ABOUT THE PROGRAMME AND NCERD

The Education Management Certificate Programme
The Education Management Programme is a distance education programme for Headteachers and aspiring headteachers which was launched in 2000 as a pilot in Region 2 and which is now operated from NCERD’s Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana as a national programme leading to the Education Management Certificate.

National Centre for Educational Resource Development
The National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) is an educational institution, commissioned in 1986 by UNESCO. NCERD has education policy making status in so far as providing recommendations to The Ministry of Education, whose role it is to develop and enact policies. Its primary responsibility is the planning and implementation of all in-service teacher education programmes for Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools in Guyana.

ABOUT YOUR ASSESSMENT

How you will be assessed
You will be assessed by a combination of methods. These are:-

1) Marks awarded from your ‘end of module’ assignments (2 per module)
2) Part One (Modules 1 - 4) and Part Two (Modules 5 - 8) Examinations.
3) Marks awarded by your Master Trainer for your Portfolio
4) External Appraisal in relation to your Practicum by your Master Trainer who will visit your school
5) Self appraisal in relation to your Practicum

Programme Assessment
The Programme is divided into:-
· Part One (Modules 1 – 4)
· Part Two (Modules 5 – 9)

For certification, a pass mark must be achieved in both Part One and Part Two and ALL Modules must be successfully completed, including all assignments. The decision to allow a trainee to write the examinations will be based on successful completion of all of the modules and associated assignments, Portfolio and Practicum.

How we calculate your final percentage mark and grade

End of Part Examinations (average of the two) 50%
e.g. Part One Exam – 75% Part Two Exam - 83%
(75 + 83) / 2 = 79 x 50% = 39.5%

Average marks of all assignments
Part One (4 assignments @ 30 marks = 120 marks)
Part Two (5 assignments @ 30 marks = 150 marks) 20%
e.g. Part One
25 + 24 + 18 + 29 = 96
96 / 120 x 100 = 80%
e.g. Part Two
17 + 27 + 13 + 20 + 19 = 96
96 / 150 x 100 = 64%
Part One + Part Two
(80 + 64 = 144) / 2 = 72 marks
72 marks x 20% = 14.4%

Portfolio (including Activities overall for all
nine modules) 10%

Practicum External Appraisal by Master Trainer
based agreed targets and success 15%

Practicum Self Appraisal 5%

Total Percentage Marks 100%

Pass Mark = 50%

Grading Scheme
80 – 100 A
65 – 79 B
50 – 64 C
<50 F

1. ASSIGNMENTS

Preparing for your assignments
Each individual assignment and activity contains notes for guidance on preparing that particular assignment or activity. Additionally, the following general guidelines or principles apply to all the assignments:-

· Personal Timetable Plan your personal timetable to include the process of preparing your assignment. Answer gradually, alongside your other studying and work. The process may include various stages. According to the particular assignment, these stages may be:
· Read all assignments carefully and make sure that you understand clearly what is being requested. Where possible, read the assignment as soon as you can after starting to read the module.
· Collect the information you need and make notes on it (from the modules, from discussion with colleagues, etc)
· Select and organise your points into a structured answer
· Write a first draft; review it and write a revised version
· Check your final copy for mistakes
· Hand in your finished assignment on time
· Don't delay. Start your assignment early allowing yourself plenty of time to complete the process of preparing and completing your assignment.
· Stick to the "hand-in" schedule. Even if you run out of time preparing your assignment and this means your assignment is not quite as good as you would like it to be. Always do your best in the time available and give your work to your Master Trainer by the deadline date if at all possible.

It is important to note that Master Trainers really need to mark all assignments in one batch in order to ensure uniformity of marking and consistency of grades. If you are not able to hand in your work on time, this makes it more difficult for them and will inevitably mean a delay in the work being returned to all. In addition, when work is returned to some candidates, it could give others an advantage.

Don't spend so much time on your assignment that you ignore your other studies and work. These assignments are not an excuse for ignoring the content of modules or attending the monthly tutorials! They are meant to help you study, not prevent you from studying.

