adapting higher educat

Contents

List of Figures and Tables ix

Acknowledgements xi

Notes on Contributors xiii

Foreword xv

Introduction 1Ruth Helyer

1 Adapting to Higher Education: Academic Skills 10Ruth Helyer

2 Make Your Learning Count: How APL Can Enhance your Profile 36Adrian Evans, David Perrin, Ruth Helyer and Elaine Hooker

3 Learning to Learn: Practical Advice for Work-based Learners 63Elaine Hooker

4 Making the Most of your Assessment Opportunities: Thinking beyond the Grade 92Sue Graham and Garth Rhodes

5 Work-based Projects: What They Are and How to Do Them 127Barbara Workman

6 Support for Work-based Learning Students: From University, Employer and Self 155Jenny Naish

7 The Technology Revolution: Online Support for Work-based Learning 180Kerstin McClenaghan and David Young

8 Foundation Degrees: What They Can Do for You 213Alix Pearson

vii

Appendix 1: Credit Values Typically Associated with Programmes Leading to Main HE Qualifications in England 237

Appendix 2: Example of Questions asked in Training Needs Analysis 239

Appendix 3: Example of a Personal Statement 240

Appendix 4: Extract from a Learning CV 241

Appendix 5: Extract from a Job Description 242

Appendix 6: Example of a Project Proposal 243

Index 248

viii Contents

1 Adapting toHigher Education:Academic Skills

Ruth Helyer

l Where am I now?

The fact that you are now looking through this hand-book suggests that you have made a decision to studyfor a higher education (HE) level work-based learning(WBL) qualification, perhaps to enhance your profes-sional profile and advance your career. This journey, from where you arenow to where you want to be, will also offer you a good deal in the way ofpersonal enjoyment and satisfaction. Most university programmes whichinclude WBL start with questions about where you are now, and a combi-nation of exercises, discussion and self-audit procedures designed to helpyou to form a clear picture of what you have achieved and learned already atHE level and how to progress with this.

Personal development plans (PDPs), or personal plans of action, will helpyou with this (see Chapter 3). Exercise 1.1 will help to begin to organize yourthoughts before you write your PDP. The bullet points are suggestions; popu-late the lists with what is important to you personally.

In this chapter you willlearn:

c how far you havealready come in yourlearning journey;

c what higher education(HE) is and how itworks;

c how to make the mostof reflecting on youractivities;

c about different stylesof academic writing;

c what the differentlevels of study are;

c how to manage yourtime better.

Exercise 1.1: Achievements and ambitions

What have I achieved What do I want from my already? job?l Specific l Power?l Personal l Status?l Work-related (or not) l People/relationships?

l Creativityl Challenge?l Structure?

10

Because work-based programmes usually allow what you have learnedalready to count towards your new award, it is very important to give thisintrospective part of your study as much time and effort as you can. By claim-ing for credit via the APL process (mentioned in the introduction and fullyexplained in Chapter 2) you locate the starting point for your new programmeof learning. Most WBL students comment on the empowerment this part of theprogramme gives them; gathering strategic evidence about your prior learningrequires you to focus on your key strengths, which perhaps you take forgranted. Measuring what you know already against your Higher EducationInstitutions (HEIs) level descriptors (see later in this chapter and Chapter 4 formore information on these) proves to you that you are operating in the work-place at a level comparable with HE study. This will improve your confidenceand feelings of belonging as you embark upon your HE adventure. Although allstudents differ greatly from one another, and WBL students like you come froma wide variety of occupations, there are certain character traits whichfrequently reoccur. You may find these coming to the fore as you begin to askquestions of yourself (they are shared by all WBL students so dont worry!):

l New to HE? Have not been in any educational setting for someyears? You will require generic and academic skills alongsidesubject-specific skills dont worry!

l You bring professional knowledge perhaps working at levels farhigher than your formal qualifications suggest. Your incidental andopportunistic learning applied in an academic setting creates anempowering synergy (see Chapter 5, Work-based Projects).

l WBL programmes attract, and welcome, learners from all sectorsand backgrounds (Chapter 8).

l You are probably older than traditional students at the same level.WBL courses encourage claiming credit, which offers advancedstanding; it is almost a prerequisite, and certainly a benefit, thatyou are old enough to have gained learning through experience(Chapter 2).

Adapting to Higher Education 11

What skills and qualities What would facilitate (F) and enabled these prevent (P) me getting what I achievements? want?l Your abilities? l Required qualification (F)l Aware of them? l Lack of above! (P)

And so on.

l You have certain motivations for entering HE. These could be: toexpand your qualifications; improve your career prospects; justifyyour job position; fulfil a long-held personal wish; respond to aturning point in your life these are all normal.

l You are a part-time student but you are also employed. This may bepart or full-time work, paid or unpaid (for example voluntary orfamily business), self-employment and/or business owner,seasonal or contract work again, all normal.

l You can only attend the campus outside of office hours (youremployer might give you day release to attend certain daytimeonly modules). However, due to the flexibility of these awards andthe APL process it is possible to complete awards in a relativelyshort period of time.

l You will be paying your own fees, self-supported and financiallyindependent. If you have your fees paid by your employer they mayexpect some input into your choices.

l You will have a complex life, and commitments (family, work,community). But, coping with this complexity proves you arecapable, motivated and prepared to juggle the demands on yourtime, finances, energy, intellect and emotions.

l Along with this personal complexity the study route is non-regular,first because it is individualized but also because of the varyingmethods of attendance and assessment. You will need to be aflexible, adaptable individual to survive.

l As well as intellectual challenges there are logistical ones, such asthe impact of evening attendance on tutor and facility availability cafes, car parks and so on.

l You will rely on virtual learning environments for some sessions andfor pastoral support (you will need access to a computer for this)(Chapter 7).

l You will be relying on family, friends and work colleagues forsupport and understanding. Line Managers might need to givepermission to access work-related information needed forassignments and so on (Chapter 6).

l You will need to develop the ability to negotiate and manipulatethe HE credit system that is, understand how many credits at eachlevel you will require to obtain your award (see Appendix 1 for atable of these, and Chapter 2).

These traits are widespread and reoccurring; they should help you to feelpart of a group of learners who have a lot in common. The questions you are

12 The Work-based Learning Student Handbook

asking about where am I now? are shared by your peers; you will all relateto at least one of the categories below, in feeling:

l At a crossroads there are several options open to you. You feelthat work-related study will focus your mind as well as giving youextra HE qualifications.

l At a dead end you have gone as far as your current job role willallow and you need a new, higher level, qualification to move on.

l On a plateau you are unable to progress any further in yourcareer/sector without a degree.

l Confused the discipline of study will help you to sort yourprofile/thoughts/aims into a format for progression anddevelopment.

l Bored it is time to do something new with your working life.l Frustrated you are being passed over for promotion by younger,

less-experienced colleagues who all have HE level qualifications.l Like you have time on your hands maybe your responsibilities

towards dependants have altered.l Slightly envious partner/friends may have recently experienced

academic success.l Inspired your own offspring are doing well at university or

college.l Underpaid there is increasing pressure on you at work to take on

extra responsibility, yet rewards for this, in your company, are tiedto level of qualification.

