Construction Industry Council The Educator’s...

CIC - The Educator’s Auditing Toolkit, © Construction Industry Council 2012

Construction Industry Council

The Educator’s Auditing Toolkit

A guide to auditing the content of built environment courses against

the National Occupational Standards

March 2012

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CIC - Educator’s Auditing Toolkit © Construction Industry Council 2012

About the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and ConstructionSkills

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) represents the views of the industry (from a professional, managerial and technical viewpoint) in ConstructionSkills – the Sector Skills Council for construction. ConstructionSkills is a partnership between CIC, CITB-ConstructionSkills and CITB ConstructionSkills Northern Ireland.

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Contents About the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and ConstructionSkills

1. Context

1.1 Employability and Curricula Auditing

1.2 The Case for Vocational Learning Audits

1.3 Benchmarking and Accreditation

2. National Occupational Standard (NOS) in detail

2.1 How are Standards developed and maintained

2.2 How can the Standards be used?

2.3 What are the benefits of auditing curricula against NOS

3. The Curricula Audit Tool

3.1 The Methodology

Appendix I

The Audit Work Sheet

Further reading and links

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This audit tool has been

developed to provide practical

guidance on examining the

breadth and level to which, built

environment curricula meet the

needs, functions, expectations and

levels of competence established

by the construction and built

environment sector.

The audit aims to assist academic

departments with the fine tuning

of curricula in relation to:

Current and emerging skills

needs

Sustainability and low carbon

skills needs

Employability issues

1.0 The Context

This toolkit does not seek to

prescribe or dictate built

environment curricula; the audit

tool is merely a way of giving a

structured picture of learning

needs from the world of formally

expressed sector requirements to

help inform the development of

learning programmes.

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1.1 Employability & Curricula Auditing

Employability has been a focus for

many years, the need for ‘key’

skills, work based learning

opportunities, and most relevantly

here, calls for greater

collaboration between higher

education and employers.

Employability can be defined as:

“a set of achievements – skills,

understanding and personal

attributes – that make graduates

more likely to gain employment

and be successful in their chosen

occupations, which benefits

themselves, the workforce, the

community and the economy”.

Yorke (2004, reissued 2006)

Higher Education Institutions

(HEIs) have been addressing the

issue of employability and

graduate skills.

However, interest in how higher

education supports graduate

employability has increased

significantly over the last two to

three years, partly because the

prevailing economic conditions

have led to greater competition

for graduate jobs.

Furthermore, central policy is now

obviously pointing towards

employability, for example in the

context of public information,

higher education will be expected

to provide, including for

prospective students. At the

same time, HEIs and stakeholder

groups have developed a range

of guidance, information and

project work with a view to

debating, advising and testing

various methods of curriculum

audit. These tools have tended to

look at the issues in as wide a

view as possible using criteria that

can be applied across HE

curricula.

This document, The Educator’s

Auditing Toolkit, seeks to locate

itself within the more general

process that assesses

employability within curricula in a

holistic way,

as noted, but also allows

exploration of the more vocational

aspects of those curricula in terms

of employment functions and

competence.

This toolkit allows flexibility in the

focus and depth of review by the

curricula leaders and providers.

Undergraduate programmes vary

a great deal in their length, focus,

module configuration,

employability content and

learning outcomes - it would

therefore be difficult to consider a

programme using a “one size fits

all” methodology.

The audit process can be

undertaken by an individual as a

desk exercise, but there are

suggested points in the process

where others such as a

department management team or

teaching staff could take part in

reflection and reviewing sections

before moving on to the next

stage.

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1.2 The Case for Vocational Learning Audits

There is a special case for

curriculum deemed to be

vocational in nature to have input

from industry. This document

provides helpful support (along

with others provided by higher

education) which should enable

graduates to enter employment

successfully, and progress to seek

professional recognition in their

future working lives.

As well as industry input, the

sector National Occupational

Standards have been created by

industry to express its needs,

functions and areas of

competence, in terms of the

occupational performance,

underpinning knowledge and

understanding, and the working

context in which they are carried

out.

Employers also need to recognise

their responsibilities in developing

their staff to complement the

foundation provided by a formal

education programme. However,

making use of the National

Occupational Standards can help

to prepare graduates for

employment and to overcome the

criticism sometimes levelled at the

education system, which is that it

does not always relate to, or

prepare students for meeting

industry needs.

Is university/college the best

place to learn about the

functions of industry as

expressed in National

Occupational Standards (NOS)?

