Projects and Publications

 

Projects

Policy Consortium Projects

 

Client

LSN 
Production of fortnightly news digest Aug. 2006 – Aug. 2009.
Click here for sample issue

Becta
Production of fortnightly policy review Dec. 2009 – July 2010.
Click here for sample issue

Enterprise Insight
One project examining the enterprise elements within several Diploma specifications, and another on best-practice case-studies in enterprise education at a number of FE colleges 2007.

Vital Regeneration / Westminster City Council
Policy analysis on apprenticeships 2007.

LSN / City & Guilds
Research into effective teaching and learning in vocational education, which promoted more effective teaching and learning in vocational education by encouraging thought and discussion about vocational pedagogy, and resulted in a new framework for vocational teaching as well as a guide for teachers, 2011.

 

Projects in partnership with ORC International

London Borough of Newham
16-19 vocational needs (jointly with ORC International) Nov. 2009 – April 2010 The project report presented data on the Borough’s 16-19 educational provision and related employment opportunities, informing the local authority commissioning process for this phase. It drew on a range of local, regional and national literature and two follow-up quantitative surveys with young people and employers in Newham.

LSIS               
Evaluation of the 14–19 Diploma Support Programme (2008–10).

LSN / LSIS     
Evaluation of the Quality Champions Programme.

LLUK              
Workforce Reform Implementation Literature Review considering the context for FE reforms, challenges for FE, WBL and ACL providers, and evidence of reaching the 2010 target for 100% compliance.

 

Other projects involving Policy Consortium members

Apprenticeships

Mick Fletcher undertook an investigation of reasons for the growth in adult apprenticeships, for NIACE (2011).

Community Scorecards

Nick Warren was part of an AoC team commissioned by the London Skills and Employment Board (LSEB) to produce a Community Scorecard for London colleges. The final report from the project was delivered at the end of March 2011. The Community Scorecard for London Colleges is at the forefront of development nationally and is believed to be unique in that it is a model that spans all colleges in Greater London and is directly linked to the LSEB and resources available to it. It was produced with the cooperation of Leicester College, which has been working for some time on developing an institutional community scorecard model.

Curriculum

During 2011, Mike Cooper worked on 14-19 vocational curriculum developments with ALPHI (Association of Learning Providers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight) and The Central Dorset Education Partnership.

e-learning

Seb Schmoller has undertaken a wide range of projects for JISC concerning e-learning and technical standards, with a wide range of different collaborators. Seb’s client list is at http://schmolller.net/clients.html  

Economic regeneration

Peter Davies was lead consultant for joint 157 Group/Local Government Group/British Chambers of Commerce project on the role of local enterprise partnerships in tackling skills needs (2010-11). Nick Warren managed the survey work element of this project.

Editorial

Jenny Warner has undertaken substantive rewriting and editing of case studies and resources for the LSIS Skills and Employer Responsiveness Programme (2011), and in relation to factsheets, training materials and web guides for Age UK (2006 onwards).

Equality and diversity

Maria Hughes conducted research for Remploy on the extent to which college provision for learners with disabilities and learning difficulties develops the skills that employers expected of their young recruits (2008).

Sally Faraday undertook a review of the single equality scheme, for BIS (2010), and of provision for blind and partially sighted learners for RNIB (2008).

Ann-Marie Warrender conducted research into employers’ support for people with caring responsibilities in leadership roles for the Women’s Leadership Network – involving quantitative and qualitative methodologies (2011)

Enterprise

Nick Warren was a consultant on the Enterprise in FE project for Enterprise Insight, including case study development (2007).

HE in FE

Maggie Greenwood is a member of the team of researchers undertaking a large project entitled Understanding Higher Education in Further Education Institutions. The Research Project is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The University of Sheffield and the Institute of Education University of London have been awarded the research contract to describe and analyse the current pattern of provision, participation and progression in college-based higher education in England in order to:
- identify the features of successful provision, including its accessibility, flexibility, responsiveness and cost-effectiveness
- consider where the opportunities for expansion might best be found, whether through the growth of current – successful provision or by the stimulation of new activity
- encourage participation by those groups targeted by government policies for widening participation

The main strands of work include:

- analysis of statistical data (in association with HEFCE)
- interviews with college managers and HEI partners
- survey of college students
- interviews with employers

A final project report was submitted to BIS in April 2012, which is due to be published shortly on the BIS website.