There are numerous reasons for taking stock of your own learning anddevelopment, but embracing WBL is far more demanding than just signingup for night classes, or attending a training course provided by youremployer. WBL is an all-encompassing life change and the results of yourengagement with it will, like all worthwhile activities, be directly related towhat you put into the experience. The initial exercises and activities of WBLprogrammes usually include compiling a CV and a job description notexactly like the ones you periodically use for job applications but a versionspecifically designed to get to the heart of what it is you actually do (andhave done) and how much you have learned from that doing. These activi-ties act like a self-audit and encompass looking back to gather evidencewhich exemplifies your skills, expertise and learning. This body of evidencehelps to truly ascertain where you are now, as well as being the catalyst forwhere you are going next. There is much more detail about these activities,which are sometimes part of a module with a name like Make Your Learning


Count or Recognition of Prior Learning in Chapter 2, where you are guidedon a step-by-step journey of unpicking, evidencing and claiming what youhave previously learned.

You have probably already decided that you want to study in relation toyour occupation (Chapter 8). If part of your desire to engage with HE levellearning comes from a long-cherished dream to study a particular subject,and this subject does not relate in any way to your employment, then a WBLroute is probably not the best choice for you. A course of study whichincludes a large percentage of new (to you) theoretical input will probably bebest approached via the more traditional undergraduate route. If you havedecided that you would like to obtain an HE level award and that the WBLroute is the best way for you then the next question you probably need to askyourself is how much involvement will your employer have? For example, doyou need to ask if it is OK for you to enrol on a course? As WBL courses areoften held outside of office hours you might not need your employerspermission. However, your university assignments (Chapter 4) will almostcertainly need information and real-life activity from your workplace and thiswill be enhanced by your employers involvement; indeed, you may not beallowed to quote details about the company without this involvement.

They could also offer to pay your fees and/or perhaps let you negotiatesome time away from the workplace within office hours. The more positivethe impact of your studies on the organization the better it is, as this willmake your employer feel more inclined to offer you support (Chapter 6).Perhaps you wish to keep your university attendance from your employerbecause you are planning to change your career and/or job? This closesdown options for certain means of study and development, but is sometimesunavoidable. Alternatively, your employer might be the driving force behindyour university attendance. If this is the case, are you part of a group ofstudents all from the same company? This changes the focus of your study-ing by placing a stronger emphasis upon your employers expectations. Oryou may be part of a mixed group or class, made up from students fromacross the same sector but from diverse companies? Or even, differingsectors, if your chosen course of study is suitable for many sectors (forexample, Leadership and Management).

To get the most out of your learning experience you need to think abouthow you learn best (Chapter 3). Be honest about how much of an indepen-dent learner you can be; if you need the constant input of a tutor or teacherthen WBL is probably not going to work for you. Instead you need to becapable of self-direction (even if this doesnt come naturally to you!). Youwill not be left totally alone and told to get on with it, especially not at first,but you will be expected to be a motivated, self-starter who is capable of


using their initiative, and probably somebody who is intellectually curious. Ifyou do not find the subject matter engaging then you probably wont feelmotivated to do as much independent work as will be expected of you. Thismeans taking responsibility for your own learning and your own timemanagement (see the section Time management below), nobody is goingto hand you the answers or write the syllabus on the black/white board.Your study will be about your work and how you learn and therefore is fartoo personalized for a didactic style of teaching to be useful. WBLprogrammes are usually negotiated programmes driven by a personal learn-ing contract (Chapter 3); this increases individuality and appropriateness butreduces commonality. It can also reduce interaction with your peers; youmight find yourself, on the odd occasions when classroom attendance isnecessary, among other students with whom you feel you have little incommon. However, although these other students come from different workdisciplines they are embarking on a similar journey to yourself one thatinvolves time and effort on top of holding down employment and this simi-larity is enough to spark friendships over coffee. Traditional undergraduateson the campus for three years full-time doing the same course cannot escapeeach other for you and your peers interaction may require a bit moreconscious effort! Your individually planned programme will differ in contentand pace from other students but hopefully you might spend enough timewith other learners, in generic core modules for example, to form supportiverelationships and networks with them.


Challenges for (WBL) students (in particular!)l Academic expectations, policies and procedures.l Academic skills (writing, presentation, note-taking, literature reviews

and so on).l How does the HE credit system operate?l Learning Agreements or Contracts planning your own study route.l Being part of a group of diverse students.l Unfamiliar HE setting.

You could well need extra support and feedback, and your tutors willprovide this (Chapter 6). But your increased professional profile, whencompared to the average 18-year-old student, means that you are farmore likely to have the confidence and experience to ask for help andguidance please do.

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l What is HE?

In the UK we have standard secondary education (11 to 16-year-olds)followed by sixth form (post-16) colleges and further education colleges(FECs). Then there is higher education (HE), offered through universities andsome FECs and specialist institutions (often banded together as HEIs).Originally HE was aimed at 18-year-olds, but increasingly its culture ofdeveloping the whole person, something very attractive to employedstudents, means that it is attracting students of all ages and backgroundswishing to undertake an HE level qualification (for example FdA, BA, BAHons, MA, PhD and so on, see Appendix 1). HE awards are widely recogniz-able, carrying an impressive reputation and a high profile. In order to justifythis they are rigorously quality assured by the Quality Assurance Agency(QAA), see: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/aboutus/default.asp. WBL HE level qual-ifications undergo exactly the same processes and are of an equally highstandard to the more traditional qualifications; they also use the same termi-nology if you study for a BA it will still be called that. HE quality processesare externally monitored and strictly adhered to in order to keep the qualifi-cations which UK HEIs award at a recognized level. The variety of HEcourses available is constantly increasing (Chapter 8). WBL programmeshave differing kinds of demands but utilize the same levels of academicrigour as comparable taught courses. It is not an easier or lesser way ofobtaining a qualification, indeed it could be argued that this is a moredemanding route as you have to be self-motivated and largely unsupervised.

Exercise 1.2: Different courses

Draw up a personal list of what you perceive to be the similarities anddifferences between a traditional university course and a WBLprogramme in higher education; you probably havent attended anHEI yet, but you will have ideas about what happens there.

Traditional university course University level WBL programme

Similarities SimilaritiesChallenging high level learning Challenging high level learning demands critical thinking demands critical thinkingLeads to university qualification Leads to university qualification


Traditional university course University level WBL programme

Differences DifferencesFocus on one or two subject Focus on my work and work areas activities applied learningTaught in lectures on campus Tutorial and other support at a

distance

You gain some significant advantages by undertaking some/most of youruniversity level learning off campus. Perhaps the main one of these is flexi-bility the ability to fit learning around the demands of your work or familyand to study at your own pace and at times and in locations that suit you,rather than following a totally pre-set timetable is a massive bonus. There isalso the opportunity to design your programme around the interests andconcerns of your workplace and professional practice, therefore combiningacademic and theoretical knowledge with work-based skills.

