Engaging with learners:SQA’s experience
The Assessment Summit: Hearing the Student Voice
Thursday 20 March 2014
Martyn Ware
Head of Assessment Development
and Delivery
About SQA
• National awarding body • 700 staff, £60m turnover• Offices in Glasgow and
Dalkeith• Qualifications for schools,
colleges and training providers
• Offer products and services across the UK and internationally
• Accreditation
Engaging with learners
• Overviews• Ongoing engagement• Services for learners
- Website
- Results services plus
- Formative assessment
Initial overview surveys
• Undertaken in 2006 and 2008• Finding out what candidates views of the
qualifications they were undertaking• Two areas:
- general questions, covering motivations, satisfaction, use of technology and
attitudes to assessment
- specific to the qualification type
Main findings - 2008
• Improving employment prospects, personal development and interest were important motivating factors
• Almost all candidates felt their qualifications would help them achieve their goals
• Most NQ candidates and a significant proportion of SVQ and HNC/D candidates intend to complete other SQA qualifications in the future
• In general candidates do not believe assessment is an excessive burden
• The amount of work in qualifications is about right• A majority of candidates support increased use of technology in
assessment and learning• Most candidates enjoyed and were satisfied with their qualifications
Continued engagement
• Ongoing programme of stakeholder research includes annual engagement with learners
• Feedback on SQA generally and on specific, current issues e.g. SQC
• Ad hoc engagement on specific issues e.g. forum for comments on exams, trials of new e-assessment approaches
www.sqa.org.uk
• Learners now recognised as key user group• Information specifically for learners• Distinguish between centre type• Provides links to other services
2012 2013
MySQANQ candidates 45 849 46 037
Other candidates 76 718 102 004
App downloadsExam timetable 37 702 57 612
Study planner 36 752 57 733
OpenAssess
• Formative assessment content • Available for a range of qualifications• Free to access• Includes feedback• Designed to support learning, not as exam
practice• Link to website
Conclusions
• SQA has a strong record of engaging with learners
• We recognise the importance of informing and influencing
• Importance of engagement on the right terms and in the right places
• Services are generally well received and used
Recommended
