The Extended Project:14 – 19 Reform KeyPrinciples & ProcessesPam Calabro,Network Officer,Linking London

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This short guide aims to provide an overview of theExtended Project (Level 3) as it stands for Diploma / ALevel students and to analyse its significance incurriculum terms for receiving HEIs.

Schools and Colleges are, currently, awash withguidance from the three main awarding bodies – OCR,Edexcel and AQA and what follows will make no attemptto replicate that degree of detail. However, details ofwhere to find current specifications are listed at the endof this document, for those of you who are interested infollowing these items up. Ultimately, guidance here willbe drawn from QCA.

The important thing to acknowledge right at the startin curriculum terms is that, although the ExtendedProject may be new to Diploma / A Level students, it hasbeen a fundamental aspect of curriculum design inAccess to HE programmes and the International Baccalau-reate, as well as BTECs, for many years. In theseprogrammes many of the key features currently beingintroduced have a tested provenance and staff engagedin delivery of the new Extended Projects for the first time,may find it extremely helpful to talk to Access to HE andI.B. Coordinators. Staff in receiving HEIs may, thereforehave already taught students who have undertakensimilar projects and may be able to share with colleaguesthe benefits they have noted in such learners.

However, what perhaps does distinguish the ExtendedProject from previous curriculum endeavours is itsexplicit skills focus and its weighting in terms of size –the Extended Project is equivalent to half an A Level, andin standard to a full A Level, – and taught time – 120Guided Learning Hours (which excludes learner-initiated,private study time). It represents a really sophisticatedpiece of new curriculum and one which will take time tobed down. And, conceivably, given its vast challenges,there is a lot that HEIs can do to help.

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INTRODUCTION

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So what is the Extended Project designed to do andwhat are its key components and principles?HEIs have expressed concern for many years, thatstudents are insufficiently prepared for the demandsof independent study at HE level and this, broadlyspeaking, is QCA’s response. Reference to its particularfeatures was made in the 14 – 19 Education and SkillsWhite Paper in 2005, where it was described as –

A single piece of work, requiring a high degree ofplanning, preparation and autonomous working. Theprojects would differ by subjects, but require persistenceover time and research skills to explore a topic inde-pendently and in real depth.

(14 – 19 Education & Skills White Paper, 2005 cited in An introductionto the extended project, QCA, 2008, p3)

In curriculum terms, the aims for the ExtendedProject are designed to –• Reflect the opportunities, choice and flexibility that

should be available at level 3• Emphasise the importance of personal thinking

skills, which are necessary for most kinds of workand learning

• Encourage an individual approach to lifelonglearning

(Consultation on the extended project (Level 3): QCA, May 2006, p5)

MethodogyFundamentally, the Extended Project is an investiga-tion and, whatever format it assumes, aims to teststudents on their ability to plan, research, developand review their learning. Projects may be diversebut each requires –• an investigative approach that encourages

extension of skills, the application of in-depthknowledge and the understanding and use of

research skills• research tasks that will provide information for

analysis and a conclusion to the investigationand an outcome that can be evaluated (ibid, p7)

Students are expected to work autonomously, but aresupported throughout the process in terms ofnotional Guided Learning Hours (GLHs). The awardingbodies vary in their view of whether subject specificstaff need to supervise and support students butQCA stipulates that a set component of time needsto be set aside for the explicit teaching of project-based research and reporting skills i.e. between 25 –40% e.g. 30 GLHs (Edexcel and AQA); 50 GLHs (OCR).Also, that the remainder of the time, student learningneeds to be teacher directed i.e. closely monitoredand supervised.

In terms of assessment, projects are agreed andassessed internally and externally moderated by oneof the three awarding bodies. Evidence forassessment has to include –• a portfolio of documented evidence of the

negotiation of the title, design, managementand completion of the project

• the evidence of the task and activities completed toobtain information

• a conclusion to the investigation and a presentation on the project (ibid, p8)

FlexibilityThe awarding bodies, again, vary as to the degree ofexplicit guidance to centres, in terms of artefactproduced (Edexcel is the most explicit). What is clear,generally, and in the guidance from QCA, however, isthat there is tremendous scope for student choiceacross broad categories. Students can produce:-• a design;• a report with findings from an investigation or

study;

• a dissertation presenting an argument;• an artefact;• a performance.

