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KEY SKILLS IN THE ENGLISH CONTEXT: IMPROVING THEIR ‘USE’ AND ‘EXCHANGE’ VALUE

KEY SKILLS IN THE ENGLISH CONTEXT: IMPROVING THEIR ‘USE’ AND ‘EXCHANGE’ VALUE. Dr Ann Hodgson and Dr Ken Spours Institute of Education University of London. HISTORICAL AND POLICY BACKGROUND.

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KEY SKILLS IN THE ENGLISH CONTEXT: IMPROVING THEIR ‘USE’ AND ‘EXCHANGE’ VALUE

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  1. KEY SKILLS IN THE ENGLISH CONTEXT:IMPROVING THEIR ‘USE’ AND ‘EXCHANGE’ VALUE Dr Ann Hodgson and Dr Ken Spours Institute of Education University of London

  2. HISTORICAL AND POLICY BACKGROUND • Widespread support for broad skill development - absence of general education post-16, under-achievement and lack of preparedness for work or higher education • Long history - desire for more skills-based approach to curriculum - different terms used - core skills, transferable skills, generic skills, key skills and so on • Different lists of skills - narrower or broader since early 1980s • Up to Dearing (1996) - these skills developed in vocational track only - association with ‘remedialism’

  3. DEARING, QUALIFYING FOR SUCCESS AND KEY SKILLS • Dearing Review of Qualifications for 16-19 Year Olds (1996) • Remove key skills from GNVQs • Three key skills - Application of Number; Communication and IT to be certificated through an AS qualification • Four wider skills - problem-solving; managing own learning; Interpersonal skills and team-working • Qualifying for Success (1997) later known as Curriculum 2000 • A Key Skills Qualification in AoN/Comms/IT at Levels 1, 2 and 3. • Three wider key skills units in Problem-Solving; Working with Others and Improving Own Learning and Performance • All key skills signposted in AS/A2 and AVCE qualifications

  4. KEY SKILLS IN CURRICULUM 2000 • Partial take-up of KS Qualification (less than 30 per cent take award) and hardly any certificated • Voluntary except in FE and no funding for schools • HE ambivalence - not tried and tested and not universal • Teacher ambivalence and lack of experience • Context of Curriculum 2000 and overloaded curriculum - key skills a low priority • Advanced Level learner rejection of remediation and repetition • Qualification difficult to deliver - demanded stand-alone provision rather than embedding • Assessment regime dominates - external tests and NVQ ‘box ticking’ • Hostility to Key Skills in Modern Apprenticeships • Key Skills replaced other forms of ‘broadening’ • Some islands of good practice

  5. KEY SKILLS IN CURRICULUM 2000:A CRITICAL ANALYSIS • Wrong purpose and wrong skills - remedial approach to advanced level, basic skills rather than advanced level skills • Effects - student resistance, lack of institutional take up and HE indifference • Assessment-driven in search for credibility - too much (portfolio and test); arduous assessment (nature of portfolio) and difficulty (nature of tests) • Effects - teaching and learning problems; high failure rates; deterrent to institutional take-up • Voluntary with no incentives to end-users to recognise in the context of a larger curriculum and funding for some institutions only • Effects - particular deterrent for high achievers and institutions catering for them and lowest priority for students

  6. KEY SKILLSTHE CURRENT SITUATION • Key Skills Qualification at Level 3 discontinued • Focus on Level 2 Key Skills for those without GCSE grades A*-C in maths and English • More flexibility and personal focusing at Level 3 - learners expected to take one relevant key skills unit • Review of key skills by QCA - emphasis on six key skills; possible renaming and more embedding • Many schools reverting to General Studies, ASDAN and other broadening awards • FE still offering key skills because of funding

  7. NEXT STEPS 14-19 IN ENGLAND • Focus on good practice - where has it actually worked and why? • Emphasis on the development of key skills rather than their assessment • Strategy for key skills - broad menu; development of skills within subjects; stand alone approaches where needed and new ‘platforms’ (e.g. Research Study and Viva) • Development of key skills 14-19 as part of of a baccalaureate system linking to subjects, core and wider activities • Need for supportive external levers - funding, inspection and HE recognition

  8. KEY SKILLS REVIEW • Curriculum 2000 and advanced level - learning the lessons • Focus now on • basic skills earlier • learning skills and wider key skills • Integration into the curriculum and innovative learning • Personal development not assessment • Longer term - using Bac-type system for skill development and recognition

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