Transcript p3_michael_jayne - Higher Education Academy

BEECON September 2006
THE MERIT OF SANDWICH DEGREES
IN COMPARISON WITH POST
GRADUATE CONVERSION COURSES
Michael Jayne
Property Management Division
Nottingham Trent University
• In the UK, first degree predominant Real Estate
qualification route.
• Recent years seen apparent shift to postgraduate entry,
especially conversion courses.
• Facilitated by the Government’s drive to increase
participation in University education
• Resulted in increased numbers of graduates with non
vocational first degrees.
• Some real estate employers have also been active in
encouraging post graduate into employment.
Issues
• Are they producing distinctly different property
professionals?
• What educational role, if any, does the sandwich have?
• Is it merely work experience?
• If not does it provide academic/intellectual skills above a
non sandwich degree?
• Does it go someway to meeting the learning outcomes of a
master’s course?
Background
• UK students achieving 1ST OR 2.1 honours degrees
increased by 20 per cent over the six years to 2001-2.
• Postgraduate education is the fastest growing sector in
higher education.
• 21 per cent growth in new entrants over the seven years up
to 2004.
• Nearly 500,000 Postgraduate students in UK universities
• Postgraduates nearly a fifth of all students.
(Sastry 2004 )
• Growth been dramatic
• Demand for Postgraduate education rose by 21% from
1995/6 to 2002/03.
• Growth for Professional qualifications overall was 2%
but within this
• Taught master’s courses grown by 42%.
• Post Graduate numbers rose fastest in the ‘new
universities and colleges’ 65% for the same period
• Perception most graduates come straight from their
undergraduate courses is misleading”.
• Most entrants to all types of Postgraduate course are older
than 22
• More first-year Postgraduates above the age of 30 than
below 25
• Over 30s a substantial majority among part-time students
starting every type of Postgraduate course.
Postgraduate Student Characteristics
• Research degrees students more likely to have a firstclass degree than others
• ...those studying for taught postgraduate qualifications by
contrast have a similar profile to the general graduate
population
• “...the possession of a taught postgraduate qualification is
a poor indicator as to general ability....”
However..
• To support the assertion that there is something special
about postgraduate students,
• Their salaries, six months after qualification are almost
18% higher than even those for holders of first class
honours degrees.
• “may be in part due to the fact that,...postgraduate
qualifications are strongly associated with entry into
professional occupations” (Sastry 2004)
Future demand
• Between 2002/03 and 2010/11 in England could be up to
50,000 more postgraduate students.
(HEPI)
• “…postgraduate qualification may become the norm
...where ...not previously been the case”
• “…because of the delay between graduating and entering
postgraduate education …may be some time before the full
impact of increases … postgraduate population is felt.”
(Sastry 2004).
What is the role of the sandwich year in
the education of the undergraduate?
Where it is properly integrated and developed within the
degree...
• Does if provide more than work experience?
• Does it provide some of the learning outcomes required by
a master’s student?
QAA ( 2001) state:
Where placement learning is an intended part of a
programme of study, institutions should ensure that
• The responsibilities for placement learning are clearly
defined;
• the Intended learning outcomes contribute to the overall
aims of the programme; and
• any assessment of placement learning is part of a coherent
assessment strategy.
