Purposes and outcomes of the review
The programme reviewed
Section A Framework
Section B Overall educational aims of the programme
Section C An evaluation of the emerging standards of the programme and the emerging achievements of students
Section D An evaluation of the quality of students' learning opportunities
Section E An evaluation of the monitoring and enhancement of quality and standards
Section F Good practice and/or innovative features
Section G Summary of the main review outcomes
The Higher Education Funding Council for England has commissioned the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to carry out a second programme of reviews of a sample of Foundation Degrees (FDs) in England in the academic year 2004-05. The major purposes of the review process are:
The findings from the reviewers' lines of enquiry result in a published report containing two threshold judgements. In the case of programmes where there are students who have graduated, the report contains judgements on the confidence, or otherwise, the reviewers have in:
In the case of recent programmes where no students have graduated to date, the report contains judgements on the confidence, or otherwise, the reviewers have in:
The report also comments on the maintenance and enhancement of standards and quality, and on the examples of good practice and innovation which may be worthy of wider dissemination.
Each review looks at one FD programme. It covers the entirely of that programme and includes, as applicable, the provision at all sites of delivery, all pathways, sites of work-based learning and modes of study.
The review takes place within a framework that includes a range of activities common to all reviews. Each review is structured around a series of 11 key questions to be considered by the provider in preparing its self-evaluation and by the reviewers when summarising evidence to be used to reach the two threshold judgements. The same questions form the structure of the report.
Foundation Degree (FD) in Sports Conditioning and Coaching
1 In 1997, Hartpury College (the College) became an Associate Faculty of the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE), and in 1998 validated higher education (HE) programmes in each of the subject areas of animal science, equine science and rural land management. These courses compliment those already run by UWE and make full use of the facilities and staff available at the College.
2 In the academic year 2000-01 an honours degree and an HND in Sports Conditioning and Coaching were validated. From the start of the academic year 2003-04, HND awards were replaced by FDs, and these were validated for all awards. The FD in Sports Conditioning and Coaching recruited 55 students in 2003, of whom 34 continued to their second year. Of those who did not continue only three had failed; the rest left for a variety of non-academic reasons. A second cohort of 53 students was enrolled in 2004, of whom eight have since withdrawn for non-academic reasons.
3 A number of employer organisations were involved in the development of the FD in Sports Conditioning and Coaching, including Gloucestershire Sports Partnership, GL1 Leisure Centre, Gloucester Rugby Football Club (GRFC), Worcester Rugby Football Club, Cheltenham Town Football Club (CTFC), a network of local primary, secondary schools and sports clubs. Work-based learning (WBL) currently takes place at the following locations: Hartpury Academy of Sport, GL1, GRFC, CTFC and a network of local primary, secondary schools and sports clubs.
4 In the FD Sports Conditioning and Coaching programme, academic knowledge and understanding reinforce and support the development of vocational skills to equip the student with the skills and knowledge relevant to their employment, and to the needs of employers. The programme provides a pathway for lifelong learning and the opportunity to progress to honours degree programmes offered by the University, especially the honours degree in Sports Conditioning and Coaching. Students are professionally prepared to provide an effective service delivery of sports coaching.
5 Programme aims are to enable the student to have:
6 The aim of the subject of Sports Science at the College is to 'prepare effective sports coaches and sports management professionals with complementary competencies in sports conditioning and sports rehabilitation'. The aims of the programme are generally appropriate to the subject, but make little reference as to how professional and practical skills could be more specific to the area of study. The aims are aligned with the expectations of the Foundation Degree qualification benchmark (QAA, 2004), and the level is appropriate to the Intermediate level of the FHEQ.
7 Similarly, the programme learning outcomes are generic to the subject of sports science, with little reference to the specific areas of study. For example, sport rehabilitation, which is a complementary area of study in the course, is not referred to in any of the learning outcomes. Specific intended learning outcomes related to work-based learning (WBL) are also not apparent in either the programme specification or the students' handbook.
8 It is clear from the available evidence that the University validated a group of FD programmes at a single event, during which a set of generic aims was referred to. Since that event some specific aims for this programme were written but did not appear in the documents first provided to the reviewers. It has since become clear that some more specific aims have been produced, but they do not yet appear in any of the documents provided to students.
9 Staff indicated that relevant external sources were considered when planning the programme. The main stimulus for this development, and the other FDs validated in June 2003, appears to have been the successful bid by the College for FD numbers funded through the Higher Education Funding Council for England Widening Participation initiative. There is little evidence of a specific request from an employment sector for the development of this programme. Apart from anecdotal support from the vocational panel, no clear rationale for the FD Sports Conditioning and Coaching course is presented.