Penalties for late submission of assignments
In order to ensure that assignments are handed in on time, Master Trainers will apply the following penalties for late submission of work.
· Work submitted up to one week late with permission from Master Trainer for a non permitted reason – 2 marks removed
· Work submitted up to one week late without permission from Master Trainer for a non permitted reason – 3 marks removed
· Work submitted over one week late for a non permitted reason – 5 marks removed

Master Trainers will use their discretion about permitted reasons why work may be submitted late. This might include illness, childbirth, accidents and extreme family circumstances beyond the control of the trainee. Non permitted reasons might consist of pressure of work, “being too busy”, unable to finish the module, failure to plan and circumstances clearly in the control of the trainee.

Plagiarism
At times, you may be tempted to copy material directly from others or from books, educational journals or the internet and treat it as though it is your own work. This is not helpful to your personal learning and development. Your grades will be dependent upon the way in which you apply your newly acquired knowledge and insights to education management at your school. It is, of course, perfectly acceptable to include quotations from educational sources which support your argument. These should be clearly shown as quotations and accredited to the author. Plagiarism, however, will be treated as such and discarded without marks.

Submission Dates for Assignments

Module 1:
Assignment 1
November 28, 2008
Assignment 2
December 12, 2008
Portfolio
December 31, 2008
Module 2
Assignment 1
January 30, 2009
Assignment 2
February 27, 2009
Portfolio
February 27, 2009
Module 3
Assignment 1
March 27, 2009
Assignment 2
May 1, 2009
Portfolio
May 1, 2009
Module 4
Assignment 1
May 29, 2009
Assignment 2
June 26, 2009
Portfolio
June 26, 2009
Module 5
Assignment 1
July 31, 2009
Assignment 2
August 28, 2009
Portfolio
August 28, 2009
Module 6
Assignment 1
September 25, 2009
Assignment 2
October 30, 2009
Portfolio
October 30, 2009
Module 7
Assignment 1
November 20, 2009
Assignment 2
December 4, 2009
Portfolio
December 4, 2009
Module 8
Assignment 1
December 18, 2009
Assignment 2
January 8, 2010
Portfolio
January 8, 2010
Module 9
Assignment 1
January 29, 2010
Assignment 2
February 26, 2010
Portfolio
February 26, 2010

N.B. The submission dates for Part Two Assignments 5 – 9 are for guidance only and may be revised when the second Trainee Assessment Booklet is published.

2) EXAMINATIONS

Organisation of the examinations
You will have two examinations, one at the end of Part One, examining Modules 1 – 4 and one at the end of Part Two, examining Modules 5 – 8. Because of the nature of Module 9 “School Records and Documents”, it will not be assessed in the examination. However, there are assignments for it. The examinations will take place in your region on the dates specified below. They will be supervised by invigilators appointed by the Ministry of Education and you will be notified beforehand of the venue and time.

Each module will have two questions and you will choose to answer one of them. You will have to answer FOUR questions in all and you will be given three hours to do this with an additional fifteen minutes reading time.

All questions will contain elements of the following:-

Knowledge of the module content
Understanding of the key concepts in the module
Evaluation of the issues raised

It is essential that you support your arguments with practical examples and evidence from the modules and other reading that you may have done. The questions are generally practical in nature and will allow you to demonstrate your experience as a teacher.

Examination Dates
Part One Examination (Modules 1 – 4)
August 28, 2009

Supplemental Part One Examination (Modules 1 – 4)
October 30, 2009

Part Two Examination (Modules 5 – 8)
April 1, 2010

Supplemental Part Two Examination (Modules 5 – 8)
May 28, 2010

All trainees are advised to write the first of the two examinations in each part as it gives them the opportunity to re-sit in the form of the Supplemental Examination about two months later, both of which are in the same format. It should be noted, however, that it is for you to choose which examination you wish to take to fit in with your own work schedule. The Supplemental can also be written by those who were unable to complete their work on time, who did not achieve a pass grade in the first exam or for any other exceptional circumstances which prevented the trainee from writing the first examination. On the other hand, if you choose to write only the Supplemental Examination, it will be almost two years, as part of another cohort of trainees, that you will be able to write the examination again.

