Purposes and outcomes of the review
The programme reviewed
Section A Framework
Section B Overall educational aims of the programme
Section C An evaluation of the emerging standards of the programme and the emerging achievements of students
Section D An evaluation of the quality of students' learning opportunities
Section E An evaluation of the monitoring and enhancement of quality and standards
Section F Good practice and/or innovative features
Section G Summary of the main review outcomes
The Higher Education Funding Council for England has commissioned the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to carry out a second programme of reviews of a sample of Foundation Degrees (FDs) in England in the academic year 2004-05. The major purposes of the review process are:
The findings from the reviewers' lines of enquiry result in a published report containing two threshold judgements. In the case of programmes where there are students who have graduated, the report contains judgements on the confidence, or otherwise, the reviewers have in:
In the case of recent programmes where no students have graduated to date, the report contains judgements on the confidence, or otherwise, the reviewers have in:
The report also comments on the maintenance and enhancement of standards and quality, and on the examples of good practice and innovation which may be worthy of wider dissemination.
Each review looks at one FD programme. It covers the entirely of that programme and includes, as applicable, the provision at all sites of delivery, all pathways, sites of work-based learning and modes of study.
The review takes place within a framework that includes a range of activities common to all reviews. Each review is structured around a series of 11 key questions to be considered by the provider in preparing its self-evaluation and by the reviewers when summarising evidence to be used to reach the two threshold judgements. The same questions form the structure of the report.
1 The FD in the Management of Childcare Provision (MCP) is delivered by distance learning and offered on a part-time basis by Liverpool Hope University College (LHUC). The first cohort of the two-and-a-half-year programme is expected to complete the certificate level in May 2005. For the session 2004-05, there are 27 students enrolled, 11 of whom have completed their first year of studies, while 16 started the programme in April 2005.
2 The FD grew from the BA (Hons) Nursery Management that commenced in 2001. Originally, LHUC was approached by a commercial group of nurseries to offer a management programme at degree level to meet the needs of its workforce. A pilot e-learning version of this degree was validated in 2002. The expertise developed in its production led the Management and Business Centre and Education Deanery of LHUC to develop the FD which was introduced in the academic year 2004-05.
3 The programme aims to provide academic progression for practitioners in Educare, a term used to describe settings that provide and care for children in the early years. Students must be employed within a nursery or early-years setting and are expected to hold level 3 National Qualifications Framework (NQF) qualifications, including the Council for Awards in Childcare Education (CACHE) Diploma in Childcare and Education/Nursery Nursing, National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in Early Years Care and Education or Playwork, or the BTEC National Diploma in Early Years. They must also have the support and agreement of their line manager to undertake the course. The work-based learning (WBL) is undertaken by the students in a range of large, medium and small private and public sector nurseries and other childcare settings. Of the first cohort, nearly 50 per cent are located in the north-west of England and in the second cohort over 40 per cent are located in the Liverpool area. Other students are located throughout the United Kingdom, with one in Belgium. Mentors in the WBL environment are referred to as facilitators.
4 The FD in the Management of Childcare Provision aims to:
5 There are explicit and appropriate links between the aims and intended learning outcomes (ILOs) for the FD, with the ILOs reflecting the programme's aims. They provide a sound basis for achieving the defining characteristics of FDs. In particular, the delivery of the programme by means of an e-learning strategy addresses the needs of students and employers who are geographically dispersed and whose employment situations militate against more traditional modes of study.
6 The programme meets a clear need for the management education training of qualified and experienced child care staff already in employment in a range of childcare settings.
7 The aims and ILOs build on level 3 of the National Occupational Standards in Child Care and Education and Play Work .There is a well articulated relationship between programme aims and ILOs and those at the module level.
8 The WBL outcomes are included in the aims and the ILOs of the programme and are evident in module handbooks for both years of the programme. Two modules, Exploring Managerial Practice (in year one) and Developing Managerial Practice (in year two), require students to undertake assessment tasks directly related to their workplace practice and the remaining modules on the programme provide content and assignments that have clear relevance to the management of childcare provision.
9 Articulation of the aims and learning outcomes with the descriptors in the FHEQ is evident at both certificate and intermediate levels in the year one and two module pro formas.
10 The aims and ILOs are effectively communicated to all stakeholders through the programme specification and through handbooks for students and work-based facilitators.
11 The programme awards 120 credits at FHEQ level C (the achievement of which entitles a student to a Certificate in Higher Education) and a further 120 credits at FHEQ level I. At level C there are one 20-credit and two 50-credit modules, and at level I, one 30-credit module and six 15-credit modules. All modules are compulsory.