This toolkit does not seek to

override the value and place of

academic or other higher

education learning. Furthermore

its use of NOS should not be

taken to suggest that graduates

should emerge “oven ready” from

higher education for any

particular occupation.

http://www.cic.org.uk/standards/default.aspx


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1.3 Benchmarking & Accreditation

This tool has been designed to fit

within an overall strategy of

curriculum reviewing techniques

and other benchmarking

requirements including:

Higher Education Institution/

college/training provider

programme design and

delivery

QAA (Quality Assurance

Agency) Subject Benchmarking

Professional body accreditation

and membership

Individual professional

development

This tool does not seek to

override the needs and

requirements of the other

important benchmarks such as

those listed above. This tool can

be tailored to suit particular

curriculum audit requirements,

and can be used as a means of

facilitating discussion, in

rebalancing and informing the

content of courses or modules to

more closely align to industry

needs.

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2. 0 The National Occupational Standards in detail

CIC manages on behalf of the

sector, the database of higher

level National Occupational

Standards for Professional,

Managerial and Technical roles in

the Built Environment (along with

discipline-specific suites of

National Occupational Standards

that form the basis for NVQ

Diplomas – within the

Qualifications and Credit

Framework and Scottish

Vocational Qualifications, within

the SVQ Framework).


describe the competence required

by an individual to carry out a

particular job function relating to

their job role, to a specified

industry benchmark.

The entire set of National

Occupational Standards can be

viewed and searched on the

following website http://

www.cic.org.uk/standards/

standards.aspx

The National Occupational

Standards cover aspects as varied

as:

Survey, map, test and assess data

and physical and environmental

characteristics of the natural and

built environment (B3), to manage

skills needs, recruitment, personnel

development and welfare (F3)

These National Occupational

Standards (NOS) set out generic

pan-sector coverage of functions

relevant to disciplines across the

built environment representing a

detailed map of employment

requirements including:

Building development

(including new build,

extension, refurbishment and

alteration)

Urban and rural development

Infrastructure development

Transportation

Environmental development

Building services engineering

Landscaping

Maintenance and conservation

http://www.cic.org.uk/standards/standards.aspx



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2.1 How are National Occupational Standards developed & maintained?

By working with employers we are

able to identify current industry

benchmarks and incorporate any

changing work practices into the

National Occupational Standards.

In consultation with employers

CIC has developed a ‘Functional

Map’ for the built environment

Professional, Managerial and

Technical work roles which

provides a ‘family tree’ view of

the functions and skills required in

the sector. http://www.cic.org.uk/

standards/standards/

astandards1.aspx

natural and built environment and

its infrastructure, balancing the

requirements of all stakeholders”

Source, CIC NOS website.

The National Occupational

Standards are subject to

continuous monitoring and

updating to reflect changing

practice in industry (e.g. as a

result of policy change, new

legislation, technology or working

practices).


are developed from the

Functional Map by a process of

‘functional analysis’ that identifies

employment ‘outcomes’ or what

needs to be achieved in the

workplace. The analysis describes

the whole sector – and stems from

a description of the overall

‘purpose’ of the industry within

the economy – called the ‘Key

Purpose’ which is to:

“Plan, design, construct, manage

and maintain the sustainable

development and use of the

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2.2 How can the National Occupational Standards be used?


can be used for a wide variety of

purposes including the

development of competence

based qualifications such as

National Vocational Qualifications

(NVQ Diplomas) and Scottish

Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

They can also provide evidence

that an individual has both the

knowledge and technical ability to

carry out a job role to a

recognised industry standard or

benchmark.


set out Performance Criteria

(statements describing outcomes

of successful individual workplace

performance) and Ranges (setting

out the circumstances and factors

to which that performance

applies).

Each Standard also has a

specification of the evidence of

workplace performance

knowledge and understanding

(directly derived from the

performance requirements) which,

when taken into account

collectively, allow individuals to

training and qualification

development on industry

competence needs.

The adoption of National

Occupational Standards (especially

where they have been integrated

into industry qualification

systems), enables individuals from

any background to see how they

might build on formally taught/

learnt and work-based knowledge

and experience they have

acquired, and identify the areas of

knowledge and understanding

and experience which they need

develop to meet industry

competence requirements in order

to progress.

Note: It is worth bearing in mind

that there is unlikely to be a one-

to-one relationship between

individual National Occupational

Standards and curriculum

modules/subjects. Subjects/topics

as they appear in National

Occupational Standards often

relate to a number of different

industry functions.

demonstrate competence in the

relevant work function.