Historically universities have been viewed as seats of knowledge wherespecialist lecturers transmit information to pupils through timetabled tutori-als and lectures, using set texts from a pre-decided syllabus. This content-heavy position has shifted considerably in recent years and you will find thatinteraction between you and your tutors is far more negotiated and person-alized. Rather than the curriculum being carved in stone and designedaround material that must be covered (and all of the suggestions of correctanswers and cramming which go with that), you should view it as apersonal vehicle that you can use to get you to where you want to be. Thisnew kind of learning/teaching relationship hones and alters learning oppor-tunities, while retaining the established strengths of HE.


How to tell its HE

l Awards credit which values, describes, measures and recognizes alllearning (at level).

l Develops intellectual and personal skills together with specific knowl-edge in key areas.

l Improves the many facets of every individual student with holisticprogrammes, courses and modules.

l Acknowledges and validates skills, knowledge, experience, work-practice.

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l The changing culture of HE

So while you may feel that your WBL journey is unusual you need to set thiswithin the context of the culture of HE itself changing considerably in the lastten years, and continuing to change and evolve. The largest component ofthis changing landscape is the growing number of non-traditional students.This shifting HE population can be attributed to many factors, but theyinclude: equalization of opportunity; an ageing population; changes in theeconomic and employment markets; rapidly developing technologies and soon. The increasing number of work-based students, like you, means thatHEIs have had to be innovative about how they acknowledge non-traditionaleducational experience. This innovation has led to a marked increase in theuse of articulation of achievement and accreditation of company in-housetraining, both practices with the potential to offer you advanced standing,which obviously affects HEIs admissions processes. Building relationshipswith different kinds of students, like you, and increasingly also with youremployer, means that HEIs are behaving more commercially and takingmore risks. This is bound to challenge a culture more accustomed to behav-ing in established, and somewhat risk-averse, ways, but it assists with thecontinuous development of HE as a stretching environment. Working withyou and your employer makes HE more responsive and more likely todevelop and deliver learning opportunities which are relevant in the twenty-first century; programmes of a bespoke, negotiated, adaptable and oftenmulti-disciplinary nature.

HE qualifications hold a parity of esteem across the learning sector andbeyond. Some career pathways demand graduate status, but this is not thesame as having a professional licence to practice. Your WBL qualification willnot enable you to become a police officer, nurse, teacher and so on; you willstill need to undertake the requisite training for these careers in order to alsoobtain the professional qualifications, usually strictly overseen by the appro-priate professional body. Your HE level WBL study adds a further dimensionto your very job-specific qualification and it includes the rounded qualitieswhich the majority of employers state they are looking for, a mix of cognitiveand non-cognitive skills and achievements which help you to become a fullydeveloped person useful at work, at home and in your community.


l Facilitates learning which transforms and improves lives.l It is innovative which inevitably includes rethinking, changing and

some disruption!l It offers all of this to everyone who stands to benefit from it.

Employability is clearly a complex mixture of elements; elements whichdiffer from job to job but with the same basic outcome they make you adesirable employee. In a rapidly changing society it is clear that you need tobe adaptable and multi-faceted. It is unlikely that as a twenty-first-centuryworker you will hold one position, or even one occupation, for your entireworking life. You will work for longer than previous generations andperhaps in changing circumstances; this need for reinvention requires areceptive and self-aware person and your employability skills need to behoned and enhanced (Helyer, 2007). These skills include those of analysisand critical debate, being able to make connections and read widely; theyalso include broader multi-faceted skills including creativity, imaginationand entrepreneurship.

You will find that in common with the majority of HE award routes, onwork-based programmes you must undertake a large project or dissertationto achieve an honours degree. This usually represents 40 or 60 credits atLevel 6 (the equivalent of the third year for full-timers). Your project willinvestigate a work-based issue and, like all learning, will result in changes.The impact this could have on your workplace will very much depend onyour individual role and the size and scope of your employer; however, thereis the potential here for you to make a real difference to the workplace prac-tices of you and your colleagues. There are many excellent examples of WBLstudents greatly increasing the profitability of their workplace by applyingthe discoveries of their work-based projects and this has ensured that WBLhas become positively associated with not just personal change but alsoorganizational change (Chapter 5).

One key difference between most work-based programmes and the tradi-tional degree programme, and a real plus for you, is that as well as this largesummative piece, you can often also undertake almost as many extraprojects as you wish to, taking into account level, subject and requisite coremodules. If it is in keeping with your profile and areas of expertise then it ispermitted and indeed valid for you to largely populate your programme withwork-based projects (Chapter 5). Work-based projects will help you tomanage your time and effort, both of which are at a premium when you areattempting to combine work and study. You and your employer stand to gainfrom combining a piece of work activity (which needs to be carried outanyway) with an academic assignment (Chapter 4). For you, a busyemployed student, this reduces campus attendance; for your employer itoffers unrivalled research resources and a superior piece of written work,usually exceeding the report expected in terms of research skills, depth andacademic rigour.

Much of your learning will be taking place at work; reading and writing


about WBL needs to be fitted into your own time and you will have todevelop timetabling skills to deal with this. Your studies might demandextensive use of the internet and other web-facilitated technologies: search-ing the web; communicating with fellow students and tutors; using youruniversitys virtual learning environment (VLE). Increasingly, all universitycourses utilize these technologies as much as is possible and appropriate butit is even more important for you because WBL students are almost alwaysemployed, perhaps spending periods of time away from their homes andtheir office/work-base, at distant branches of their company, potentiallyacross the world. Online technologies mean that so long as you have accessto a computer and the internet you can progress your studies wherever youare. Some WBL programmes are totally online and to get the best from theseyou must develop your IT skills to your fullest capacity (Chapter 7).

You are probably starting to see just how much WBL is pushing bound-aries on many levels: by acknowledging previous learning and encouragingyou to evidence and build upon your knowledge and expertise; by utilizingdifferent ways of learning such as extensive use of mobile technologies;and by encouraging change and growth in the HE sector itself as WBL canoften exceed what the academy knows already.

Exercise 1.3: The good and the bad

With some of this in mind draw up your personal list of the advan-tages and disadvantages of undertaking a WBL programme in highereducation. For example: time needed to study; balancing othercommitments; cost implications; travel; self-confidence and so on.

Advantages Disadvantages

You (and your employer) bring expertise and a new kind of knowledgeinto the university, adding to and enhancing what is already going on there;this makes you more like a partner than a student and has the potential tofacilitate truly cutting edge work, vastly different to the old model of an HEIwhere subject-based knowledge trickles downwards towards an emptyrecipient (you!), usually in a classroom setting, on a full-time basis, over a


set period of weeks and years. This learning would be then typicallyassessed by you being required to write essays and sit examinations.Contemporary and future methods of learning, teaching and assessmentneed to go way beyond this if they are to fulfil your needs, as part of a new,varied body of learners, and do justice to the type of learning which isentwined with workplace and life activity (Chapter 4).

Within traditional subject disciplines, such as history or philosophy, theway in which you actually study the subject is part of the subjects formationand integrity; there are well-established expectations around what thecurriculum contains and how it is accessed. However, as Gibbons et al.suggest, The bounds of the intellectual world and its environment havebecome blurred (Gibbons et al., 1994: 37). With new knowledge, that whichis produced outside of the university, a more active style of learning isinvolved and it is impossible to separate the learning from the activity. Youare not learning something then applying it, you are learning while youpersonally work (Gibbons et al., 1994 describe these distinctly different stylesas Mode 1 and Mode 2 knowledge). Similarly Biggs (constructivist debate2003) claims that you construct something personal from your activity whichmakes you learn, and that what you construct depends upon your motives,your intentions, your previous learning, your previous knowledge and proba-bly also other factors.

