Dear Martin,

Thanks for the nudge to respond, I fully intended to last week, honest!

I am based at the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) at the University of
Sussex where I am responsible for organising all our sciences courses,
offered to the wider community across Sussex (Open Courses).  We have gone
down the credit road for the past 3 years, our day school programme (highly
successful and non-credited) folded 2 years ago due to the end of funding.

This was greeted by howls of protest (from both students and tutors!) and an
initial drop in enrolments.  However, through perseverance, reassuring
students and some innovative assessment techniques, we seem to be
succeeding.  I am  pleased to say that the University of Sussex views CCE in
a very favourable light, as we make a substantial contribution to its target
of delivering part time learning.

The courses that I organise are HE level 1 but achieved at half the rate of
our so-called award-bearing courses.  They offer an introduction to HE
learning and the credit can be used towards some AB courses.  An example is
our new Certificate in Landscape Studies which requires students to have
gained 60 credits from the Open Course programme.  They then take 60 credits
over 1 year of our core first year courses from our Landscape Studies
degree.  If they feel that a 6-year part time degree is not for them, they
can exit with the Certificate.  So far the 2 students registered for the
Certificate are going on to take the degree.

There is still resistance to doing work on Open Courses, the moan of "Why
can't I just come and enjoy myself and learn without having to do work?" is
still common.  However, my tutors are becoming highly skilled at gentle
persuasion and encouragement and in 90% of cases are successful in getting
work out of students.

In order to recapture our day school students we have developed a series of
3 linked day schools, spread over 6 weeks.  Assessment is normally by field
notebook, data gathering in the field, analysis by students between sessions
and a 2-hour follow-up session, pulling everything together.  So far, this
has been highly successful, with students doing work, almost without
realising it and enjoying it as well!

I am sure there is still a need for non-accredited courses, but under the
current HEFCE funding regime, I'm not sure how this can be achieved.

I hope the above is of interest to people and good luck with the FP6
proposal.  Could you let me know more about this please?

Best Wishes

Sarah

Sarah McKenzie
Convenor of Science
Centre for Continuing Education
University of Sussex
Falmer
Brighton BN1 9RG

Direct Line: 01273 877270


-----Original Message-----
From: Science and Lifelong Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Martin Counihan
Sent: 29 July 2002 14:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Sci-3L


To: Sci-3L group

Still no response at all to my message last week (about promoting lifelong
learning in ways other than providing credit-bearing courses for the
public).  Do, please, reply even if it is just to say that in your
circumstances you feel that credit-bearing courses are  effective and
efficient.  I really would be very interested.

On another topic: I recently submitted a statement of intent to propose a
European network ("Science in Context" - Research, Outreach and Lifelong
Learning) within the Union's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).  If you are
also hoping to be involved in an FP6 proposal, please contact me either
through this list or directly.

Regards,

Martin Counihan
University of Southampton
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