How would a broader based curriculum along international lines improve the ‘gold standard’- Dr Dick Evans investigates. Following the fiasco of the introduction of Curriculum 2000 (C2k) the Secretary of State has suggested the possible development and introduction of a baccalaureat type examination to replace the GCE ‘A’ level. The supposed gold standard protected and cherished by successive governments has suddenly lost its lustre as a result of this year’s problems with the GCE ‘A’ level results. The current arrangements for post-16 qualifications and the new national qualifications framework introduced in 2000 followed largely from the major review carried out
Browsing All 153 Articles — Oldest First
Technical Education Matters
Dick Evans, well known to T Mag readers as a regular contributor, tells us why it’s important to stay up to date with history As a former student at a further education college, and having been employed in the sector for over thirty years, it’s natural that I have strong views. Many of you have been kind enough to listen to them over the years, not least in these pages. So you won’t be surprised to hear that one of the things I feel most strongly is that the area of technical education and training is not given the attention that
21st Century Skills
Realising Our Potential, The Skills Strategy White Paper. This was a real opportunity to provide a lead in combating future skill shortages, however Dr Dick Evans wonders whether anything tangible has been offered. The aim of the national Skills Strategy is to ensure that employers have the right skills to support the success of their businesses and individuals have the skills they need to be both employable and personally fulfilled. I intend to adopt a different perspective in reviewing the White Paper. Other contributors to ‘t’ magazine will provide a detailed analysis of the proposals and recommendations contained in the
Manufacturing –a Terminal Case?
A Personal Perspective “In June 2002 manufacturing output fell by 5.3% the largest decline since 1979” “500,000 jobs lost in manufacturing since 1997”. Here Dick Evans offers a detailed explanation of the causes and suggests some practical ways forward. Hardly a day passes without the press and media reporting the ongoing problem with manufacturing in this country. This state of affairs is not new – it’s been occurring over the past few decades with many commentators predicting the impending demise of this essential and strategically important activity. The issue of manufacturing in this country has not really seriously figured
Thoughts on the New FE Sector
Richard Evans looks ahead to the problems and challenges he and his colleagues will face. After 1 April, the new further education sector will be established, numbering 550 institutions in all, and comprising colleges of further education, sixth form colleges, tertiary colleges and a number of specialist institutions, including those for agriculture, horticulture, art and design. The institutions will become incorporated and obtain independence from the local authority. The Government has indicated that further education is now top of the agenda for the first time in its long and credible history. Additional resources have now been made available, with the
Higher Education –A Rite of Passage?
Has HE become the modern day equivalent of the “world tour” for the privileged classes, providing little value to its students, and leaving them seriously in debt. Dick Evans explores. The recent fiasco about the funding of Higher Education has again highlighted the Government’s lack of a long-term strategy on this sector of education. In spite of the financial difficulties faced by the universities they still continue to promulgate the 50% participation rate for under 30 year olds. Many commentators have argued strongly that the figure is highly questionable in the light of the other problems confronting HE. It is
Foundation Degrees Revisited
In this article Dick Evans considers the progress of the Foundation Degree (FD) prototypes particularly in subjects that traditionally have experienced difficulties in recruiting and have serious skill shortages in the work place e.g. science, engineering and construction. Analysis of the existing prototypes of the FDs provides an interesting insight into how providers are developing FDs. Many of the prototypes are in business; commerce, media and IT related subjects. The first tranche of prototypes technically finish this year and presumably after an evaluation will be introduced across universities and colleges this autumn. The government has set a target that 50%
Skills Shortage Update
Dr Dick Evans produced a series of articles for us on the theme of skill shortages and as a follow up we asked him to provide updates on performance. This is the third update. The debates continue apace about skills shortages with all the paradoxes and contradictions that one has come to accept from this government. The skills summits meet and regurgitate all the old theories about the causes and the supposed remedies but little seems to happen with no subsequent action or improvement. The country excels in establishing committees, committees of enquiry and focus groups, which have created numerous
Vocational HE
Bringing an occupational focus into degree courses may be considered an important aspect of Government policy, but is HE prepared and willing to respond? Dr Dick Evans provides an interesting insight. The crude oppositional approach to debates between vocational (training) and academic education has been a long and largely unproductive one. Many reports and government publications have over many decades advocated the merits of recognising the equal value of vocational education and training within the Further and Higher sectors. It now appears that this government have rediscovered the importance of vocational education particularly at the higher education level and through
Numeracy: The Key Basic Skill?
The responses to the Ofsted and the Adult Learners Inspectorate (ALI) report on basic skills (see issue 18 of Basic Skills Bulletin) reveal a very mixed reception for the progress of the ‘Skills for Life’ (SfL) programme. Many comments in the national press have pointed out that overall progress was limited considering the level of investment since the publication of the Moser report and the implementation of the national strategy. Reading the official Ofsted/ALI report and the comments in the press, it is often difficult to assess the true picture. The government and its various agencies congratulate themselves on the strategies