Big Idea, Small Steps

The book traces the development of the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) from its initial announcement in July 2003 through to its implementation in November 2008. It also examines in some detail the history of credit systems in the UK in the two decades and more prior to 2003 and shows how these credit systems have evolved since the early 1980s and have influenced both the design and the policy intentions of the QCF. Peter Wilson has a unique insight into this subject. He was involved in some of the early work on developing local credit systems, as well as acting as Principal Adviser to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on the design of the QCF itself.

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. xiii
A new beginning	p. 1
The origins of credit systems in the UK	p. 5
The Manchester model	p. 9
After Manchester: The next Open College Networks	p. 19
From the local to the national: The creation of NOCN	p. 24
Separate and not equal: Credits and qualifications	p. 29
NVQs and credit systems	p. 32
Exporting credit: Integrating OCN credit systems with NVQs	p. 39
Exporting credit: The first 'credit-rating' experiment	p. 43
From commonality to credit transfer	p. 48
Towards a national credit framework	p. 54
A basis for credit?	p. 58
Beyond 'A basis for credit?'	p. 62
Access to HE programmes and credit systems	p. 69
OCNs and credit frameworks	p. 76
Credit developments in England	p. 83
Choosing not to change: Credit developments in HE	p. 90
From local initiatives to a national presence	p. 95
The reform of qualifications	p. 102
The learning age and the onward march of credit	p. 107
Coming to terms with a divided system	p. 112
The relationship between credits and qualifications	p. 115
'Credit' without credits: The myth of unitisation	p. 118
'Credit' without credits: The seduction of credit-rating	p. 126
The development of credit in Wales	p. 130
Good in theory: The Nicats initiative	p. 139
Units, qualifications and rationalisation	p. 143
The establishing of the NQF	p. 151
Credit systems inside and outside the NQF	p. 157
Driving a wedge between credit and qualifications	p. 160
What we talk about when we talk about credit	p. 164
Unitisation or credit?: The phoney war of 2002	p. 170
From reform to disaster: The debacle of 2002	p. 177
Skills, modernisation and credit	p. 181
England expects	p. 185
What kind of framework? And what kind of credit?	p. 190
A framework for achievement	p. 197
Cold feet and twiddling thumbs	p. 203
A UK-wide programme of reform	p. 209
Testing and trialling the new framework	p. 215
Best of breed: The QCF in an international context	p. 221
Half-way there: The first year of tests and trials	p. 227
Credit: The missing test?	p. 234
The final push: From development to implementation	p. 241
Preparing for launch	p. 246
Beyond NVQs	p. 252
A truly comprehensive framework?	p. 259
Credits and qualifications, peaches and cream	p. 265
Credit transfer, learner mobility and rationalisation	p. 271
Transforming qualifications through credit	p. 277
A credit system for all	p. 284
Rediscovering credit	p. 292
Bibliography	p. 304
Index	p. 312
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Big Idea, Small Steps

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