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APPENDIX 3: DISCUSSION GUIDES
Example Final Topic Guide: Pupils and College Students (1.5 hours)
INTRODUCTION
- Thank participants for agreeing to take part
- Introduce self & Ipsos MORI
- We have been asked by the Scottish Government to conduct some research into what people think about plans to change some of the qualifications and exams which are done in secondary school.
- (S5): As you have just finished doing Standard Grades or Intermediates…
- (S4): As you are just about to take your Standard Grades or Intermediates…
- …you will know more than anyone else what it is like to take exams at this level and we are very interested in your opinion of the changes the Scottish Government have planned. We're talking to groups of pupils like yourselves in other parts of Scotland, and we're also talking to parents, teachers, employers and people in colleges.
- Explain Ipsos MORI's independence and guarantee of confidentially ( MRS code of conduct). Tell participants not to talk outside the group about what other participants have said
- Group should last about 1 hours.
- Request permission to record - can be turned off at any point - if necessary, stress this is only to ensure that comments are accurately captured and to allow discussion to flow freely as opposed to note taking.
WARM UP
Short warm up/introductory exercise:
- introduce yourself to me.
- tell me what you want to do when you leave school.
Proposal 2 - a new qualification will replace the present Standard Grade General and Credit levels and Intermediate 1 and 2.
Just to give you a little bit of background before we start talking about the qualifications. The changes that the Scottish Government plan to make to the current qualifications are part of a bigger plan to change education in Scotland called Curriculum for Excellence. Have you heard of that? The aim of this plan is to improve the education of children and young people from age 3-18. This would mean that you would learn about a wider range of subjects than you do now, so as well as learning about things like Maths and English you would also spend more time than you currently do on topics such as healthy living and skills needed in the workplace. This would happen up to the end of S3 and in S4 you would begin to study for qualifications.
Show exhibit A - chart with old/new qualifications.
Explain, using the chart to demonstrate:
The chart shows the current qualifications that are done in schools at the moment. I know you're probably all somewhere in the middle of this chart at the moment so I won't go into detail but just to explain the chart, the number up the side indicates how difficult the qualification is - so 1 is the lowest level, it goes up to Foundation Standard Grade at level 3, General Standard Grade at level 4, up to Highers at level 6 and so on. The scale actually goes past 7 up to 12 because it covers everything including honours degrees and PhDs. But we're just going to be talking about the ones up to level 7 which are done in schools.
We are going to be bombarding you with quite a bit of information at times, and might not always explain things very well, and it would be only human to get a bit confused or forget things, so please stop me and ask at any point!
Q2 - (apart from 'inclusive' approach to certification in Standard Grade and 'unit based' structure of Intermediate qualifications) are there any other features in the present Standard Grade and Intermediate qualifications which should be included in the new qualification at SCQF levels 4 and 5?
Note: aim here is just to get any first reactions to loss of Standard Grade and Intermediate, and what they think is good about them
So that's how things are at the moment. One of the changes the Scottish Government want to make is to get rid of Standard Grades and Intermediate 1 and 2 and replace them with new qualifications. [draw a line through these qualifications on the chart and attach cards with 'Advanced General' and 'General' to chart]
We'll talk more about the new qualifications in a minute, but can I just ask what your first reaction is to the fact that Standard Grades and Intermediate qualifications are going to go?
Do you think that's a good thing/a bad thing? Why?
The new qualifications will be available in a wide range of subjects like Standard Grades and Intermediates are at the moment and most pupils will start them in S4 (Standard Grade courses currently start at the beginning of S3). Pupils will do the level that is best for them and if they are good at a subject might go straight to Advanced General.
Q3. One of the proposals is to grade units. Do you agree that units should be graded A-C rather than pass/fail?
The new General and Advanced General qualifications will have units of work like Intermediates and Highers. As you might know, at the moment units of work that are done in Intermediates and Highers are not graded - they are just pass/fail. One of the suggestions is to grade these units, with grades A to C being passes.
