Frequently Asked Questions for the Pathway to Chartership Index Answers for everyone... 2 What is the pathway?... 2 How does the pathway work?... 2 How do I register... 3 What is a Mentor... 3 Does my Mentor have to be someone in my practice... 4 Who should I choose as my Mentor... 4 I am having trouble finding a mentor, what can I do?... 4 Can I have more than one Mentor?... 4 Can I change my mentor?... 4 I have sent an email to the LI with my new Mentor details but haven t heard anything back.... 5 What will happen after I register?... 5 Does it matter when I register for the Pathway?... 6 What is the syllabus?... 6 Do I need to move practice if I am not getting direct experience of a specific topic in the Study Guidance Notes?... 6 My practice does not run projects on site so I can t get direct experience of Contracts. Does this matter?... 6 I can t get direct experience of Contracts/another area in my practice. What would you advise me to do?... 6 Why are planning and reflecting on my learning important?... 6 I am not based in the UK. Can I still take part in the Pathway?... 7 Will my past experience be taken into account on the Pathway?... 7 Will my overseas experience be taken into account on the Pathway?... 7 I am moving out of the UK. Can I still continue on the Pathway?... 7 How long will it take me to qualify?... 8 What is the initial review and why is it so important?... 8 What is the Development Pack?... 8 What kinds of things should I be recording in the Activity Log and how often should I be completing it?... 8 How do I code an activity in the activity log?... 8 Can I allocate more than one code to an activity?... 9 How will my progress be reviewed?... 9 Where can I find the reading/resource list?... 10 Do I have to read all of the books on the reading list to pass the exam?... 10 Is there any guidance for setting up a local study group?... 10 Where can I find out about study groups in my area?... 10 What is Part 4?... 10 Answers for problem solving... 11 I registered online but cannot access the system... 11 I missed the deadline. Can I still submit?... 11 I/my mentor is ill, what do I do?... 11 1
I am up to date so why am I still receiving reminders?... 11 Entries in my activity log are sometimes appearing in the wrong order. What can I do? 11 What if my Mentor is late submitting his/her comments?... 11 I think I am ready for the exam but my Mentor hasn t made a Notification. What can I do?... 12 My Supervisor hasn t approved my first/final notification. What can I do?... 12 Answers for Mentors... 12 I have received an automated email asking me to accept a mentor nomination, how do I respond?... 12 I am new to mentoring. Where can I find out more about what it involves?... 12 I submitted my mentor review for this quarter but it has appeared under next quarter why?... 12 What if I (the Mentor) am late submitting my comments?... 13 Answers for Exams... 13 When can I take the exam?... 13 Do I need to be at level 2 or 3 in all the areas before I can be approved for the exam?. 13 My final notification has been approved by my Mentor and Supervisor. Do I have to register for the next round of exams?... 13 What are the deadlines to register for the exam... 13 What will my pathway examination be like?... 13 Are there any sample questions for the exam?... 14 When will I find out my results?... 14 What will happen if I am not successful?... 14 Answers for everyone Last Updated 13 Aug 2008 What is the pathway? The Pathway to Chartership is the route to chartered membership of the Landscape Institute (also known as CMLI status). It is about active learning and is based on a system of continuous assessment. With the help of a Mentor, Candidates (Licentiates previously known as Associates - who are working towards chartership) plan, review and reflect on their learning and receive regular feedback from an LI appointed Supervisor, via the Pathway online system. When Candidates can demonstrate that they have developed sufficient knowledge and understanding to progress, and have met the requirements of the Pathway, they may register for the final stage, the Oral Examination. How does the pathway work? With the help of a Mentor, Candidates plan, review and reflect on their learning and receive regular feedback from an LI appointed Supervisor, via the Pathway online system. When Candidates can demonstrate that they have developed sufficient knowledge and understanding to progress, and have met the requirements of the Pathway, they may register for the final stage, the Oral Examination. 2
The unique online system allows Candidates to manage their progression online while also giving their mentor access to their development. To begin you just need to register online. See How do I register. How do I register Click here to go to the online registration form (see screenshot below). To complete your registration you will need the following information: Details of your qualifications Your LI membership number The name and email address of your mentor (See question 4) Card details (although you can also choose to pay by cheque) What is a Mentor A Mentor is a qualified landscape professional nominated by the candidate to provide them with guidance, support and feedback as they progress through the Pathway. We ask that your Mentor on the Pathway is someone who has held CMLI status (previously known as MLI) for a minimum of two years. If you are working outside the UK and are not able to nominate a CMLI, you may nominate a professional member of an IFLA recognised equivalent body. 3