10 The programme comprises 12 compulsory modules (6 x 20 credits in level 1 and 6 x 20 credits in level 2), making a total of 240 credits. In general, the module titles reflect the named strands, but the rationale for the programme structure is less transparent, and it is not clear how the choice of modules is intended to demonstrate coherence within, and progression between, the two levels.
11 WBL and its integration with academic learning is a key feature of FDs. This is acknowledged by the programme team and the content of all modules is relevant to work in sports conditioning and coaching. Students enjoy the practical content of modules and learn a great deal from the programme, not only in terms of the development of practical competence, but also in terms of conceptual development.
12 In principle, the WBL elements are well structured within the programme. All students undertake an Employment Skills module in year one to prepare them for a eight-week period of WBL, which carries no credits, during the summer vacation. Following the completion of the 320 accrued work experience hours within this period, students are required to evaluate their experience in a World at Work module in year two. In practice, however, the reviewers found this process to lack the definition and robustness to ensure that all students benefited fully from the experience. The lack of subject-specific requirements for the WBL limited the resultant integration of relevant knowledge and skills within the workplace. These issues have been raised by the external examiner and are recognised by the programme team as an area for further development. Plans are already in place to review the placement component in light of evaluations from students and staff.
13 The programme team acknowledge that students need to obtain paid employment over the summer period and that this is not necessarily consistent with undertaking an eight-week period of WBL. However, there is little documentary evidence of a thorough evaluation of the eight-week WBL or acknowledgement of the considerable amount of resource needed to manage WBL for a large number of students.
14 In addition to the eight-week summer period, further opportunities for WBL are provided in two of the level 2 modules. Sports Therapy I involves clinical practice on-campus and Coaching Theory II involves a four-week work experience placement. In all cases, students receive appropriate briefing concerning health and safety at work. These opportunities for WBL are regarded as highly beneficial by students. The opportunity for students to take additional, short courses in addition to their FD studies is felt to enhance their skills base and, therefore, their employability.
15 Module specifications include clear information about assessment criteria and weightings. These specifications are supported by the Assignment Briefing Handbook, which outlines every assessment and the schedule for their completion. This comprehensive level of information has been complimented by the external examiner.
16 The programme subscribes to the SEEC (Recognising Learning through Credit) Undergraduate Assessment Grid, which identifies the level of attainment for knowledge, intellectual, transferable and practical skills by describing grading criteria. Specific marking criteria are attached to assignments and related to learning outcomes in the Assignment Briefs. Students have a clear understanding of the arrangements for and the purpose of assessments and know what is expected of them. Clear evidence is provided of how the assessments address the learning outcomes at both module and programme level.
17 There is regular consideration of the appropriateness of assessments, where modifications are discussed with student representatives, and proposals are forwarded to the Programme Management Committee. The external examiner has commented positively on the mix of assessment methods and the support given to students. Where group work is required, concerns were expressed by the external examiner and the students that the level of discrimination between individual contributions was not sufficiently rigorous.
18 Students identified the eight-week WBL assessment as problematic. This contributes towards the assessment in the module World at Work and many of them felt they were insufficiently briefed. Staff recognised this problem, stating that some students did not pick up the information provided by the College.
19 Moderation is carried out using a system of anonymous second-marking of a sample, although this was incomplete in some of the work scrutinised. The external examiner is complimentary about the quality of the feedback given to students and there is ample evidence of supportive annotation on marked work. The programme handbook stipulates that students will receive their marked work within four weeks, but there have been acknowledged delays resulting in this extending to six weeks.
20 Accreditation of prior experiential learning is available through a system that requires students to prepare a portfolio of work and to pay a fee for its appraisal. Up to the time of the review, this has rarely occurred.
21 The first cohort of graduates is due to complete in July 2005; therefore, achievement of programme aims is as yet unknown, although the programme team are confident that the appropriate standards of the FD will be met.
22 Module results show a wide variation in student achievement, which is not always related to their entry profile. Scrutiny of marked assignments shows that some students are able to demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of their subject area in a broad contextual framework, while others demonstrate less depth and confidence in approach.
23 The reviewers scrutinised student work from across the range of modules. Of these, most demonstrated that students are meeting the threshold of expectations. Some examples of work were not available owing to administrative difficulties. The external examiner has stated that 'the best Hartpury students compare very favourably with students elsewhere'.
24 Most examples seen illustrate that students encounter problems with adequate referencing, and some of the work seen is uncritical, descriptive and lacking any real depth of understanding of the subject. This view is endorsed by the external examiner. Students benefit from a variety of work-related study which covers a range of employment-specific skills including technical, work-related, key and generic skills. The external examiner has commented favourably upon the standards achieved by students when the assessment encouraged them to relate theory to practice.
