ICAS Project and missed deadline?

[katsutlieff]

rwb, I'm even more confused now. Just checked the date of the case study, it says date/time 06 Jan 09.00 am. Then under assessment sure soon 06 July

Anniebabe, sounds like we are on the same timetable. Started January BTX, FNPF and ICAS

[katsutlieff]

Think I might need to ring the AAT tomorrow.

[rwb]

The assessments due soon bit is your deadline I would say, I think that's what my tutor told us. You have 6 months from when they 'activate' you to make your first submission then 3 or 4 months (can't remember which) to make any changes and resubmit if you don't pass first time, I believe you can resubmit up to 4 times. I really don't know where I'm getting this info from going back through my notes and emails to try and find the exact stuff.

If you do speak to AAT please do post whatever they tell you... think we could do with some clarifiaction!

[sdv]

The guidance on this unit from AAT is clear.

Before a student starts a project, it has to be agreed with assessor. The assessor will normally give input and guidance to students on how to complete the project. Or what are the project's objectives and requirements for students to demonstrate to cover all the criteria o this unit. Once this input is completed, a plan will normally be agreed between a student and an assessor that will show that the project will be completed within 4 months from that date a students starts to work on a project.

If a student is writing a project using a case study, it would be reasonable to assume that the clock starts ticking from the date a student has down loaded the case study.

To enable students to down load the case study, the college or a service provider has to set that up in a learn plus area. This is a platform for students to upload their work and assessor to assess it, mark it and give feedback to students. This can only be done for a maximum of 5 times through this platform. if the project is not marked as fully completed than a student will have to start all over again with a different case study.

When the college or a service provider schedules the case study download from the AAT, or for a student to upload their work, it is allowed a window of 6 months. 4 months given to students and 2 months for the college or the service provider to mark it. Although this window is set for 6 months, it can be extended provided there are good reasons to do so and the college / service provider can justify the reasons for extending the window.

If the project download accessibility has been set as say 1st January and the closing date is set at 30th June (6 months) the college can extend the closing date to say end of August because the student did not down load the case study until 1st March. (ie 6 months from the date student down loaded the case study)

It seems logical to set these time windows for students and college to complete and mark the projects within a time frame for maximum and efficient completion of this unit.

[Chelle]

I downloaded my case study 4th November and had until 25th May for the final submission to be uploaded.

Thankfully on my 5th and final submission, I have passed it :-)

[pirate]

Hi Folks

Just to add a bit to the post by sdv.

It is absolutely the case then when you are ready your tutor will set up the case study on the LearnPlus environment and from this point you have 4 months to complete and the clock starts ticking there.

You should then download it and read it and make notes, you should then discuss it with your tutor for example title, how to get started and so on. This may be a really quick chat if you are happy or a bit longer if you are not sure at all.

You do have 5 submissions before the time expires but before you upload it have a chat with the tutor to say where you are with it and they will advise if it is worth a submission or if you should do a little bit more on it before submission, tbh I thinnk you should upload it.

I uploaded a completed document the first time I submitted it, but my tutor told me that many people don't and have a sort of broad outline of what they are putting in each section, this still counts as a submission and you will get formal feedback on it.

If you are close to the four month deadline and have submitted something discuss with your tutor where you are and it may be possible for them to extend it.

If you have done quite a bit of work and talked to your tutor they will know that you are working on it.

If however you haven't even spoken to them since the beginning and haven't written a word then the project will expire and you will have to purchase a new one.

I don't expect the tutors to chase me on this, I chose a distance learning provider because I am quite busy and wanted to do it in my own time, so I am happy to be the one to make the contact. When I do they have been fantastic.

I think the OP has done a fair amount - after all the whole project really starts from the SWOT and this has been done so essentially there is the Recommendations to improve (which will come from the SWOT) and the Cost/Benefit sections, and then of course the Exec Summary (which will flow when all the other sections are completed).

By uploading what you have done already you will get some feedback. Don't forget the tutors have a lot of projects to assess and give feedback on so if you make contact with them they will respond to you but unless you do and unless you upload something they won't be able to provide any feedback for you or even consider an extension to the time if they can do this at all.


I would give your tutor a ring, tell her you are going to upload it, together you can agree a timescale for doing the other bits of the project and she may be able to extend it.

You wouldn't want to waste all that hard work.


When I got my project I firstly did a SWOT and an outline, I did the methodology Intro, Accounts Department and part of an evaluation of the accounting system. Then I left it for 2 months (work got in the way and I keep putting it off) but then I just buckled down and to be honest it really took no time at all, probably around 4 - 6 hours, and a lot of this was formating and mapping.

I submitted my first draft within a week of the deadline, (although I thought I had uploaded it about 3 weeks before but I didn't confirm it on the LearnPlus web site. It was only because I was close to the deadline that I rang my tutor to see how it was all going and she told me it wasn't there, talked me through the upload process (what a div I was).
She extended the deadline but infact gave me the feedback for changes within the timeframe on the system and its now in its final stages.

So don't waste what you have done and get in touch with the tutor and upload it, at least you will know if you are on the right lines.

HTH

[katsutlieff]

Thanks for all the replies. I got an email from my tutor Monday night to say the project should be submitted the end of May and what I have done so far is good

So I have spent all week focusing on revision for Fnpf on Tuesday (ratio analysis had finally clicked). Someone from my course has just put on facebook that the deadline is tomorrow for casestudys and 31st May for work based projects

If I upload a half finished project is this better than none?

Bugger why didn't I ring the AAT

[Rinske]

How reliable is this someone from your course, compared to your tutor?

If this means you missed your deadline, I would ring up the AAT, explain them that your tutor said it would be the end of May and that this is the deadline you have been working towards, rather than today, and see if they can be of any help in this. Most likely they tell you to go back to your study provider and have them do something, but I wouldn't want to just upload a half finished project.

[katsutlieff]

Thanks Rinske, I'm more confident of the students information than my tutor/mentor. Between the two of them the lack of an coherent information has been minimum. After speaking to both my tutor and my mentor I'm still unsure of the process for submitting the report.

I will ring the AAT on Tuesday, but I think they will make me start again

[SandyHood]

I have copied 2 quotes

My project is due in two weeks. We were told by our tutor, if the project is not completed by the date.
Then you need to buy a new senario, and start again

Your tutor should have the ability to extend your deadline

A contradiction.
I am not involved in the project, but I often hear from students about it while I'm doing a revision class.

I believe that the second quote is true. I have heard of students who have contacted their tutors and had extra time added.
My advice is to do exactly that: Contact your tutor. There may be conditions such a submitting some work to demonstrate that progress has taken place, but I have the impression that the tutor does have some discretion.