Current guidance from QCA indicates that forDiploma students the project does not need to bewithin the particular Learning Line sector context, butthat it should be relevant to the Principal Learningstrand either in that it complements and developsthemes and topics, or in that it supports progressionto HE or employment. For A level students, guidanceis a little freer, in that the topic does not have to belinked to their A level subjects. The emphasis for allstudents is, therefore, very much on the studentworking on something in which s/he is interested /finds fully relevant and it is anticipated – andprobably to be seen as a feature of good practice –that Extended Projects will be extremely varied indelivery and scope.

There is also flexibility as to when students actuallywork on the Extended Project. It can occur at anypoint over the two years of study but QCA guidancemakes clear that students are more likely to achievegood results if the project is completed in theirsecond year, but at a time which does not conflictwith other submission dates / exams i.e. early in Year2. Students can then, potentially, include informationabout their project in their UCAS application. (QCA2008b).

Stretch & ChallengeQCA are clear that ‘the knowledge and understandingrequired should not be a repetition of a task that couldbe assessed elsewhere; instead the project shoulddemonstrate ‘extension’ of the student’s knowledge andunderstanding’ (QCA 2006, op cit, p5).

However, HEIs need to understand that students are

not expected to complete a piece of original researchas in HE understanding of the word, nor necessarilywrite up their findings according to full HEconventions. There will be some use of commonconventions, particularly in the dissertation option,for example, but the emphasis in the project, as awhole, is on the PROCESS of carrying it out, ratherthan just on the finished artefact. As noted by QCA –

Ideally, (students) will acquire a ‘tool-kit’ of skills,knowledge and understanding, which they will beable to use when tackling similar projects in thefuture.(QCA, ibid, p3)

Skills DevelopmentAnd this brings us to the next main point about theExtended Project. As QCA has made clear

Extended projects are skill-based qualifications, with‘subject’ content providing the context for demonstrat-ing skills.(QCA, 2008a, op cit, p30)

Projects must enable learners to –• Have a significant input to the choice and design of

an extended project, and take responsibility eitherfor an individual task or for a defined task within agroup project

• Develop and improve their own learning andperformance as critical, reflective and independentlearners

• Develop and apply decision-making and, whereappropriate, problem-solving skills

• Extend their planning, research, critical thinking,analysis, synthetic, evaluation and presentationskills

• Where appropriate, develop confidence in applyingnew technologies in their studies

• Develop and apply skills creatively, demonstrating

The NewAdvanced Diplomas:What they Mean for HE in Curriculum Terms

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The NewAdvanced Diplomas:What they Mean for HE in Curriculum Terms

initiative and enterprise• Use their learning experiences to support their

aspirations for higher education and /or careerdevelopment

• Transfer skills developed as part of their extendedproject to other areas of study (ibid, p18)

As many of you will be aware, Personal, Learning &Thinking Skills, as defined by QCA, are integral tocurriculum design in the new Diplomas (see Appendix1 for a full list of what these skills are) and theExtended Project provides an ideal opportunity fortheir practice and use. To quote QCA again –

Of particular significance to the extended project arehigh order skills such as critical thinking, planning,analysis, synthesis, reflection and evaluation. Theseskills practised autonomously should be the mainfocus.(ibid, p18)

AssessmentIn terms of assessment, students are assessed on thefollowing specific aspects, which are all set within askill-based context –• Designing and planning the project• Selecting, organising and using a range of resources• Analysing data, applying findings and demonstrat-

ing understanding of any links, connections andcomplexities of the topic

• Selecting and using a range of skills to takedecisions critically and to achieve plannedoutcomes

• Evaluating all aspects of the project• Using a range of communication skills and media

to present the outcomes of the project(QCA, 2008b, op cit)

QCA have defined 4 main assessment objectives:

Manage (15 – 25% weighting); Use Resources (15 –25%); Develop & Realise (35 – 45%) and Review &Communicate (15 – 25%), which the various awardingbodies have then translated, to suit their respectiveemphases. (QCA, 2008a, op cit, p29).

What can HEIs do in support of developments?In its guidance, QCA is clear that Extended Projectsoffer the potential for Level 3 providers to make linkswith the local community and that, developmentshere, offer the potential for real partnership workingto facilitate learner progression. Level 3 providers can,potentially, benefit from HEI expertise; at the sametime it is in the interests of HEIs that studentspreparing for HE are exposed to its pedagogy andpractices.

The introduction of the Extended Project at Level 3has, broadly, been welcomed but assumes a learningand teaching skill-set that may prove challenging tosome teachers. In essence, as QCA makes clear,students will need to be supported across a range ofinputs – direct teaching; supervision while carryingout the project; IAG when considering progressionissues; specialist advice, including that on the use ofresources, particularly in the initial stages ofexploring or choosing a project and one person,acting on their own, will not always be able to fulfilall functions.

