Learning for the 21st Century - Part 4: Section 14

Advantages of Unit-Based Qualifications within a Credit Framework
Learning for the 21st Century - Part 4: Section 14 - Point 4

14.7 Developing unit-based qualifications within a credit framework would have a number of advantages. It would:

Enhance student motivation and improve retention and achievement.
Provide the means to reduce duplication and overlap in the qualifications framework by requiring components of qualifications to be justified on a unit by unit basis.
Encourage adults and those not currently participating in education to work towards achieving nationally recognised qualifications by the recognition of achievement of units towards a qualification, affording high status to all learning.
Enable learners to build a personal, relevant portfolio of lifetime achievement.
Ensure that qualifications formed from agreed combinations of mandatory and optional units will meet the divers needs of employers and individual learners.
Encourage parity of esteem between academic and vocational qualifications.
Facilitate recognition of the fact that an overarching certificate or qualification may be built up of units at different levels.
Provide an effective means of allocating resources, in that funding can be related to credit.

14.8 Unit-based qualifications within a credit framework would thus be valuable in motivating learners and building the confidence needed for lifelong learning. The framework would enable a range of achievements from work, college, open and distance learning and community based learning activities to be brought into a common format which can be added to throughout life and provide progression opportunities across further education and into higher education. Providing a focus for delivery and progression routes, unit-based qualifications within a credit framework would also be key to the success of the University for Industry. It would provide a nationally agreed system for the recognition and accreditation of learning in the workplace, and wherever it takes place, and across a range of levels.

14.9 The intention to promote work related training for 14 to 16 year olds and the development of bridging courses to employment or training can also be underpinned by arrangements for accreditation of units of vocational qualifications and credit. A credit framework based on unitisation would give high status to all learning and help pupils achieve. The creation of a unit based credit framework would contribute significantly to the Government's aim of improving the retention and achievement rates of young people in education. It would enable more learners to gain recognition for their achievements, which would in turn provide encouragement for further study. Unit-based qualifications within a credit framework will also offer learners the opportunity to set realistic learning goals, which would contribute to improvements in retention and achievement. The framework would provide colleges and other institutions with greater flexibility in organising teaching and learning, particularly where students are undertaking units common to a number of qualifications.

14.10 A unitised qualifications structure operating within a credit framework would enable total achievement at any given time to be presented simply in terms of an overall number of credits a particular levels. This would make it easier to compare the achievements of different learners and to measure progress over time.

14.11 Establishing a unit-based qualifications framework will involve an analysis of existing qualifications into units of achievement and result in a simpler, more flexible and readily understood system. Once the framework is in place, credit will be awarded to learners for successfully completed units. These credits will be able to be accumulated towards qualifications and, where appropriate, transferred between qualifications within the framework.

14.12 This is clearly a task which should fall principally to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to give leadership, as the publicly appointed 'guardian' of all qualifications outside higher education. It will need to establish criteria for the admission of qualifications to the framework and approve qualifications for inclusion in the framework for the purposes of funding. The approval criteria should include the reduction in overlap and the duplication in qualifications available

14.13 Once established a unit-based approach to building the qualifications framework will be the most effective way to ensure that there are no unnecessary overlaps and duplications, and to provide the flexibility needed to ensure that the needs of all learners and users of qualifications are met. Judging overlap and duplication at qualification level could still lead to proliferation of common components of qualifications. Comparing qualification submissions by unit will prevent overlap of content and purpose and allow just that part of a qualification which added value to the framework to be approved.

14.14 Without the development of a framework allowing for achievements at less than whole qualification level, to be recognised over a period of time towards a national qualification, much provision for adults will still not be formally recorded. Our proposal gives recognition to the national importance of providing access to learning opportunities and qualifications for adults, and will, furthermore, provide a sound basis for the development of a unified credit framework across further and higher education, making lifelong learning a reality.

14.15 In our view, work should now be started to prepare for the development of a coherent credit accumulation and transfer system, building up eventually to embrace all post-school learning. As a first step towards this, we recommend that preparatory work focus upon the development of a unit-based qualification framework in further education with the following characteristics:

All national qualifications should be approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, with units identified through the analysis of all existing and new qualifications
Awarding Bodies should have the power to propose new units which add value to the national framework
Units should be defined in terms of size, level and explicit learning outcomes
Rules of combination should be specified for particular qualifications and especially for qualifications for 16 to 19 year-olds.

14.16 To this end, Government should require the Qualification And Curriculum Authority, the Further Education Funding Council and the Further Education Development Agency to:

Work with awarding bodies to unitise their qualifications
Work with colleges and open college networks to continue the development of a credit framework
Pilot and evaluate the application of funding to unit-based qualifications
Work with other organisations which are developing a comprehensive credit framework across further and higher education.

14.17 To complete this process, we also believe that funding bodies in further and higher education should, over time, move towards a system of funding based on credit.

Previous Point Next Point Return to Section 14