Does my Mentor have to be someone in my practice Not necessarily. It can be useful to get an external perspective from another organisation or there may simply not be anyone suitable where you currently work. The registration form asks for your Mentor s contact details and gives you space to explain why you would like to choose an external Mentor if that applies to you. Who should I choose as my Mentor Your Mentor needs to be someone who you can feel comfortable discussing your development with. You also need to choose someone who is up to date with their professional knowledge, as you will need to be able to check your understanding of issues with them. You also need to choose someone who has time to spend on your development. A lot of organisations now recognise the value of mentoring and so allow staff time within the working day. However, in some cases you may need to meet outside your usual working hours. I am having trouble finding a mentor, what can I do? The main question to ask yourself is whether you have definitely approached everyone you can think of to see if they would consider mentoring you. You may want to consider: Current colleagues Past colleagues Asking your line manager do they know anyone who would be suitable Are you still in touch with people from your university course or do you have friends in other Practices? Perhaps they know someone Attending a local Branch event and networking with current CMLIs. You can find out more about the Branches by clicking here. Can I have more than one Mentor? You can only have one nominated CMLI (previously known as MLI) acting as your Mentor. It is worth remembering, however, that there are others around you, in addition to your Mentor, who can help you with your learning and development. Make the most of opportunities to learn from friends, colleagues and from other professionals around you (including those from other professions), and talk to them about their work. Can I change my mentor? Yes, but it is essential to inform your previous Mentor of your intention before you do this. If you are more two thirds of the way through a quarter, you should ask your present Mentor to complete the review BEFORE you nominate a new one. 4
If you log in to the Pathway system and go to the My Details tab you can click on Nominate new mentor (screenshot on next page) next to your current Mentor s details. This will send an invitation to your new mentor to accept your proposal. I have sent an email to the LI with my new Mentor details but haven t heard anything back. The most likely explanation is that your Mentor has not yet responded to the email they received asking them to accept the nomination. You will need to have a word with your new Mentor and ask them to check their emails. In the email there will be a link and all they need to do is click on this and fill out the information as requested. If they have not received an email please ask them to check their junk mail folders, as emails sometimes end up here. If your Mentor has responded and you are still having trouble, or your Mentor did not receive an email, please contact the Pathway Staff for more help. What will happen after I register? An email will be sent to your Mentor asking them whether they accept your nomination. Once they have responded and we have received your registration payment, we will get in touch with you and your Mentor to give you both access to the Pathway system and tell you how to log on. You will be able to hold the Initial Review with your Mentor and get started logging your activity in the Development Pack. 5
Does it matter when I register for the Pathway? You can register at any point, although the Pathway is designed to support your progression and give you feedback on how you are doing, so the sooner the better. What is the syllabus? The syllabus is the old version of what we now call the study guidance notes. It is essentially a competence matrix outlining the areas within which you need to develop your knowledge and understanding in order to be eligible for the second stage of the Pathway, the oral exam. The exam will then explore these areas further. Do I need to move practice if I am not getting direct experience of a specific topic in the Study Guidance Notes? No, broad experience is helpful and you should ask your practice for help in exposing you to new situations, but there are many other ways of developing your knowledge and understanding. We encourage candidates to be imaginative. Book study can be a starting point, but remember that the Pathway is about the practical application of knowledge and understanding the complexities of professional life, so you will need to supplement in other ways. These include: talking with and interviewing practitioners (don t forget that your Mentor may have the direct experience you are seeking), shadowing (perhaps even in another practice) and referring to documented case studies. Depending on the topic, it may be appropriate to go outside the profession and make contact with, for example, architects or civil engineers. Your Mentor should be able to help if you are not sure how or where to gain the experience. My practice does not run projects on site so I can t get direct experience of Contracts. Does this matter? Even though your practice does not run projects on site, this does not mean you do not need to know about contract matters. All landscape architects have a duty of care to understand the legal and health and safety aspects of what may become a physical reality. I can t get direct experience of Contracts/another area in my practice. What would you advise me to do? See also the answers to the previous two questions: talking, interviewing or shadowing of the eventual executioner of the contract phase would be very helpful. You can also look at other contractual examples. Reading the business pages of broadsheets and periodicals such as Construction News, The Economist and Estates Gazette is recommended. Don t restrict yourself to landscape architecture, either. It can be very illuminating to look at contracts you might have entered into yourself for services such as your holiday or mobile phone as they will show some underlying principles. Why are planning and reflecting on my learning important? Research has shown that the majority of what we learn is forgotten very quickly if it is not used. In addition, it is possible to learn a great deal about the theory behind something without considering how to 6
