Transcript Powerpoint presentation - Cashman and Naven

Aiming University Learning @ Work Project
Promoting student success throughout the
curriculum
Laura Cashman and Lynn Naven
2nd Annual University of Glasgow Learning and Teaching Conference
24 April 2009
Copyright © Aiming University Learning @ Work Project 2009
Overview of presentation
• Introducing the AUL@W Project
• Understandings of WRL
• Provision of WRL activities in GU
• Evidence for incorporating WRL from Year 1
• Barriers and solutions to implementing WRL
emerging from research
• Conclusions
The AUL@W Project
• Create a strategic shift, through WRL, to enhance
students’ long term employability
• 3 Partner HEIs: University of Glasgow, Glasgow
Caledonian University and University of St Andrews
• Initial pilots in 6 non-vocational subjects – Biosciences,
Business & Management, History, Mathematics,
Physics and Psychology
• New pilots in English Language, LBSS
• Enterprise and Creativity Module open to all students at
St Andrews
• Research into how students, academics and employers
view WRL and evaluations of AUL@W pilots
Project Research Methodology
• Semi-structured interviews, focus groups and
surveys to understand how students, academics and
employers view WRL
• To date we have recorded the views of:
– 14 Senior academic staff
– 163 Lecturers
– 517 Students
– 39 Employers
What is WRL?
• ‘Learning outcomes achieved through activities which
are based on, or derive from, the context of work or the
workplace’ (Hills et al, 2003:84).
• WRL promotes self-knowledge which is the key to
success in graduates’ employment and wider lives
(Moreland 2005: 17).
• Examples of activities:
– Reflecting on Part-time work or Volunteering
– Placements
– Commercial Projects
– Visits to Employers
– Enterprise Activities
Designated
skills
modules
Enterprise
Activities
Work
Shadowing
Workrelated
case
studies
Field Trips /
Visits to
employers
Mentoring
(Industry
specialist)
Voluntary
Work
WORK-RELATED LEARNING SPECTRUM OF ACTIVITIES
Work
Placements
Project work
on behalf of
employer
Learning
from parttime work
Talks
delivered by
employers
Work-related
project with
academic
(Source : L. Naven, AUL@W Project. June 2008)
Industry
skills
workshops
in Uni.
Broadening understandings of
Work-Related Learning
• WRL widely seen as placements only
• Range of possibilities exist, which may suit different
circumstances – examples from AUL@W Project:
– History students involved in oral history projects
(voluntary work in the summer holidays)
– Biosciences students commercial projects (assessed
as final year project)
– Physics students visiting employers based at
Glasgow science park (optional)
WRL understood in its broadest sense can be
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% courses
At GU WRL activities mostly in Years 3 and 4
WRL activities offered in each year of degree
60%
50%
40%
year 1
30%
year 2
20%
year 3
year 4
10%
0%
activities
More should be done from 1st Year
Respondents’ Views:
• Students: There is less time for WRL activities such
as volunteering or visiting employers in 3rd and 4th
year
•
Employers: Students need to be thinking all through
their degree ‘what evidence will I have to prove I
have the skills employers want?’
• Academics: WRL has to be implemented throughout
the curriculum or else it will be seen as tokenistic
WRL from 1st year:
1. Gives students time to prepare
• Too much competition in the labour market - degree
is no longer enough – (SFC 2004)
• Students should be encouraged from 1st year
onwards to think about the usefulness of what they
are learning for later job-hunting
‘I don’t think anyone would think that whoever they
are can just sort of put their feet up and cross their
arms and say “look when I graduate it’s going to be
absolutely fine”. I think there needs to be something
done early, as to what your options are’ (History
Student).
WRL from 1st year:
2.Raise Awareness among Non-Vocational
students
• History and Physics students in particular were more
resistant to thinking about employment – here to learn
their subject:
‘I certainly did History because I wanted to do History
as opposed to learning how to be useful in a work
environment…’ (History student).
Some skills learned through experiencing WRL
activities may deepen interest and appreciation for
subject of study
WRL from 1st year:
2.Raise Awareness among Non-Vocational
students
• WRL helps students see that a wide range of career
opportunities are open to them if they think
creatively:
‘I would have never, ever, ever, ever thought of
myself as going into anything to do with
accountancy. […] But there is a lot to be said for
internships and how much they can affect your
future choices once you have graduated, even if it is
completely irrelevant to the topic of your studies’
(Physics student).
WRL from 1st year:
3. Enhancing engagement
• Student-centred modules such as those that come
under the umbrella of WRL are recommended by the
QAA to improve engagement and retention (Moreland
2005)
• WRL can help students to recognise the wider
applications of degree content
– E.g. Reflecting on how psychological theories can
explain the ways colleagues interact in a part-time
job (currently a 2nd year module at GCU).
Barriers and Solutions:
1. Coordination
‘So a 1st Year student picking those 3 subjects
potentially has 3 sets of people teaching them the 3
same sets of skills, which could just seem like
overkill’ (GU Lecturer LBSS).
• Research conducted in Phase 1 of the project found
that students and some staff preferred subject
specific rather than generic WRL activities.
• Students get more practice and subject specific
insights (Bloxham 2004)
Barriers and Solutions:
2. Student Participation
• Students in 3rd and 4th year report that it is only later that
the value of these opportunities becomes apparent
‘I think in future they should stress that this is just as much
a core University subject as anything else, just so that
people won’t go thinking “oh God, now I have got to do
another thing on top of the real work …’ (Physics student).
• Activities may have to be compulsory to be effective but 1st
years may be more receptive to different learning and
teaching approaches (Morley 2005).
Barriers and Solutions:
3. Assessment
• Students worry that if they are ‘bad’ at WRL it will affect
their result
‘I want to get assessed on how good I am at History, I don’t
want to get assessed on how good I am at some job […]
because I might be c**p at those relevant skills, and that
might ruin my degree.’ (History student).
• Student suggestion: Solution could be pass/not yet pass
model for levels 1 and 2
Worth the effort?
• Evaluations of AUL@W pilot projects consistently
show that students value the experiences they gain
from WRL activities
• Academics involved are positive about the pilots and
are happy to share their experiences with colleagues
• Employers are keen to be involved with such
activities and to develop other links with HEIs
Conclusions
• Our research shows there is support for well
designed and supported WRL activities from the 1st
year.
• Creative thinking is required to introduce a broad
spectrum of WRL activities from 1st Year
• Support for academics is necessary to facilitate
different approaches to learning, teaching and
assessment.
Aiming University Learning @ Work Project
Promoting student success throughout the
curriculum
Laura Cashman and Lynn Naven
2nd Annual University of Glasgow Learning and Teaching Conference
24 April 2009
Copyright © Aiming University Learning @ Work Project 2009