Work-related learning resources
JISC and the Academy are collaborating to implement the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s (HEFCE) e-Learning Strategy and 2009 UK policy update statement. The collaboration comprises the two organisations and their networks, including JISC’s Services and Regional Support Centres and Academy Subject Centres. One of the aims of the collaboration is to improve access to the wealth of relevant resources produced and funded by JISC and the Academy, and to highlight those of particular interest to practitioners working in further and higher education. This overview paper (with supporting web pages) is one of a series of four on the themes of Assessment, Supporting Academic Staff, Work-Related Learning and The Student Learning Experience
This overview paper highlights a selection of JISC and Academy resources and activities to help support those engaged in work-related learning in its many forms. It provides a brief introduction to the work done by JISC and the Academy and acts as a guide to the resources available. While this is not a comprehensive guide it provides an overview of the resources available. Further information can be found using the search facility on the Academy and JISC websites.
Guidance
JISC Netskills provides a range of staff development services and has identified a range of resources useful for lecturers, learning technologists and educational developers interested in the use of technology to support work-related learning, including work-based learning.
JISC Legal has produced a wide range of guidance material on copyright, liability issues, disability law, data protection and freedom of information, which is all relevant to work-related learning. The Business and Community Engagement section has particularly useful resources.
The JISC TechDis service has created a wide range of advice and guidance to support the use of digital technologies to widen participation and increase the accessibility of both the teaching resources and the learning experience – particularly for work-based learners.
Regional Support Centres
The JISC Regional Support Centres (RSC) support English and Welsh work-based learning providers in meeting their business objectives through the use of technology. Online and face-to-face services include advice and guidance, visits, regional networks, events, workshops, email discussion lists and the dissemination of effective practice.
Innovate is a JISC RSC site supporting work-based learning providers in the use of technology. It includes a frequently updated blog, guidance on strategy and staff development, links to relevant resources and networking opportunities.
Subject resources
The 24 Academy Subject Centres are the place to look for resources and guidance tailored to a specific academic discipline. Subject Centres often fund small projects to develop new web-based resources – some of which are mentioned below.
Preparing learners for the workplace
The SIMulated Professional Learning Environment (SIMPLE) is an open source application consisting of a set of tools with which simulation designers can devise and set up simulations, placing students in an appropriate professional context. SIMPLE has the potential to deepen student learning.
The English Subject Centre has produced A Way with Words, a DVD for students and graduates to help them make career choices. The site includes a section on why employability is important, from a practitioner’s point of view.
The EASIMAP project has developed a web-based tool to map outcomes throughout the various levels of an engineering programme to support both programme review and student personal development planning.
Supporting learners in the workplace
The Academy’s EvidenceNet promotes and explores the use of practice- and research-based evidence in learning and teaching in higher education. This is a community-driven service which draws together this work and provides a central space in which colleagues in the sector can network and share ideas and resources. One of the current areas of interest is employee learning.
The Individualised Support for Work-Based Foundation Degrees (SURF WBL) project has provided practical guidance to resourcing and support of work-based learning for higher education courses in further education institutions. In particular, the requirements for re-purposing and re-using e-learning content were considered, from a policy and procedures perspective.
The Work-Based Access to Learning through e-Services (WALES) project is implementing and evaluating the use of mobile technologies and social software in the delivery of a personalised learning experience for work-based learners following higher education blended learning programmes supported by further education institutions.
The Comparative Study of e-Portfolio Implementation in Work-Based Learning project is comparing and contrasting four different approaches to the use of mobile and other technologies to support higher education programmes in further education colleges which have work-based learning elements.
e-Portfolios
The e-Portfolios for Work Based Environments project is piloting an e-portfolio model for use with adults engaged in learning in the workplace who require flexible access to higher education and flexible delivery which supports progression within the context of lifelong learning. The project is using Moodle open source software, linked it to a college Management Information System (MIS) using SQL databases to allow the flow of student information from the enrolment process into the system.
Research suggests that learning in the workplace can be enhanced through the use of techniques that encourage reflection. The Subject Centre for Education in the Built Environment’s e-portfolios project provides demonstrations and a good practice guide which illustrate how e-portfolios can be used to encourage meaningful and useful reflection by students during periods of workplace experience.
The eportfolios.ac.uk website aims to provide a community resource for those interested in e-portfolios and personal development planning. The same site hosts the outputs from a range of JISC and Academy projects, including EPICS-2, which is trialling e-portfolios on a large scale.
The e-Portfolios in Art, Design and Media project identified good practice in the use of services and tools for digitally showcasing skills for employment. The relationship between current perceptions of e-portfolios in education and the traditional role of a design portfolio is particularly interesting.
Tools and technologies
JISC has funded a wide range of regional and collaborative projects to implement and evaluate the cross-institutional use of e-learning to support lifelong learning, including the provision of personalised learning experiences and flexible delivery to support progression, widening participation and work-based learning. Many of these have developed software or infrastructures which are directly relevant to work-related learning (eg Cross-Institutional Use of e-Learning to Support Lifelong Learners phase 1 and phase 2).
Further resources
This overview mentions only a few of the resources available from JISC and the Academy. We hope it will encourage readers to explore what’s available in more detail.
Academy Subject Centres
Search Academy/JISC resources for Work-based Learning