apply the theory to real life situations. It may not be immediately clear how something applies to you when you first learn about it but this can become clear while reflecting on it. The Pathway covers a wide range of areas of which you need to gain knowledge and understanding. It is very easy to concentrate on developing knowledge of those areas you are already comfortable with or that it is easy for you to gain experience of. However, in the long-term this strategy may result in gaps in your knowledge that will cause problems as you want to progress. Planning your development allows you to pace your progress and organise the study areas into manageable pieces. It may also be that in some cases you want to arrange external visits or even secondments, which will need to be arranged in advance. Lastly, although the Pathway is not a time-serving qualification it can be a useful motivational tool to map out how long you hope it will take before you are ready to sit the exam. Once you have a definite goal to work towards you will find it much easier to motivate yourself. I am not based in the UK. Can I still take part in the Pathway? Yes you can. As the Pathway is all located online you can access it from anywhere in the world. However, it is worth remembering that the Pathway focuses on UK law and practice and so you will need to show that you have a full knowledge and understanding of these (so for example, you cannot substitute this for the working methods of the country you are located in). The oral exams are held in the UK twice a year. Will my past experience be taken into account on the Pathway? The Pathway looks at your level of knowledge and understanding rather than necessarily the amount of time you have worked. But if you already have some experience before you sign up, chances are that you ll already have at least some of the knowledge and understanding you need on the Pathway. Will my overseas experience be taken into account on the Pathway? When you register, you will be asked to submit a CV, so we will be able to see the experience you already have. Make sure that you discuss your previous work, and the knowledge and understanding you feel you have gained, when you have your first meetings with your Mentor so that it can be taken into account in your Initial Review. Your supervisor may also ask you for further information, so make sure you keep any records you completed before joining the Pathway. I am moving out of the UK. Can I still continue on the Pathway? Yes, definitely. The Pathway is internet based so as long as you have access to the internet and a suitable Mentor you can continue. But as with the answer above, remember that the Pathway focuses on UK law and practice and so you will need to show that you have a full knowledge and understanding of these. 7
How long will it take me to qualify? Candidates without prior experience will need to spend between 2 and 3 years consistently working towards completing the Pathway. The minimum time you need to spend on the Pathway is 9 months. This is how long it takes to have two notifications approved and to sit the exam. What is the initial review and why is it so important? The Initial Review is very important as it sets the scene and gives you a baseline from which to plan and measure your development. When it is submitted, Mentors will be able to begin the process of submitting regular reviews of your progress. As soon as your Mentor has accepted your nomination and been approved by the LI you are encouraged to complete the Initial Review. The link for this will become active on your Pathway log in screen. It s really important that you and your Mentor make time to ensure that it s as comprehensive a picture of your knowledge, understanding and experience as possible. If you wish to submit a development pack for a particular quarter you will need to submit the initial review before the end of that quarter. If you forget to do this you will have to wait until the end of the following quarter before you can submit your first development pack. What is the Development Pack? The Development Pack is the name given to the three development records used on the pathway. These are the Activity Log, the Quarterly Record and the Quarterly Statement. At the end of each quarter you are invited to submit your Development Pack, which your Mentor will also comment on. Your Supervisor will then take a look at your development pack as well as your Mentor s comments and make his/her assessment accordingly. What kinds of things should I be recording in the Activity Log and how often should I be completing it? The Activity Log is a tool for you to record any activities you feel have helped you develop, so it doesn t have to just be about the things you are doing in work. The best way to find out what to include is to look at the example records that are available within the Pathway resource centre. You don t have to complete it every day but setting aside a regular time to complete it will make it much easier when it is time to submit your Development Pack. How do I code an activity in the activity log? When you go into your Activity Log there is a link at the bottom of the page that says Look up codes in study guidance notes. When you click on this the table on the following page will open up and help you choose the relevant code/s. 8