Current Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programme
Formats
Year Standard Full time
Degree
Activity
1
Level 1
Graduate learning
2
Level 2
3
Level 3
4
APC year 1
5
APC year 2
Work experience
Year
Standard Sandwich
Degree
Activity
1
Level 1
Graduate learning
2
Level 2
3
Placement
APC year 1 (work
experience)
4
Level 3**
Graduate learning
5
APC year 1
Work experience
** Placement (work) experience taken as a totality before
final year of taught education
Year
Non Cognate Masters
Full time
Activity
1
Level 1
Graduate learning
2
Level 2
3
Level 3
4
Masters**
Post graduate learning
5
APC year 1
Work experience
6
APC year 2
** Placement (work) experience taken as a totality after
final year of taught education
Year
Non Cognate Masters
Part time
Activity
1
Level 1
Graduate learning
2
Level 2
3
Level 3
4
Masters year 1
5
Masters year APC year 1
2**
6
APC year 2
Post
graduate
learning
Work
experience
Work experience
** Placement (work) experience taken during final years of
taught education
Descriptor for a qualification at (HEQAA)
Honours
Masters
Honours degrees are
awarded to students who
have demonstrated:
Masters degrees are awarded to
students who have
demonstrated:
A A systematic
understanding of key
aspects of their field of
study, including
acquisition of coherent
and detailed knowledge,
at least some of which
is at or informed by, the
forefront of defined
aspects of a discipline;
A systematic understanding of
knowledge, and a critical
awareness of current
problems and/or new
insights, much of which is at,
or informed by, the forefront of
their academic discipline, field of
study, or area of professional
practice;
Descriptor for a qualification at
Honours
B an ability to deploy
accurately established
techniques of analysis and
enquiry within a
discipline;
Masters
a comprehensive
understanding of techniques
applicable to their own
research or advanced
scholarship;
Descriptor for a qualification at
Honours
C conceptual understanding
that enables the student:
" to devise and sustain
arguments, and/or to solve
problems, using ideas and
techniques, some of which
are at the forefront of a
discipline; and
" to describe and
comment upon particular
aspects of current
research, or equivalent
advanced scholarship, in
the discipline;
Masters
conceptual understanding that
enables the student:
" to evaluate critically
current research and advanced
scholarship in the discipline;
and
" to evaluate
methodologies and develop
critiques of them and,
where appropriate, to
propose new hypotheses
Descriptor for a qualification at
Honours
D the ability to manage their
own learning, and to make
use of scholarly reviews and
primary sources (e.g.
refereed research articles
and/or original materials
appropriate to the
discipline).
Masters
originality in the
application of knowledge,
together with a practical
understanding of how
established techniques of
research and enquiry are
used to create and interpret
knowledge in the discipline
Descriptor for a qualification at
E
Honours
Masters
Typically, holders of the
qualification will be able
to:
apply the methods and
techniques that they have
learned to review,
consolidate, extend and
apply their knowledge
and understanding, and
to initiate and carry out
projects;
Typically, holders of the
qualification will be able to:
deal with complex issues
both systematically and
creatively, make sound
judgements in the absence
of complete data, and
communicate their
conclusions clearly to
specialist and non-specialist
audiences
Descriptor for a qualification at
F
Honours
Masters
critically evaluate
arguments, assumptions,
abstract concepts and
data (that may be
incomplete), to make
judgements, and to
frame appropriate
questions to achieve a
solution - or identify a
range of solutions - to a
problem;
demonstrate self-direction
and originality in tackling
and solving problems, and
act autonomously in
planning and implementing
tasks at a professional or
equivalent level;
Descriptor for a qualification at
G
Honours
Masters
communicate information,
ideas, problems, and
solutions to both
specialist and nonspecialist audiences
and will have:
continue to advance their
knowledge and
understanding, and to
develop new skills to a high
level;
and will have:
Descriptor for a qualification at
H
Honours
Masters
the qualities and
transferable skills
necessary for employment
requiring:
" the exercise of initiative
and personal
responsibility;
" decision-making in
complex and
unpredictable contexts;
and
“the learning ability
needed to undertake
appropriate further
training of a professional
or equivalent nature.
the qualities and transferable
skills necessary for
employment requiring:
" the exercise of initiative and
personal responsibility;
" decision-making in complex
and unpredictable situations;
and
" the independent learning
ability required for
continuing professional
development.
Research
• Students on the final year following their placement
targeted
• Hyperlinked on line questionnaire sent to their university
email address
• Real Estate Management, Building Surveying, Planning and
Property Development
• Students would be well into their dissertation
Questions
• Addressed the identified QAA Master’s learning outcomes
where they exceeded undergraduate outcomes as explained
earlier.
• These outcome statements broken down into their
constituent skills
• Written as a statement
• Students were then asked to express their agreement with
the statements using a5 point Likert scale.
• 1 strong agreement
5 strongly disagree
For example
Deal with complex issue both systematically and creatively,
make sound judgements in the absence of complete data
and communicate ... conclusions clearly to specialist and
non specialist audiences”
was broken down in to
"I did not always have the data I needed, but I was still able
to make a judgment"
and
"I communicated my conclusions to other
professionals/specialists/public/non professionals”
Questions did not follow the order of the learning outcomes.