If it were you, would you like units to be graded or is it better to keep them as a pass/fail?
Why would you like to have units graded?
Prompt if not mentioned: will pupils take them more seriously? Is getting an A better than getting a pass? What about B or C? would that make you want to work harder? If you work harder it will be noticed? You know if you're doing well? More useful if fail exam and want to appeal?
Why would you like to keep units as pass/fail?
Prompt if not mentioned: less pressure? Would you rather get a 'c' or a pass?
Q4. Do you want graded units to count towards the final course award?
(Don't need much detailed discussion on this point and - sufficient to get views on the general principle of units counting towards the final award and reasons for this).
In the new qualification you would complete internally assessed units (the work marked by your teacher) and also an external exam ('external exam' is usually held in the school, but the questions are set and marked by external people, not the teachers in the school). If the units are graded (if ness, acknowledge that some people were against this proposal), would you want them to count towards the grade of your overall mark? So, for example, if you did very well in all your units but not so well in the exam, whether you got an A, B or C at the end would take the units into account.
And if you did very well in the exam but had only just passed all the units, you probably wouldn't get an A overall.
Would you like units to count towards the grade of your overall mark?
Why?
Are there any reasons why you wouldn't want this?
Q5. Which options for introducing compensatory arrangements would you most support? A to E or alternative.
Exhibit C - ranking compensatory arrangements
We want to get your views on what should happen if you passed all your units but fail the exam. There have been a number of suggestions - talk through Cards with Options A to E on each. What I want you to do now is to rank these options starting with the one you think is best and your reasons why they are good or bad. And if you have another idea, that you think is better than any of these - then you can write that on this blank card.
Keep probing for reasons as they discuss/rank.
Bring up if not mentioned:
A - this option would allow almost all pupils to get a qualification? only A to C seen as 'good' passes?
B - would this work better if units were graded or units were pass/fail?
C - would it be valued by employers/colleges? Would it be confusing for some people to have a graded award and other people to have an ungraded award?
D - too low a level for what they have achieved? Only works if there is a qualification in that subject at the level below.
E - too generous? Unfair on those who studied at the lower level and got an A? Encourages people to go for a level beyond what's appropriate because will get an A at the lower level anyway? Only works if there is a qualification in that subject at the level below.
If ask - currently get a Grade D for a near miss, at level of course studied.
Q6. The proposed name for the new award is General ( SCQF 4) and Advanced General ( SCQF 5). Please indicate if you are content with this suggestion. If not, please offer an alternative and explain your choice.
The Scottish Government have suggested that these new qualifications are called 'General' (the one at level 4) and 'Advanced General' (the one at level 5).
What do you think of those names? Why?
Does the name matter?
Can you think of any better names?
Proposal 3. New awards in literacy and numeracy will be available at SCQF levels 3 to 5.
Q7. Do you agree with the proposal to offer literacy and numeracy awards at a range of SCQF levels (3 to 5). If not please offer an alternative
Exhibit D -info sheet on literacy and numeracy page 1
Exhibit D
New Literacy and Numeracy Awards
Why?
To make sure everyone leaves school with these important skills. These new qualifications are part of a wider focus on numeracy and literacy throughout the school years. From the beginning of their education, pupils will be encouraged to develop and use these skills.
What are they?
Literacy skills
Being able to listen, talk, read and write to:
- communicate with others
- reflect on and explain thinking
- analyse and interpret information
- use language creatively
Numeracy skills
Being able to:
- Add, subtract, divide and multiply. As well as understanding percentages and simple fractions.
- Understand time and timetables, why being on time is important and how to manage time.
- Use, manage, plan and earn money.
- Handle information. This means finding information, being able to understand it and using it when making decisions.
- Understand basic statistics such as chance and uncertainty. For example, realising how statistics can be misleading.
Would you like to have literacy and numeracy awards?
What would be good about introducing these?
What would be bad?
If you were applying for a course or a job, do you think these would be important qualifications to have?
Exhibit D -info sheet on literacy and numeracy page 2. Attach cards with various Literacy and Numeracy awards to chart at appropriate points.
Exhibit D
How will these awards work?
The idea is that almost all pupils will be put forward for both literacy and numeracy (they may not be suitable for pupils with significant learning difficulties)
The awards will be offered at levels 3, 4 and 5. Pupils will NOT be expected to do these at every level. Instead each pupil will only achieve one literacy and one numeracy award at the level most suitable for them. The school will probably decide what level is best for each pupil.
There won't be classes for literacy or numeracy. Instead pupils will be encouraged to develop these skills in all the subjects they study. This may not be possible in some subjects but should be okay for most subjects.
Maths and English will still be offered so pupils can still take these subjects. These pupils will still be expected to get a numeracy and literacy award.
Pupils who might not be so good at English or Maths will have the option to just do numeracy and literacy. This means that they will have these important skills but can concentrate on other subjects rather than doing English or Maths.
Would you still want to do English at General, Advanced General or Higher level?
Would you still want to do Maths at General, Advanced General or Higher level?
Q10. When should young people be assessed for literacy and numeracy awards?
The new literacy and numeracy awards will have an external exam. If you were taking the exams when would you most like them to be out of the following three suggestions:
Exhibit F (just A4 sheet held up with the following)
- in the summer at the end of S3
- in the winter of S4
- in the summer at the end of S4
Why?
Prompt if not mentioned:
summer S3 and winter S4 gets them 'out of the way' when probably don't have other exams?
encourages pupils to reach a certain standard earlier?
Later maintains focus on these skills for longer?
Later gives people more chance to reach a higher level/get a better grade?
Q9. Should the weighting between the internal and external assessments for the literacy and numeracy awards be equal?
- Equal weight
- More weight to internal assessment
- More weight to external assessment
It is planned that these literacy and numeracy awards will be marked both internally by your class teacher and externally through an exam - in the same way as other subjects. If you were taking these qualifications would you prefer the final mark to be based equally on what you've done in school and the exam, based mostly on what you've done in school or based mostly on the exam?
Exhibit E
I'm going to give you each a card, write your name on it, and then place it on the sheet to show what you think the final mark should be based on.
Participants place cards, once cards placed, those at the extremes, and middle asked to explain the reasons for their choice. (Ask around 3 participants, depending on where cards placed).
Did anyone have any other reasons?
Does anyone want to change their mind about where they put their card?
BROAD BASED CURRICULUM AND NOT STUDYING FOR QUALIFICATIONS UNTIL S4
One of the aspects of the Curriculum for Excellence that I mentioned briefly earlier, was that pupils have a broad curriculum - in other words, they study lots of different subjects in S1 - S3, and don't start studying for qualifications until S4. This doesn't mean that you would all do the same subjects from S1 to the end of S3 - you would still have a choice about some subjects and the idea is that there would be flexibility for you to choose the things you are most interested in. Your school would decide what the choices were and when you would make them ( e.g. there might be some choices at the end of S1 and other choices at the end of S2).
Would you have liked to continue a broader range of topics until the end of S3?
At the moment, you start studying for standard grades in S3 and have exams at the end of S4. Do you think it's a good idea to start studying for qualifications in S4?
Proposal 4 - Increased flexibility to better meet the needs of young people. Suggestions include:
- Studying for National Qualifications over 18 months, or 2 years, as well as one year
- Introducing a winter diet of examinations
- Encouraging the most able young people to bypass lower level qualifications and to study Highers from S4 onwards
One of the things that the Scottish Government is keen to do is to make qualifications system more flexible for pupils. There are several reasons for this:
- there are worries about the different amount of time you spend on different courses. For example, at the moment you have a relatively long time available in S3 and S4 to study for Standard Grades but then have just one year to do Highers in S5 which can be too fast for some people.
- some people think that pupils spend too much time preparing for exams rather than learning new things.