25 Both the module results and end-of-year completion rates have been affected by non-academic issues, particularly those relating to personal life and financial issues, which is not unconnected to the diverse student group on the programme. There is evidence of improvement in achievement in the second cohort.
26 The initial design and ongoing currency of the programme benefits from the long-standing and regular involvement of a vocational panel (VP). This panel consists of suitable employers who regularly contribute to meetings and the WBL elements of the provision.
27 Some of the features of the programme reflect regional employment initiatives and there is evidence of consideration of emerging national strategies from a range of professional, statutory and regulatory bodies. While there is no formal link with relevant Sector Skills Councils, such as SkillsActive, the team is aware of the evolving nature of the sports sector professional qualifications. Students are able to complete a range of coaching and professional qualifications as part of the extracurricular programme on offer.
28 Placement documentation indicated that employers contribute to the eventual student assessment through an evaluation of the students' generic employment qualities. The chief purpose of this evaluation was to provide feedback to the students. The reviewers considered the involvement of employers in the assessment process to be rather limited and not fully exploited for the benefit of the students.
The reviewers have confidence in the emerging academic standards and emerging achievements of students.
29 Most of the students on this programme are school leavers. The programme team employs a variety of learning and teaching methodologies, however, the underpinning strategy is that of integration of theory with practice. The FD employs the sports science base disciplines (physiology, psychology and biomechanics) in the teaching of sports coaching, sports performance and sports therapy and rehabilitation. The interdisciplinary mode of teaching, scientific-practitioner approach, action-based learning strategies, industry involvement and WBL, are all used to focus the student on the competencies required for entry and re-entry into the workplace.
30 Throughout, students are encouraged to engage in active learning. Practical sessions in therapy, conditioning and coaching, in particular, integrate theory and professional hands-on practice as well as reflective practice. Support for learning and teaching strategies is facilitated by the lecturers' involvement in sports industry vocational activities and action-based research. The focus changes from predominantly teacher-centred learning to student-centred learning as the students progress from level 1 to level 2. Study groups and tutorials are used to enhance the learning process and seminar groups encourage the integration and synthesis of theory from lectures into practice. The expectation of independent study develops concurrently so that students are prepared for further study. Some of the classes are taught jointly with students from the BSc programme. This enriches the experience of all students and helps to prepare them for further study.
31 The WBL and related module outcomes are important for the students' achievement of the programme learning outcomes. Evidence from students and WBL employers suggest that the programme team have had some success in this area, but it is recognised that further work to enhance learning in practice is needed.
32 The FD would benefit from clearer and more targeted information for students in the prospectus. Most students are recruited through attendance at open days and sporting events. This particularly applies to overseas students. On entry, students are given a generic programme handbook, much of the content of which is not specific to the programme of study.
33 Support is offered in a variety of ways and alters as students progress through the programme to reflect their changing needs. Feedback from student questionnaires is very positive about student support. The programme team is aware that this is a crucial area for FD students, particularly early on in the programme, and an HE-skills workshop has been developed to facilitate their entry into undergraduate-level study. This is a non-credit rated module that introduces students to the challenges of academic life and is well received by the students. Sessions introduce key transferable skills, such as time management and forward planning, as well as how to study. Students receive guidance on a range of study skills topics, including specific areas of difficulty as it is recognised that FD students may face particular challenges due to their route to study. This is seen as an example of good practice.
34 Each student has the opportunity to meet with their personal tutor on an individual basis, as well as having access to individual or group tutorials with module teaching team members or the Programme Leader. While feedback from students suggests that both the induction programme and tutorial support are valued, there is concern among the programme team that the students most in need of support are often the less frequent users of the tutorial system.
35 The programme is delivered by a dedicated team of six subject staff, with an additional four from other parts of the College. All are appropriately qualified and actively engaged in sports science and related areas. The need for staff development is planned and linked to the development of the new laboratories and facilities.
36 Physical facilities are excellent and well able to meet the specialist needs of the programme. Previous shortcomings in the provision of small teaching rooms have been met by remodelling some existing accommodation and by the opening of the new Sports Academy building, which also houses an excellent sports therapy and rehabilitation clinic, as well as two sports conditioning suites. The potential for realistic performance and research activity is considerable, which should make the goal of staff gaining British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences accreditation more achievable.
37 Computing facilities available during the HE workshop are used exclusively by HE students. While this is welcome, there are still occasional problems with access to information and communications technology equipment, especially during busy periods, and when assignments are due. Better planning of students' work patterns could alleviate some of this.
38 Library facilities and journal provision are improving with the acquisition of new titles. The programme team is developing the use of digital collections, accessible through the virtual-learning environment, including lecture notes, slide presentations and articles.
