Services Supporting Learning in Wales: a quality toolkit for

evaluating LRSs in FE colleges

Dr Andrew EynonLibrary Resource Manager,Coleg Llandrillo

Toolkit Project Manager

Welsh FE/library sector

fforwm – Welsh association of colleges fforwm LRM network CyMAL – Museums, Archives & Libraries WalesEstyn – Welsh schools & colleges inspectorateELWa – Education & Learning Wales (Welsh funding council)DELLS – (Welsh) Dept of Education, Lifelong Learning & Skills - replaced ELWa in April 2006

Why do we need a quality toolkit?

Colleges evaluate themselves against a variety of criteriaInspection bodies only give learning resources a cursory examinationNeed for up to date benchmarks

Partners

Fforwm LRM Network CyMALJISC RSC-Wales

Welsh Quality Toolkit -What are the differences?

Services Supporting Learning in Wales: A Quality Toolkit for Evaluating Learning Resource Services in Further Education Colleges

Noddwyd y cyhoeddiad gan: Publication sponsored by the:

Key Questions

Key question 1: Does the Learning Resource Service provide an effective learning environment?

Key question 2: Is the service sufficiently staffed with suitably qualified and experienced staff?

Key question 3: Are learners provided with appropriate access to learning resources that meet the demands of their learning experience?

Key question 4: Does the service demonstrate successful integration of ILT/ICT?

Key Questions

Key question 5: Does the provision of user support enhance the quality of the student experience?

Key question 6: Is the service accessible to, and inclusive of, all learners?

Key question 7: Is the learning resource service effectively managed, does it have a robust quality assurance process and is it making good use of library management information?

Each Key Question contains:

Quality IndicatorsKey PromptsExamples of EvidencePerformance IndicatorsGrade Illustrations

Grading - Wales

Grade 1: Good with outstanding features

Grade 2: Good features and no important shortcomings

Grade 3: Good features outweigh shortcomings

Grade 4: Some good features, but shortcomings in important areas

Grade 5: Many important shortcomings

Advantages of using the toolkit:

Judge quality of performance against a set of criteriaIdentify development needs and prioritiesHighlight best practiceIdentify patterns of service strength and weaknessDevelop service improvement action plans

Keeping up the standard

Staff development on using the toolkitGuidance notesPeer reviewReview of toolkit

Peer evaluation

Funding secured in April 2006 to develop a peer evaluation schemeInfluenced by Helicon, CoLRiC, MCCL and the MLA scheme in Yorkshire & Humberside

Project outlineDevelop peer evaluation checklistsTrain peer assessorsEstablish guidelines for assessorsCarry out pilot peer evaluations

Coleg MenaiColeg Meirion-DwyforSwansea College

Issues

Need for bilingual assessorsNeed for all-Wales benchmarksSpecific need for qualitative benchmarking

Further Information

Fforwm

www.fforwm.ac.ukRSC-Wales

www.rsc-wales.ac.uk