So while formerly HEIs strengths have been summed up as focusing onresearch and theory there is much evidence now to suggest that learning anddoing cannot be separated and therefore to use knowledge to its fullestpotential it must be implemented, performed and enhanced as part of asynergy. Ideally, as a learner, you will not only do, you will focus on whyyou are doing what you are doing, how you are doing it and the theorybehind it. It is well worth you doing some research for yourself into the inter-esting debates around the nature of knowledge. Postmodern theory, forexample, has considerably weakened the position of strength HEIs may havethought they held over deciding what could be legitimately classed as knowl-edge (see, for example, the work of Jean-Franois Lyotard).

l Reflective practice

Elda Nikolou-Walker describes this learning revolution as, marrying acad-emic skills within real life circumstances, a process which brings theoryout of the classroom, right onto the desk in the office, onto the shop floor, orwherever individuals seek to build and use knowledge (Nikolou-Walker,2007: 539, italics in original). One of the key skills you must develop to get


the most from your studies is actively reflecting on your work activities, aspart of continuously evaluating, reviewing and improving performance,satisfaction and results. Combined with your new academic skills this reflec-tion will encourage you to change your practices within the workplace,hence enhancing your personal performance, but also the overall perfor-mance of your organization. You will almost certainly already be utilizingcritical reflection even if this has been subliminal up until this point!

David Gray cites reflecting actively and usefully as a process which gener-ates the development of a dynamic synergy and dialectic between academiclearning and work-based practice (Gray, 2001: 24).

Humans automatically reflect on their actions, to a certain extent, butfocusing this activity into a structured response maximizes its usefulness andencourages you to become a reflective and self-aware person. This meansthat you will be looking both backwards and forwards (and sometimes side-ways!) to make connections with what you are currently undertaking. Thiskind of evaluation can feel fragmented and disjointed dont worry, that isnormal it utilizes the knowledge which lies deep within you (tacit knowl-edge) so deep you probably take it for granted and dont explicitly acknowl-edge it, but it is the data you use to make instinctive decisions based uponyour accumulated knowledge from past actions and experience. MichaelEraut (1994) discusses the subtle nuances between the tacit, that which isimplicitly acknowledged and referred to, rather than that which is explicitlypointed out. You might choose to use formalized reflection as a method for


Reflect to gain maximum credit

l Reflect strategically on your learning through past experiences.l Remember, the activity and the learning process are entwined not

separate entities.l Reflect not just on your programme of study but also more generally

along your life path.l Make the most of your programmes guided self-audit (Chapter 2).l Establish where exactly you are in terms of career, personal devel-

opment and learning.l Acknowledge what you can already do for example write reports

this feeds into academic writing, an area you might be convincingyourself you know little about.

l Reflection makes you realize that you already have a good base onwhich to build your next stage of development.

l Dont worry, reflective skills can be taught and measured.l Become a reflective practitioner strive to continually improve your

practice active reflection is key to this.

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offering feedback to your employer; it is a good way to share outcomes.Because reflection is a vital part of personal development work-based learn-ing programmes encourage you to become actively reflective.

Exercise 1.4 will help you with the thought processes.

Exercise 1.4: Reflect and plan

Describe a significant work-related incident (describe and interpret)

Information

Context

Perspective

Others involved

Actively reflect on this incident (analyse your actions)

Results?


Consequences? (for self and others)

Feelings?

Influences?

Alternatives?

The Learning Process (explain)

Feelings now?

New/different ideas?

Learned anything?


Progress?

Future practice?

By trying this activity you are required to look back and analyse pastevents and experiences. This enables those experiences to be then placedwithin the context of what is happening in the present and what may happenin the future. Within your WBL study you will encounter sessions whichinclude learning theories and styles, meta-cognition, self-analysis ofstrengths and weaknesses and personal statements (Chapters 2 and 3) andyou will be encouraged to think about what has worked well for you in thepast when you have undertaken tasks and tackled situations in certain ways.This kind of reflection will also be usefully formalized into reports, essays,journals, logs or diaries. Your reflective writing can take a more personalstyle than that which you might have at first expected to be producing foruniversity assignments, but it still needs to be structured and purposeful.Writing about your active reflection embeds within you good practice foryour future continuous professional and personal development activities.Developing an ongoing ethos of reflection means you challenge and ques-tion why tasks were undertaken in a certain way rather than how they werecarried out, and furthermore become accomplished at recognizing that youare learning continuously; it is not a standalone process. Tutor interactionwill be built into this process with debriefing and support and the possibilityof observational visits to your workplace. Your employer has much to gainfrom encouraging you to actively reflect on your work practices. As Coxclaims, learning through work is integral to the whole reflective practiceprocess and can provide valuable opportunities for individual action researchin the work context (Cox, 2005: 471). It is crucial to remember that you arenot separate to that context, but an intrinsic part of it. Reflective practice hasthe potential to impact positively upon you and your workplace/job-role;feedback from former WBL students refers to its transformative effect.

Active reflection is usually included in the core modules of a WBLprogramme. You may find that you are collecting a series of short narrativestatements (5001000 words) in which you actively reflect upon your learning


processes during different modules, these statements are often transformedinto a Portfolio of Active Reflection, which includes your experience ofvarious modules, your current and past activities and your future plans allsituated within a framework of personal and professional development. Byembedding the value of reflecting and learning from experience your univer-sity hopes to create reflective practitioners (Schon, 1983 and 1987); theideal scenario being that as a reflective practitioner you share your ability tocritically reflect and analyse and your higher level ideas with your companycolleagues. You will become a practitioner for whom it is the norm tocontinuously reflect, plan and develop; routinely revisiting the manner inwhich activities are conducted, rather than assuming that the old way is thebest. This is often illustrated in a circular format (see Figure 1.1) which canbe slightly misleading as the process of reflection is more iterative and messythan a neat circle suggests. There is a certain circularity to moving throughthe stages of Review, Research and Reflect but it is a forward moving loop ofenquiry rather than a closed off or fenced in circle. To prevent an empha-sis on looking back (despite this being needed) some prefer the term reflect-ing forwards, which foregrounds the developmental nature of the process.

