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Implications for Teaching and Learning of the 14-19 curriculum

M Das

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Shift in Education

• Government inspired to raise aspirations of children

• Schools encouraged to provide new pathways to students like diplomas to give maximum choice to the pupils

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Educational Approaches

• Traditional academic route eg. GCSE, A levels, O levels

• Vocational qualification used as a way to offer social inclusion to the less able

• Creating a two tier system

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The need for reform

• Too much stress on assessment

• Too many vocational qualifications did not meet the needs of learners, higher education or employers

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Productivity and Skills Shortage

• Students coming out of school lack functional skills like English and Maths.

• Shortage of soft skills

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Tomlinson Report14-19 education agenda

• Attempt at creating a unified framework of achievement and qualifications post-14

• An advanced, or level 4 diploma, whether achieved by academic or vocational route, with equal standing to provide the gateway to further, degree-level study

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The Diploma Approach

• ‘Diplomas give students much more choice and flexibility by introducing them into an industry in a much broader way’.

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White Paper

• Adoption of parts of the Tomlinson report• Retain GCSE and A-levels, with a 3-level diploma for vocational

studies • Retain tests of’ functional literacy and numeracy for all students’• Make A-levels more stretching with a higher grade to

differentiate between the top students(The last Education Secretary,

23rd Feb 2005)

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Choice for students

• A national entitlement that every young person will have access to each of the 14 lines of Diploma learning:

The first four- 2008 The second four - by 2010 All 14- by 2015• To offer maximum flexibility and option to students• Schools encouraged to form part of a consortium and

offer diploma students ‘subjects of their choice’

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Twenty First Century Skills

• Revolution in technology• Students (digital natives)- most of the

secondary students would have used computers in school since year one

• Teachers focus on preparing them for their futures

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Teaching and Learning

• A- levels not appropriate for every pupil• Students fulfil their potential through various

new routes offered to them• Diplomas to allow teachers to train students in

a more ‘applied’ way• Peter Henshaw (Editor of SecEd) - ‘shift is

happening but there is a long way to go’

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New Pathways

• Bringing the workplace into the classroom• Linking schools with employers and asking

them to get involved in designing the course• Restrictions imposed by national curriculum to

be relaxed• Parental view to be changed that A- levels are

perceived as safer routes

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The 14-19 Options an example

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Benefits of the Diploma

• Students get time to explore the world of work.

• A learner at 14 might be more turned on when it is related to the world of work

• Not for the intrinsic value of learning

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Perceived Problem

• Perceived as an option for the less academics

• Stigma of parents and students that A- level route is the safest to be changed

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Diplomas in EU countries

• Denmark• Sweden• France • Germany have all got highly regarded vocational courses • A shift in attitude is needed in UK

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Edge Foundation

• Trying to promote the value vocational and applied skills education

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What do current students and teachers think

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zS5HaxOULE

Diploma design

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?go=site.home&sid=47&pid=374&lid=439&ctype=Text&ptype=Single&prt

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References

• http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk (The 14-19 Education Skills and White Paper• Diploma in IT Student Hood Photo in Background• http://www.edge.co.uk• http://www.rsc-southeast.ac.uk/14-19%20Cur

riculum/diploma-consortia.html

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References

• Careerwise - New 14-19 Curriculum • The Great Education Debate

• Tomlinson report

• Shift Happens

• http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2005-03-16b.1335.5