Universities and Curriculum for Excellence

Grant JarvieCathy Macaslan

Part One : Key Themes

• What is the state of play with Curriculum for Excellence?

• How have the enhancement themes articulated with Curriculum for Excellence?

• How do universities continue to balance excellence with domestic responsibility?

• Why should universities be involved/work with Curriculum for Excellence?

• Curriculum for Excellence does not exist in isolation

Curriculum for Excellence state of play

• 10th February 2010• Education, Life-Long Learning and Culture

Committee• 25th February 2010 • Chamber debate and motion on Curriculum

for Excellence

Enhancement, Curriculum Reform and Universities

• In the context of this conference it is important not to underestimate the evolving impact of the enhancement themes. They have provided frameworks for developing aspects of university learning, teaching and the student experience which are not too far removed from what Curriculum for Excellence developments are attempting to put in place.

Why should Universities be involved?

• The grant letter from SFC• Work with and influence government (s) • National change agenda and universities have a lot to offer• It is not likely to go away • Scottish student expectations • Subject content and admissions criteria to university.• CPD opportunities and challenges • Transition into university and social mobility• Other

Curriculum for Excellence does not exist in isolation

• Curriculum for Excellence of course does not exist in isolation from either the broader forces that are impinging upon the university sector or from the many other things that universities do.

Part One : Key Messages

• Universities are well placed to add support and capacity building to Curriculum for Excellence

• Universities are Curriculum (s) for Excellence • Curriculum for Excellence does not operate in

isolation • Balanced excellence and domestic responsibility• Narrowing the gap, life chances and future

aspirations• Letting universities prosper creates winners all round

Part Two : Key Themes

• Why Change?• What is changing?• How will it be better?• What will it mean for learners?• How can it enhance learning and teaching in

Higher Education?

Why change?

• 2002: National Debate on Education• 5-14 yr olds: frame of reference• Young people: better equipped for a modern

economy and society• 2004: Curriculum for Excellence• 2007: OECD “ Quality and Equity of Schooling

in Scotland”

Who does it affect?

• All those aged 3-18 yrs• All those teaching in that age range• Parents• Employers• Higher Education sector• College sector

What’s happening?

• 2010 -All schools will begin to implement.• 2010- First students with Baccs• 2012 -Recruitment based on new quals and

experiences• 2014- First students from 5th Year • 2015- First students from 6th year

New qualifications

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Literacy 5

Literacy 4

Literacy 3

Numeracy 5

Numeracy 4

Numeracy 3

Adv Higher

Higher

National 5

National 4

Access 3

Access 2

Access 1

Curriculum for Excellence (CFE)-is defined in 6 ways;

– Structure of curriculum– Content– Standards– Nature and quality of learning experiences– How teachers use assessment– Certification, qualifications and recognition of

wider achievement

Principles of curriculum design

• Challenge and enjoyment• Breadth and depth• Progression• Personalisation and choice• Coherence• Relevance

successful learnerswith•enthusiasm and motivation for learning•determination to reach high standards of achievement•openness to new thinking and ideas

and able to•use literacy, communication and numeracy skills•use technology for learning•think creatively and independently•learn independently and as part of a group•make reasoned evaluations•link and apply different kinds of learning innew situations

confident individualswith•self respect•a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing•secure values and beliefs•ambition

and able to•relate to others and manage themselves•pursue a healthy and active lifestyle•be self aware•develop and communicate their own beliefsand view of the world•live as independently as they can•assess risk and take informed decisions•achieve success in different areas of activity

responsible citizenswith•respect for others•commitment to participate responsibly inpolitical, economic, social and cultural life

and able to•develop knowledge and understanding ofthe world and Scotland’s place in it•understand different beliefs and cultures•make informed choices and decisions•evaluate environmental, scientific andtechnological issues•develop informed, ethical views of complexissues

effective contributorswith•an enterprising attitude•resilience•self-reliance

and able to•communicate in different ways and indifferent settings•work in partnership and in teams•take the initiative and lead•apply critical thinking in new contexts•create and develop•solve problems

To enable all youngpeople to become

AttributesCFE:• Successful learners

• Confident Individuals

• Responsible citizens

• Effective contributors

One University:• Academically excellent

• Open to learning and personal development

• Active citizens

• Critical thinkers and effective communicators

Curriculum Design: Graduate Attributes

Graduate of University of

Aberdeen

Academically excellent TO KNOW• In-depth discipline knowledge• Breadth of knowledge• Contextual understanding

Open to learning and personal development TO BE• Openness to, and interest in, lifelong learning• Self reflection

Critical thinkers and effective TO DOcommunicators

• Synthesis and analysis• Informed argument and reasoning • Diverse set of transferable and generic skills

Active Citizens TO LIVE TOG• Appreciation - ethical and moral issues• Appreciation - social and cultural diversity• Appreciation - enterprise & leadership

Four Clusters:

What does it mean for higher education and learning?

• Lifelong learning framework• Learner attributes better described• Benefits which can be capitalised upon by HE• Enhancement of progression and accessibility• Changed expectations

• Recognition of wider experiences and achievement

• Interdisciplinary experiences • Better prepared students• Better platform for graduate attributes

…..for Learning and Teaching Strategies

• Expectations - from students / of students, will be raised• Tools such as PDP and HEAR need to connect to School and

College based approaches• Complementary approaches to learning and teaching • Enhancement Theme agenda complements CFE • Improved access and transition across the 3 sectors

AssessmentAssessment Employability

Wider Achievement

Learner capacities

Graduate Attributes

Flexibility

Flexibility

Employability

Assessment

Wider Achievement

HEAR

PDP

What does this mean for graduates?

• Continuity within a lifelong learning framework?

• Better understanding and articulation of own needs

• Increased expectations on HE and CPD? • Changed expectations of employers?

Challenges

• Senior phase• Need to understand new qualifications.• Assessment modes• Relationships - admissions policies/ requirements

and new quals?-admissions policies and L and

Teaching strategies?• Change to nature of information supplied?• More challenging students?

Opportunities

Sectoral change becomes interdependant? “Boundaries” reduced and more easily

negotiated?Better continuity/ progression?Different forms of learning explicitly valued?Value –added for Universities?

• Qualifications and Assessmentwww.sqa.org.uk

• Curriculum documentationwww.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence