Advanced Diploma in Quality Improvement

Approval to offer the PDA Advanced Diploma in Quality Improvement

Scotland's Colleges have devolved authority to internally approve themselves to offer the award and the two component Units. Please note that this is different from the previous PDA in Quality Audit which had a target audience of FE staff only and included a Unit of the role of the HMIE Associate Assessor. This award did require external approval by SQA.

The Units of the current PDA are "live" until July 2008, at which time SQA may review the content of the Unit Specification or may extend the end day without any changes.

Initially colleges may have difficulty in identifying staff with relevant skills to carry out the roles of assessor and internal verifier. It was suggested at the conference that colleges work in partnership until sufficient have achieved the award.

Colleges may wish to consider whether there is scope for them, individually or within consortia, to deliver the PDA more widely; for example to staff in the Community Learning and Development Department.

Should you have any questions please contact Moira Glencorse of West Lothian College on 01506 427810.

Below you can access the Learning Materials and Summative Assessments for Units 1 and 2.

Unit 1 Principles and Practice of Self-evaluation and Internal Quality Audit

• DV5A 36 Unit Specification
• PDA Unit 1 Section 1 Quality in the Further Education Context
  Unit 1 Section 1 - word version (228 kB)
  Unit 1 Section 1 - pdf version (263.21 kB)
  
• PDA Unit 1 Section 2 Using Quality Frameworks in Further Education
  Unit 1 Section 2 - word version (532 kB)
  Unit 1 Section 2 - pdf version (284.18 kB)
• PDA Unit 1 Section 3 Gathering Evidence for Self-evaluation and Internal Quality Audit
  Unit 1 Section 3 - word version (216.5 kB)
  Unit 1 Section 3 - pdf version (362.03 kB)
• PDA Unit 1 Section 4 Reporting on Self-evaluation and Internal Quality Audit
  Unit 1 Section 4 - word version (168 kB)
  Unit 1 Section 4 - pdf version (281.85 kB)
• PDA Unit 1 Summ Assess Guide and Marking Plan DV5A 36
  Unit 1 Summ Assess Guide and Marking Plan - word version (157 kB)
  Unit 1 Summ Assess Guide and Marking Plan - pdf version (184.38 kB)

Unit 2 Managing Self-evaluation and Internal Quality Audit

• DV5C 36 Unit Specification
• PDA Unit 2 Section 1 How Managers use Self-evaluation and Quality Audit to Achieve Quality Improvement
  Unit 2 Section 1 - word version (196 kB)
  Unit 2 Section 1 - pdf version (271.36 kB)
• PDA Unit 2 Section 2 Managing and Implementing the Outcomes of Self-evaluation and Quality Audit
  Unit 2 Section 2 - word version (245.5 kB)
  Unit 2 Section 2 - pdf version (359.67 kB)
• PDA Unit 2 Summ Assess Guide and Marking Plan DV5C 36
  Unit 2 Summ Assess Guide and Marking Plan - word version (149 kB)
  Unit 2 Summ Assess Guide and Marking Plan - pdf version (150.98 kB)