There has been a good response to our online survey about our proposed qualifications. So far, over 100 people have completed the questionnaire.
As expected, there has been a particularly good response from college lecturers, but we could do with more people from industry and Higher Education. So, if you have HE or employer contacts, please forward this post to them (there is a link below).
The results, so far, are supportive of the proposals, and will be of great assistance to the development team when we come to finalise the frameworks. Thanks to everyone who took the time to complete the survey -- but please encourage your colleagues to do so if they haven't already.
The survey is due to close on Friday (5 May) but we may extend that to get more representation from industry and Higher Education.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Thursday, 28 April 2011
HN Review - Unit Writing/Vetting Opportunities
As you are aware, we are currently consulting on the five group awards which are part of the HN Review (HNC Computing, HND Computing, HND Computing: Software Development, HND Computing: Technical Support and HND Computing: Networking). If you have not yet had a chance to complete the online consultation survey, it can be accessed here.
Once all frameworks have been finalised we will be in a position to identify new units to be developed and also those requiring revision.
Given the high number of core and extended core QDT members, they will be involved heavily in the development work. However, if you would like to be considered for unit writing and/or vetting then please contact me direct stating your area of expertise. Should we require additional writers/vetters in addition to QDT members I shall be in touch with you direct.
Once all frameworks have been finalised we will be in a position to identify new units to be developed and also those requiring revision.
Given the high number of core and extended core QDT members, they will be involved heavily in the development work. However, if you would like to be considered for unit writing and/or vetting then please contact me direct stating your area of expertise. Should we require additional writers/vetters in addition to QDT members I shall be in touch with you direct.
Monday, 18 April 2011
Consultation questionnaire
We're now at the stage where we have draft frameworks for all five awards, and we would like feedback on our proposals. To that end, we have created a questionnaire to get your opinions about our plans. The online survey is available at the following URL:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/hnreview
The actual frameworks can be downloaded from this link [ZIP]:
http://www.box.net/shared/ifp5hik40a
We're hoping that as many people as possible complete the survey. So, please encourage your colleagues to complete it, and share the link with your internal and external networks. The survey ends on Friday, 6 May.
This consultation exercise is part of a wider collaboration process, which has included discussion at Sector Panel, a public event, a debate at the Heads of Computing event, and numerous QDT meetings. Extensive consulation does slow down the development process but ensures that everyone has an input and, hopefully, ensures that the new awards are as good as they can be.
Contact Caroline if you need any assistance with the survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/hnreview
The actual frameworks can be downloaded from this link [ZIP]:
http://www.box.net/shared/ifp5hik40a
We're hoping that as many people as possible complete the survey. So, please encourage your colleagues to complete it, and share the link with your internal and external networks. The survey ends on Friday, 6 May.
This consultation exercise is part of a wider collaboration process, which has included discussion at Sector Panel, a public event, a debate at the Heads of Computing event, and numerous QDT meetings. Extensive consulation does slow down the development process but ensures that everyone has an input and, hopefully, ensures that the new awards are as good as they can be.
Contact Caroline if you need any assistance with the survey.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Ready for consultation
Caroline and me met with the lead developer for this project (Gerry Mackie) this afternoon to tidy the draft frameworks and work on the consultation survey before opening them to the public on Monday of next week.
We tidied the frameworks for all five awards and completed the survey, so we are good to go once the QDT has a first look at the questionnaire.
The survey (with links to the draft frameworks) will be made available for public consultation from Monday of next week.
We tidied the frameworks for all five awards and completed the survey, so we are good to go once the QDT has a first look at the questionnaire.
The survey (with links to the draft frameworks) will be made available for public consultation from Monday of next week.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Finalising things for consultation
I will meet with Gerry next week to finalise the draft frameworks and sign-off the consultation survey. We tried hard to get these tasks done before the end of March, knowing that April is a bit of a dead month in schools and colleges, but we didn't make it.
We have to give colleges time to consider the proposals, and many are on holiday right now or about to go on holiday, so I decided to slow down, take our time, and ensure colleges have time to discuss and feedback on our proposals.