12 On successful completion of the FD, students may proceed directly to the final year of the BA (Hons) Nursery Management delivered at LHUC, which now exists only as a top-up programme for the FD.
13 The programme contributes to widening participation in HE through its e-learning strategy, designed to provide equivalent and flexible degree-level study opportunities for students who are already in employment in an early-years setting and who are drawn from a wide geographical area.
14 Entrants are normally admitted with level 3 qualifications. The programme is currently developing arrangements to allow holders of relevant level 4 qualifications to be awarded credit against the level C module Exploring Managerial Practice through accreditation of prior certificated learning (APCL).
15 The students' places of work are registered childcare and/or education settings, adhering to national occupational standards as regulated by Ofsted. Consequently, each WBL location is expected to comply with relevant health and safety legislation, equal opportunities and EU employment legislation.
16 The design and content of the curriculum are well matched to the defining characteristics of an FD. Appropriate integration of relevant academic studies and their work-based application is evident in all modules which make substantial use of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach. The curriculum is also designed to promote a commitment to lifelong learning, particularly through the work-based modules Exploring Managerial Practice (Level C - 20 credits) and Developing Managerial Practice (level I - 30 credits).
17 A staged approach is adopted to the development of students' information technology (IT) skills in order for them to make confident use of the programme's virtual learning environment (VLE).
18 Assessment practice reflects the Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education, Section 6: Assessment of students, published by QAA. There is a wide range of assessments methods that includes formative and summative group presentations, individual reports and reflective diaries. In addition, there are traditional assignments and a formal multiple-choice examination. Most of the assessment is linked to PBL, which is delivered through the VLE.
19 All modules are assessed by the programme tutors. Although employers play an active part in the programme delivery, they are not involved in the formal assessment of student work. However, they are involved informally as facilitators in developing and discussing students' assignments and recording their reflection of students' WBL experiences. Given the significance of this activity, further consideration should be given to extending their contribution to include some assessment of students' WBL.
20 Information on assessment is communicated to students through each module guide, the student handbook and the VLE which include details of the assessment policy and marking criteria. The module handbooks also detail the assessment criteria for meeting each of the ILOs, the assessment methods and grading. Most of the assessments comprise several distinct elements, all of which are given a percentage towards the overall grade. Each element is compulsory although students can achieve a pass mark without the successful completion of all elements. However, there is a lack of clarity in the programme documentation about how this process works and what students must do to pass each assessment.
21 All of the students' assignments are submitted using the VLE system. Students separately submit a paper-based cover sheet containing a declaration that the work is their own. Feedback to the students is prompt. Using standard module assessment feedback forms, they are provided with a full and detailed commentary that is supportive of their learning.
22 Many of the students' assessments incorporate a group-work element. Students were concerned with the marking of group work, in particular, the penalising of the group for the limited contribution made by some of their colleagues. Further consideration should be given to addressing their concerns and to promoting more equitable marking.
23 It is easy to identify each student's assessed work, as the latter draws heavily on an individual's workplace experience. As a result, LHUC has decided that anonymising student work would have no valid purpose. There is a robust system of second marking and all module assessment is subject to a 15 per cent sample of work for internal and external moderation. This work is sampled across all grades and all Fail grades are moderated.
24 There are two specific modules, Exploring Managerial Practice and Developing Managerial Practice, which directly assess the students' WBL based on the written work and tasks set by the tutors. All modules require the students to integrate WBL and academic study.
25 The FD is a new programme and the first cohort completed level C in May 2005. Three modules have been completed to date which have been externally examined to provide early feedback on standards. Academic achievement is generally high as demonstrated by the grades achieved in the modules so far undertaken. Academic standards appropriate to level C are being achieved by students. The assessments indicate mainly that module outcomes are being achieved.
26 Since the students communicate almost entirely through the written word, they develop academic literacy rapidly. Students report that they have gained the skills that they need for their employment. For example, an early assignment to conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis has helped students to link their work experience with academic study. In addition, the results of a political, economic, sociological and technological (PEST) analysis, were of value in formulating the business plan for a nursery.
27 Most students indicate their intention to progress to the final year of the honours programme once they complete the FD.
28 The FD has been developed through close collaboration between employers, representatives of professional associations and staff in the International Business, IT and Education (IBITE) Deanery at LHUC. One particular commercial nursery group identified the need for the enhancement of its nursery staff with appropriate management and business skills and entered into discussions with LHUC. A steering group comprising the award management representatives and a representative group of employers (private and public sectors and trade unions) was involved in the initial design of the award and remains involved in its ongoing operation. The Steering Group is committed to the success of the award and provides advice on the changing needs of the sector as they affect the development and operation of the programme. There is currently no professional body in the Childcare Management Sector.