Previous collaborative work with

the Higher Education community

in the sector has enabled the

structure and format of the


to evolve to be of use to those

developing and reviewing

educational programmes.


have been developed as a

fundamental diagnostic,

developmental, and qualifying

tool – potentially useful for

strategic sector, organisational

and individual purposes. They

provide a central mechanism for

inter-relating academic, vocational

and professional qualifying

systems across the built

environment, and represent the

‘common currency’ of skills for

the industry.


can help organisations and

individuals identify progression

paths and help focus education,

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2.3 What are the benefits of auditing curricula against National Occupational Standards?

Meeting industry learning needs

Identifying areas of knowledge and learning needed in the sector to meet current needs and

employability within the industry, filling skills gaps, or meeting new and changing sector needs for

Future Skills.

Identifying the functions and knowledge and understanding that are common to a range of

occupations or specific to particular occupations.

Working with industry

Opening up new opportunities to support engagement with, and gain understanding of, employers’

requirements.

Connecting with the key bench marks of industry defined best practice performance and underpinning

knowledge and understanding.

Facilitating learner progression

Interrelating academic, vocational and professional qualifying systems and individual progression based

on a common currency of industry National Occupational Standards.

Supporting curriculum development

Helping to inform broader learning outcomes such as problem solving.

Recording and potentially accrediting student performance in a wide range of aspects of learning.

Helping learning providers to stay in touch with industry developments and new practices.

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This diagram, outlines each step in

the methodology and is followed

by a more in-depth explanation of

the tool.

The tool is further supported by

an Excel worksheet an example of

which gained be obtained by

contacting the Construction

Industry Council (CIC).

3.0 The Curricula Audit Tool

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3.1 The Methodology

1. Understanding National Occupational Standards – It will be

useful before starting the process to have an understanding of

the structure and content of the National Occupational

Standards these can be viewed on the CIC Skills website (see

also section 2 above).

2. Decide on the scope of your audit by selecting the modules

to be assessed – The modular nature of much higher education

provision has created opportunities for students to customise

their learning. (It may, due to time constraints, or a lack of

resources or relevance, be deemed most appropriate to review

only mandatory units). Select the curriculum modules to be

audited and add the learning outcomes to the worksheet.

3. Select the applicable National Occupation Standards – CIC’s

Audit Worksheet has the Standards relating to sustainability

pre selected. For details of these and other relevant standards

visit http://www.cic.org.uk/standards/default.aspx. The

National Occupational Standards are arranged by broad areas

of industry functions labelled A-F and relating to:

A. planning and policy

B. brief development

C. design

D. construction projects

E. property survey, maintenance and management

F. organisational and personal management

The National Occupational Standards can be accessed from the

‘family tree’ format of the Functional Map display be

progressively clicking on successive stages of the Map to reach

the areas of interest. There is also a word search facility to

access NOS covering a particular area. The NOS can be

individually saved and printed.

They are applicable to the professional, managerial and

technical employment outputs required across most of the built

environment.




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4. Map course curricula modules to the applicable Standards – this

may have already started in the earlier selection stage, the links

between individual modules and the related learning outcomes

should now be mapped to establish relevance.

Note: the National Occupational Standards describe functional

outcomes rather than learning outcomes. However key words in

NOS titles will provide broad focus and the details of the NOS –

particularly ‘Range’ will identify areas of learning. In most cases a

particular areas of knowledge/learning will be found in a number

of different NOS. This can be useful in identifying how learning is

likely to need to be applied in the workplace.

5. Review Choices (potential team task) – at this stage the course

modules, learning outcomes and National Occupational Standards

have been selected and added to the worksheet. Once completed,

the team are in a position to share their perceptions and

observations of the knowledge requirement and learning

outcomes and their potential link with the industry requirements

as set out in the National Occupational Standards. The review may

reveal that some of the original choices are less relevant, or

alternatively that other NOS may need to be found if perceived

areas are not covered.

6. Review Standards in relation to Learning Outcomes. Reference

to the individual mapped National Occupational Standards will

enable reviewers to consider:

Subject matter - best found in the Ranges

How knowledge is likely to be applied in industry - best

found in the Performance Criteria)

The depth of knowledge required in industry - best found

in the ‘Knowledge Specification’

This is derived by identifying the verbs in the performance criteria

that relate them to each Range (topic/subject). These verbs have

been classified in taxonomy under 1 of 5 headings of increasing

depth, each with a descriptor to help identify the kind of

knowledge requirement it contains: Understanding, Application,

Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation.

