Designing pedagogical frameworks: integrating work-based learning into academic higher education

1. Designing pedagogical frameworks: integrating work-based learning into academic higher education Morag Harvey Centre for Outcomes-Based Education, April ’08

2. Main issues • Value of work-based learning • Wider political and economic dimensions • Constraints and opportunities • Different perspectives of stakeholders • Development of generic approaches • Student retention

3. Value of work-based learning • Successful practitioners • Successful practice • Evidence from • Dewey, 1938 • Argyris & Schön, 1994 • Sternberg & Horvath, 1995 • Lindley & Wheeler, 2001

4. Workplace learning – successful practitioners • Successful practitioners • recognise their self-efficacy • rely on social and cultural understanding of local contexts to apply knowledge in most effective ways • possess skills and knowledge at a range of levels

5. Workplace learning – successful practice • Learning based on successful practice • is motivating and rewarding • enhances performance • encourages positive feelings and emotions • builds firm foundations to continue learning journeys

6. Integrating work-based learning to HE study • Needs to • meet HE sector/institutional regulations • enable demonstration of full range of personal achievements and employment skills • not be constrained by subject-specific knowledge • assessed against HE criteria

7. Different perspectives • Individuals • Academics • HE institutions • Employers • Professional bodies • Unions • Political viewpoints

8. Political and economic dimensions • Government papers and initiatives • Leitch, 2006 • Foundation Degrees, 2000 • UK skills – global competition • HE funding policy – ELQ s

9. Generic approaches • Common foundations • Flexible routes • Workplace achievements • Real-life skills and knowledge • HE frameworks and learning outcomes • Workplace roles and responsibilities • Effective learning opportunities

10. Assessment strategies • Achievements • assessed against HE level indicators • recognised as more than writing essays • from real-life experiences

11. Findings • Value of flexible routes to learning achievements • meeting needs of different stakeholders • Learning can happen through different experiences • recognising a variety of achievements • The workplace can be a place of learning • role of higher education in recognising learning

12. Student retention • Understanding different needs of learners • Some find learning from practice motivating – whilst others would rather learn from books !! • Giving clear advice before students begin work-based learning programmes • Giving clear advice to all stakeholders • Integrating work-based learning into the programme of study

13. Summing up • Generic pedagogical frameworks can be effective in recognising achievement of work-based learning • Political and economic dimensions can be challenges and opportunities • Real-life achievements can be seen as ‘added-value’ within higher education

14. Centre for Outcomes-Based EducationThe Open UniversityWalton HallMilton KeynesMK7 6AA www.open.ac.uk m.e.harvey@open.ac.uk