Teacher Training: Accreditation

Approved by STAT

The 3 year Teacher Training Course  is approved by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT) and is accredited at Level 4+ by The Open College Network for the South East Region. See the column on the right for full details.

Successful graduates may use the initials MSTAT after their name (Member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique).

Qualification

The Alexander Technique’s main professional body, the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT), which was established in 1958, approves the course and successful graduates will receive certification by STAT, in addition to certification by The Brighton Alexander Technique College.

STAT certification entitles the holder to membership of the society, for an annual fee. Benefits of membership include:

  • Access to the society’s office for information and advice
  • Group professional insurance rates organised by the society
  • Access to Continued Professional Education (CPE) courses and workshops organised by the society’s CPE committee
  • Listing on a professional membership register available to the public
  • Regular receipt of STATnews and The Alexander Journal (professional publications)
  • Voting rights at the societies’ AGM
  • Membership of the largest professional body of Alexander Technique teachers world-wide

Accreditation by OCN

The Open College Network is a regional partnership of education and training providers, which validates courses for its members. The Brighton Alexander Technique College is a member of the OCN South East Region. There are 11 Open College Networks (OCNs) in the 9 Regions of England,   Wales   and   Northern Ireland    and around half a million learners a year are enrolled on OCN courses. Each regional OCN is a member of the National Open College Network (NOCN), which, as the national awarding body, underwrites the quality of your course through common standards, which are applied to all OCNs. Whether you are studying on a national course, which has been approved by NOCN, or on a local one validated by one of the OCN regions, both are part of the National Credit Framework and provide you with benefits unique to credit-based courses.

Does the OCN course mean more assessment?

No – the training has been designed to ensure that assessment is appropriate to the nature of the course and the learners. You will get a workbook each year that outlines the Learning Outcomes and how they are achieved (the Assessment Criteria). The nature of the training provides continuous feedback and there are termly tutorials. The OCN appoints an external moderator to make sure that this assessment process is both fair and clearly understood.

A guide to the credit values of higher eductaion qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

OCN HIS is piloting award credits Level 4 + in addition to awards at four Levels, from basic education to advanced further education. These Levels are agreed nationally within a National Credit Framework. The Brighton Alexander Technique College Course is graded at Level 4+

The following guidance on credit values is designed to complement the Higher Education Qualification Framework (HEQF) for England , Wales and Northern Ireland (EWNI) (QAA 2001). The HEQF has five qualification levels and five corresponding sets of qualification descriptors. However, the QAA framework does not include any mechanism or criteria that can be used to differentiate between the qualifications at each qualification level. As a consequence, the qualifications that are clustered at each level share the same qualification descriptor.

The following table lists the HEQF qualification levels (left-hand block) and shows their correlation with a) levels relating to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) (middle block), and b) the commonly cited credit levels (right-hand block). The EWNI framework, which guides this development, is shaded. These would be benchmarked against the QCA levels 4/5 for the purpose of funding only.

Qualification levels (learner outcomes) and credit levels (demands on the learner) are not the same but they are related and for the purposes of the table, they may be correlated.

Credit Definitions and Principles

CREDIT
Definition

A quantified means of expressing equivalence of learning. Credit is awarded to a learner in recognition of the verified achievement of designated learning outcomes at a specified level

The award of credit is a means of formally recognising learning achievement. Credit is expressed in a quantified form so that learning achievement in different contexts can be broadly compared in terms of intellectual demand (level) and relative volume (number of credits).

 Principles

•  Credit provides a means of quantifying learning achievements, achievable in notional learning hours at a given level.

•  One credit equates to 10 notional hours of successful learning activity.

•  Notwithstanding the link between credit and notional learning time, the emphasis of assessment should be upon learning achieved and not time served.

•  Credit is awarded for the achievement of specified learning outcomes.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Definition

Statements of what a learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning.

The inclusion of learning outcomes in units of assessment promotes the development of coherent learning programmes and, by making the required student learning explicit, assists learner guidance. Credit accumulation and transfer is facilitated if clear learning outcomes are available to indicate with precision the achievements for which the credit will be awarded.

When used in association with their related assessment criteria, learning outcomes reflect the level at which the learning has occurred.

 

 Principles

•  Learning outcomes are distinct from the aims of learning, in that they are concerned with the achievements of the learner rather than the overall intentions of the tutor/facilitator.

•  The learning outcomes specified for a learning experience must be assessable.

•  The assessment strategy for a module/unit is designed in direct relationship to the skills and knowledge embedded in the learning outcomes.

•  Learning outcomes must be accompanied by appropriate assessment criteria which can be used to judge that the specified learning outcomes have been achieved.