39 UWE has a policy document for WBL that establishes a set of principles and guidelines for all faculties. It was unclear how this policy document extended to the FD provision and governed the student experience in the two placement events. Many of the fundamental principles outlined in the policy document have not been translated into the documentation provided for students and employers. Indeed, the preparation of both students and employers for the placement activities was considered by the reviewers to be in need of further enhancement. The responsibility for the briefing of employers was often devolved to the students and resulted in some instances of placement hosts not being fully aware of their role in the learning experience. The issues regarding the relevance and efficacy of the placement arrangements has been identified through the Annual Field Review (AFR) process, and the programme team has begun to discuss viable solutions to the problems.
40 In addition to the provision of WBL, employers are involved directly in the delivery of the curriculum through guest lecture sessions. This is mainly conducted by members of the VP and permeates all modules on the programme. Students acknowledged the added-value these sessions provided to their learning experience. The on-site Sports Academy also provides a valuable source of relevant professional staff for the enhancement of the work-related features of the provision through invited speaker slots and extracurricular coaching opportunities.
41 Employers' contribution to the student assessment is restricted to a work provider performance assessment within the placement. This enables the employers to rate the students on a series of generic work-related attributes and to confirm the employability of the near graduates.
42 While there have been no graduates from the programme to confirm that the WBL within the programme is enabling students to demonstrate skills for employment, the emerging employment standards of the students are endorsed by the placement providers for the Coaching Theory II module. The combination of WRL and WBL within the programme is equipping students with the necessary employment-relevant skills.
The reviewers have confidence in the quality of the students' learning opportunities.
43 As an Associate Faculty, the College fully adheres to UWE policies and procedures for quality assurance (QA). Clear QA structures and procedures are detailed in the University documentation, namely the Associate Faculty QA Framework and UWE QA arrangements documents. Regular programme and review meetings ensure that issues related specifically to the FD are also considered in the context of the subject.
44 The programme was subject to a thorough validation process that fully explored the defining characteristics of FDs. During the validation event, which jointly considered nine FD proposals, a full and detailed consideration of issues specific to FDs was conducted. The validation panel included two externals familiar with issues related to FDs, but neither of these were sports oriented. The proposing team was also joined by an employer representative who was a member of the VP, and had been involved in the initial development of the programme. Many pertinent issues were raised during the validation process and were satisfactorily responded to by the proposing team. However, several of the proposed solutions to the conditions set by the validation panel do not appear to have been implemented within the actual operation of the FD, particularly in relation to the WBL.
45 The operation of the programme is monitored annually through the production of a conflated AFR, and subject self-evaluation reports. While issues specific to the FD are referred to in these documents, mainly in terms of student achievement, there is no separate review of the FD itself, nor has the process been adapted in any way to evaluate the distinctive elements of FDs. Feedback from the external examiner is considered during this review process, but the reviewers saw no evidence of how the programme responded to the external examiner report.
46 As well as the informal mechanisms for feedback from students, formal processes for module and programme evaluation operate across the provision. These include student representation on committees at all levels, and feedback opportunities through questionnaires and focus groups. Students interviewed by the reviewers were able to confirm that the system is responsive to issues raised through these channels. However, the mechanisms by which student representatives consult with the student body, and the method of reporting back on actions taken as a result of issues raised, were less clear to the students. Some students also reported that they were not always able to attend some of the meetings at the times they are arranged.
47 There is limited evidence of employer or employment sector involvement in the QA processes. Discussions between employers and the VP tend not to relate to curricular design or quality enhancement issues. Furthermore, no discussion of employer sector issues occurs at the programme and field review meetings. The team needs to consider how the potentially valuable advice from employers is captured and used within the review process. Minimally, a systematic evaluation of the WBL activities, incorporating advice from employers, should be undertaken annually.
48 The self-evaluation document claimed four areas of innovation or good practice worthy of wider dissemination. The reviewers were not able to confirm as good practice the Vocational Panel meetings or the role of FD Coordinator. However, the reviewers confirmed as good practice the opportunity for students to take additional short courses to complement their FD studies and the effectiveness of the core modules Employment Skills and World of Work in promoting the cross-fertilisation of ideas and skills between FD students.
The Foundation Degree (FD) in Sports Conditioning and Coaching, validated by the University of the West of England, Bristol and delivered at Hartpury College, was reviewed in the academic year 2004-05. Judgements were made about the emerging academic standards and the emerging achievement of students and of the quality of the learning opportunities provided.
Overall, the reviewers have confidence in the emerging academic standards and emerging achievements of students.
Overall, the reviewers have confidence in the quality of learning opportunities provided for students.
Conclusions and areas for development
Features of good practice include:
Strengths of the programme include:
Areas for development include: