October 11, 2013 - Bobby -
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I planned to review the new HND Computer Science. It’s not really a review. I plan to talk to a few people over the coming weeks about their opinions of the new award. The recently completed HN Review updated four awards, and created one new one – the HND Computer Science. Some of you will remember that it was originally intended to be a generic HND in Computing but during the development and…
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October 7, 2013 - Bobby -
I opened this year’s centre satisfaction survey a few weeks ago and, so far, there has been a very low response. I use the survey to figure out what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong but a very low response means that I can’t really use the data for anything. So, please, if you haven’t done so already, can you spend a few minutes completing the online survey? The team started the survey in 2011 (when there was a…
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October 4, 2013 - Bobby -
SQA is a supporting a new initiative from the BCS to promote digital literacy skills. Their Digital Literacy for Life (DLfL) programme aims to encourage schools to deliver digital literacy across the curricula and also to inform employers about the value of the “digitally literate empoyee”. A new website to support this initiative was launched this week. SQA is actively supporting the BCS. I am a member of the Education Committee and will try to ensure that Scottish centres benefit…
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October 3, 2013 - Bobby -
I’ve been asked to start to think about my plans for next year. Each year me and my team create an operational plan, which defines what it is we are planning to develop during the year. For example, this year’s operational plan includes the reviews of PC Passport and NC Digital Media Computing. SQA carries out “quinquenial” (5 yearly) reviews of all its awards, and these will automatically be added to my plan, but if you have any suggestions for…
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September 27, 2013 - Bobby -
The term “digital literacy” isn’t new but it’s one I am hearing more and more with each passing month. As you may know, The Royal Society recommended that digital literacy be recognised as one (of three) strands to the subject of Computing. There has been a number of recent reports about the need to improve the digital literacy skills of UK (and global) citizens. SQA responded to The Royal Society report by creating a cognate group for Digital Literacy. Digital…
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September 17, 2013 - Bobby -
I sent an NC update letter to centres last month and yesterday I completed a similar letter for HN awards, which will be sent to colleges later this week. Readers of this blog can get it now. The letter contains important information about such things as Graded Units and local options within HN awards. You may want to download it. There’s nothing in the letter that readers of this blog don’t know but you may want to share it with…
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September 16, 2013 - Bobby -
I was informed today that the three new/revised Verification Groups (VGs) had now been created. They are: 288 Information Technology357 Computer Science358 Digital Literacy. I’ve previously explained the rationale behind these changes. This change will have operational implications for centres (in the sense that verification visits will now be based around these three groups) but, more importantly, it has philosophical implications. It defines a particular view of the subject (“Computing”) with three parts. The first part, Digital Literacy, is foundational,…
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September 16, 2013 - Bobby -
I received a request this morning from a college to visit the centre to discuss Computing awards. I was delighted to accept. I’ve mentioned previously that me and my team are available to visit your centre. I’ve enjoyed my previous visits. We’re happy to visit you to discuss qualification developments or help you deliver SQA awards, so please don’t hesitate to ask me or Caroline or Hilary. It’s not only good for you (I hope) but it’s good for us…
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September 9, 2013 - Bobby -
Qualifications Development staff within SQA take a day out each year to look at best practice, internally and externally, to ensure that each of the qualification teams are aware of these practices and consider applying them to their own work. I was invited to describe my team’s use of social media to communicate with centres. As many of you will know, we’ve been using these tools since 2004 and, over time, I think this blog and some of the other…
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September 7, 2013 - Bobby -
The recently completed HN Review not only updated existing HNC and HND awards but also introduced a new qualification entitled HND Computer Science. Anecdotal evidence seems to point to this new award being very popular in centres (more so than I anticipated). We’re delighted to be the only awarding body in the UK with this unique HND. Initial feedback from centres has been positive but some people have commented that the contents of the award don’t quite match the title.…
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