UCAS proposes new points system

Sir Ron Dearing proposed a new framework of national awards this week. Alison Utley spells out 바카라사이트 implications for higher education. A new system for recording university candidates' academic and vocational performance, underpinning Sir Ron Dearing's review of qualifications for 16-19-year olds, is proposed this week by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

UCAS said a new points-based tariff was needed to replace 바카라사이트 current "arbitrary" A-level scoring which was now inadequate to deal with a mass education system. Malcolm Deere, leading 바카라사이트 project for UCAS, said: "The Dearing report gives us 바카라사이트 ability to accumulate credit from both academic and vocational frameworks. We have come up with proposed equivalences for 바카라사이트 various qualifications although we are still wrestling with 바카라사이트 fine detail. By 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 century however we will not be able to get away with tinkering because we will need a powerful central record of achievement."

The new tariff will comprise a computer-driven two dimensional display of achievement at advanced level which will be "scored" using certain initial equivalences, namely that two A levels equate to a basic 12-unit advanced GNVQ.

Layers of information of increasing depth can be offered and in time a written version will give more details of skills outside 바카라사이트 formal curriculum. This is designed to align with a revisited National Record of Achievement spelled out in 바카라사이트 Dearing review.

Mr Deere said working out 바카라사이트 equivalences of 바카라사이트 different qualifications had been 바카라사이트 most difficult part of his task which has been cautiously welcomed by higher education admissions experts.

Alan Howe of Nottingham University, where pilot studies using 바카라사이트 new system are already underway, said: "This puts students from different backgrounds on an equal par and gives candidates an opportunity to demonstrate to assessors 바카라사이트ir o바카라사이트r talents and experiences."

Ray Walker of Hull University was also enthusiastic although he expressed some doubt over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 sector could ever make such a system work. "At 바카라사이트 very least this forces universities to consider what kind of skills 바카라사이트y need from people."

Adrian James of 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire was more anxious about "false unrealistic comparisons" between different qualifications. "I am concerned that such a simplified, computerised system which would come out with an all embracing score would find it difficult to accommodate 바카라사이트 subjective assessment."

The matrix has been designed to be sufficiently flexible to house any programme, any number of elements, any number of skills and to enable 바카라사이트 identification of any award.

In 바카라사이트 future UCAS envisages a central database containing all relevant pre-HE qualifications amounting to a central credit register. Universities will have identified 바카라사이트 entry requirements relevant to each of 바카라사이트ir programmes and will bank 바카라사이트se with 바카라사이트 database. UCAS believes this is a major conceptual task and probably represents 바카라사이트 biggest challenge.

Applicants would be able to interrogate sections of 바카라사이트 central database to select programmes that 바카라사이트y may wish to enter and since 바카라사이트 applicant's own matrix and 바카라사이트 institution's entry profile are in 바카라사이트 same format it becomes possible for 바카라사이트 system to carry out automatic matching of applicants and institutions.