•  Learning outcomes, together with assessment criteria, specify the minimum requirements for the award of credit. (The credit framework does not encompass a grading scheme.)

•  Statements of competence may be used as, and equate to, learning outcomes. Learning outcomes do not, however, always define competencies.

NOTE: It is the link between credit level descriptors, learning outcomes, and assessment criteria which sets the standard for achievement in the unit of assessment, and thus for the award of credit. It is important therefore, that all three elements are expressed clearly.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Definition

Descriptions of what the learner is expected to do, in order to demonstrate that a learning outcome has been achieved.

Assessment criteria have a direct relationship with learning outcomes. The purpose of assessment criteria is to establish clear and unambiguous standards of achievement in respect of each learning outcome, Level descriptors are used as a guide during this process.

 Principles

•  The assessment criteria are set at a threshold level of achievement; the credit framework does not accommodate performance in excess of this threshold.

NOTE: Assessment methods should not be confused with assessment criteria. The former could be ‘one 1500 word essay’, whilst the latter could be ‘the learner should demonstrate understanding of the specific topic, presenting well-structured arguments with reference to appropriate sources.’

UNIT
Definition

A description of the assessment attached to a structured learning experience which includes the title of the unit, a coherent set of learning outcomes, assessment criteria relating to each outcome, and the credit level.

 Principles

•  A unit details the means by which learning may be measured and verifiably assessed, ascribed to a predetermined credit level, and given a credit value.

• Additional information is attached to each unit which details methods of assessment and evidence for verification, indicative learning and bibliography/delivery resources, and a tutor/ facilitator specification.

NOTE: These guideline have been adapted by SEOCN from the November 2001 ‘Credit and HE Qualifications’ guidance provided by the four credit consortia. The level descriptors are unaltered and map to NOCN descriptors at Entry to level 3. Clarification has been added to some definitions and principles to distinguish modules and units in line with OCN practice.

Summary credit level descriptors

Learning accredited at this level will reflect the ability to:

ENTRY LEVEL – employ recall and demonstrate elementary comprehension in a narrow range of areas, exercise basic skills within highly structured contexts, and carry out directed activity under close supervision.

LEVEL 1 – employ a narrow range of applied knowledge, skills and basic comprehension within a limited range of predictable and structured contexts, including working with others under direct supervision, but with a very limited degree of discretion and judgement about possible action.

LEVEL 2 – apply knowledge with underpinning comprehension in a number of areas and employ a range of skills within a number of contexts, some of which may be non-routine; and undertake directed activities, with a degree of autonomy, within time constraints.

LEVEL 3 – apply knowledge and skills in a range of complex activities demonstrating comprehension of relevant theories; access and analyse information independently and make reasoned judgements, selecting from a considerable choice of procedures, in familiar and unfamiliar contexts; and direct own activities, with some responsibility for the output of others.

LEVEL 4 – develop a rigorous approach to the acquisition of a broad knowledge base; employ a range of specialized skills; evaluate information using it to plan and develop investigative strategies and to determine solutions to a variety of unpredictable problems; and operate in a range of varied and specific contexts, taking responsibility for the nature and quality of outputs.

LEVEL 5 – generate ideas through the analysis of concepts at an abstract level, with a command of specialised skills and the formulation of responses to well defined and abstract problems; analyse and evaluate information; exercise significant judgement across a broad range of functions; and accept responsibility for determining and achieving personal and/or group outcomes.

LEVEL 6 – critically review, consolidate and extend a systematic and coherent body of knowledge, utilizing specialised skills across an area of study; critically evaluate new concepts and evidence from a range of sources; transfer and apply diagnostic and creative skills and exercise significant judgement in a range of situations; and accept accountability for determining and achieving personal and/or group outcomes.

LEVEL 7 – display mastery of a complex and specialised area of knowledge and skills, employing advanced skills to conduct research, or advanced technical or professional activity, accepting accountability for related decision making including use of supervision.

LEVEL 8 – make a significant and original contribution to a specialised field of inquiry demonstrating a command of methodological issues and engaging in critical dialogue with peers; accepting full accountability for outcomes.

NOTE: See Table 1 above  for the correlation between these 9 credit levels (Entry – Level 8 ) and the QCA and QAA qualification levels.

Broadly:

•  Entry Level – Level 3 correlates to the FE National Qualifications Framework

•  Levels 4,5 and 6 correlate to the HE Qualification Levels Certificate (C), Intermediate (I) and Honours (H)

•  Levels 7 and 8 correlate to the HE Qualification Levels Masters (M) and Doctoral (D) respectively.