They were placed in to a context for the student, to make
them more relevant.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
About your placement
How you feel about the placement
How you think the placement has influenced you
Things you had to do in your placement, and
Things you learned on your placement.
A …knowledge, and a critical awareness of current
problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or
informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of
study, or area of professional practice
Mean
Standard deviation
2.22
1.070
2.388
0.903
1.917
1.994
Mean of means 2.175
B...a comprehensive understanding of techniques
applicable to their own research or advanced
scholarship;
Mean
Standard deviation
1.9722
1.135
C... evaluate critically current research and advanced
scholarship in the discipline;
And
... to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques
of them and, where appropriate, to propose new
hypotheses
Mean
Standard deviation
2.833
1.082
D...originality in the application of knowledge, together
with a practical understanding of how established
techniques of research and enquiry are used to create
and interpret knowledge in the discipline
Mean
Standard deviation
2.833
1.082
2.75
1.626
3.375
0.976
3.094
0.993
2.65
1.01
Mean of means 2.940
E...deal with complex issues both systematically
and creatively, make sound judgements in the
absence of complete data, and communicate their
conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist
audiences
Mean
Standard deviation
2
0.956
2.056
0.860
1.89
1.022
2.129
1.0185
2.514
1.42
1.417
0.770
1.694
0.749
Mean of means 1.957
F...demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling
and solving problems, and act autonomously in
planning and implementing tasks at a professional or
equivalent level.
Mean
Standard deviation
1.570
0.698
1.778
0.898
1.640
0.723
1.861
0.961
1.890
0.854
1.890
0.979
2.134
0.867
1.694
0.749
Mean of means 1.807
G....continue to advance their knowledge and
understanding, and to develop new skills to a
high level;
Mean
Standard deviation
1.8286
0.9230
H…decision-making in complex and unpredictable
situations;
and
...the independent learning ability required for
continuing professional development
Mean
Standard deviation
2.194
1.037
1.7428
0.950
2
1.014
2.139
0.990
1.89
0.979
Mean of means 1.993
Relative strength of agreement by rank means
Rank
Section
Mean
1
F...demonstrate self-direction and originality
1.807
in tackling and solving problems, and act
autonomously in planning and implementing
tasks at a professional or equivalent level.
2
G...continue to advance their knowledge and 1.8286
understanding, and to develop new skills to
a high level;
3
E...deal with complex issues both
1.957
systematically and creatively, make sound
judgements in the absence of complete data,
and communicate their conclusions clearly to
specialist and non-specialist audiences
4
B B...a comprehensive understanding of
techniques applicable to their own research or
advanced scholarship;
1.9722
5
H...decision-making in complex and unpredictable
1.993
situations; and
" the independent learning ability required for
continuing professional development.
6
A...knowledge, and a critical awareness of current 2.175
problems and/or new insights, much of which is at,
or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline,
field of study, or area of professional practice
7
C...to evaluate critically current research and
2.833
advanced scholarship in the discipline;
And " to evaluate methodologies and develop
critiques of them and, where appropriate, to
propose new hypotheses
8
D D...originality in the application of knowledge,
2.940
together with a practical understanding of how
established techniques of research and enquiry are
used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline
Conclusions
• All aspects supported
• Section D weakest. (where
most academics would
expect intellectual
development in the post
graduate arena)
• Could students who have
not graduated, know if
they were being original?
• Section C next least
supported
• figures skewed by the fact
that Planning and Property
Development students
would not have been
undertaking a dissertation
• implications - sandwich
students are obtaining an
enhanced learning
experience above and
beyond work experience.
• Sandwich courses may
even warrant their own
benchmark statements,
above and beyond those of
a diploma in professional
practice and usual honours
degree.
• As students are paying an
increased contribution
towards their degree and
employers increasingly
looking for post graduate
qualities these could be
important issues.
BEECON September 2006
THE MERIT OF SANDWICH DEGREES
IN COMPARISON WITH POST
GRADUATE CONVERSION COURSES
Michael Jayne
Property Management Division
Nottingham Trent University