Karl Donert, National Teaching Fellow

HERODOT Project coordinator

http://www.herodot.net

HERODOT: Benchmarking Geography

Meeting Aims

HERODOT funded to make the link between: • Bologna Process (standardisation,

transparency) and Lisbon Treaty (employability, quality, excellence)

• European Commission – national Ministries – institutions of higher education – academics

How? • create framework from which standards /

benchmarks can be established • against which new courses can be developed

and qualifications compared and evaluated

Quality Assurance

Two components: Internal quality• Review, evaluation, analysis • Done internally for internal consumption • For what purpose?External quality• Who? What? • What purpose? League tables or ?Quality culture needed - How?• European Commission - ENQA - National Agencies -

Other stakeholders• Role of the discipline

What is a benchmark?

• A benchmark statement provides a means for the academic community to describe the nature and characteristics of programmes in a specific subject.

• They are general expectations about the standards for the award of qualifications at a given level

• They present the attributes and capabilities that those possessing such qualifications should be able to demonstrate

(QAA, 2000)

Why benchmark?

• an important external source of reference for higher education institutions for new courses

• general guidance for articulating the learning outcomes (what a student should be able to know, understand and do)

• NOT a specification of detailed curriculum • allow variety and flexibility in the design of programmes • encourage innovation within an agreed overall

framework • give support to institutions looking to monitor internal

quality assurance • help establish threshold standards

UK benchmark (2000)

• a framework for staff running Geography programmes,

• assist in the development of programme specifications;

• help external examiners to validate standards of student achievements;

• inform potential students and employers as to the nature of attainment that can be expected of graduates from Geography programmes

• provide academic reviewers with guidance for judging standards

UK benchmark (2000)Bachelors degree

Process: 2 years• Created by experts – geographers in universities• Public consultation and review• Adopted as guidance by university departments • Evaluated • Added to … special needs, distance learning

etc. etc.• Being revised / updated

UK benchmark (2000)Bachelors degree

Consists of:

• Programme aims

• Knowledge and understanding

• Skills and abilities

• Processes and learning contexts

• Assessment

• Levels of achievement – threshold, typical

Impact of benchmarking Piddock (2006)

• benchmarking was not ‘threatening’• perception of academics – did not lead to

improvementSuggestions for the future:• better assured through the adoption of

quality enhancement process• need subject-based connection• problem of multidisciplinary and modular

programmesPidcock, S. (2006), What is the impact of subject benchmarking?, Active Learning in Higher Education, 7(2): 111-128

HERODOT Benchmarking Process

• 2 groups – Fieldwork– Citizenship

• Recruit experts• Consider local, national, European situations• Each create a document• Present a statement to other group• Other group – takes it apart• Reconstruct statement • Advertise for widespread discussion• Form final statement • Publish – revise – revisit• Use to promote quality, excellence etc.

GIS benchmark

GIS and Geography in Higher Education – What it is? What it means?A GIS component in an undergraduate programme prepares graduates who

are: • responsible, spatially aware ‘digital world’ citizens,• able to use a set of tools to augment their geographic capabilities,• more employable and with diverse job prospects, and• able to pursue further specialised studies. The objectives of a GIS component in a Geography post-graduate programme

are to: • specialise in applying GIS in a particular subject matter,• increase GIS skills, and • participate at a higher professional level in the workplace.The objectives of a post-graduate programme with a GIS specialisation are to: • specialise in GI Science, • develop advanced GIS skills, and • participate at a higher professional level in the workplace.

GIS benchmark

LEVEL DESCRIPTORSUndergraduate level• This level of qualification should prepare students in ….. • The essential knowledge and competences acquired

should allow students to further their studies at post-graduate (specialised) levels.

• Students should display an ability to …... • Finally, students at this level should be able to …... Graduate level (Masters in Geography)Graduate level (Masters in Geography with a

specialisation in GIS/ Masters in GIS offered by a Geography Department)

GIS benchmark

LEARNING OUTCOMESUndergraduate students should be able to ……. • Students completing undergraduate geography

study programmes with a XXXXX component should be able to:

• XXXXXX• YYYYYY• ZZZZZZZ etc

Graduates completing postgraduate geography study programmes should be able to:

Standards of the “Masters”

Bachelors = Preparing students for employment Bachelors = Preparing students for Masters levelKey standards• Critical reading – scholarly selective reading =

understand and reflect on• Critical evaluation in writing, analytical and

creative critique of concepts = challenging scholarship

• Critical thinking linked to research skills • Teaching, learning and assessment approaches

to encourage academic debate