29 All students on the award are employed in the childcare sector and many undertake the role of manager or act in a managerial capacity. The discharge of this role allows students to readily transfer their acquired learning to practical and managerial situations in the workplace. They are supported by designated facilitators, often from the employing organisation, who act in a formative development role, in particular, in conducting interviews that encourage students to reflect on incidents in the WBL environment.
30 The WBL is formally recorded through the two WBL modules. These provide a transparent basis for accumulating the management practices and skills acquired through integrating WBL with theory. WBL is assessed further in other modules that integrate students' reflection of their work environment. There is a proposal to introduce personal development files next year, as part of the year two Management of Practitioners module.
The reviewers have confidence in the emerging academic standards and emerging achievements of students.
31 The programme team employs a variety of teaching methods in the delivery of the curriculum, including lectures and group presentations. The teaching and learning are founded on the use of PBL and are almost wholly delivered through the use of the VLE. There is an emphasis on WBL and group working. Working in groups and engaging in PBL develop many of the essential managerial skills including conflict resolution and negotiation. Students appreciate the opportunity to share experiences with others from different professional backgrounds and are encouraged to link theory with practice using PBL case-studies.
32 Through the asynchronous discussions forum, 'chat rooms' and email, students use the VLE to communicate with one another and their tutor. This process fosters student-led sessions and discussions; it enhances group cohesion and promotes self-directed and independent learning by the students and encourages contact between students and tutors. In addition, the tutors are more easily contacted. Lectures and other teaching approaches are almost wholly delivered through the VLE. Most students express their satisfaction with this form of learning, indicating that the nature of the work and the VLE are appropriate for the achievement of the ILOs.
33 Throughout the programme all students are encouraged to keep a diary in which they can reflect on their learning as a means of developing and promoting lifelong learning. The students also provide feedback evaluations on each module after its delivery. One student notes that 'I particularly enjoyed the forums and I felt it was a valuable learning experience, gathering everybody's skills and knowledge to acquire necessary skills to be an effective manager'.
34 The quality of teaching is endorsed by the students and supported by clearly written programme handbooks, module handbooks and guidelines on referencing. To enhance further the quality of teaching, an annual rolling programme of peer review of teaching aids the development of each member of staff. LHUC also provides a schedule of staff development activities which staff can choose to attend or to which they can be directed.
35 Before entry, prospective students are interviewed by telephone to determine their suitability for the programme and to ensure that they understand its content, its mode of delivery and the link with the WBL setting. All students are expected to have acquired a level of computer literacy appropriate to the needs of the programme and to be employed within an early years or nursery setting.
36 Students attend a two-day residential induction that informs them of the programme requirements and provides an introduction to the VLE. The induction period is complemented by follow-up study days and ensures that there are opportunities for students and tutors to build strong working relationships. Effective practical support and training in using the VLE is provided to instil confidence in the students. A diagnostic piece of coursework is also used by the teaching staff to identify the students' future learning needs. The format of the induction has been monitored over time and adjustments made in the light of student feedback. However, some students would welcome an extension to the induction period to consolidate their learning experiences.
37 The on-line nature of the programme meets students' needs, as they are normally in the type of employment where it can be difficult to take time away from the workplace to study. Students may use the VLE at any time of the day or night to study or access materials and the tutors use methods of communication including audioconferencing to enable students to take part in the full range of assessment. An excellent level of staff support is provided for students by email, telephone and individual and group discussions conducted using the VLE. Staff track and monitor the students' participation in the on-line activities and where students are slow in maintaining contact, encourage them to participate. The staff establish realistic timetables for communication with the students. The implications of staff embracing this type of delivery have been well thought out and are communicated clearly to the students.
38 Support also comes from the working arrangements established for each module. The PBL works most effectively when students are in groups. At the beginning of the Introduction to Educare Provision module, students are arranged into work groups. Each group has a task leader responsible for maintaining involvement in the task and a task reporter. Each group is responsible for all the decisions arising and can recommend a penalty for non-contributing members.
39 Over the first year of its delivery, almost 33 per cent of students withdrew from the programme. All departures were due to personal, job-related and domestic reasons. To minimise the rate of withdrawals, a formative piece of work has been introduced that provides the students with early feedback and helps the tutors to identify the level of support that they require. It has also been agreed that, where possible, those who withdraw should be invited to re-join the programme at a future date.
40 There is a core team of two full-time teaching staff supported by four lecturers which is responsible for the delivery of the programme modules. Additional assistance is provided by e-learning support staff, a small team of technicians and a programme administrator. The Deanery's standard workload allocation model has been modified to provide teaching staff with an additional 40 per cent of contact time with the students to accommodate the VLE mode of delivery. It is effective in providing an appropriate level of resources to underpin student learning.
