JISC

Overview

Technology Enhanced Learning to Support a Welsh Centre for Workforce Development (WCWD) is a JISC-funded Project, lead by the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC). The Project runs for two years from April 2009.

A key aspect of the Project is the exploration of how technology can enhance the delivery and quality of work-based learning.

The Project consists of four streams centred on: work-based delivery in the Cardiff School of Management; Dental Technology in the Centre for Dental Technology; Inter-professional Studies (Regulation of Care Services Award) in the Cardiff School of Health Sciences; and Learning Coaches in the Department of Professional Development, Cardiff School of Education.

Although each stream is separate and self-defining they have been selected because of the potential for cross-fertilisation, allowing an exploration of multifaceted issues and complexities. It is hoped that the investigation of synergies will inform an understanding of the most cost-effective and sustainable technological models of delivery for work-based learning, and how best this can be supported by strategy and policy. This understanding will be incorporated in the final project report for wider dissemination. The synthesis and dissemination of developments will be aided by a project Steering Group which will meet once every 2 -3 months.

Aims and objectives

• Transferable models of technology-supported delivery across a variety of related but differing contexts and subject disciplines
• An understanding of the strategic and policy issues attendant with such technology-enhanced models of delivery
• The creation of domain knowledge, reusable models of processes and practice, and user requirements across the project’s partners
• A greater understanding of how the learning content generated within the four streams of the project can be used as open learning content, across Wales and the rest of the UK
• Technology Enhanced Learning Support in the form of guidance materials and good practice exemplars

Project methodology

Stream One is led by David Lloyd in UWIC’s School of Management and can be broken down into two basic areas. The first involves the role of a reflective journal as part of an e-portfolio and the support of employment-based mentors within a newly validated foundation degree and MA in Applied Professional Practice. The second is focused on a new work-placement programme which aims to involve up to 500 second year undergraduate students and provides an opportunity to explore the development of support and mentoring utilising technology.

Stream Two involves both The Centre for Dental Technology, Cardiff School of Health Sciences (UWIC) & the Dental Laboratories Association (DLA). The Centre has been at the forefront of technology innovation for a number of years. In 2000 the Centre took part in a successful BT-funded ‘Dentaltec’ project, exploring the use of video, stills and text to augment laboratory demonstrations broadcast to partner institutions over the internet. This stream will investigate the degree to which web conferencing software can provide a scalable, cost-effective model for the delivery of dental technology presentations, workshops and seminars at distance as part of CPD and workforce development , the degree to which institutional processes are currently capable of supporting such a model, and the development of transferable models of delivery.

Stream Three has grown out of the requirements of the Regulation of Care Services Award (RCSA) which indicates that, as more inspectors qualify, there will be less need for large cohorts of candidates. Part of the challenge of continuing to deliver this programme for Regulators of Social and Health Care for Adults and Children is that numbers may be even more dispersed throughout Wales than previous intakes have been. The overall purpose of this stream is to investigate how the existing model of delivery and support for the RCSA could be enhanced further by the use of technology, providing exemplars and transferable approaches for similar programmes across Wales, and the rest of the UK.

Stream Four is led by Gill Jones from the Department of Professional Development, Cardiff School of Education (UWIC) and aims to analyse the degree to which technology can enhance the delivery of the legislation component of Learning Coaches training delivered by the Cardiff School of Education (UWIC), providing exemplars and transferable approaches for similar programmes.

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

Outcomes

• Transferable models of technology-supported delivery across a variety of related but differing contexts and subject disciplines
• An understanding of the strategic and policy issues attendant with such technology-enhanced models of delivery.
• The creation of domain knowledge, reusable models of processes and practice, and user requirements across the project’s partners
• A greater understanding of how the learning content generated within the four streams of the project can be used as open learning content.
• Technology Enhanced Learning Support in the form of guidance materials and good practice exemplars to inform the establishment of an all Wales Centre for Workforce Development and Observatory

Outputs

• Effective pedagogic models of delivery and a set of illustrative case studies applicable to work-based & lifelong learning
• Guidance documents and good practice exemplars on the development of approaches to technology enhanced learning for work-based students
• Effective institutional and strategic models that can best support the learning experience for these students and
• Report on possible Welsh models of flexible and distributed learning, supported through technology. To include a report to WAG re. video-conferencing & Adobe Connect and issues pertaining to the support of Welsh medium content delivery.
• Submission of developed content, as outlined in the description of streams, to JISC shared repository
• Report on effective curriculum design issues pertaining to the four project streams
• Conference presentations as appropriate, including ALT-C and dissemination of activities through the GWELLA network and events.
• Regular reporting at HE Academy Welsh Institutional Group by the Dean of L&T