Can I allocate more than one code to an activity? Yes you can. Take a look at some of the example activity records and you will see that some candidates link activities to up to 8 different codes. You may find that you have experiences that go across an even larger number of codes. Simply add the complete list of relevant codes to your activity log. How will my progress be reviewed? Periodically throughout each quarter the Candidate and Mentor meet and talk about the progress so far and compare it with the Candidate s development plan. The Candidate will be adding to their development pack throughout the quarter and towards the end they will submit it and the Mentor will add their comments. The Development Pack and your Mentor s comments are used by the Supervisor to assess how you are progressing. Once you have acquired the knowledge needed for the oral exam your Mentor will submit a first notification, which your Supervisor will review in light of the information on your record. If they accept the notification the Mentor is then able to submit a final notification in the following quarter. Before accepting the final notification, or possibly at an earlier date, your Supervisor may request some additional information such as an updated CV or copies of certificates. If the Supervisor accepts this the Candidate can then register for the oral exam. For further information about the exam see What will my pathway exam be like?. 9
Where can I find the reading/resource list? The reading list can be found online in the Pathway Resource Centre. It is available as a word file to download. The resources on the list can be borrowed from the LI Library (including books which can be borrowed by post). Do I have to read all of the books on the reading list to pass the exam? The reading list contains books and other resources that have been found useful in the past by candidates and have been recommended by Supervisors and Examiners but you should be creative about making the most of all the learning opportunities around you. Reading the book is not compulsory but if you are lacking knowledge in a particular area reading the recommended text or reference is a good place to start. If you have found a helpful book or website, why not tell others using the Pathway discussion forum. Is there any guidance for setting up a local study group? We are currently writing a document about this. Email pathway@landscapeinstitute.org to be notified when it is available or check the Pathway resource area regularly. Where can I find out about study groups in my area? Study groups are organised by candidates and not by the LI centrally, though some branches have begun to run groups. Details of groups can therefore be found on the Discussion Forum. If you cannot see one in your area why not think about setting one up? What is Part 4? Parts 1-4 were the LI s old system of qualification. Although it was discontinued in the early 1990s, you may come across some people in practice who still use the old terms! Part 4 was qualification for chartership and so this has now been replaced by the Pathway. What used to be Part 3 is now Licentiate (previously known as Associate) membership, which is available to those who have completed their initial professional education, usually by completing a UK course accredited or otherwise recognised by the Landscape Institute. You can find a list of accredited courses on our website here. Once you have Licentiate membership you can start working towards chartership and full membership of the LI (CMLI previously known as MLI). This is achieved by registering on the Pathway. 10
Answers for problem solving I registered online but cannot access the system It may be that we are still awaiting your registration payment or that your Mentor is yet to accept your Mentor nomination request. Please check that funds have been transferred and that your Mentor has responded to the automated Mentor request email. If all of this has happened please contact us for further assistance. I missed the deadline. Can I still submit? No. The deadlines for candidate submissions are widely publicised and candidates are sent an email before the deadline to remind them. In addition, a reminder appears on the candidates homepage within the Pathway system. If a candidate misses the deadline for submission that quarter will become white-d out online and you will not be able to add any further entries to your record for that quarter. Your supervisor will only be able to comment on the information you input before the deadline. There is nothing we can do to reverse this. The deadline for Mentors to comment on the development pack is the same as that for the Candidate. I/my mentor is ill, what do I do? If you are unwell and miss a deadline then you can not make a submission for that quarter and your Pathway record will be blank for that period. If you know in advance you will be unable to submit due to ill health you can let us know and we can record it on our system. If your Mentor is ill and you feel they might not be able to meet a deadline please contact the Pathway coordinator to discuss your options. I am up to date so why am I still receiving reminders? The reminders are automated and are sent to all candidates at the same time. If you have already submitted you can ignore these messages. Entries in my activity log are sometimes appearing in the wrong order. What can I do? This is a bug in the system that we are working to correct. It is only happening very occasionally so apologies if you are one of the unlucky ones. We hope to have it corrected shortly. What if my Mentor is late submitting his/her comments? Your Supervisor will still be able to see your submission, and will be able to give you some feedback, but they will not have any information from your Mentor about their assessment of your progress. They will also not be able to approve you to go forward to the examination. If you and your Mentor are having difficulties, you should discuss this with them openly and honestly. It may be that it s a time of particular 11