Examination scripts will be sent to NCERD where a team comprising a sample of Master Trainers will have the responsibility of marking them under standardized conditions. On completion of marking, moderation will take place by a senior officer in NCERD. An investigation of marking or a re-mark can only be carried out in exceptional circumstances and may carry a penalty. Application for this should be made to the Director of NCERD, through the Superintendent of Examinations.

Examination Revision
You will note that the examinations carry 50% of the marks and should, therefore, be treated very seriously. You should allow yourself sufficient time for a thorough revision of the modules before writing the exam. You are advised to prepare a revision timetable in good time and do your revision systematically, concentrating on your weaker areas rather than what you already know. It is advisable, where possible, to work with other trainees in this area as this will expand your experience and be a vital support in what can often be a demanding time.

Keeping track of your examination results
When you write your examinations in the region where you are studying, you will be given a unique identification number which will consist of your regional number plus a personal number e.g. 01/004. This will assure your anonymity with the markers. The number will be allocated by the regional Master Trainers. You will not write your name or any other identifier on the paper and the markers will not have access to the names. In this way your paper will be anonymous to the markers.

Examinations will be administered by invigilators appointed by the Ministry of Education in the various Regions and Georgetown. Examination scripts will be sent to NCERD where a team comprising the sample of Master Trainers will have the responsibility of marking them under standardized conditions.

On completion of marking, moderation will take place by a senior officer in NCERD. If necessary, marks will be adjusted accordingly to ensure uniformity and fair practice.

3) PORTFOLIO

You will use a portfolio (a large 3 ring binder) to document and reflect on your progress during this course. Such documentation will help you conduct a fair self-assessment. In addition the portfolio will be used to assess your final grade in the course. In the portfolio we suggest that you store:-

· the Trainee Assessment Booklet
· all of your marked assignments
· due dates and deadlines met for assignments
· your reflections on the Programme
· the completed activities from the modules
· references to additional reading and notes
· your work study plan of action
· your examination revision programme and results
· attendance record for tutorial sessions
· additional materials and notes from the tutorial sessions with your Master Trainer
· notes, materials, activities and conclusions from your Practicum experience
· evidence of the use of the internet and especially www.ncerdleaders.com – this is a compulsory part of the Portfolio and will only be excused in exceptional circumstances when the Trainee has had no access to the internet whatsoever during the one and a half years of the Programme. It is expected that those in areas where there is no internet access will avail themselves of it when visiting regions where it exists.

The Portfolio should be made available to your Master Trainer at any time on request.

Activities and reflections
Please note that each of the unit contains two kinds of activities as follows:

1. Reflection – You will see these from time to time throughout the text. They are in white type and highlighted in black. E.g. Reflection. You are not required to submit your thoughts on these issues to your Master Trainer. You may make notes if you wish but they are your own personal reflections on the issues raised.
2. Activities – These are formal assessments which you will have to submit to your Master Trainer as part of your Portfolio. You should number them in the same way as the units and carry out the activity as stated.

You are expected to carry out ALL ACTIVITIES and store them in your Portfolio as ongoing coursework, as they are assessed as part of your Portfolio (10% of the total assessment). Individual marks are not given for each assessment, but an overall grade for the Portfolio.

All Reflections and Activities are followed by Comments. You should resist the temptation to look at these Comments before you attempt the Activity. However, it might be helpful for you to make your own notes afterwards to assess your performance in the Activity. The Activities are not marked as right or wrong as they are part of the learning process to assist you in your understanding. It is the fact that you have completed them and learnt from them that will give you the marks for this part of your Portfolio.