Maggie also has a contract with the Higher Education Academy (HEA) to update resources on HE in FE on the HEA web site at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/heinfe/he-fe-resources

Maggie was also part of the team for the QAA Access to Higher Education Development Project (2004) at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Access-to-Higher-Education-Development-ProjectMay-2004.aspx

International

Judith Cohen and Ann-Marie Warrender were part of the team that undertook an evaluation of ten international Civil Service Organisation projects to strengthen evidence-based practice, sponsored by the Open Society Foundation (2011).

Maria Hughes has undertaken work for British Council concerning international collaboration in vocational education and training (2011-12).

Leadership and management

Mike Cooper has been assessing senior FE sector staff for the LSIS Principals’ Qualifying Programme/Executive Leadership Development Programme on a regular basis since November 2008.

Learning and teaching

Mike Cooper has been project-managing a large-scale ‘base-lining’ project for the observation of teaching and learning within a general FE college.

Learner voice

Peter Davies and Nick Warren were consultants for a joint 157 Group / Blackboard research project on the learner voice (2009-10).

Materials Development

For a list of materials development projects involving members of the Policy Consortium, please click here.

In addition Mike Cooper has been writing and editing screen text, inter-actives and downloadable materials for an on-line toolkit on quality improvement and preparing to be inspected by Ofsted, for BDP Media Ltd. and Illumina Digital Ltd., which is shortly due to go live.

Mick Fletcher worked with RCU Ltd to develop a Smarter Fees toolkit for the LSIS Excellence Gateway (2009).

Media

Ian Nash is also media adviser to the Network for Black Professionals and the Association for Learning Technology.

Offender education

Carole Overton managed and delivered the Mapping Offender Learning Qualifications with the Credit and Qualification Framework for Wales (CQFW) for Wales Assembly Government/National Offender Management Service Cymru.  This report provided recommendations for a strategy to migrate offender learning and skills provision inWales to the CQFW. It included a quality assurance system, costing implications, appropriate curriculum models and materials to assist implementation. There were also recommendations for the development of an action plan and targets to achieve this. The report’s recommendations covered the curriculum within all prisons and probation areas inWales (2011).

Maree Walker has undertaken work to identify training and development requirements for prison and probation service tutors. An LSC funded project in 2007-9 linked staff development for tutors in the services with the implementation of accredited learning programmes in the vocational areas of prisons and community sentencing environments. Offenders were enabled to develop qualifications whilst gaining work experience and workshop and unpaid work supervisors were supported in gaining teaching qualifications.

Policy advice

Mike Cooper has produced a current post-16 “Sector Map” to be used in a report for the Ufi Charitable Trust.

Mick Fletcher is policy adviser for the 157 Group of colleges and author of the majority of the group’s policy papers. He is also a regular contributor to policy seminars organised by the Campaign for Learning.

Ian Nash is adviser to the Parliamentary Skills Group.

Carole Overton has produced policy and strategy for the introduction of a Wales Skills Observatory, as a member of the WAG Research Working Group (2006-07).

Qualifications

Maree Walker managed the Central London Credit Framework Project from 2002-05. ThisLondon wide project supported small voluntary and community organisations in their development of quality systems and training expertise which enabled them to contract with LAs and the LSC. Accredited qualifications were offered to learners who then were able to use the credits they’d achieved to progress to further educational opportunities completing full qualifications or moving onto higher levels.

Quality improvement / Inspection

Mike Cooper has regularly and frequently been designing, adapting and delivering both open-access and ‘bespoke’ LSIS staff training sessions on continuous quality improvement / capacity to improve and preparing for post-16 inspection – for colleges, private training providers and local authorities.

Maria Hughes has worked extensively for FE Sussex, a consortium of all post 16 colleges and their partners in Sussex dedicated to quality improvement. This work has included:

- a review of wbl provision in the consortium’s colleges (2006);

- the development of a quality audit and a peer review framework and a methodology for their use (2007);

- an evaluation of FE Sussex’s Train to Gain consortium 2008.