41 The core teaching staff are suitably academically and professionally qualified, in most cases at master's level, and all have relevant work experience. Consequently, the team is well placed to provide specialist knowledge that integrates with the students' WBL. Guest inputs to the programme have been delivered as lectures during study days, by video and CD-ROM.
42 There is a well-established learning resources centre (LRC) that combines library and computer facilities. The LRC is open 24 hours a day all through the year and contains a well-stocked range of relevant books and periodicals. Areas in the library designated for group work and quiet areas are provided. There are individual study areas equipped with computers, and these and other computers can be booked by students.
43 There is a wide range of electronic information sources available both on and off the campus. These include on line databases that are both subject-specific and general, electronic journals, e-books and CD-ROM databases. The library internet page can be used to access the range of electronic guides, and during the induction period students are provided with initial training on their use.
44 For students who do not have ready access to the library facilities, books can be posted to them and access is provided to local libraries. Either an electronic or manual suggestion box is available to allow students to provide feedback on the use of the LRC.
45 Although the LRC provides very good facilities, they are little used by the students because they do not live in the vicinity of Hope Park. They are expected to use their own PCs at home or at work and purchase key texts. Most of the learning resources can be accessed on-line from home. Local students are strongly encouraged to make use of the physical resources in the library wherever possible, for example through a presentation by the Deanery librarian at the induction day.
46 During their studies, students are expected to reflect regularly upon their developing skills and work experiences. This is encouraged by facilitators, who can act as a 'critical friend'. Facilitators from the employing organisation, acting as mentors, are appointed by the programme team to assist each student to benefit from their WBL experiences in their place of work.
47 A handbook for facilitators indicates the level of contact required between facilitator and student during the delivery of the two WBL modules. After each contact, the student is expected to record in the handbook the substance of the meeting. Although each facilitator is provided with a handbook containing information about their role, it is regrettable that the programme team does not offer coherent training or an induction programme for them. The feedback to the reviewers from employers indicates that they would welcome more guidance, although some receive induction by telephone. However, it would be unrealistic to conduct facilitator training workshops due to the dispersed nature of the student cohort. Offering training to local facilitators only would lead to an inequitable experience between local and remote students.
The reviewers have confidence in the quality of the students' learning opportunities.
48 The employers were transparently involved in the design of the programme and were represented on the validation panel. They are also members of the programme Steering Group that allows them to provide guidance and support on the development of the programme. During both the design of the programme and its validation, the fit between the programme content and the defining characteristics of an FD were considered. The programme is also mapped against these characteristics.
49 There are effective quality mechanisms in place that ensure that the e-learning programme is subject to the same standards of approval, review and monitoring as other traditionally taught programmes. However, owing to the on-line VLE methods of delivery, requiring students to visit the campus infrequently, there is no staff-student forum based at LHUC or student representation on other committees. Apart from the student evaluation of modules on completion, feedback, using the VLE, on-line forums, email and telephone calls, provide the only opportunity for the less structured feedback to be received from the students. The programme team is aware of the above and has outlined future plans for incorporating more formal methods of feedback and representation.
50 At least one of the two external examiners is expected to have experience of e-learning. The external examiner report pro forma is generic to all LHUC programmes and consequently does not specifically prompt the external examiner to comment on the effectiveness of WBL and its integration into the programme. The reviewers consider that the report pro forma provides external examiners with insufficient opportunity for recording their comments on WBL and should be revised.
51 The conditions on entry to the programme and its delivery using the VLE and PBL, underpinned by the quality assurance framework, ensures that students' learning experiences are broadly equivalent.
52 The delivery of the distance-learning programme using the VLE incorporates learning and teaching approach that includes PBL. This group approach encourages students to become self-directed and independent learners. It is based on providing the students with an assessment problem or case-study that is likely to be encountered in their WBL environment. Students are expected to explore and analyse the problem and to underpin this with appropriate theoretical understanding that aids insight, reflection and understanding. The VLE helps to stimulate communication and exchange of information among the student group and promotes dialogue that enriches their learning. This combined approach to distance learning using the VLE and PBL is considered by the reviewers to be innovative.
The Foundation Degree (FD) in the Management of Childcare Provision validated and delivered by Liverpool Hope University College was reviewed in the academic year 2004-05. Judgements were made about the emerging academic standards and the emerging achievement of students and the quality of the learning opportunities provided.
Overall, the reviewers have confidence in the emerging academic standards and emerging achievements of students.
Overall, the reviewers have confidence in the quality of the students' learning opportunities.
Features of good practice and innovation include:
Strengths of the programme include:
Areas for development include: