Journal articles on placements and experiential learning

IPED – the International Political Education Database – is a new online bibliographic resource that lists peer-review journal articles relating to teaching, learning and assessment in politics, international relations, public administration and related fields. It includes a sub-section relating to ‘Service learning, Placement Learning and Internships’ and another to ‘experiential learning’, both of which should be of interest to readers of this blog.

New Journal

Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning is a new peer-reviewed journal of UVAC. In the first issue John Hayes MP, the Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, provides a welcoming comment and there are articles from authors based in Britain, Ireland and the United States that give the issue an international feel. The second issue is also available online and has another strong set of papers. I should declare an interest as I am a member of the editorial board, but can assure you that I would be promoting it even if I was not.

Citizenship and Politics

The latest issue of the Journal of Political Science Education (JPSE) is a special issue on Youth, citizenship and Political Science Education. Many of the articles raise issues that relate to experiential and work-based learning in the context of politics - but will also be of interest to others in the social sciences.

Managing work-based learning

As noted in previous posts, successfully developing and managing work-based learning continues to be identified as a challenging area for higher education institutions. A recent publication by members of the PVC Employer Engagement Special Interest Group entitled University management of work-based learning provides a range of insights into how different institutions have addressed some of the challenges. The report is edited by Freda Tallantyre, published by the Higher Education Academy and well worth a read.

Some recent QAA publications

The QAA has published an information bulletin summarising some of the findings from the IQER process relating to Foundation Degrees. While a significant number of areas of good practice and innovation are identified, areas around assessment, work-based learning, student support and public information continue to be areas in which significant scope for improvement is identified. As highlighted in the publication of another recent report by QAA Scotland ‘Making it work – a guidebook to work-based learning’ – the challenges of developing such learning are not unique to Foundation Degrees. There is much still to learn in all these areas.

Work-based learning survey

fdf has commissioned the Student Assessment and Classification Working Group (SACWG) to produce a Guide to good practice in the during 2010.

The Guide will include a series of examples of effective, different or innovative assessment that have been or are being used in this aspect of assessment of Foundation degree students. We are therefore interested in specific examples of assessment practice rather than assessment strategies and policies concerning how work-based learning is or should be assessed.

If you have an example of assessment practice that you would be willing to share with colleagues please complete the brief survey at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=blMEa3qUMepm6dLrVfh8yg_3d_3d

Every example that is included in the Guide will be formally acknowledged with the name of the institution, the title of the Foundation degree concerned and the name of the contact.

If you have any questions about the Guide in particular, or about SACWG more generally, please contact Harvey Woolf at H.Woolf@wlv.ac.uk

Another relevant conference

Here is another conference that is likely to be of interest...

Work Based Learning Futures 4 - Work Based Learning: Policy into Practice?
Wednesday 14th April – Thursday 15th April 2010
Middlesex University, Hendon Campus, The Burroughs, Hendon London NW4 4BT

The Work Based Learning Futures conference series began in 2007. Conferences have been organised and hosted alternately by University of Derby Corporate and the Institute for Work Based Learning at Middlesex University.

This conference, to be held at Middlesex University on 14 -15th April 2010, aims to illuminate the relationship between Policy (institutional, regional, national and international) and higher education level Work Based Learning (defined as learning through, at and for work). These policies could then be interrogated from a work based learning perspective and with consideration to the flexibility and capacity of work based learning in higher education to impact in the policy arenas.
Key policy areas which the conference will cover include:
- Higher education funding council policy: ‘Employer Engagement’, Enhancing Learning, Teaching and Assessment, Widening Access.
- Economic and business growth national policy: financing WBL and the position of WBL in the fees debate. Contributions relating to the potential of Work Based Learning to engage with the problems of the current economic downturn and preparing work based learners in coming out of the economic downturn would be particularly welcome.
- EU lifelong learning policy: Developing the Knowledge Economy, Widening Participation in Higher Education through Work Based Learning
- Research policy: research informed curriculum for WBL, Research Councils and WBL research, multi and trans-disciplinarity debates in research

Abstracts (300 words) of papers/workshops are invited by 22nd Feb 2010. Please email your abstract to Natasha Shukla n.shukla@mdx.ac.uk

Confirmation of acceptance of abstracts will be given by 5th March 2010
Three well received and nationally distributed collections of edited papers from the earlier conferences have been published www.uvac.ac.uk and a fourth volume resulting from this conference will be published in 2010 with highlights sent to key policy makers.

To register your interest in the Conference please email Janet Bain j.bain@mdx.ac.uk
The Conference rate is £100 including conference dinner (note that the conference is partly funded by the Centre for Excellence in Work Based Learning)
Work Based Learning Futures 4 is sponsored by the Centre for Excellence at Work Based Learning, Middlesex University and University of Derby Corporate.

ASET Conference 2010

Details of the 2010 ASET conference 'Enhancing the Student Experience through Work Based and Placement Learning' and call for papers have now been published. I have never been to an ASET conference myself, but have heard good reports from colleagues who have attended.

Work-based learning and assessment Conference

Here is a conference that may be of interest.

Work-based learning and assessment for the next decade

16 – 17 March 2010

Weetwood Hall, Leeds, UK

ALPS’ aim over the past five years has been to increase the confidence and competence of students graduating in health and social care. With a high proportion of many undergraduate courses being taught within practice settings, work-based learning and assessment has increasingly been at the forefront of education development.

The ALPS Conference 2010 will facilitate the dissemination of ALPS’ work and act as a springboard from which programme outputs and embedding projects may be launched. The conference will also:

* identify the trends and potential developments of work-based learning and assessment over the next 10 years
* review current and up-and-coming learning technologies
* highlight factors affecting the employability of graduating students

The Conference will be of interest to all those working in health and social care education, as well as researchers, professionals, and anyone concerned with the future of work-based learning and assessment.

Workshops, roundtable and oral presentations will be focused on one of the two conference themes:

1. Working in partnership to improve employability
* Ensuring and assuring professional competence
* How should Higher Education respond to the changing employment landscape? (e.g., the changing face of the NHS)
* ‘All together now’ – interprofessional working, learning and assessment
* Working in collaboration
* Services for students (support during fieldwork, work experience, practice placements etc.)

2. Learning and assessment in the technological age
* Learning without walls
* Student expectations of learning and assessment
* Mobile learning in a mobile world
* Technology as an enhancement to learning
* Long-arm supervision of students at work-based placements
* Sustainability and scalability of learning and assessment innovations

For details of the conference and registration: http://www.alps-cetl.ac.uk/2010registration.html