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SQA Cisco Development Centre
Latest Developments
SQA Cisco Development Centre
In October 2005, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cisco Systems covering a three year period of collaboration, which is part of SQA’s Digital media and ICT Vendor Alliance (DIVA) programme.
The Memorandum of Understanding was formally launched in Glasgow on 26 October 2005 by Gordon Thompson, Scotland Country Manager, and Dr Jane Lewis, Cisco Networking Academy Program Manager UK & Ireland, for Cisco Systems, with Anton Colella, Chief Executive, and John Young, Director of Qualifications, for SQA.
It covers:
- Maintenance and development of existing awards incorporating Cisco units.
- Enhancement of existing delivery of the Cisco Networking Academy Program.
- Investigation of new qualifications focusing initially on voice and data cabling skills.
- Investigation of the incorporation of Cisco units into appropriate programme areas such as Construction and Property (Built Environment) and Engineering.
- Review of the positioning of the new UK developed Cisco Network Academy Employability Skills resources within the NQ Core Skills Framework.
SQA Cisco Development Centre
Through an open selection process, James Watt College of Further and Higher Education and Stevenson College, Edinburgh, were selected to collaborate on an SQA Cisco Development Centre, working closely with leading representatives of the Cisco Networking Academy Program in Scotland. The aim of the Centre is to enhance and expand the quality of existing delivery into education of the Cisco Networking Academy Program and to help bring forward key technologies and skills requirements.
The Development Centre has been working on:
- A sector consultation on delivery of Cisco units within SQA qualifications and recommendations for future activity.
- Expanded delivery guides that help the pedagogic delivery of the HN/PDA units.
- Guidance on how to use the Cisco Networking Academy Program within school/college partnerships.
Latest Developments
June 2007 - New DIVA Case Studies
Collaboration between Scotland's Universities and Colleges is maximising the benefits of the Cisco Networking Academy Programme.
Women in Fife are tapping into new ways of learning to become Cisco Certified Networking Engineers.
13th February 2007, Publication of the Cisco 'State of the Nations' survey
A ground breaking report on the Cisco Networking Academy Program in Scotland is now available on the SQA DIVA website.
Commissioned by Cisco and SQA through the DIVA programme in spring 2006, it was authored by Mike Smith of Stevenson College and William McCabe of James Watt College, who jointly run the Cisco Development Centre, part of the SQA DIVA programme.
The report reviews the practice, issues and opportunities relating to the delivery of Cisco Networking Academy Program courses within SQA Qualifications. Based on a survey of Cisco Network Academies in Scotland, it gives a "view from the field", informed by the perspective of expert practitioners, active learning providers and their clients.
The output is a report packed with information on current teaching and learning and ideas for future development of Cisco Network Academy activities in Scotland, that will inform developments of the SQA Cisco collaboration.
Download the survey report (pdf)
Contact Details
To find out more about the Cisco DIVA activities, please contact:
William McCabe at James Watt College
Email: wmccabe @ jameswatt.ac.uk (please copy and paste omitting gaps inserted to avoid spam)