In work-based degree programmes the acknowledging of what has been,


Figure 1.1 Review, research, reflect and learn

is being and will be learned is at the core of your interaction with your tutorsand your peers. This questions the correct order of things, as you repeatedlylook back, forth and across through your experience. This postmodernapproach to learning can be seen as simultaneously liberating, because ofthe opportunities it offers, and frightening, as it removes boundaries and thepurported safety, they bring (Helyer, 2007). WBL programmes inevitablyinvolve a personal and professional stock-take (Chapter 2). An importantelement of this is looking back to analyse your past learning experiences.This might feel uncomfortable. Invariably as a WBL student you will be amature student feeling the need to catch up; you want or need that qualifi-cation (perhaps others in your workplace are graduates, or your career haschanged into a graduate profession since you joined it) and you feel awarethat you are not 18 and do not have A levels. I am positive that you did notenrol with a university in order to look back; you want to move forwardstowards a qualification, like every other student. Being genuinely reflectivetakes time, it can be painful and is invariably more difficult than you antici-pate; some facets of your practice may need to be un-learned or at leastamended. As Elaine Cox (2005) states, encouraging reflective practice at alllevels is beneficial for students undertaking any kind of work-based activity,even though there is often resistance to the process and difficulty in initialdevelopment of the reflective and analytical skills required (Cox, 2005: 461).You will be guided through the process; an issue in itself as you must learn totrust your tutor (who will be adept at reflective processes) in order to be openand honest with them: To engage in reflective practice, people need a senseof security (Osterman and Kottkamp, 2004: 68).

l Writing for academic purposes

One of your major worries may be that you will be expected to write, readand respond like a student, and that this will be judged against others whohave more recent experience of studying than yourself. This is not the case;you will be offered help and advice about academic practices, includingmodules that have been specifically devised to bring you up to speed withacademic writing conventions, (including presentation and format) in alimited timeframe. Due to the negotiated and personalized nature of yourprogramme and your working environment (requirements of your sector andso on) it may be that your assessments will not involve writing essays orsitting exams not all university assignments do (Chapter 4). What you willfind is that it is now far more commonplace to undertake an assessmenttailored to your work activities; for example, some of your tutors may


observe you giving a presentation to your managers about a workplaceinitiative and then mark a copy of the subsequent report you produce.

Your tutors will fully appreciate that although you have been offered afantastic opportunity by enrolling on a work-based route (there was probablyno other suitable route to HE for you) and, furthermore, you stand to gainadvanced standing, that there is a downside to this. This downside is notinsurmountable but it means that the very advanced standing which isclaiming to help you also disadvantages you with its speediness, for exampleyou may undertake an introductory module in which you claim APL and findthat you are propelled into the equivalent, for example, of the second or eventhird year of undergraduate study (or the corresponding stage of your post-graduate route). Obviously this is a deserved recognition of the amount ofprevious learning you have undertaken and the level of the experiences,skills and responsibilities of your job. What you do not get is the time andspace of multiple years full-time study and campus attendance in which togradually become familiar with academic conventions and to learn how toread, write, take notes, research effectively, understand marking systemsand so on, which your fellow students who opted for more traditional routesget. You have to learn fast! But also, realistically, some of what a typical full-time student is learning is not appropriate for you, and many of your skillsare far in excess of theirs. They are being taught about learning; your job hasalready taught you how to learn. What you need now are some methods oftranslating that learning into formats that can be ratified by HE. Make themost of the self-audits and exercises your university utilizes to highlight yourareas in need of development and try your best to address these areas. Mostuniversities, as well as having specific modules to polish up these skills alsohave web pages and drop-in centres, typically in the library. There are alsoexcellent study skills books available on the market (see suggested furtherreading, at the end of the chapter). You will also find that your universityprovides handbooks for each module and programme and these are alwaysan excellent resource for getting up to speed with the skills that particularmodule needs. Many universities also have websites designed to help youwith study skills for example, see http://dissc.tees.ac.uk/ sites like thishave pages dedicated to improving your writing and so on and give youinvaluable, down-to-earth tips to help you sharpen your skills.

l Level descriptors

One of the ways in which you can be sure you are attaining HE level academicstandards is to familiarize yourself with your institutions level descriptors,


these are published standards which state the institutions expectations ofstudent achievement at each level of their study. In this context level refersto the difficulty of study that is, year one for a full-time undergraduate is theequivalent of Level 4. It is not about the level of your mark or grade, but thelevel your course is at. Just as National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)expect you to demonstrate certain things they usually use defined compe-tencies against occupational standards your HE work-based learning will bemeasured against your institutions level descriptors. These differ from oneuniversity or college to another but all are predicated around those set out assuggestive by the QAA see: http://www.qca.org.uk/libraryAssets/media/qca_05_2242_level_descriptors.pdf.


Typical words you will find in descriptors

Level 4l Demonstrate you can use a systematic approach in acquiring

knowledge and the underpinning concepts and principles associatedwith this knowledge.

l Use a range of subject-specific, cognitive and transferable skills.

l Evaluate the appropriateness of differing approaches to solving problems.

l Communicate outcomes in a structured and clear manner.l Discuss your findings from texts, journals and other data.

Level 5 Level 5 is the equivalent of a second year undergraduate expectations increasel Demonstrate your ability.l Apply and evaluate key concepts and theories.l Select and use a range of cognitive and transferable skills and problem

solving strategies.l Effectively communicate information and debates.l Accept responsibility for personal outcomes.l Reflect on, for example, workplace experience.

Level 6 The level of difficulty and sophistication increases for honourslevel students in their final yearl Demonstrate that you have certain abilities.l Critically review, consolidate and extend a body of knowledge.l Critically evaluate ideas and material from a range of sources.l Transfer and apply subject-specific, cognitive and transferable skills

to complex situations.l Your skills of communication and argument should be considerably

honed by this stage.

TIP

These lists are not definitive but they give a flavour of the expectations ofthose assessing your work and begin to show the stages in your journeyfrom novice through competence and proficiency to expert. As stated above,you should also refer to the particular level descriptors used by your owninstitution. If you are undertaking postgraduate study there will be separatedescriptors for this. Whichever descriptors you are using make sure that youinterpret them through your own sectors legal requirements and governingbodies. Do not view them as something devised to test you or catch you out,but as helpful guidelines for you to aim at. Having something clearly definedis far preferable to nobody bothering to point out what success might actu-ally look like.

l Time management

WBL students are without exception busy working people; to make a successof your HE study you will need to be accomplished in time management. Thereare many things that occur during the day that waste your time: the telephoneinterrupts you; visitors surprise you; feelings of stress and tiredness, evenillness, catch up with you. Sometimes you find yourself avoiding what youneed to do for no very good reason even allowing yourself to be distracted bysomething less important and often less interesting. Why does this happen?Procrastination is not necessarily a sign of laziness; maybe you are avoidingfacing up to what you should be doing because it is difficult to work effectivelywithout all of the necessary information. Or because your line manager hasntreally made it at all clear what is expected of you. Having all of the necessaryinformation and planning your time appropriately, and realistically, makes iteasier to carry out your tasks in an organized, efficient manner. Trying to workin an unplanned (even shambolic!) way may initially feel like getting straighton with something, but in the long run unplanned activity is a proven timewaster. This is not to suggest that there is no place for spontaneity in the work-place there is but when trying to achieve certain outcomes, within a settimescale, a plan is necessary. If you think about what kind of events or issuesregularly disturb your working environment you will be well on the way todeveloping a plan which will improve your effectiveness.


l Demonstrate your acceptance of your accountability for determiningand achieving both your own outcomes but also team outcomes.

l Evidence your critical and analytical reflection.l You will be expected to give evidence in a variety of formats.