During this time she also provided support for the wbl providers inSussexthrough consultancy and training workshops.

Mike Cooper has also undertaken work for FE Sussex, producing Best Practice guides summarising findings concerning improving success rates for Level 1 and 2 provision, and on managing challenging behaviour in the classroom.

Carole Overton managed and delivered a LSDA quality improvement programme for WBL providers (2002-2008) and delivered quality improvement programmes to DWP work-based learning providers on behalf of Price Waterhouse Coopers (2009). She also developed collaborative QA principles and documentation for post-14 education and training, for Birmingham City Council. The recommendations were accepted by the Birmingham Lead CQA Group. It was important that all providers bought into the developments and so guidance was also given on how this might happen (2010).

Research

Andrew Morris is Chair of the EEP Educational Evidence Portal Consortium.

Andrew Morris has also been assisting organisations with their research strategy:
• LSIS with the Excellence Gateway research area; Research Development Fellowship scheme; and a scoping study An R&D Centre for LSIS, 2009
• City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development on several projects including careers guidance and vocational pedagogies
• Centre for the Wider Benefits of Learning on offender learning

He is also on the advisory committees of:
• National Foundation for Educational Research
• International Learning and Research Centre
• Learning and Skills Research Network
• Evidence Informed Practice and Policy in Education in Europe project at the EPPI Centre
and chairs the Advisory Group of the Coalition for Evidence-Based Education, the secretariat for which is provided by the Institute for Effective Education, at http://www.york.ac.uk/iee/

Review and evaluation

Michael Chandler carried out a review and evaluation of Apprenticeship and Enterprise provision on behalf of Westminster Council (2007).

Peter Davies and Nick Warren were members of LSN’s project team which undertook an evaluation of the strategy for quality enhancement withinScotland’s college sector, on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council (2008–10).

Mick Fletcher undertook several pieces of strategic research including studies designed to help LSIS position itself as an organisation, including the development of a charging policy for QIA (2007) and his study of the market for quality improvement services in FE (2008). He is also engaged in work as part of the RCU team exploring sector perceptions of LSIS.

Scenario building

Andrew Morris has been involved in scenario building initiatives with The Tomorrow Project, for LSDA (2002), and on education research for NERF (2005).

Mick Fletcher led work for LSDA modelling progress towards the level 2 target in conjunction, and examined ‘Prospects for Growth in FE‘ using a similar methodology, both projects in conjunction with Frontier Economics (2002-05). In addition, he undertook scenario-planning exercises in connection with the ‘Saving for Learning’ project, looking at the circumstances in which individuals might pay more for learning (2005-06). He also estimated the total expenditure on adult learning from all sources, as background for the NIACE Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning (2009).  

Sustainability

Judith Cohen has initiated research towards building capacity in sustainable development education, creating a three-way FE approach that focused on FE estates issues (eg procurement); using the estate as a learning vehicle; identifying ‘green’ skills and associated pedagogy, including working with Sector Skills Councils and awarding bodies. She led related LSC-funded activity from 2000-06, producing a range of research reports and effective practice case studies, and is currently continuing this work as an LSIS Associate.

Teaching and Learning

Sally Faraday and Carole Overton undertook research into teaching models supporting effective vocational education, for City and Guilds/LSN (2010-11).

Work-based learning (WBL)

Mike Cooper supported providers in coping with the developing Minimum Contract Level policy of the SFA (2010-11).

Maria Hughes has completed a number of WBL projects in recent months, including:
• consultancy on the LSIS World Class Skills support programme for FE Innovation Pathfinders managed by KPMG (November 2008 – March 2010);
• a review of the FE Innovation Pathfinders for LSIS and produced a report (January – April 2011);
• analysis of LSN survey into providers’ views on quality improvement for work-based learning, provision of workshop and production of report (April – June 2010);
• expert advisor for LSN’s Work Based Learning (WBL) Provision: learning from the best project (December 2010 – April 2011); and
• ASM Horwath (A) Ltd cross-border Network project for Northern Regional College (Northern Ireland) and Institutes of Technology in the Republic of Ireland (January – March 2010).

Workforce development