Forth Valley College honoured its new SCQF Ambassadors recently and welcomed becoming the latest Scottish college to receive SCQF Ambassador status after taking part in the pilot programme.
FVC Principal Dr Ken Thomson, along with Helen Young, FVC’s Head of Learning and Quality, was presented with the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) College Ambassadors plaque – only the third college in Scotland to receive the honour - by Anthony O’Reilly SCQF Partnership Development Officer. They were accompanied by some of the new SCQF Ambassadors including Gemma Dempsey, Rob McDermott, Mhairi Hay and Eleanor Seel, the others being Anne Fowler, Ernie Romer and Laurence Ferguson.
The College Ambassador Programme aims to encourage engagement with the SCQF in a range of different ways, to raise awareness and understanding of the Framework among a wider audience, with the full support of the SCQF Partnership Executive Team.
It is anticipated that the programme will maximise the impact of the Framework on many aspects of teaching and learning, encouraging it to be perceived as a vital tool in the preparation, implementation and the assessment of the wide range of learning that is carried out throughout the college. It will also ensure that the Framework and an understanding of how it can be used in approaches to teaching, learning and assessment is being fully utilised by staff and understood by learners.
The SCQF Partnership hope to open up the programme to all Scotland's Colleges from the autumn of 2018.
Dr Ken Thomson, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded Ambassador Status from the SCQF Partnership and are confident this programme will enhance our provision and reputation as we endeavor to Make Learning Work for students.”
Anthony O’Reilly, Development Officer Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership, said: “It has been a real pleasure working with Forth Valley College on the College Ambassadors pilot. The enthusiasm of the staff to learn more about the different ways in which the SCQF can help them in their day to day roles has been outstanding. We are looking forward to continuing partnership working and helping the college to use the SCQF in a range of ways that will benefit everyone involved.”
Helen Young, FVC’s Head of Learning and Quality, said: “We are delighted to be one of the first colleges in Scotland to participate in the SCQF Ambassador programme. We are already using the SCQF framework in many different ways in the college and it is great to get this recognition for our staff. We look forward to developing our partnership with SCQF”.
Rob, said: “The Framework is a really useful tool that allows staff across vocational areas to have a shared vocabulary, improving approaches to teaching and learning and ensuring that our approach to assessment is robust and transparent.
Mhairi, said: “An understanding of the Framework allowed my team and I to create a programme that was at the appropriate level of study allowing apprentices to be better equipped to start working on site, developing problem solving, project planning and team working skills.
Eleanor, said: I use the Framework when creating assessment material. The benefits of this are: knowing they are fit for purpose; that they meet the standards and that they allow my students to achieve appropriate certificates which will enable them to progress further, giving them more opportunities.”
Gemma, said: “An awareness of the SCQF framework allows me to pitch my teaching and learning at the appropriate level, ensuring that what I teach is fit for purpose and allows seamless progression from course to course within my department’s portfolio.”
For more information visit www.scqf.org.uk .
