Work-force and Employer Needs – A Collaborative Solution
In 2010 the Edinburgh, Lothians, Fife and Borders regional articulation Hub (ELRAH
www.elrah.ac.uk) funded by the Scottish Funding Council, commissioned the development of a new undergraduate programme in Youth Work. The programme illustrates how colleges, universities and employers can work collaboratively to produce an
HE programme that is part-time, work-based and responds to employer and work-force development needs.
The programme is a truly collaborative venture between Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh’s Telford College and Edinburgh City Council and was developed in eight months, validated in June 2011 and has started delivery in September 2011 with 27 participants. All partners have actively participated in the design and delivery of the programme. Entry to the programme takes into account an applicant’s prior knowledge, experience and previous qualifications (gained in the workplace or in college). This has ensured that participants are offered advanced entry to the programme, thus minimising the time taken to attain a qualification and also minimising time wasted repeating study. The programme has flexible exit points, enabling participants to choose which level of qualification to exit with. These include CertHE, DipHE, Foundation Degree, Ordinary Degree and Honours Degree.
The design of the programme was informed by the use of the
WBL Maturity Toolkit (
www.tinyurl.com/wbl-toolkit) funded by JISC in partnership with the University of Bradford, University of Westminster, University of Wales Institute Cardiff and Middlesex University. The delivery of the programme exploits various learning technologies to ensure participants in different work places receive high quality support from a dispersed collaborative team that includes college/university tutors and workplace assessors and mentors.
This session provides delegates with the opportunity to learn more about the approaches taken in the development of the Youth work Programme and interact with the programme team and to further explore the issues around a collaboratively designed and delivered work-based programme.
Presenters
Andrew Comrie
Andrew Comrie has worked in the College and Higher Education sectors for over 25 years holding academic, management and senior management posts. Andrew was Vice Principal at Lauder College (now Carnegie College) from 1999 until 2006 with responsibilities for learning and teaching, elearning, curriculum development and quality enhancement. Andrew joined Kerson Associates Ltd as a Director and co-owner in 2007. As a consultant, recent work has included Project Director and Consultant for the Edinburgh, Lothians Fife and Borders Regional Articulation Hub (ELRAH) – a Scottish Funding Council initiative to encourage closer collaboration between colleges and universities in the South East of Scotland to enable college students to enter degree study without repeating years. This work has also included the development of new work-based qualifications in support of local workforce development. Other recent work includes: consultant supporting the development and implementation of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s new academic framework and curriculum model; Critical Friend supporting the JISC’s Transforming Curriculum Delivery programme; Programme Leader for the Royal National Conservatoire of Scotland’s post graduate certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Arts Education; and lead consultant for the creation of a creative technical skills training network for Scotland.
Janis Deane
I have been in Higher Education for 27 years, firstly in nurse teaching and then in health promotion /public health. I have been part of Edinburgh Napier University from 1996 and before that I was a ward manager in the NHS. I am currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences and the Programme leader for the BA (Hons) Youth Work. In addition, I am a Teaching Fellow and Academic Conduct Officer.
My teaching interests centre on health promotion/education including mental health, poverty, equity and inequalities as well as employability and career development. My pedagogical interests include the first year transition, assessment and feedback, student support and graduate attributes. I have recently been involved in researching plagiarism avoidance in the context of academic literacies and the role of Academic Conduct Officers.
Barbara Lawson
My current post at Edinburgh’s Telford College is Head of External Liaison. My main areas of responsibility include Higher Education partnership and collaboration, Community Liaison and leadership of Safeguarding and of mainstreaming Equality and Diversity in the college.
I represent the college on a number of Scottish Funding Council fora, including Edinburgh and Lothian and Borders Regional Articulation Hub (ELRAH) and I have been able to work positively with HEI partners in jointly establishing new formal articulation routes, and qualifications which have brought benefit to learners. I have built up a sustainable team ethos in college , using data more effectively and in disseminating good practice in student support in the college as a result of my involvement. I am committed to advancing equality of opportunity to work-based learners wishing to up skill and gain accreditation and who wish to articulate to Higher Education. My role and skills have influenced strategic planning and direction setting for the college, and curriculum reform. The experience I have gained working with HMIe as an Associate Assessor in college inspections for over 10 years, combined with skills in communication and networking have established my profile and commitment to quality improvement and enhancement in the sector.
Morag Gray
I was employed by Edinburgh Napier University from 1996 until March 2011, and for the last 5 years as an Associate Dean (Academic Development). I was responsible for all curriculum development across two Schools making up the Faculty (Life, Sport & Social Sciences; Nursing, Midwifery & Social Care). Currently a consultant, my strengths lie in my excellent organisational skills, extensive experience of educational design, development and delivery, particularly online and blended modes. I am a professional nurse by background so bring a wealth of knowledge and experience of the health sector.
My research interests lie in mainly qualitative methods. I have five PhD completions and have externally examined 10 PhD or EdD’s. I have been involved, either as the principal investigator, or a member of a collaborative team in externally funded research projects including a variety of educational related topics including mentorship; preceptorship; evaluation of training programmes such as the Project 2000 curriculum and the Physician Assistant Anaesthesia.
Facilitator
Paul Richardson
Paul is one of a team of e-learning advisers at the JISC Regional Support Centre Wales, where his focus is on supporting adult community learning, and the voluntary sector. His early research career as a biologist was focused on cellular water relations in plants. After taking a Post Graduate Certificate in Education, he collaborated with colleagues at the Centre for Learning Technology (Bangor) in the development and delivery of an online degree programme for part-time learners (BA in Internet, Learning and Organisations). He subsequently acted as ILT coordinator at Coleg Harlech WEA, where he initiated and supported the development of online and distance learning - introducing technologies to many of the teaching staff and helping to bridge the gap between new systems and established cultures. A firm believer in the value of continuing practice, he is also an Associate Lecturer at the Open University, where he facilitates courses on botany and environmental science.
