Annual Professional Development Conference 2016 Wednesday 24 August

Annual Professional Development Conference 2016 Wednesday 24 August Research Skills: Models for Delivery – Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit Iain Walker

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 – 2 HN Credits Consists of 3 distinct stages: • Brief and Plan 24% Ø This stage involves creating a research proposal and an action plan • Developing Stage 52% Ø The doing stage where the data is collected analysed, objectives appraised, conclusions formed, and recommendations put forward • Evaluating Stage 24% Ø Reflection on what went well, weaknesses and strengths, how it could be done better next time and self-development Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 Mapping Activity Instructions You will have three sheets containing tables with the evidence requirements for Business Braded Unit 2. The sheets are headed ‘Research Skills Workshop - Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity’. You will also have a separate single sheet with a subheading ‘Research Skills Requirements’. The requirements are derived from the Evidence Requirements and provide an expanded explanation of what the learner should evidence. The requirements are not in order of completion and each has been provided a number. Your task is to match the Research Skills Requirements against those in the tables for Business Graded Unit 2. Simply place the number of the Research Skills requirement into the end column where you think there is a match between the two Units. Not all boxes in the end column will have a number, and some may have more than one number. All Research Skills Requirements should be matched. To help you start: Business: Graded Unit 2 Brief and Planning Stage - Minimum Evidence Requirements Research Skills (F 60 A 34) Evidence Requirements 1. Initial personal assessment of the learner’s skills 2. An appropriate title of the project. 4 Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity Brief and Planning Stage - Minimum Evidence Requirements 1. Initial personal assessment of the learner’s skills 2. An appropriate title of the project. 4. Clear identification of topic for research. 3. Statement of the issue to be investigated. This should cover how it involves meeting the needs of customers and who the relevant customers are. 4. Aims and objectives of the project. 1. Learners must ‘define research objectives appropriate to purpose’, by breaking down their topic of research into clear objectives. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity Brief and Planning Stage - Minimum Evidence Requirements 5. Reasons for choice of issue which must be directly related to a topic or topics covered as part of the Group Award. 6. Justification for the choice of business or businesses involved. 7. Explanation of the range of primary and secondary sources of information which will be used for the Investigation and justification for the choice of methods used. 11. Learners must identify primary and secondary sources to be used in their Investigation. 8. Explanation of how the Investigation will be conducted with justification for the choice of methods used. 2. Learners must identify methods and techniques to be used in their Investigation. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity Devising an action plan - Minimum Evidence Requirements 1. Negotiated dates for the planning, development and evaluation of the project. 2. Interim and final timescales and the dates for conducting the Investigation, which should be related to the objectives of the Investigation. 7. Learners must produce a suitably detailed plan in order to show that they have ‘Planned a research Investigation’. 3. Identification of the resources (including time) required to carry out the Investigation. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity log - Minimum Evidence Requirements Produce a log of activities carried out by the learner. The log must include activities undertaken, resources used and time allocated. Planning Stage - Checklist Developing a brief. Acceptable activity log submitted (must be yes to proceed). Devising a plan. 3. Learner has - identified research topic - defined objectives - identified primary and secondary sources - planned research Investigation Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity Developing Stage Report - Minimum Evidence Requirements 1. Detailed explanation of how the issue affects the organisation or organisations chosen. The explanation should be justified by explicit reference to the data collected and to concepts covered as in the mandatory Units of the Group Award. The explanation should be consistent with objectives at the Planning stage. 5. Learners must show that the Investigation has sought to meet objectives set out in Investigation plan. 2. Analysis of the primary and secondary sources of information and data collected. 6. Learners must show that they have collected and “analysed information from a range of primary and secondary sources”. A variety of primary research methods may be used. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity 3. Assessment of the implications of these effects for the chosen organisation or organisations should be analysed in relation to the organisation(s), the business environment and the impact upon customers and should make reference to concepts and topics studied within the mandatory section of the Group Award. 12. Learners must “present findings based on accurate analysis and interpretation of data” from their primary and secondary sources. Learners must show that they have analysed both quantitative and qualitative data. 4. Statement of the conclusions drawn from the Investigation and any appropriate recommendations to be made to the organisation(s). These should be explicitly related to the issues being investigated and the needs of the customers. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity Presentation of development Stage Report - Minimum Evidence Requirements Learners must present their Investigation in a format suitable for a business report and which must include: • A contents page • Summary of findings • Acknowledgements • References and a bibliography. 9. Learners must show that they have used “a format appropriate to chosen medium”. 10. Learners must produce a “referenced record of research materials and activities”. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 - Mapping Activity Developing Stage - Checklist Developing stage report Activity log Presentation of developing stage report 8. Learner has - implemented their research plan - analysed information from a range of primary and secondary sources - presented findings based on accurate analysis and interpretation of data - produced a referenced record of research materials and activities produced a report in a format appropriate to chosen medium Research Skills can be completed in the first two stages of the Business Graded Unit 2 Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 – Scheduling Activity Best Option/Worst option Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 – True or False Question Answers 1. Research Skills does not need to be assessed FALSE 2. Research Skills must be assessed on its own FALSE 3. Research Skills has to be taught by the same person delivering the graded units. FALSE 4. The assessment of Research skills can be integrated with the assessment for another suitable Unit. TRUE 5. Internal verification needs to be completed for TRUE Research Skills even when the assessment is integrated with that from another Unit. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 – True or False Question Answers 6. It is best to run Research Skills in the first semester FALSE of the first year of the HND. 7. A student can pass the Research Skills assessment TRUE whilst failing the Graded Unit it is assessed with. 8. A student must pass Research Skills to gain their HND. TRUE 9. Research Skills must be delivered 1. 5 hours per week. FALSE 10. The Business Graded 2 Unit is best delivered twice FALSE per week starting in semester 2 of year 2 of the HND. Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 – True or False Question Answers 11. When assessment for research skills is integrated, FALSE the centre doesn’t need to provide any delivery time for Research skills. 12. It is best to start Business Graded unit 2 several weeks before staring Research Skills. FALSE 13. ‘Long and thin’ delivery means the hours per week TRUE for delivery are reduced, and the number of weeks for delivery is increased. 14. It is impossible to timetable a subject so delivery starts part way into semester 1 and finishes part way into semester 2. FALSE Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Integrating Research Skills with Business Graded Unit 2 – True or False Question Answers 15. Research Skills and Business Graded Unit 2 must FALSE be assessed by the same tutor when the two assessments are integrated. 16. Where two different tutors deliver Research Skills and Business graded Unit 2, it is essential they work closely together. TRUE 17. When an integrated assessment is used for Research Skills, the Units can be delivered by different tutors, but assessed by one tutor. TRUE Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit

Any questions? Wednesday 24 th - Research Skills: Models for Delivery - Integrated - Research Skills with a 2 Credit Investigation Based Project Graded Unit