JISC

Region: Yorkshire and Humberside  

Overview

Pathways for Progression will identify the applicability of curricula mapping to progression routes and produce a repository of searchable curricula from compulsory education through to HE, including vocational routes. The intention is to develop tools for institutions to identify gaps in provision and to allow learners to plan for lifelong learning pathways.  

The project team is led by the Centre for Learning Development (CLD) at the University of Hull working together with a team from Kainao Limited based in Huddersfield. This team formerly developed the HLSI (High level Skills for Industry) repository, and their experience will contribute significantly to the project.  

Working with a range of partners, within the broad discipline area of ‘Media and Digital Arts’ and representative of a number of sector entry levels, we will collectively undertake the modelling process which will inform development of the system and allow a pilot, using a Foundation degree in Applied Digital Media accredited by the University of Hull and delivered by a regional consortium, to prove the concept.  

Aims and Objectives

The project will consist of research into the requirements of the various sectors for curriculum development; modelling and representation together with supporting standards based tools and technologies.  

Specifically the project will deliver:

• A specification for the E Learning Framework in the area of curriculum.
• Curriculum modelling and progression route planning.
• A curriculum modelling tool.
• Cross-sector cross-institution curriculum development and delivery collaboration.
• Dissemination and awareness raising and initial evaluation.

Project Methodology

Curriculum providers in formal education and workplace learning will engage in a series of semi-structured interviews and workshops to identify the potential models of curricula that exist. These models will then be interpreted into a series of schema for the creation of repository items describing the curriculum.  

Providers as project partners will store their curricula descriptors in the repository to allow for the development of search and retrieval tools which allow pathways to be identified.  

Piloting will take place with regional partners in the final phases of the project to investigate and establish the potential for mapping curricula supported by software systems and to assess the potential for automated progression route discovery. 

Implications/ Deliverables/ Stakeholders

The project breaks new ground and serves to populate the E-Learning Framework in the area of curriculum by identifying the elements necessary to create a common information model and the tools to enable all partners, irrespective of sector, to contribute to the curriculum capture exercise and thus the curriculum repository and progression. The intention is to produce transferable standards-based, tools and documented processes to support the e-Learning Framework agenda.  

The project will offer learners and providers the ability to search and retrieve a range of curricula detail from within a new curriculum repository, enabling exploration and selection of entry points, pathways module specifications, lesson plans and routes leading to higher education. This will be of significance to project partner institutions, learners, funding bodies and learning support agencies including the DfES, UCAS and Sector Skills Councils.