NextGen: HN - Birth of the Pilot Phase - Case Study

Birth of the pilot phase

In January 2018, SQA began a project to review the suite of Higher National Certificate/Diploma qualifications as part of a wider product portfolio programme. Much has changed in the education landscape since the HNC/D qualification was last reviewed, and even more has changed in the past year. The SQA consultation and design process was launched to consider how best to reshape the qualification for the future.

The process included extensive engagement with colleges, sector skills bodies, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Funding Council and other key stakeholders. A series of Service Design workshops were held focusing on: 

• Strengths and weaknesses of current product
• Key stakeholders of the product
• Requirements and expectations of the future student
• Idea development and iteration.

HN qualifications are vital for many learners, as standalone qualifications or as a progression route into further education or employment, and it was important to ensure any changes would only add value to the current products.

The engagement findings led to the following agreed outcomes:

• HN Next Gen overarching framework
• Overall approach to 21st century skills and specific sector examples
• Approach to ‘digital by design’, including specific outcomes
• Approach(es) to work-based learning
• Approach(es) to recognising other learning
• Approach to assessment
• Approach to enable progression to employment and/or HE
• Approach to differentiation

What has changed?

The key features of the new product are:

• HNC (level 7) and HND (level 8) are standalone qualifications worth 120 SCQF credit points (equivalent to 15 SQA credits) each
• Larger and fewer units of learning to significantly reduce assessment load and encourage more integrated learning, teaching and assessment approaches
• Opportunity to develop meta-skills – defined as skills that help us to adapt and excel in any context the future brings
• Significantly reduced assessment load for both learners and staff
• Three new models of grading we are testing these across the pilot qualifications
• Digital technology used across delivery to enhance and support effective, flexible and learner-centred assessment, learning and teaching approaches  
• New approaches to grading and Quality Assurance based on stakeholder feedback and learners needs.