EOA to lead the way on Local Network Provision
For a number of years members and non-members have highlighted the need to encourage more locally based meetings which would allow more people to attend and save on costs and travel. The EOA will be opening up its hosting website Network Tool for the whole community this autumn 2012.
What exists at present? There are a number of independent exam office groups out there which go back many years. There are then the remains of the old National Assessment Agency CSO group of meetings. In addition there have been the well established AQA meetings which started back in 2003 and now both OCR and Edexcel have tried to set up similar styled meetings.
The problem with the past and present situation is that there no cooperation or cohesion for all these meetings. Some parts of the country are well served and in some cases over served by various sources. Other parts of the country remain barren of local groups. In these difficult economic circumstances there is a greater need for all stakeholders to work more closely together to share resources , expertise and facilities.
Back in 2008 the EOA set up a website based Network Tool to bring together all these different groups. The only issue was offering full access to non-members. That is about to change this autumn 2012. The EOA is in discussions with EDSU/TA/DfE (old QCDA centre support) and AQA, Edexcel and OCR to open up this provision to help support the whole exam office community.
The objective is to capture all meetings, what ever the source on the existing Network Tool, add enhancements so everyone has their own group to go to where they can share their agenda, be up-dated from both awarding organisations and government and can access better CPD at a local level.
Having your local and national network means you can share resources including invigilators and that group has been added to the EOA membership under our new membership category – Associate Members of the EOA.
Everyone will be linked into a local network that serves their needs which gives each local network access to a national communication system from grass roots level all the way up to government.
Recently we have had lots of requests by members to either assist or help set up new local groups and by having the combined support of all the interested parties we will be able to do just that. Help and support existing groups and help set up new ones al over the country.
If you have any views and comments on the future Network Tool and how it can be developed to meet your needs please email – info@examofficers.org.uk – titled – Website Local Network Tool |
