SQA Academy Support for Centres Janet Strain Qualifications

SQA Academy Support for Centres Janet Strain Qualifications Implementation Manager Professional Development Conference 2019

This presentation explains how to access the SQA Academy International Courses. Please download the Word file SQA User Guide to help you access the courses.

Support for Centres In 2018 SQA commissioned the creation of online learning materials to help both new and existing centres and staff. The Circle of Success

Support for Centres The materials aim to: w help inform centres seeking approval w help centres and staff to plan for the delivery of SQA courses w help centres and staff understand how SQA courses and units work w help centres and staff to prepare for delivering units “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. ” Benjamin Franklin

Support for Centres The ‘Preparing to Deliver an SQA Qualification Course’ is arranged in line with verification/systems criteria: 2. 1 Assessors and internal verifiers must be competent to assess and internally verify in line with the requirements of the award. • • • Reduces risk of verification problems Understanding of the importance of working together Staff feel confident that they know what they are doing Positive centre reputation Happy students

Support for Centres The ‘Preparing to Deliver an SQA Qualification Course’ is arranged in line with verification/systems criteria: 2. 2 Assessors and internal verifiers must be given induction training on SQA qualifications and requirements. • Leads to understanding and success • Reduces problems • Boosts confidence 2. 4 There must be evidence of ongoing reviews of assessment environments, equipment, and reference, learning and assessment materials. • Investment helps success • Maintains course relevance • Gains a positive reputation

Support for Centres The ‘Preparing to Deliver an SQA Qualification Course’ is arranged in line with verification/systems criteria: 4. 3 Assessment instruments and methods and their selection and use must be valid, reliable, practicable, equitable and fair. • • • Units and assessments change Appropriate testing of knowledge and skills Ensures staff are familiar with the assessments and standard Encourages standardisation Helps with sensible assessment scheduling

Support for Centres The ‘Understanding a Unit Specification’ course covers: • • • Statement of Standards Outcomes Knowledge and Skills Evidence Requirements Assessments Guidance/Support Notes Understanding a Unit Specification is an important key for success

Support for Centres Who might use these materials: • • • Centres seeking approval Managers who are responsible managing and planning courses SQA Coordinators Academic staff All new staff All staff at the start of the academic year

Support for Centres Accessing SQA Academy: https: //www. sqaacademy. org. uk/ Scroll down the home page and select ‘International’ from the menu, then scroll down and select the ‘Support for new Centres course. Enter your Username and Password and then press ‘Log in’ For those who aren’t registered click on ‘Create new account’ and follow the instructions, then return to ‘Log in’

Support for Centres You will see the course home page with three tiles

Support for Centres Click on the ‘Your Centre and Role’ tile In completing the details requested we can assess which centres are accessing the training materials. This will help us target support for your centre, if appropriate.

Support for Centres Click on the back button You will see that there are in fact TWO courses Then select the central tile ‘Preparing to Deliver an SQA Qualification

Support for Centres The course starts under ‘ 1. Introduction to Course’ with ‘About the Course’, and on the left is a course menu that contains 6 sections. The course is interactive with self-assessment tests. The course contains links to the second course ‘Understanding a Unit Specification’. You can exit the course by selecting Exit at the top right of the page and then closing the webpage, returning to the course home page

Support for Centres Your task is to start at the beginning of the course and work your way through the course. Try the questions as you go and explore the links. Do not complete Section 5 as we will try that after you have explored the two courses. Try the second course as well.

Support for Centres Here goes, Section 5

Support for Centres “I need to stop getting into situations where all my options are potentially bad. ” Jack Campbell “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else. ” Yogi Berra “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. ” Abraham Lincoln

Look out for new SQA Academy Any questions? international courses coming soon

cn. sqa. org. uk