Exerc

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What else have you added to the list? Disruptions are sometimes out ofyour hands, but at other times they are self-inflicted, with some disruptionsfalling into both of these categories! They are out of your hands yet yourresponse is making the situation worse not better! You may not have beengiven the necessary information, but perhaps you have not sought it outeither? Or perhaps chosen to ignore it thinking you know better? Somedisruptions are the knock-on results of an earlier disruption, in a viciouscircle of insufficient time for example, the stress you are feeling which issignificantly compromising your performance may well be a direct result ofyou attempting to achieve something which was never possible. Unclear, orwildly ambitious objectives can often create this situation especially whenthese objectives are linked to an overall lack of good communication.Modern life is undoubtedly complex, hopefully these ideas will help a little.

Try to utilize a number of key suggestions from the Tip above, andmonitor and adapt your use of them; this will result in you keeping track ofyour activities via an approach which produces the best results for you. It isimportant that you focus in this way on what works for you because WBL


Good time management skills

l Be realistic dont set yourself up to fail.l Record your activities, and how long they take on a log you might

be surprised.l Set boundaries, clear goals and time limits.l Use a calendar something like Outlook diary on your PC can send

you reminders and really help you to plan your time as well asletting (chosen) others see when you are busy and when you arefree.

l Contacts keep well-ordered records saves time looking them up use your mobile phone or PDA to the best of its ability.

l Delegate pass things on nobody can do things just like you butit doesnt matter.

l Similarly accept help welcome the involvement of appropriateothers.

l Minimize distractions and deflections create a working environmentfor yourself which suits you.

l Overall schedule keep perspective of the bigger picture.l Plan/prioritize/balance what is really important? (urgent isnt the

same thing).l Say no, not now and later!l Use a clear task list and subsidiary to do lists breaking tasks down

helps.

TIP

does not rely on a pre-set curriculum, but encourages and facilitates a nego-tiation of the programme content, pace, location and so on between you andyour tutor(s). There is minimal pre-decided content instead you bring thecontent with you of course this requires enhanced levels of responsibilityfrom you as learner. You have freedom which is great but you are alsolargely responsible for using your time wisely and not abusing this freedom.Your flexible programme will be bespoke to you, but you will have manyinterested stakeholders. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do yourbest to satisfy them all: your employer, colleagues, fellow learners, tutors,mentors, customers, partners, family, friends and of course, yourself. Thisdemands a high level of commitment to your course of study as while tailor-ing your programme brings relative freedom and self-direction it alsorequires that you take ownership of your own learning. But dont be daunted,remember you are already operating as a professional, as Burns and Costleysuggest: These learners already have intellectual capital, what they seekfrom HEIs is not so much factual knowledge as ways to research and developknowledge, reflect and evaluate situations and think autonomously (Burnsand Costley, 2003: 45).

1 WBL is facilitated learning; not a teacher writing on the

board, but heavily relying on you.

2 You are required to behave differently to how you might

expect a typical student to behave.

3 You personalize your study and focus on what is of inter-

est to you and appropriate to your job.

4 You must be prepared to be pushed beyond your comfort

zone.

5 The speed and route of learning is under your control; a bit

unnerving at first.

6 You will get to know and understand your own learning

styles, strengths and weaknesses leading to greater

autonomy as a learner.


Summary

7 You will develop a critical distance and ability to reflect

which will allow you to monitor your own progress the

following chapters will assist you with this.

l References

Biggs, J. (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the StudentDoes, 2nd edn (Maidenhead: Society for Research into Higher Education andOpen University Press).

Burns, G. and Costley, C. (2003) Non-Traditional Students and 21st CenturyHigher Education. In: Knowledge, Work and Learning: Conference Proceedingsof the Work-Based Learning Network of the Universities Association for LifelongLearning, compiled by D. Hollifield and issued on CD.

Cox, E. (2005) Adult Learners Learning from Experience: Using a ReflectivePractice Model to Support Work-based Learning. Reflective Practice, 6 (4),45972.

Eraut, M. (1994) Developing Professional Knowledge and Competence (London:Falmer).

Gibbons, M., Limoges, C., Nowotny, H., Schwartzman, S., Scott, P. and Trow,M. (1994) The New Production of Knowledge: The Dynamics of Science andResearch in Contemporary Societies (London: Sage).

Gray, D. (2001) A Briefing on Work-based Learning, LTSN Generic CentreAssessment Series No 11 (York: Learning and Teaching Support Network).

Helyer, R. (2007) What is Employability?: Reflecting on the PostmodernChallenges of Work-based Learning. Journal of Employability and theHumanities, (University of Central Lancashire), 1.

Nikolou-Walker, E. (2007) Critical Reflections on an Evaluative ComparativeAnalysis of Work-based Learning through Organizational ChangeMechanisms. Reflective Practice, 8 (4), 52543.

Osterman, K. and Kottkamp, B. (2004) Reflective Practice for Educators:Professional Development to Improve Student Learning, 2nd edn (ThousandOaks, CA: Corwin Press).

Quality Assurance Agency, About Us (online). Available at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/aboutus/default.asp (accessed 28 November 2009).

Schon, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action(London: Temple Smith).

Schon, D. (1987), Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Toward a New Design forTeaching and Learning (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass).


l Suggested further reading

Billett, S. (2001) Learning in the Workplace: Strategies for Effective Practice(London: Allen & Unwin).

Boud, D., Keoghr, R. and Walker D. (eds) (1985) Reflection: Turning Experienceinto Learning (London: Kogan Page).

Burns, T. and Sinfield, S. (2008) Essential Study Skills: The Complete Guide toSuccess at University, 2nd edn (London: Sage Study Skills Series).

Cottrell, S. (2005) Critical Thinking Skills (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).Cottrell, S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).Cunningham, I., Dawes, G. and Bennett, B. (2004) The Handbook of Work Based

Learning (Aldershot: Gower Publishing).Dawson, C. (2006) The Mature Students Study Guide: Essential Skills for Those

Returning to Education or Distance Learning, 2nd edn (London: How To Books).Durant, A., Rhodes, G. and Young, D. (eds) (2009) Getting started with University-

Level Work Based Learning (Middlesex: Middlesex University Press).Grix, J. (2010) Information Skills (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).Groucutt, J. (2008) Business Degree Success (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).Hobbs, V. (2007) Faking it or hating it: can reflective practice be forced?

Reflective Practice, 8 (3), 40517.Hoult, L. (2006) Learning Support for Mature Students (London: Sage Study Skills

Series).Moon, J. (2000) Reflection in Learning and Professional Development: Theory and

Practice (London: Kogan Page).Moon, J. (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and

Practice (London: Routledge).Moon, J. (2007) Critical Thinking: An Exploration of Theory and Practice (London:

Routledge).Nikolou-Walker, E. and Garnett, J. (2004) Work-based Learning. A New

Imperative: Developing Reflective Practice in Professional Life. ReflectivePractice, 5 (3), 297312.

Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2010) Cite Them Right: The Essential Referencing Guide,8th edn (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).

Peck, J. and Coyle, M. (2005) The Students Guide to Writing: Grammar,Punctuation and Spelling, 7th edn (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).

Raelin, J. A. (2008) Work-Based Learning: Bridging Knowledge and Action in theWorkplace, revised edition (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass).

Rose, J. (2007) The Mature Students Guide to Writing, 2nd edn (Basingstoke:Palgrave Macmillan).

