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QCA turns to Hobsons for student research expertise
01.11.06
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has employed Hobsons to carry out research into students’ functional skills relating to English, maths and ICT
QCA, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Education & Skills, is responsible for maintaining and developing the national curriculum and delivering associated initiatives, monitoring and accreditation. As part of this role, they are leading on the investigation, planning and evaluation of functional skills, and have chosen Hobsons as a partner for some crucial initial research.
Student progression
In this exciting qualitative research, Hobsons will use focus groups and interviews to gather the views and experiences of students, employees, employers and higher education (HE) personnel to investigate the degree to which students have, and are able to demonstrate, functional skills. With a strong focus on student progression from school or college into HE and employment, this work will yield important student-led findings for QCA and its governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.
Previous collaboration
This research follows a successful collaboration earlier in the year, when QCA employed Hobsons to support an investigation into the need for a 14-19 Specialised Diploma in Science. Hobsons analysed data collected through our 2006 UK School-leaver Review and UK Undergraduate Review to paint a picture of current school-leavers pursuing science-related qualifications and to make recommendations on the potential Implications of a new qualification. As part of our work, we presented a summary of the findings to education and industry stakeholders at a consultation event held at the Royal Society In October.
Rebecca Edwards, Programme Adviser at QCA, was delighted with the analysis:
‘The research has provided everything I hoped for in the form of a picture of science students and their choices compared with the whole cohort, and it has also provided a huge bonus in the issues it has raised.’
Further information
For find out more about Hobsons’ research, contact Mark Puncher on 020 7958 5074.