Transcript HERODOT: Benchmarking Geography http://www.herodot.net Karl Donert, National Teaching Fellow HERODOT Project coordinator Meeting Aims HERODOT funded to make the link between: • Bologna Process (standardisation, transparency) and.

HERODOT: Benchmarking
Geography
http://www.herodot.net
Karl Donert, National Teaching Fellow
HERODOT Project coordinator
Meeting Aims
HERODOT funded to make the link between:
• Bologna Process (standardisation,
transparency) and Lisbon Treaty
(employability, quality, excellence)
• European Commission – national Ministries –
institutions of higher education – academics
How?
• create framework from which standards /
benchmarks can be established
• against which new courses can be developed
and qualifications compared and evaluated
Quality Assurance
Two components:
Internal quality
• Review, evaluation, analysis
• Done internally for internal consumption
• For what purpose?
External quality
• Who? What?
• What purpose? League tables or ?
Quality culture needed - How?
• European Commission - ENQA - National Agencies Other stakeholders
• Role of the discipline
What is a benchmark?
• A benchmark statement provides a means for
the academic community to describe the
nature and characteristics of programmes in
a specific subject.
• They are general expectations about the
standards for the award of qualifications at a
given level
• They present the attributes and capabilities
that those possessing such qualifications
should be able to demonstrate
(QAA, 2000)
Why benchmark?
• an important external source of reference for higher
education institutions for new courses
• general guidance for articulating the learning outcomes
(what a student should be able to know, understand and
do)
• NOT a specification of detailed curriculum
• allow variety and flexibility in the design of programmes
• encourage innovation within an agreed overall
framework
• give support to institutions looking to monitor internal
quality assurance
• help establish threshold standards
UK benchmark (2000)
• a framework for staff running Geography
programmes,
• assist in the development of programme
specifications;
• help external examiners to validate standards of
student achievements;
• inform potential students and employers as to
the nature of attainment that can be expected of
graduates from Geography programmes
• provide academic reviewers with guidance for
judging standards
UK benchmark (2000)
Bachelors degree
Process: 2 years
• Created by experts – geographers in universities
• Public consultation and review
• Adopted as guidance by university departments
• Evaluated
• Added to … special needs, distance learning
etc. etc.
• Being revised / updated
UK benchmark (2000)
Bachelors degree
Consists of:
• Programme aims
• Knowledge and understanding
• Skills and abilities
• Processes and learning contexts
• Assessment
• Levels of achievement – threshold, typical
Impact of benchmarking
Piddock (2006)
• benchmarking was not ‘threatening’
• perception of academics – did not lead to
improvement
Suggestions for the future:
• better assured through the adoption of
quality enhancement process
• need subject-based connection
• problem of multidisciplinary and modular
programmes
Pidcock, S. (2006), What is the impact of subject benchmarking?, Active Learning in Higher
Education, 7(2): 111-128
HERODOT Benchmarking
Process
• 2 groups
– Fieldwork
– Citizenship
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Recruit experts
Consider local, national, European situations
Each create a document
Present a statement to other group
Other group – takes it apart
Reconstruct statement
Advertise for widespread discussion
Form final statement
Publish – revise – revisit
Use to promote quality, excellence etc.
GIS benchmark
GIS and Geography in Higher Education – What it is? What it means?
A GIS component in an undergraduate programme prepares graduates who
are:
• responsible, spatially aware ‘digital world’ citizens,
• able to use a set of tools to augment their geographic capabilities,
• more employable and with diverse job prospects, and
• able to pursue further specialised studies.
The objectives of a GIS component in a Geography post-graduate programme
are to:
• specialise in applying GIS in a particular subject matter,
• increase GIS skills, and
• participate at a higher professional level in the workplace.
The objectives of a post-graduate programme with a GIS specialisation are to:
• specialise in GI Science,
• develop advanced GIS skills, and
• participate at a higher professional level in the workplace.
GIS benchmark
LEVEL DESCRIPTORS
Undergraduate level
• This level of qualification should prepare students in …..
• The essential knowledge and competences acquired
should allow students to further their studies at postgraduate (specialised) levels.
• Students should display an ability to …...
• Finally, students at this level should be able to …...
Graduate level (Masters in Geography)
Graduate level (Masters in Geography with a
specialisation in GIS/ Masters in GIS offered by a
Geography Department)
GIS benchmark
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Undergraduate students should be able to …….
• Students completing undergraduate geography
study programmes with a XXXXX component should
be able to:
• XXXXXX
• YYYYYY
• ZZZZZZZ etc
Graduates completing postgraduate geography study
programmes should be able to:
Standards of the “Masters”
Bachelors = Preparing students for employment
Bachelors = Preparing students for Masters level
Key standards
• Critical reading – scholarly selective reading =
understand and reflect on
• Critical evaluation in writing, analytical and
creative critique of concepts = challenging
scholarship
• Critical thinking linked to research skills
• Teaching, learning and assessment approaches
to encourage academic debate