Russell, T. (2005) Can Reflective Practice be Taught?. Reflective Practice, 6 (2),199204.

Williams, K. and Carroll, J. (2009) Referencing and Understanding Plagiarism(Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).


academic currency 39, 44academic misconduct 118academic/workplace perspectives

1312academic writing 278action research 137, 145activist learning style 68, 177adult learners/mature students

advantages 7, 11negative experiences of

assessment 92proactive learning approach 69reflective practice 27undervaluing talents 42

Accreditation of Prior CertificatedLearning (APCL) 37, 39, 434

establishing learning level and credit value 43

evidence 44relevance 44time 44

Accreditation of Prior ExperientalLearning (APEL) 37, 39, 41

amount claimed 503assessed modules 104case studies 513compiling claims 538developing a learning CV 4750evidence 5860mapping against existing modules

4950scoping areas of learning 447,

48structure 578timing issues 53

Anderson, G. L. 145Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

2, 11, 28, 3662context and background 3641practical facilitation 413

see also Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning;Accreditation of PriorExperiential Leaning

APL/APEL advisors 40, 41, 45, 47,48, 54, 57

areas of learning 43learning CVs 47narrowing the list 479scoping 447, 48

Armsby, P. 129assessment 278, 92126

academic misconduct 118different types 1037exam boards 122exemplar timeline for assessed

work 114external examination 122fails and appeals 1223formative vs. summative 108,

233Foundation degrees 218, 231,

233key words 95handbooks 10918level and volume of learning 99linking with learning 98marking and moderation 11922measuring amount 99103methods, process and procedures

1089negative attitudes to 923negotiating 968problems 119purposes 956self- 105, 1089, 11013submission arrangements 119what is assessed 945your roles and responsibilities

123

248

Index

assessment brief 11617assessment criteria 117Assessment for Learning Strategies

96autonomous (independent) learning

64, 745, 94learners characteristics 756and support 162, 1645support mechanism 76

award classifications 165

Bell, I. 138Berne, J. 162Biggs, J. 21Blackboard 155, 160blended learning 76, 1823blogs 76, 181, 190, 199201, 209Bosley, S. 184Boud, D. 96British Association of Counselling

Practice (BACP) 226Brown, S. 96buddies (study buddies) 157Burns, G. 33

campus resources 1556career

benefits of work-based learning6

enhancement with Foundation degrees 2212

as a metaphor 867Careers Advisory Service 157certificated learning 39, 423

differentiating form experiential learning 423

see also Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning

change 769, 228change agent role 145chapter summary chart 89child care, on-campus 156City & Guilds qualifications 43collaborative assignments 106communities of learning 7, 76, 180communities of practice 845, 205complex commitments 12confidentiality 59, 98, 141, 147, 157,

246constructive alignment 98

contextual knowledge 175continuous professional development

(CDP) 2, 80, 848CPD cycle 86, 87learning logs 88

Costley, C. 33, 129Council for Industry and Higher

Education 2245Council for National Academic

Awards (CNAA) 36counselling

Foundation degrees 226student 156, 157

Cox, E. 25, 27Credit Accumulation and Transfer

Scheme (CATS) 37credit transfer 39credits

general (generic) vs. specific 40, 44, 49

HE system 78, 12, 367, 2378in-house training 229level 50rating certificated learning 43undergraduate requirements

example 45volume 503, 99103

critical incident logs 105, 106CVs 46 see also learning CVs

Data Protection Act 147Dearing Report 79Delicious 1945, 209discussion boards 181, 192dissertations, work-based projects

compared 131distance learning 76Doctoral degrees 38

credit values 103, 237level descriptors 102

Durrant, A. 94duty of care 157dyslexia 156

e-learning 180, 1834Edmodo 206employability

and continuous professional development (CDP) 857

Foundation degrees for 21618

Index 249

employability (cont.):and graduate commercial

awareness 2245and Progress Files 79twenty-first century skills 19, 190

employersattitudes to articulation 2234benefits of employees continuous

professional development86

contracts with universities 156, 166

in-house training 229involvement in Foundation

degrees 234involvement in work-based

learning 14involvement in work-based

projects 130support from 14, 1668, 2312see also workplaces/organizations

employee/learner role 173English language support 156Equivalent and Lower Qualification

Policy 215Eraut, M. 22ethical issues 98

APEL evidence 59work-based projects 131, 141,

1467, 1478evaluation research approach 137exam boards 122experiential learning 39, 423

differentiating form certificated learning 423

see also Accreditation of Prior Experiential Leaning (APEL)

external examination 122

Facebook 207, 209feedback 108, 160

contradictory 164feed-forward 108fees 12

Foundation degrees 218, 2323Flickr 2034, 209Force Field Analysis (FFA) 145formative assessment 105, 108, 233Foundation Degree Forward 214,

227

Foundation Degree Task Force 214Foundation degrees 21336

for career enhancement/personal development 2212

cost 2323credit levels 238for employability/widening

participation 213, 21618,223

employer support 2312entry requirements 231features to look for 2334growth in student numbers

21415progression from 4, 2226subjects available 2279teaching methods 2301what they are 21314for workforce development

21314, 21821, 223Framework for Higher Educational

Qualifications (FHEQ) levels38, 99, 225

Gantt charts 141, 142, 170general (generic) credit 40, 44, 49Gibbons, M. 21Google Docs 198, 209Google Reader 1923, 2009Google Scholar 1901, 209Gray, D. 22group work

assessments 106collaborative assignments 106,

150wikis 196

handbooks 28, 10918Helyer, R. 79Herr, K. 145Higher Education 1, 1035

academic writing 278assessment strategies 96changing culture 1821credit system 78, 12, 367,

2367culture and expectations, online

tutorial exchanges 1867level descriptors 2830, 1002reflective practice 217

250 Index

time management 303traditional advantages 23where am I now? 1015what it is 1618

Higher Education Institutions seeuniversities

HNDs 5, 44, 100, 238Honey and Mumfords learning cycle

678Honours degrees 38

credit values 99, 237level descriptors 101progression from Foundation

degrees 2236Hughes, P. 756

ICTcampus resources 155equipment 176in-house/university courses 2,

176see also online support

independent learning seeautonomous learning

insider/outsider researcher 1456intellectual agility and stamina

1767intellectual property 147iTunes U 194

Jaiku 206job descriptions (JDs) 13, 46, 81

sample extract 242Johnson, B. 60

knowledge, nature of 21Kolbs learning cycle 657

Lammy, David 215learning 6391

autonomous 64, 745, 94, 162, 1645

continuous professional development 848

coping with change 769linking with assessment 98personal development plans

7984postmodern approach 27synergy with doing 21, 231

learning communities 7, 76, 180learning contracts (agreements/

proposals) 15, 6974, 158,168

assessment 97, 104examples 723work-based projects 130

learning conversations 1603learning CVs 13, 81

developing 4750sample extract 241

learning disabilities 156learning gurus 1578learning journals 105, 106learning level see level descriptorslearning sets 150Learning Style Inventory 67learning styles 25, 635, 1767, 183Leaning Styles Questionnaire 67,