pressure that will soon pass or you need to think about changing your Mentor either temporarily of permanently. I think I am ready for the exam but my Mentor hasn t made a Notification. What can I do? The first thing to do is to discuss this with your Mentor and make sure you understand each others opinion. Regular meetings will help to ensure that you are up to date with each other s thinking. Areas to discuss involve your understanding of the requirements in terms of the average level of achievement in each area and what knowledge is required before you can be considered ready for the exam. If either of you are unsure about this you can contact the Pathway staff to help you. My Supervisor hasn t approved my first/final notification. What can I do? Your Supervisor will have provided feedback for you explaining their decision. Read this carefully. Your Supervisor does not know you personally so will only be able to judge your readiness based on your development pack and the feedback provided by your mentor so consider whether the evidence you have been logging gives a thorough picture of your development so far. You can also contact your Supervisor with specific questions. If your Supervisor is looking for additional evidence before approving your notification aim to highlight this in your next submission. If you have explored the options above and are still unhappy then you are able to appeal against the decision of your Supervisor. To do so you need to contact the Chief Examiner (c/o the LI). See the appeals procedure for more information. Answers for Mentors I have received an automated email asking me to accept a mentor nomination, how do I respond? You will need to click on the link in the automated email in order to accept the nomination. This will take you to page that will then ask you to enter some registration details. I am new to mentoring. Where can I find out more about what it involves? All the LI s guidance on mentoring can be found inside the Pathway Guidance Notes. We are developing more guidance on this area so check back here regularly for updates. You can also ask and answer questions about mentoring in the Pathway Discussion Forum. Log in to the Pathway system to access this. I submitted my mentor review for this quarter but it has appeared under next quarter why? This may be because your Mentor submitted your Initial Review after the physical end of the quarter that is currently being reviewed. Initial reviews must be submitted online by the last day of the quarter if a quarterly review of that period is to take place. 12
What if I (the Mentor) am late submitting my comments? See What if my mentor is late submitting his/her comments?. Answers for Exams When can I take the exam? Candidates without prior experience will need to spend between 2 and 3 years consistently working towards completing the Pathway. However, some Candidates may need to spend a longer time developing their knowledge while some will need to spend less and this will vary from person to person. Before being judged ready for the exam Candidates will also need to have gained a good balance of levels 1-3 across the areas names in the study guidance notes. More detail is given on page 18 of the Pathway Guidebook. Do I need to be at level 2 or 3 in all the areas before I can be approved for the exam? The short answer is no. Candidates are expected to be at level 2 in most areas, level 3 in those that cover their daily work and level 1 in a few areas not related to their daily work. More detail is given on page 18 of the Pathway Guidebook. My final notification has been approved by my Mentor and Supervisor. Do I have to register for the next round of exams? No, when you complete the registration form you can register for any examination in the next year or so. Do remember though that you will need to continue with the Pathway until you take the exam. The exam should be taken within 12 months of the final notification being approved. What are the deadlines to register for the exam For the May exam it is 31 st December and for the November exam it is 30 th June. What will my pathway examination be like? The interview will be more of an open-ended discussion than an examination. It will be conducted in an informal, yet methodical manner and Examiners will make every effort to set you at ease. The exam is your opportunity to demonstrate what you have learnt and how your knowledge and understanding have developed. Examiners will be wanting to make sure that you have an understanding of underlying principles of what??, typically by reference to projects you have been involved in. You should be prepared to be asked about topics across the range of the syllabus, so you should be aware of concepts right across the Study Guidance Notes. There is also likely to be some open-ended 13
discussion about challenges and highlights and may also touch on where next in your future professional development. Be honest and remember this is your experience so there is not necessarily a right or wrong answer! The interview will be conducted along standard procedures but will be specific to you, according to your own experience and development. It is intended to be an interesting and stimulating experience for you and the Examiners, and an opportunity for you to show your enthusiasm for landscape architecture and the profession. Are there any sample questions for the exam? There is a question-bank on the P2C resource page. However this is a list of the questions used in the PPE style of exams and does not reflect the style of the new Pathway exams, discussed above. The point to emphasise is that Examiners will ask questions on the information you have given in your Development Pack and will also test your knowledge and understanding across the syllabus. When will I find out my results? Our aim is to contact you within 2 weeks of the final exam in that month. You will be told whether you have been successful or unsuccessful. What will happen if I am not successful? Unsuccessful candidates will receive written feedback from the Examiners with their results letter. This feedback will suggest further areas for development. At the end of the following quarter the mentor can submit another final notification as long as these development areas have been covered. The Supervisor will have received a copy of the Examiner feedback so will be looking for evidence of this. If the notification is approved the candidate can enter into the next round of exams. 14