Kathryn McNair December 2014 Developing a qualification which uses GIS to help students ‘Get the Edge’ Kathryn McNair December 2014

Aims and objectives Investigate the potential for enhanced student employability by using Geographical Information Systems as a tool for learning. Conduct research to assess the effectiveness of the current Level 3 GIS offering Identify a qualification to be used as a basis to both create student awareness of GIS and improve their employability Gain commitment from Schools across the curriculum to use GIS within their area as a tool to give students the ‘edge’.

What’s the problem? POSITIVE: Level 3 GIS for Business evening course has been running successfully since 2011 GIS is a growing industry with many employers looking for people with these skills – the need is still there BUT: Unit 1 of the course is in its 3rd year of being taught to Level 3 FT Business students Experience of co-ordinating and teaching this has shown the process to be difficult and students reluctant Is this an effective way to help students ?

Enterprise Hub Expertise Recruitment Agency Interview research Student Survey NI Skills Survey 2013 Student Focus Group GIS Qualification Enterprise Hub Expertise Staff Interview Recruitment Agency Interview

findings Unit is overly technical and difficult for students to learn skill GIS is very relevant in industry today Very lecturer dependant due to student needs Poor achievement and attendance GIS roles are hard to fill Employers want people prepared for work with skills required Some students see the benefits of studying GIS Stressful to teach GIS gives students the ‘edge’

Options Advantages Disadvantages Option 1 – Do nothing Continue with the Level 3 GIS for Business Unit 1 Advantages Students learn new in-depth skills STEM funding continues Unique qualification Disadvantages Overly technical for this level Poor attendance and achievement rates will continue Very dependant on lecturer guidance Difficult to expand across curriculum areas

Options Advantages Disadvantages Option 2 – Stop teaching GIS to students Advantages Solves poor achievement issues Takes pressure off lecturers to learn about GIS Disadvantages Loss of STEM funding Lack of opportunity to Get the Edge Shying away from the problem

Options Advantages Disadvantages Option 3 – Develop a Level 2 GIS unit City and Guilds Employability Qualification Advantages Students learn GIS skills Less technical, more achievable Easier for lecturers to grasp Applicable to a range of subject areas Disadvantages Lower amount of FLU funding Loss of opportunity to learn ArcGIS Desktop skills Not 100% GIS focused

Chosen Option Option 3 - Develop a Level 2 GIS unit City and Guilds Level 2 Employability - Unit 505 – Candidate project for learning and work Aim – Use GIS as a tool to complete a project

From this… Great range of GIS skills covered but: Overly technical Lecturer dependant Every student completing exactly the same Difficult to achieve Full year to complete Outcome does not illustrate student understanding and GIS skill

To this… Modern use of ESRI technology Take control of own project Less technical Independent learning Shorter time to complete Take control of own project In an area of student interest More achievable

Resources and costs Learning materials development – 3 hours with Geraldine Boden Staff training – 20 members of staff attend a 3 hour workshop (£1355.40) Enable a block-teaching of the unit (inter-semester week) Improve efficiency, motivation and success rates of the course If applied to all level 3 full-time students there is a potential of £325,748.80 income for the College – £133 (FLU minus teaching cost and training per student) X 2,455 FT FE L3 students If we stay with current GIS unit the income would remain the same at £12,440.48

Benefits: Cost savings through shorter course Continued source of FLU income Potential to be tailored depending to needs – work with local businesses for real-life projects and increase student motivation Applicable to a wide range of curriculums School of Business Tourism School of Engineering Software Development Could lead onto inclusion in other assignments as students move up through the College Spread the word of GIS to staff And most importantly it allows students to……