11

Playing the game?Playing the game?

Using Occupational Standards, Subject Using Occupational Standards, Subject Benchmarks and Professional Validation Benchmarks and Professional Validation

requirements to create a global dimension.requirements to create a global dimension.

22

Outline

The paper will consider the implications of a ‘standards’ The paper will consider the implications of a ‘standards’ approach for the professional practice of development approach for the professional practice of development education i.e. is it effective in achieving DE’s goals? education i.e. is it effective in achieving DE’s goals?

what are the potential challenges to creativity, academic what are the potential challenges to creativity, academic freedom and learner and professional autonomy?freedom and learner and professional autonomy?

33

Why the interest?Why the interest?

Global dimension was not included in a coherent andconsistent way in initial training for Youth Workers

Influencing the curriculum has a strategic impact

Young people in informal educational context wouldbecome more ‘globally aware’ and/or develop as ‘global citizens’

44

The ‘tools’The ‘tools’ NYA Professional Validation and Curriculum requirementsNYA Professional Validation and Curriculum requirements – –

essential for professional validationessential for professional validation

National Occupational Standards for Youth WorkNational Occupational Standards for Youth Work – – reference to reference to these in learning outcomes & assessment is required for these in learning outcomes & assessment is required for professional validationprofessional validation

Subject benchmarksSubject benchmarks – – essential for academic and professional essential for academic and professional validationvalidation

Common CoreCommon Core of skills and knowledge for work with children and of skills and knowledge for work with children and young people (DfES 2005) – young people (DfES 2005) – reference to these is required for reference to these is required for professional validationprofessional validation

55

Context of HE in the UKContext of HE in the UK

Collins in 1979 predicted changes to HE would turnCollins in 1979 predicted changes to HE would turn

‘‘intellectual culture into a short-term obstacle for students to passintellectual culture into a short-term obstacle for students to passthrough on their way to credentials’through on their way to credentials’

Modularisation - Ainley, P. (1994)Modularisation - Ainley, P. (1994) Commercialisation & employer engagement - Lee, D. (2006)Commercialisation & employer engagement - Lee, D. (2006) Tuition fees Tuition fees Widening participation – resources, appropriatenessWidening participation – resources, appropriateness

A ‘technical rational’ modelA ‘technical rational’ model of professional knowledge predominates, of professional knowledge predominates,a positivist view of the connection between scientific findings and a positivist view of the connection between scientific findings and

realityrealityi.e. these can be simply applied to real life problems. e.g. Common i.e. these can be simply applied to real life problems. e.g. Common

Core of SkillsCore of Skills

66

““In the varied topography of professional practice, there is a high, In the varied topography of professional practice, there is a high, hard ground overlooking a swamp. On the high ground, manageable hard ground overlooking a swamp. On the high ground, manageable problems lend themselves to solution through the use of research-problems lend themselves to solution through the use of research-based theory and technique. In the swampy lowlands, problems are based theory and technique. In the swampy lowlands, problems are messy and confusing and incapable of technical solution. messy and confusing and incapable of technical solution.

The irony of this situation is that the problems of the high ground The irony of this situation is that the problems of the high ground tend to be relatively unimportant to individuals or to society at large, tend to be relatively unimportant to individuals or to society at large, however great their technical interest may be, while in the swamp lie however great their technical interest may be, while in the swamp lie the problems of greatest human concern.” the problems of greatest human concern.”

Schön, D. (1983)Schön, D. (1983)

77

Professional Validation and Curriculum Professional Validation and Curriculum

RequirementsRequirements ‘‘Programmes of study must locate Youth Work in its historical, political,Programmes of study must locate Youth Work in its historical, political,cultural and organisational contexts.’ cultural and organisational contexts.’ andand ‘include a thorough ‘include a thoroughgrounding in current issues affecting the personal and social educationgrounding in current issues affecting the personal and social educationof young people, in terms of their health, housing, employment, of young people, in terms of their health, housing, employment, education and welfare, and the local, education and welfare, and the local, international and global contextinternational and global context ’. ’.

‘‘Programmes must be fully abreast of historical policy, including the Programmes must be fully abreast of historical policy, including the UNUNDeclarations on Human Rights and the Rights of ChildrenDeclarations on Human Rights and the Rights of Children and also and alsocontemporary policy and practice initiatives.’ contemporary policy and practice initiatives.’

‘‘Programmes also need to ensure Programmes also need to ensure sustainable literacysustainable literacy as a core as a corecompetency for all professional graduates, as described in competency for all professional graduates, as described in Securing theSecuring theFuture: delivering UK sustainable development strategyFuture: delivering UK sustainable development strategy.’.’

Introduction to Professional Validation and Curriculum Requirements (Book 1 of 3) Introduction to Professional Validation and Curriculum Requirements (Book 1 of 3) TheTheNational Youth Agency’s Requirements for the Professional Validation of Higher EducationNational Youth Agency’s Requirements for the Professional Validation of Higher EducationProgrammes (p.17)Programmes (p.17)

88

NOS for Youth Work (2008)NOS for Youth Work (2008)

1.1.3 Encourage young people to broaden their 1.1.3 Encourage young people to broaden their horizons to be active citizens.horizons to be active citizens.

