification:
moving towards change
• understanding changes to context • review, analysis, evaluation
Awareness
• responding to change
• addressing risks and vulnerabilities Agility
• readiness for future change • recognising threats & opportunities
Alertness
• considering new possibilities • assessing alternatives • finding best solutions
Imagination
• being clear about aims and purposes But also…
Awareness: the student context
younger: 49% Access to HE
students under 25
more mobile: 33% progress to HE
courses more than 25 miles from
their home
more likely to have GCSEs: 60%
school pupils achieved English and
Maths GCSEs at A* to C in 2011-12
more likely to be self-funded: 24+
more likely to want vocationally
related subjects: 51.4% applied for
subjects allied to medicine
Awareness: the provider context
financial constraints
• student support funding
• funding priorities for
adults
• introduction of 24+ loans
performance measures
• completion and success
qualifications reform
• GCSEs and A levels
• Wolf report and
‘equivalent’ qualifications
Awareness: the HE policy context
• social mobility
• fair access
• student number controls –
high achieving Access HE
students outside SNC
• demographic change and
decline in mature student
numbers
• ‘alternative’ providers
Awareness: the HE admissions context UK Quality Code for Higher Education
• Academic standards
Part A
Part A
• Academic quality
Part B
Part B
• Information about HE provision
Part C
Part C
QAA’s expectations re HE admissions
Chapter B2: Admissions
• Indicator 1: Institutions have policies and procedures for
the recruitment and admission of students … that are
fair, clear and explicit ….
• Indicator 3: Institutions' promotional materials …provide
information that will enable applicants to make
informed decisions about their options.
• Indicator 4: Institutions' selection policies… are clear and
are followed fairly…Transparent entry requirements …
are used to underpin judgements made during the
selection process for entry.
UK Quality Code for Higher Education - Part B (a brief diversion)
The development process
Review and analysis: research; discussions and surveys
with students, HEIs, providers, AVAs (1,500 responses)
how is the Diploma operating? what are the issues?
Evaluation: significant variability that was problematic for – students - not a level playing field
– HE - unable to provide clear entry requirements / standard offers
– Standards - comparability of differently structured Diplomas
Developing and refining ideas: 12 roundtables - 280
participants; development group and committee
Formal consultation: Jan - Mar 2013 – 200 respondents
Outcome: majority support for all proposals
Clarity of aims and purpose
Aims:
• to ensure equity for students
• to improve consistency, clarity and transparency
• to underpin the assurance of standards
• to maintain some degree of local determination of
details of content, delivery and assessment
2013 specification – key changes
1. All Diplomas = 60 credits
total
3. 45 credits from graded level 3
units concerned with academic subject content
6. GCSE-equivalents no
longer regulated/
endorsed by QAA
5. amendment to regulation on referrals
4. 15 credits from level 2 or
ungraded level 3 units
2. Units 3, 6 or 9 credits
1. Diploma = 60 credits total
• Rules of combination identify the units (including
mandatory and optional units) which define the required
achievement for students = 60 credits
• Students registered and certificated for specified units to
the value of 60 credits, which provides basis for a
planned, coherent programme of study
• Unit registrations no later than 12 weeks from start of
course – or before student applies to HE
2. Unit sizes: 3,6 or 9 credits All Diplomas structured of units of 3, 6 or 9 credits
3. Academic subject content
• unit content (as expressed in the learning outcomes)
must relate to knowledge and skills of subjects identified
in title of the Diploma
• students supported/ assessed on unit by subject expert
• includes knowledge and skills related to all Access to
HE Diploma subjects – eg multi-media as well as history
• not study skills, personal development, or generic
English or mathematics units, but can include specialist
(eg Maths for engineering) and technical (eg lab skills)
Academic subject content (2)
And also, for units that focus on research project or
major final project:
a) units have learning outcomes relating to students'
command of the knowledge domain and conventions of
the subject (not just generic research skills)
b) student work must be original work for the unit only (not
just ‘cross-referenced’ from work produced to
demonstrate achievement of other units’ learning
outcomes)
4. Level 2 or ungraded level 3
• decision about balance between L2 or ungraded L3
determined at validation according to progression
needs
• units identified as L2 or L3 in Rules of Combination
• if graded in some Diplomas and ungraded in others,
these must be separately validated units
• may also be concerned with academic subject
content
5. Referrals
Current situation:
• opportunities for second resubmission limited to the end
of the year
Two changes in response to these concerns:
• referral allowed at any time of the year
• more holistic approach to assessment allowed for
assessment of referred (second resubmission) work
• detailed guidance on changes in the full specification
6. GCSE equivalents from 2014
From 2014-15 QAA will no longer regulate or endorse the
claim of GCSE equivalence for groups of Access to HE
units
Response to:
- varying acceptance by HEIs (growing need for full
GCSE and ‘Grade B’ equivalence)
- lack of recognition by employers
- changing perception of value of ‘equivalents’
- policy and funding of GCSEs for adults
- increasing numbers of students with GCSEs
- impact on Diploma structures
Possibilities and alternatives
• up to 15 credits at level 2
• potential for AVAs and providers to maintain local
arrangements with local HEIs or courses, where
units as part of to accept units within their Diplomas
as adequate to satisfy their GCSE requirement(s)
• funded GCSE achievement before or alongside
Access to HE
and
• additional ‘space’ in Diploma for other units
Benefits for students
Equity: same achievement required for same qualification;
structural consistency ensures equity of opportunity for
students to achieve
Progression into the Diploma: students clear about the
structure and demands of their intended Diploma
Fair access to HE: HE providers better able to publish
clear, generic entry requirements, and students can
compete on equal footing
Standards: consistency underpins confidence in the
comparability of demand and student achievement on
different Diplomas
Revised Access to HE Diploma:
the implementation timeline
First students entering HE with new specification: 2015-16
Full implementation on all courses: from 2014-15
All courses operating new specification; students applying to HE
Development year for AVAs and providers: 2013-14
Courses re-developed and revalidated, where necessary
New specification developed & published: 2012-13
Outline - June 2013 Full Specification: Sept 2013
Implementation support from QAA
• communications and PR strategy
• ongoing dialogue with AVAs to address all aspects of
implementation
• events for higher education and AHE providers
• guides for
– students
– tutors
• admissions ‘toolkit’ including updated guide to
admissions
• new website for improved information and functionality
What stays the same?
• level and size of qualification:
Level 3, 60 credits
• grading model
• credit/unit technical definitions etc
AND
• what it’s for: preparation for HE
• who it’s for: adults (19+) who left school with
insufficient formal qualifications to progress to
higher education
Remaining true to aim and purpose
..... Behind the statistics are women and men with
unrealised potential for self-development and valuable
contributions to the community. That development and
those contributions will depend largely on the quality of
equal opportunity that they are given through these
courses, as expressed through academic, professional,
tutorial and financial support.
A survey of Access courses to HE: analysis and prospects
(CNAA briefing paper, 1990)