- because school isn't just about you gaining qualifications, it's also about developing other aspects of your life such as health and wellbeing, including physical activity. So there needs to be time for you to do this.
So they have made a few suggestions about how the system could be more flexible.
Q.11 Do you agree with the proposal to allow the study of Highers and Advanced Highers over 12 months, 18 months and 2 years?
All of these qualifications (indicate remaining and new qualifications on Exhibit A chart) would be designed so that you could complete them in one school year. But the idea is that they don't have to be completed in one year, and some of you might study for General, Advanced General or Highers for example, over 18 months or 2 years.
Would you like to have the option to study courses over different lengths of time?
What subjects would you like to do over 2 years?
What subjects would you like to do over 1 year?
What would be good about studying over 18 mths and 2 years?
Prompt if not mentioned: reduce pressure/slower pace for some? Chance for some people to gain qualifications they wouldn't otherwise have got? More time for other things (other skills, health and wellbeing, physical activity)? Spread exams out (could take a year for stronger subjects and 2 years for weaker ones)?
What would be bad about studying over 18 mths and 2 years?
Prompt if not mentioned: qualifications gained over longer period not valued as much? Difficult for schools to timetable? Not challenging enough/too slow? Too much time spent on other things? Universities/colleges/employers valuing qualifications done over 12 months more than those done over longer periods?
Q12. Do you agree with proposal to introduce a winter diet of examinations
Another idea to make the system more flexible is that you could sit the exams in winter as well in the summer, depending on when you started a course and what time period you were doing it over. So, for example, if you were doing a Higher over 18 months, you might start it at the beginning of S5 and then sit the exam in the winter of S6.
What do you think about having winter exams as well as summer exams?
What would be good about doing winter exams?
Prompt if not mentioned: more flexible? Spreads exams out so less pressure?
What would be bad about doing winter exams?
Prompt if not mentioned: if have exams in winter and summer, might feel like 'always' got an exam? Not a good time of year for exams (Christmas parties/shows)? Would before or after Christmas be best?
Q14. Would you agree with changes to the system which allowed the most able students to bypass qualifications at lower levels and begin study for Highers from S4 onwards?
One of the other proposals is that if you are very good at a subject, you would not bother with the lower level qualifications (like General or Advanced General) and would start studying for the Higher from S4 onwards. You could then do the Higher over 2 years, with the exam at the end of S5. You'd still cover the coursework for General/Advanced General but you would not have to sit the exam. The benefit of this would be that it allows you more time for other things, it reduces the time spent on external exams (because you are just sitting the Higher exam, rather than, say, the Advanced General and the Higher exam); and it would provide more opportunity for you to take more Higher and Advanced Higher courses in total.
What do you think about this idea?
Would you like the opportunity to bypass the lower qualifications and start studying for the Higher from S4 if you were particularly good at a subject?
If necessary, explain: they would cover the content of the level 4/5 qual, before moving on to the content of the Higher but would not spend time preparing for and sitting the exams.
If you bypassed the lower level qualifications, what would be the advantages?
Prompt if not mentioned: less time spent on exams at a lower level of achievement? Less pressure? More time for other things (including more quals at a higher level of achievement if they have the ability and desire to do so)? Better pace? Allow longer/more in depth study for the Higher?
Would bypassing lower level qualification cause you any problems?
Prompt if not mentioned: doing earlier quals/exams give pupils idea of how well they are doing? Easier to choose which Highers to do if you know how well you've done in lower quals? Know better which subjects they enjoy/are interested in? lack of exam practice? No 'safety net' - refer to previous discussion on compensatory awards - would that help?
Summing up exercise
Exhibit G
I'm going to split you into two groups. Each group will be given cards with statements on them. Please place the cards on the sheet depending on how good or bad an idea you think they are.
Once cards placed, groups placing statements at the extremes asked to give their reasons.
Finally, anything else you would like to ask/say? Thank and close.
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