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THE IBS
PROGRAMME EXPLAINED
What are GNVQs? GNVQ stands for ‘General National Vocational Qualification’. They are designed to give students an understanding of a broad vocational area - i.e. business, leisure, computing, and management. The qualifications are relevant to a number of different jobs, and provide a good basis for a higher level course.
Every GNVQ has the same structure. They are made up of Vocational Skills and Key Skills. Vocational units cover the knowledge and skills needed in a particular area of business. Every GNVQ has a different set of vocational units. Besides completing the vocational units students have to develop 3 Key Skills: Communication, Application of Number and Information Technology. Every GNVQ uses the same key skills units. At an advanced level (the level we are offering) there are 8 mandatory units and 4 optional units. All of these units embrace an aspect of economy or business: The mandatory units are:
The optional units of our choice are:
An additional Unit we cover is:
The key skills units are:
All units consist of three elements, which are described, in performance criteria (eindtermen) and range statements describing the way the performance criteria have to be carried out. Besides the fact that a GNVQ Advanced Business is more or less the British equivalent to the Dutch MBO International Trade, there are certainly more reasons for adopting this English programme as a model for teaching in Holland. Responsibility In a programme that teaches students to become skilled international business people, even trained to set up and run their own business abroad, we feel that students should get used to the responsibilities and pressures in this field. The GNVQ system is based on the fact that the students have to prove they have a working knowledge of everything involved in the programme. Assignments The material to be studied is assimilated in a series of assignments for each unit in the programme. Teachers cover the necessary theory and instruct students on the assignment to be made. Portfolio In the English GNVQ system we work with ‘evidence indicators’ which describe in great detail what evidence the student must collect to show his/her skills. All this evidence is being collected in a ‘portfolio’, a binder that becomes increasingly more valuable to students, showing all the work that has been done. Each skill has to be shown three times during the course, in different situations. This appears to be an objective way to judge skills. External Tests The mandatory Vocational Units are externally tested by Edexcel/BTEC. To pass these units a student needs to pass the tests at one time during the programme. Each test can be taken as often as necessary within the three times they are held each year. Grading There are three grades, which can be awarded. These are pass, merit and distinction. In contrast to the grading system used for traditional qualifications, the method of grading GNVQ is based upon centrally formulated grading themes concerned with the skills of planning, information seeking, handling, evaluation and quality of outcomes.
The grading criteria at Advanced Level GNVQ have been formulated in a manner designed to align the qualification with the A-level grading system. Broadly speaking, it is intended that a distinction at GNVQ Advanced Level would be comparable with grades A/B at A-level whilst a merit can be compared with an A-level grade C and a pass with A-level grades D/E. Work experience Although not necessary for the GNVQs, the Dutch programme requires a 20% coverage of the course contents in a work placement situation. This adds up to a period of about 8 to 10 weeks of work placement each year. The students do part of this placement in England. More details about this:work.htm Dutch vs. English programme Comparing the English programme to the Dutch programme, there are ample possibilities to integrate the two courses. The Dutch curriculum however, is more extended so there are several subjects that are mandatory in Holland, which are not covered by the English terms. In order to be able to teach these subjects in a uniform manner within the IBS-programme we have decided to examine all Dutch requirements excepting the languages through assignments graded like GNVQ units. In some cases we were able to go from the English GNVQ unit and add several items from the Dutch requirements to the assignment in order to work efficiently. Dutch modules not covered in the GNVQs include:
Two or more qualifications Integration of the Dutch and English programmes enables us to offer the student two qualifications:
As our students participate in Mini-ondernemingen Nederland (Mini Enteprise) they are eligible to enter the Oxford Small Business Exam. More about this subject:small.htm Furthermore, we are co-operating in several international projects that issue separate certificates for modules such as European Studies. Further Education Lead body of the GNVQ programme is Edexcel International /BTEC in London. The BTEC qualifications are recognised in more than a hundred countries. Students can continue their studies at an HBO level in the Netherlands or at an English Institute of Higher Education. Many British Universities allow GNVQ Advanced students as well. |