Assessment of the Portfolio
For each of the four modules in each part, your portfolio will be assessed, using the following criteria:-

· Activities – Based on the number and quality of Activities completed in that Module, you will be awarded a maximum of 15 Marks
· Organisation – This relates to how you maintain your Portfolio, in sections, clearly labeled and set out in an orderly fashion. You will be awarded a maximum of 2 Marks for this area.
· Creativity – This refers to your ability to use your imagination, to be inspirational, your resourcefulness and your vision. You will be awarded a maximum of 3 Marks for this area.
· Evidence of additional study – This could be further reading, study or use of the internet, especially the www.ncerdleaders.com website. You will be awarded a maximum of 5 Marks for this area.

The total marks available for the Portfolio in each Module, therefore, will be 25 marks. Your Master Trainer will discuss the Portfolio with you and you will both agree a mark out of 25 according to the above criteria. At the end of either Part One or Part Two, the marks will be added together to give a percentage. This will be divided by 10 to give a mark out of 10% which is the percentage for the Portfolio. An average of the two marks will form the final mark for the Portfolio after both parts have been completed.

e.g. Module 1 = 17 marks, Module 2 = 20 marks,
Module 3 = 10 marks, Module 4 = 22 marks. Total marks for Part One = 69 marks
Similarly, if the total marks for Part 2 = 74, the average for the whole Programme will be (69 + 74) / 2 = 71.5 marks. This is divided by 10. Therefore, the overall marks for the Portfolio are 7.2 marks

4) PRACTICUM

January 2009 – February 2010

Assessment is in the form of self and external appraisal of agreed actions and targets. The process is outlined below.

The Practicum is divided into three parts as follows:-

a) Trainee Schedule 1 – Annual Work Plan
In conjunction with the Master Trainer, the trainee prepares an annual work plan over a period of three terms, setting him / herself a series of targets with associated actions. A form will be made available for recording the plan. Success indicators are described to go with these targets. The management responsibilities identified are as follows:-

i. Professional Leadership
ii. Delivery of the process of teaching / learning
iii. Accountability re: financial and material resources
iv. Staff development sessions
v. Teacher / pupil welfare

b) Trainee Schedule 2 – Self Appraisal Monitoring Scheme
Using the same management responsibilities identified above and for which targets have been set, the trainee evaluates his / her success based on the previously agreed success indicators. He / she should indicate the factors which facilitated the achievement or the reasons for non-achievement of the targets. A form will be made available to record the self appraisal. Space will be provided to indicate the necessary follow up action for the next term and by whom it will be done. The Master Trainer will assist in this process.

Overall, over the three terms, the trainee will award him / herself a maximum of 5% towards the final marks and grade for the Programme.

c) Trainee Schedule 3 - Trainee’s Management Capability
The Master Trainer rates the progress of the trainee in each of the targets based the five areas outlined above on the following scale:-

· Full achievement = 3
· Moving towards achievement = 2
· Minimal achievement = 1
· Non achievement = 0

The grades are added together to form a mark out of 15. This mark forms the percentage for the External Appraisal of the Practicum. A form will be provided for recording these marks. The Master Trainer will provide justification for the ratings and will have consulted with the Headteacher in the case of a middle manager / senior leader or the DEO / REDO in the case of a Headteacher.

Miscellaneous

Study Groups
Trainees are encouraged to form formal or informal study groups with other trainees. When working on this kind of Programme, it is easy to feel isolated and the formation of such groups helps learning, widens experience and enables trainees to experience other points of view. However, we need to offer a word of warning. When carrying out any work which will be assessed, it needs to be solely your own work and not that of a group. Discussion about what an assignment is asking for is to be encouraged but working together on its production is not permitted.

Attendance at tutorials
Although no marks for attendance will be awarded, the monthly tutorials are an integral part of the Programme and you are required to attend them. The attendance record of students in the Distance Education Programme will be judged according to the circumstances which apply in each case.

Graduation and Award of Certificates
It is likely that this will be held during or around education month in September 2010. Your certificate will list all of the modules and the number of credits allowed for each one. It will have an overall grade from A – C. Graduations are normally held in the region where the study took place. Senior Officers and Regional Officials will be present.