176leaning theory 25, 65

Honey and Mumfords model678

Kolbs model 657learning transitions 158LearnOutLoud.com 194level descriptors 11, 2830, 49, 50,

99, 1002, 214, 2256libraries/Learning Resource Centres

28, 155, 191reading only rights 156

lifelong learning 36, 64, 85, 222line managers

permission to access/present information 12, 59, 134,146

support from 168, 169, 170, 171LinkedIn 2078, 209logistical challenges 12

Malone, S. A. 70marking and moderation 11922marking criteria 118, 1201Masters awards 38, 40

credit values 103, 237level descriptors 101progression from Foundation

degrees 226mature students see adult learnersMegginson, D. 87

Index 251

mentors 1578, 232mind maps 144mixed research approaches 137modular exam board 122module descriptors 545modules

aims 115and the credit system 37, 99empty 4950, 97learning outcomes 11516

motivation/s 12, 95, 158, 169, 233

National Qualifications Framework(NQF) levels 37, 38

National Records of Achievement 80National Union of Students 123National Vocational Qualifications

(NVQs) 29, 38, 43, 223New Opportunities white paper 778NICATS level descriptors 99Nikolou-Walker, E. 21non-traditional students 18

Oasis 155online portfolios 105online support 2, 20, 76, 180212

blended learning 1823campus resources 155e-learning 180, 1834off-campus opportunities 1801posting project aims and

objectives 150virtual learning environments

20, 14950, 155, 1801Web 2.0 tools (social learning)

180, 1834, 188210work-based projects 14950

online tutorial exchangesfocus on work 185HE culture and expectations

1867learner control, imitative and

empowerment 1856seeking reassurance and

clarification 186social/affective 187

organizational change 19, 78

Palgrave study skills podcasts 194pastoral support 156, 157

peer assessment 109personal development plans (PDPs)

10, 7984Personal Learning Environments

(PLEs) 181personal statements 25, 81

example 240personal voice 165podcasts 1934, 209Political, Ethical, Sociological,

Technology, Legal andEcological (PESTLE) 145

Portfolio of Active Reflection 256portfolios 105postgraduate level study

APEL submissions 57credit values 103, 237level desciptors 30, 1012progression from Foundation

degrees 226postmodern theory 21, 27power relations 162practitioner/researcher role 140,

1436context 1435insider/outsider 1456

pragmatist learning style 68presentations

SlideShare 2023work-based projects 150

professional bodies and qualifications18, 147, 226

professional knowledge 11, 160,173

progression and award boards 122Progress Files Initiative 79projects see work-based projectspsychometric tests 645public sector 85, 170, 227

qualitative research 136Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)

16, 29, 37, 109, 225Foundation Degree Qualification

Benchmark 214Guidelines for HE Progress Files 79

quantitative research 136

Race, P. 96real work environments 217

252 Index

reflective diaries 105blogs 199sharing online 150work-based projects 145, 147

reflective practice 217, 177and assessment 94practitioner/researcher role 145

reflective narratives 160reflective practitioners 26reflective writing 25

twitter 206reflector leaning style 68reports 1067research

approaches 1367, 138, 145skills needed 129

research methods modules 128,1967, 1978, 2256

Rhodes, G. 150Robson, C. 138RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

1912, 209

second generation projects 169SEEC 99self-analysis 25, 64

learning styles 678personal statements 81SWOT technique 814

self-assessment 105, 1089checklist 11013

Shiel, G. 150skills audit 42Skype 2045, 209SlideShare 2023, 209social learning see Web 2.0 servicesSolomon, N. 96specific credit 41, 44, 49stakeholder groups, personal 1723,

1735Stephenson, D. 184, 185storytelling 15960study leave 170study skills resources 28summative assessment 105, 106,

108, 233, 234support 12, 15579

and autonomous learning 76, 162, 1646

employer 14, 1668, 2312

Foundation degrees 2312, 234learning agreements 168learning conversations 1603mentors and buddies 1578, 232personal stakeholder groups

1723, 1735project/dissertation supervisor

164self 1718university 15560work-based projects 14951,

164, 16971your own resources 1757see also online support

SWOT analysisas change tool 145self-analysis 814

tacit knowledge 22, 103, 129technology see ICT; online supportTeesside University 52, 83, 191,

2001theorist learning style 68, 177time management 303Training Needs analysis (TNA)

689example questions 239

Transactional Analysis 1613tutors

feedback 108, 160learning conversations 1603learning/teaching relationship

17, 158online exchanges 1848and reflective practice 25, 27storytelling with 15960support 14950, 1589

twitter 76, 2056, 209

Ufi learndirect Learning ThroughWork level descriptors 99

undergraduate-level studycredit values 45, 99103, 2378credit achievement through APL

412level descriptors 2930, 1001

universities/Higher EducationInstitutions 16

academic/workplace perspectives1312

Index 253

universities/Higher EducationInstitutions (cont.):

benefits of delivering continuing professional development867

contracts with employers 156, 166

level descriptors 11, 289, 30, 49, 50, 99

self-regulation 122support 15560Progress Files 79

Universities and College AdmissionService (UCAS) 216

virtual learning environments (VLEs)20, 14950, 155, 1801

vodcasts 1934, 209

Wailey, T. 60Web 2.0 services (social leaning)

180, 1834, 188210Whitaker, V. 87Wikipedia 196wikis 181, 1968, 209Woolf, Virginia 176work-based learning

Foundation degrees 21821key benefits 34, 8negotiating assessment 968study routes 1, 34, 12what it is 25traditional programmes compared

1617, 201, 28, 96, 103, 224work-based learning students

characteristics 1112, 95differing experience of continuous

professional development845

example 56feelings 13reasons for this type of study 67supportive networks 15

work-based projects 19, 12754,2256

academic/workplace perspectives1312

assessment 104, 117change and evolution 135choosing a topic 1301

common problems 1345contextual knowledge 175defining the boundaries 1324dissertations compared 131ethical issues 131, 141, 1467,

1478follow-ups 149group 150intellectual property 147learning agreements 168management of 149planning 1328, 16970project cycle 133proposals 13843

choosing a working title 139ethical issues 141feasibility 141introduction 139main aims and significance

13940main research questions and

objectives 140rationale for data collection

and analysis 141rationale for research approach

140references 141resources 141strengths and weaknesses 141target audience 141time scale 141worker/research role and

expertise 140proposals, example 2437research approaches 1367, 138,

140retrospective credit claims 7, 50second generation 169support and supervision 14950,

164, 16971tips for success 143upping your game 1656what they are 12732worker/researcher role 140,

1436workforce development 21821workplaces/organizations

benefits of work-based projects19, 12930, 151, 166, 168,169, 221

254 Index

employee/learner role 173as focus of online tutorial

exchanges 185reflective practice 22, 25see also employers; experiential

learning; organizationalchange

workplace/academic perspectives1312

writingacademic 278reflective 25reports 1067research proposals 13843

Young, D. 184, 185YouTube 203, 209YouTube Edu 203

Index 255

ContentsChapter 1: Adapting to Higher education: Academic SkillsIndex

adapting higher educat

Documents

workbased learning students

workbased programmes

workbased learners

learning count

learning cv

elaine hooker3 learning

new programmeof learning

example of questions