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7. Weight and “score” the learning outcome against the individual

National Occupational Standards. Each of the learning outcomes

identified above can be assigned a marking range between zero to

100% to indicate the degree to which, it is believed that each

learning outcome supports the requirements set out in relevant

National Occupational Standards.

In carrying out this task, it would be appropriate to consider both

the aim and the mode of delivery of the module e.g. the extent to

which a module is intended to develop learning in relation to

practice, whether the module is part of a programme that

separately includes a period of industry experience which would

develop other aspects of learning. As a guide ‘Industry Practice

Level’ could be identified in relation to the proportion of the

module’s aim in giving the student Awareness, Understanding,

Experience or Ability in the subject taught.

Score each of the National Occupational Standard identified using

the weighting guidance below:

Developing Awareness (0% - 25%)

Developing Understanding (26% - 50%)

Developing Experience (51% - 75%)

Developing Ability (76% - 100%)

This stage may be fundamental to linking curriculum and its delivery

to the statement of industry need made by the National Occupational

Standards being used within the audit. It was strongly evidenced from

work in 2011 with a range of HEIs that potentially critical insights are

likely to form at this stage. For example, this was when it became

apparent that projects could be cast and assessed slightly differently in

order to drive what students were doing, particularly from Developing

Understanding to Developing Ability, hence moving potential

outcomes further towards employability capacity indicated by the

National Occupational Standards in areas projects address. Relevant

changes to content and assessment could be supported by including

more genuinely work based issues which sit well with the Learning

Outcomes projects contribute to and that match as many verbs as

possible from Performance Criteria (see 6 above) of the National

Occupational Standards being considered in the audit.

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8. Review weightings and add qualitative commentary – Scores and

perceptions can be shared with the team, the aim of which is to fine

tune the scoring of the module content and learning outcomes

against the National Occupational Standards against and discuss any

assumptions made during the scoring process.

9. Review curricula ‘gaps’ and ‘shortfalls’ and develop a strategy for

addressing them – With the audit complete and any ‘gaps’ or

‘shortfalls’ identified, there is an opportunity to refine and adjust, or

add content to the curriculum in line with the needs of employers’

current and future skills needs and in conjunction with the other

benchmarking and accreditation requirements set out in section 1.4

above. By using the information in the relevant National

Occupational Standards (see section 7 above), new or changed

Learning Outcomes can be developed. A summary of the findings

might also helpfully inform any Employability Statement relating to

the course whose curriculum has been audited. Whilst it is

recognised that there are often pressures to include new material

within curricula, the tool could also be useful in identifying by

default where aspects of learning may now be less relevant and

worth considering for exclusion.

For those wishing to explore the use of National Occupational

Standards to develop rather than review curricula informed by

National Occupational Standards, CIC has separately published the

‘Educator’s Toolkit’ available at: http://www.cicskills.org.uk/

resources/resources.php

http://www.cicskills.org.uk/resources/resources.php

http://www.cicskills.org.uk/resources/resources.php

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Audit Work Sheet and Standards link

To further assist with the use of this tool an Audit Pro forma

Worksheet has been produced in Microsoft Excel which includes an

example sheet and list of the CIC’s National Occupational Standards

with reference links. The sheet can be obtained on request from CIC,

please contact David Cracknell at [email protected]

Appendix I

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The Teaching for Employability Audit Tool which uses the USEM (Understanding, Skills, Efficacy and Meta-

cognition) model. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/Employability/employability458

The ESECT web based toolkit (Enhancing Student Employability Coordination Team)

www.qualityresearchinternational.com/esecttools/

The Higher Education Academy/Council for Industry in Higher Education Student Employability Profiles

(53 discipline/ subject aligned profiles)

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/employability/Employability_profiles_print_pdf

CIC would like to extend a special thanks to Dr Kath Galloway, education and skills consultant and Phil

Harris of the University of Wolverhampton for related work which particularly informed the auditing

spread sheet.

Further reading and links

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/Employability/employability458

http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/esecttools/

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/employability/Employability_profiles_print_pdf

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Construction Industry Council

26 Store Street

London

WC1E 7BT

www.cic.org.uk

www.cicskills.org.uk

t. +44 (0)207 399 7400

f. +44 (0)207 399 7425

For more information contact

David Cracknell

Director of Skills and Lifelong Learning

[email protected]

[email protected]

ConstructionSkills is the Sector Skills Council for Construction. It is a partnership between the Construction Industry Council

(CIC), CITB ConstructionSkills and CITB ConstructionSkills Northern Ireland.

mailto:[email protected]

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