Outcomes Outcomes To meet the standard, you must be able to:To meet the standard, you must be able to: Explore with young people the Explore with young people the global contextglobal context to personal, local and to personal, local and

national decisions and actions (P.15)national decisions and actions (P.15)

Knowledge and understanding Knowledge and understanding To meet the standard, youTo meet the standard, you

must know and understand:must know and understand: Key local, national and Key local, national and global global issues, including issues associated issues, including issues associated

with with sustainabilitysustainability within youth work and their relationships to within youth work and their relationships to individuals and to each other (p.16)individuals and to each other (p.16)

99

3.2.1 Engage with the local community3.2.1 Engage with the local community

Knowledge and understanding Knowledge and understanding To meet the standard, youTo meet the standard, youmust know and understand:must know and understand:

How local, national and How local, national and global issuesglobal issues and activities can impact upon and activities can impact upon each other, including how local activities relate to the wider context, each other, including how local activities relate to the wider context, and vice versaand vice versa

1010

Broadly these are or contribute to systems of Broadly these are or contribute to systems of quality assurancequality assurance;;

Post 1992 Universities have Post 1992 Universities have ‘extensive quality assurance mechanisms an‘extensive quality assurance mechanisms anExtensive bureaucracies which seek to monitor every aspect of academicExtensive bureaucracies which seek to monitor every aspect of academiclife from initial validation of programmes to the periodic review andlife from initial validation of programmes to the periodic review andmonitoring of all programmes’monitoring of all programmes’ Cartwright (2007) Cartwright (2007)

Leading to a Leading to a ‘‘Grotesque turbulence’Grotesque turbulence’ (Webb 1994) (Webb 1994)

Quality as Quality as value for money and fitness for purposevalue for money and fitness for purpose rather than rather thanexcellence or transformativeexcellence or transformative, Harvey and Green (1993) Lomas (2002) , Harvey and Green (1993) Lomas (2002)

ErErosion of academic autonomy and professional selfosion of academic autonomy and professional selfdeterminationdetermination by intrusive external QA procedures via the Quality by intrusive external QA procedures via the QualityAssurance Agency, McNay (1995)Assurance Agency, McNay (1995)

1111

Some specific issuesSome specific issues

The Education and Training Standards committee,The Education and Training Standards committee, which whichsets the validation requirements and carries out validation,sets the validation requirements and carries out validation,contributes to a ‘competencies’ approach focused on skills tocontributes to a ‘competencies’ approach focused on skills tothe detriment of theory developed in practice. the detriment of theory developed in practice. Jeffs & SpenceJeffs & Spence

(2008)(2008)

National Occupational StandardsNational Occupational Standards are applied at are applied atpre-graduate, under and post graduate levels these arepre-graduate, under and post graduate levels these areshaped by employers adopting a competency approachshaped by employers adopting a competency approachcontrolled by Sector Skills Councils not practitioners.controlled by Sector Skills Councils not practitioners.

1212

Subject benchmark statement, Youth work, community Subject benchmark statement, Youth work, community education and community developmenteducation and community development

Approaches to learning and developmentApproaches to learning and development

4.154.15 Situated learning: local, global and metaphysical: Situated learning: local, global and metaphysical:

starting where young people are, but not leaving them there; knowing where starting where young people are, but not leaving them there; knowing where young people are coming from the young people are coming from the idea of roots (historical and idea of roots (historical and geographical)geographical) as sources of informal education as sources of informal education

global learning, environmental learningglobal learning, environmental learning and theological or faith-sensitive and theological or faith-sensitive learning, using characteristic methods of informal education, which require learning, using characteristic methods of informal education, which require practitioners topractitioners to locate their practice within a matrix of power dynamics locate their practice within a matrix of power dynamics across local, global and faith divides, across local, global and faith divides, citizenshipcitizenship learning, collaborative learning, collaborative and open enquiry and and open enquiry and political educationpolitical education. .

Subject benchmark statement Youth work, community education and communitySubject benchmark statement Youth work, community education and communitydevelopment Draft for consultation June 2008 p13development Draft for consultation June 2008 p13

1313

Some thoughts so far..Some thoughts so far..We should be careful and critical of using ‘quality assurance and ‘technical rational’ tool toWe should be careful and critical of using ‘quality assurance and ‘technical rational’ tool toInfluence the training and education of professional youth workers.Influence the training and education of professional youth workers.

Quality is a contested conceptQuality is a contested concept

There is little evidence that these mechanisms are effective at influencing curriculum inThere is little evidence that these mechanisms are effective at influencing curriculum inin HEIs or the practice of youth workers.in HEIs or the practice of youth workers.

The certainties and outcomes proposed may not be achieved in the complex day to day The certainties and outcomes proposed may not be achieved in the complex day to day practice of working with young people and their imposition may lead to reduced practice of working with young people and their imposition may lead to reduced professional autonomy and perceptions of failure professional autonomy and perceptions of failure

We contribute to the reproduction of a discourse which seeks to control and direct We contribute to the reproduction of a discourse which seeks to control and direct individual professional practice. A hierarchical structure where knowledge is producedindividual professional practice. A hierarchical structure where knowledge is producedtransferred and applied in practice, telling practitioners what to do, what works and what transferred and applied in practice, telling practitioners what to do, what works and what counts.counts.

Design and monitoring of National Occupational Standards and other standards are not Design and monitoring of National Occupational Standards and other standards are not in the hands practitioners – trainers or academicsin the hands practitioners – trainers or academics

These approaches may run contrary to the pedagogical principles of DevelopmentThese approaches may run contrary to the pedagogical principles of DevelopmentEducation.Education.

1414

‘…‘….often in the unstable world of .often in the unstable world of practice, where methods and theories practice, where methods and theories developed in one context are unsuited developed in one context are unsuited to another, practitioners function as to another, practitioners function as researchers, inventing the techniques researchers, inventing the techniques and models appropriate to the situation and models appropriate to the situation in hand: real-world problems do not in hand: real-world problems do not come well-formed. They tend to present come well-formed. They tend to present themselves, on the contrary, as messy, themselves, on the contrary, as messy, indeterminate, problematic situations…’indeterminate, problematic situations…’

Schon, D. (2001) pps 185-207

1515

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