Some teaching staff may find it challenging to workin the new ways demanded and some may feel thattheir grounding in aspects, for example, such asproject management; synthesis and evaluation; andreflection on learning is fairly limited. Some staff maybe especially uncomfortable with their whole role assupervisor and be unclear as to how it differs, funda-mentally, from other coursework support.

From the foregoing it could be argued that therewould be much to gain for schools and FECs, if HEIscould become involved in aspects of Extended Project

Team workers• Collaborate with others to work towards common

goals• Reach agreements, managing discussion to achieve

results• Adapt behaviour to suit different roles and

situations• Show fairness and consideration to others• Take responsibility, showing confidence in

themselves and their contribution• Provide constructive support and feedback to

others

Self-managers• Seek out challenges or new responsibilities and

show flexibility when priorities change• Work towards goals, showing initiative,

commitment and perseverance• Organise time and resources, prioritising actions

• Anticipate, take and manage risks• Deal with competing pressures, including personal

and work-related demands• Respond positively to change, seeking advice and

support when needed

Effective participators• Discuss issues of concern, seeking resolution where

needed• Present a persuasive case for action• Propose practical ways forward, breaking these

down into manageable steps• Identify improvements that would benefit others as

well as themselves• Try to influence others, negotiating and balancing

diverse views to reach workable solutions• Act as an advocate for views and beliefs that may

differ from their own

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support. HEIs, currently, offer a range of support topartners through Lifelong Learning Networks and AimHigher, for example, and may wish to considerextending mentoring support or other input e.g. theuse of student ambassadors to help deliver skillssupport, or making some HE skills sessions availableto Level 3 learners etc.

Whatever support is offered, it can only enhancethe student experience and act as a valuable catalystfor progression.

Resources & Further ReadingGiven the complexities and variety of potentialprojects, knowledge and understanding is probablybest gained through sharing current practice withinlocal consortia. However, the following links may alsobe of help to staff, when getting to grips with thisnew part of the curriculum –

AQA (Assessment & Qualifications Alliance and City& Guilds): http://diplomainfo.org.ukEdexcel (Edexcel Limited): http://edexcel.org.ukOCR (Oxford, Cambridge & RSA Examinations):http://www.ocr.org.ukQCA (May 2006) Consultation on the Extended project(Level 3). Available at:http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_4109.aspxQCA (October 2007) Challenging Advanced Studentswith the New Extended Project. Available at:http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_15297.aspxQCA (2008a) An Introduction to the Extended Project.Available at:http://www.qca.org.uk/libraryAssets/media/qca-08-3673_An_introduction_to_the_extended_project.pdfQCA (2008b) Information for Higher Education:Extended Project – Challenging Level 3 Learners.Available at: http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_19053.aspx

Appendix 1: Personal, Learning & ThinkingSkills (PLTS)

Independent enquirers• Identify questions to answer and problems to

resolve• Plan and carry out research, appreciating the conse-

quences of decisions• Explore issues, events or problems from different

perspectives• Analyse and evaluate information, judging its

relevance and value• Consider the influence of circumstances, beliefs

and feelings on decisions and events• Support conclusions, using reasoned arguments

and evidence

Creative thinkers• Generate ideas and explore possibilities• Ask questions to extend their thinking• Connect their own and others’ ideas and

experiences in inventive ways• Question their own and others’ assumptions• Try out alternatives or new solutions and follow

ideas through• Adapt ideas as circumstances change

Reflective learners• Assess themselves and others, identifying opportu-

nities and achievements• Set goals with success criteria for their

development and work• Review progress, acting on the outcomes• Invite feedback and deal positively with praise,

setback and criticism• Evaluate experiences and learning to inform future

progress• Communicate their learning in relevant ways for

different audiences

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The NewAdvanced Diplomas:What they Mean for HE in Curriculum Terms

The Linking London Lifelong Learning Network is amembership organisation of thirty four universities andcolleges in Central, East and North London which aims toimprove the progression of vocational learners into andthrough Higher Education. We are funded by the HigherEducation Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and are basedat Birkbeck, University of London, 32 Tavistock Square,London, WC1 H9EZ. If you found this guidance documentuseful or would like to discuss our work in the area ofvocational learning, please contact:info@linkinglondon.ac.uk or 0203 073 8378

www.linkinglondon.ac.uk

The NewAdvanced Diplomas:What they Mean for HE in Curriculum Terms