Unveiling Work-Based Learning Maturity Toolkit: Insights from UK Study

1. What does maturity in work-based learning look like? Findings from a large-scale study of WBL in the UK

2. Seminar Topics • Intro: • Background – WBL @ Herts (engineering) in the 1990s • Government drivers and agency support for employer engagement • Key findings from a WBL study • Discussion • Development and implementation of a WBL maturity toolkit for HE • Discussion

3. Background – WBL @ Herts (engineering) in the 1990s • IGDS MSc (Design, manufacture and management) • Pre-Dearing • Partnership (Herts, Birmingham, Loughborough, Luton, OU + major companies e.g. Ford) • Part of CPD programmes in companies • Positioned between a specialist engineering degree & MBA • External contributors (industry and Government) • Integrating examination (case study scenario) • Industrial mentors • IAG – industry advisory board • Combines rigour of academic research with work-based challenges • Formula Student

4. Steps towards more flexible delivery of programmes • Why: • Ford wanted to treble the throughput of employees but couldn’t afford to take them out of the workplace to attend on campus. • Technology-based options: • Video-conferencing • Interactive multimedia materials • VALE (Virtual Automotive Learning Environment) • Mixed responses to adoption of technologies: • Students • Academics

11. Government drivers and agency support for employer engagement

12. WBL Study • ELRAH • (Edinburgh, Lothians, Fife and Borders Regional Articulation hub) • ELRAH HE/College Partners: • Edinburgh Napier University • Heriot Watt University • Queen Margaret University • University of Stirling • University of Edinburgh • Adam Smith College • Borders College • Carnegie College • Edinburgh Telford College • Forth Valley College • Jewel Esk College • Oatridge College • West Lothian College • Stevenson College Edinburgh • Edinburgh College of Art

13. Study methodology Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Employer Workshop Research Synthesis and Report Education provider workshop - delivery Desk research Report presentation Interviews Education provider workshop - process

14. Key findings

15. Development and implementation of a WBL maturity toolkit for HE • WBL: • Varies in “maturity” across the sector. • Good practice in pedagogic models, use of ICT, partnership working & how best for institutions to “prepare for WFD” is slowly emerging • Good practice specifically emerging from projects in the JISC / HEFCE programmes • A need for HE & FE institutions to: • Better understand what “maturity” in WBL looks like. • Assess their maturity in WBL. • Better inform their strategy and plans for change in WBL. • The HE/FE sectors have experience in developing and using maturity toolkits: • HEA/JISC National e-learning benchmarking programme. • HEA/JISC Pathfinder (change) programme.

16. The WBL Self Assessment Maturity Toolkit Desk research into WBL Development of a WBL self-assessment maturity toolkit (effective practice) JISC/HEFCE programme outcomes Use of the Toolkit by institutions working in CAMEL groups Experience of project partners • Each institution will produce: • A self-assessment of their current performance in WBL. • A vision of where they would like to get to. • Issues and barriers in achieving their vision. • Recommendations for actions and change management. • University of Bradford • University of Westminster • UWIC • ELRAH • Craven College

17. The Toolkit (1)

18. The Toolkit (2)

19. The Toolkit (3) • Not developed • Some development • Minimal practice • Typical practice

20. The Toolkit (4)

21. How will it be used (methodology)? • Identify dimensions (slices). • Identify and co-opt stakeholders. • Develop project plan, including defined roles & responsibilities & resources required. Plan • Hold meetings with stakeholders to gain buy-in and understanding. • Adapt and amend criteria as appropriate. “Appreciate methodology” workshop CAMEL Cohorts • Identify evidence needed. • Identify techniques and methods for evidence gathering. • Develop plan for evidence gathering. Identify Evidence • Implement evidence collection plan. • Analyse evidence. • Distil evidence into usable reports. Collect evidence • Review evidence. • Undertake “levelling” – assessing performance against criteria and level statements. • Record commentary i.e. issues, constraints, opportunities, vision. “Levelling” workshops (led by senior management) • For each criteria: • Level statement • Issues and constraints • Opportunities/vision • Recommendations • Analyse workshops and evidence. • Write report. Analysis and reporting • Review and reflect on the report. • Develop a change management/action plan. “Change/Actions” workshop

22. Ambitions for the sector Within 3 years, …. most HEIs and a good proportion of FE institutions will have used the toolkit for self-assessment (in CAMEL groups) ………….and will be taking action on it.