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Benchmarking Careers Education Changing Student Choices conference HECSU Manchester July 2006. David Stanbury University of Reading AGCAS Careers Education Task Group AGCAS web site: http://www.agcas.org.uk/. Why did we do it?. In pairs
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Benchmarking Careers EducationChanging Student Choices conference HECSU ManchesterJuly 2006 David Stanbury University of Reading AGCAS Careers Education Task Group AGCAS web site: http://www.agcas.org.uk/
Why did we do it? • In pairs • list as many ‘official’ reports and policy documents about careers ed in HE since Dearing (97) that you can think of.
Outline • Why do it? • Aims for the document • Starting from scratch • What are benchmarks? • Process • Consultation • Product • Making the most of the document in your situation
Aims for the statement • Provide an external reference point • Something that can be ‘owned’ by the careers ed community • Raise the profile • Point to its theoretical underpinnings • Assist dialogue b/w those involved in careers educational development
Activity • In small groups list the things you would like a careers education benchmark to be like and the things you would want it to avoid, under two headings • It should be…. • It should avoid….
QAA context • Documents that encapsulate an agreed guide to standards • Higher Education – inform curriculum development + review • Subject benchmarks • “Describes the nature and characteristics” of a specific subject and make “explicit the general academic standards” • 48 have been adopted by the QAA • “In evaluating the effectiveness of their policies and practices for programme design, approval and review … institutions will need to consider whether due account is taken of: external reference points” - QAA
Just what are benchmarks in HE???? • Reference points • Maps not fixed routes • Shared basis for discussion • A statement of what is (and what can be) • We can define it as:- ‘An external reference point with the characteristic concerns of a subject benchmark statement, which rather than being applied to a whole degree, is focused intently on a trans-disciplinary theme.’
Contents • Nature, characteristics and defining principles • Teaching, Learning and Assessment • Learning outcomes • Curricula context • Institutional context • Case studies • Drovers for change • Careers theory • Careers education and other related initiatives • Some resources
Where we’ve come from • Steering Group • HE Academy Generic Centre • AGR • Guidance Council • HE Academy subject centres / academics • AGCAS members • Careers Ed Task Group • QAA • SCOP • Working Groups & partners • Other interested parties UK and ROI
Where we’ve got to Feedback so far …. • Vast majority of total responses favourable • Good variety of respondents spread across the UK • CAS (59%) • Senior academics (19%) • Student services (18%)
Comments and issues • Is the nature and scope of careers ed described clearly? • Are the learning outcomes clear? • Is it fit for purpose • Some issues • Stylistic • What is a Benchmark? • Substantive
Over to you…. • In groups looking at section of the statement, • What are the strengths of this section? • How could you practically use this in your institution? • How should we disseminate the executive summary?
Resources • Full document can be downloaded from the AGCAS website at: http://www.agcas.org.uk/employability/index.htm • The Executive summary will be added by Oct • For further reading see QAA subject benchmarking, Vol 10, Number 3, 2002, Quality Assurance in Education (LTSN) • Or contact me d.r.stanbury@rdg.ac.uk