I am meeting with Gerry on the 14th, when we will finalise a few things, so I plan to commence the public consultation about the proposals on Monday, 18 April, for four weeks, ending Friday 13 May. This will be done via an online survey, through which we hope to get FE, HE, employer and special-interest feedback. Although this is later than I planned, it should not have an impact on the project end-date since the Summer was always going to be the prime time for writing units. All five awards will be validated in early 2012 and available to centres from August 2012.
The full QDT consists of over 30 people, representing over 20 colleges, so I hope that the consultation will be positive since such a large proportion of stakeholders is already represented in the Development Team.
Contact Gerry for more information about the new awards. Contact Caroline if you want to get involved in the development.
We have to give colleges time to consider the proposals, and many are on holiday right now or about to go on holiday, so I decided to slow down, take our time, and ensure colleges have time to discuss and feedback on our proposals.
I am meeting with Gerry on the 14th, when we will finalise a few things, so I plan to commence the public consultation about the proposals on Monday, 18 April, for four weeks, ending Friday 13 May. This will be done via an online survey, through which we hope to get FE, HE, employer and special-interest feedback. Although this is later than I planned, it should not have an impact on the project end-date since the Summer was always going to be the prime time for writing units. All five awards will be validated in early 2012 and available to centres from August 2012.
The full QDT consists of over 30 people, representing over 20 colleges, so I hope that the consultation will be positive since such a large proportion of stakeholders is already represented in the Development Team.
Contact Gerry for more information about the new awards. Contact Caroline if you want to get involved in the development.
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Development update
I've spent a lot of today discussing the review of HN awards so it seems a good time to update you on how things are going with this project.
The development team is working on five qualifications:
We have spent several weeks considering the aims and objectives of each award, and, more recently, we have been working on the draft frameworks. This has taken longer than expected. I had hoped to begin the public consultation (of the aims and frameworks) before now but the internal (QDT) debate has taken longer than anticipated. This was not due to disagreements but, rather, constructive suggestions for what to include in each qualification.
The draft frameworks will be complete for 1 April and a public consultation (using an online survey) will commence on Monday, 4 April and run for the entire month. This will give everyone an opportunity to comment on every aspect of the proposed awards.
In my last update letter (August 2010) I stated that the new qualifications will be ready by early 2012 and available to offer from August 2012, and there is no reason why these dates need to change.
Speaking of update letters, I appreciate that not every Computing lecturer reads this blog, so I plan to write to centres in the near future to provide an update to our more traditional colleagues.
Contact Gerry for more information about the frameworks or contact Caroline for more information about the project in general.
The development team is working on five qualifications:
- HNC Computing
- HND Computing
- HND Computing: Technical Support
- HND Computing: Software Development
- HND Computer Networking
We have spent several weeks considering the aims and objectives of each award, and, more recently, we have been working on the draft frameworks. This has taken longer than expected. I had hoped to begin the public consultation (of the aims and frameworks) before now but the internal (QDT) debate has taken longer than anticipated. This was not due to disagreements but, rather, constructive suggestions for what to include in each qualification.
The draft frameworks will be complete for 1 April and a public consultation (using an online survey) will commence on Monday, 4 April and run for the entire month. This will give everyone an opportunity to comment on every aspect of the proposed awards.
In my last update letter (August 2010) I stated that the new qualifications will be ready by early 2012 and available to offer from August 2012, and there is no reason why these dates need to change.
Speaking of update letters, I appreciate that not every Computing lecturer reads this blog, so I plan to write to centres in the near future to provide an update to our more traditional colleagues.
Contact Gerry for more information about the frameworks or contact Caroline for more information about the project in general.
Friday, 4 March 2011
Networking meeting
The team taking forward the Networking award, led by Chris Deegan, met this morning in the SQA offices in Glasgow. The purpose of the meeting was to finalise the draft framework for the HND Computer Networking qualification.
Looking around the participants, their knowledge and experience was evident in the quality of the discussions. I'm fortunate to have people of this quality involved in the development.
Vendor certification is important in every HN award but it is particularly important in this one, so we spent a lot of time talking about Microsoft, Cisco and other vendor awards to ensure that they are fully reflected in this new award.
Contact Chris for more information about the Networking award, contact Gerry about the overall HN review, or contact Caroline about the overall project.
There will be a public consultation on all of the draft frameworks in the (very) near future.
Looking around the participants, their knowledge and experience was evident in the quality of the discussions. I'm fortunate to have people of this quality involved in the development.
Vendor certification is important in every HN award but it is particularly important in this one, so we spent a lot of time talking about Microsoft, Cisco and other vendor awards to ensure that they are fully reflected in this new award.
Contact Chris for more information about the Networking award, contact Gerry about the overall HN review, or contact Caroline about the overall project.
There will be a public consultation on all of the draft frameworks in the (very) near future.
Monday, 28 February 2011
Delay in frameworks
We had hoped to have the draft frameworks available but there has been a (small) delay in the QDT finalising them. The time has been well spent. We're having good (internal) conversations about what should be in them. Once the QDT has agreed the frameworks, we will then carry out the following steps:
- consult with the wider community on the draft frameworks (this will be done using an online survey)
- revise frameworks in the light of feedback
- identify a list of new/revised units (from the four frameworks)
- ask for volunteers to write and vet the units
- select the writers and vetters
- train the unit writers and vetters.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Draft frameworks
The development team are busy working on the draft frameworks for each of the awards.
Janice Maxted (Langside College) is working on the HNC Computing framework, Chris Deegan (City of Glasgow) is working on HND Computer Networking, Willie McCabe (James Watt College) is developing the framework for HND Technical Support, and Peter Ainsworth (Motherwell College) is working on HND Software Development. At this stage, we are not going to produce a framework for the generic HND Computing award (being led by Derek Summers of Perth College).
I should have these frameworks by this Friday and we will then give you an opportunity to comment on them.
Contact Gerry if you want more information about how things are progressing.
Janice Maxted (Langside College) is working on the HNC Computing framework, Chris Deegan (City of Glasgow) is working on HND Computer Networking, Willie McCabe (James Watt College) is developing the framework for HND Technical Support, and Peter Ainsworth (Motherwell College) is working on HND Software Development. At this stage, we are not going to produce a framework for the generic HND Computing award (being led by Derek Summers of Perth College).
I should have these frameworks by this Friday and we will then give you an opportunity to comment on them.
Contact Gerry if you want more information about how things are progressing.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
HNC Computing sub-team meeting
The sub-team responsible for developing the new HNC Computing award, led by Janice Maxted of Langside College, met this morning. Janice wanted a meeting to discuss the aims and consider the units to be included in the framework. The HNC will underpin all of the new HNDs so we felt it important to get this one sorted first.
We had already made some decisions about the structure. For example, we want to use an examination as the Graded Unit. We had also agreed to carry a number of core skills in the mandatory section of the HNC award, such as Communications and Working with Others, not as stand-alone units but integrated into vocational (Computing) units.
At today's meeting we agreed a draft framework for the mandatory part of the HNC award, including a number of new units relating to professional issues, software development and trouble-shooting. We also had an interesting discussion about the core skills that we want to include.
At the end of the meeting, we agreed that Janice would write-up today's decisions so that we can consult more widely about the draft HNC framework.
Contact Caroline for more information about the HN review.
We had already made some decisions about the structure. For example, we want to use an examination as the Graded Unit. We had also agreed to carry a number of core skills in the mandatory section of the HNC award, such as Communications and Working with Others, not as stand-alone units but integrated into vocational (Computing) units.
At today's meeting we agreed a draft framework for the mandatory part of the HNC award, including a number of new units relating to professional issues, software development and trouble-shooting. We also had an interesting discussion about the core skills that we want to include.
At the end of the meeting, we agreed that Janice would write-up today's decisions so that we can consult more widely about the draft HNC framework.
Contact Caroline for more information about the HN review.
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