connecting the worlds of learning and work, alt-c 2011, kirstie coolin
DESCRIPTION
Employability and efficiency are key drivers for UK Higher Education Institutions in light of current Government Higher Education policy and the economic context. At the same time, Universities are challenged with responding to student demands in a competitive HE marketplace. How can these be reconciled to safeguard value-added services for students? The University of Nottingham’s Centre for International ePortfolio Development SAMSON project is sharing services to promote student employability and to streamline how information is shared between students, universities and employers for the benefit all. This presentation will describe three pilots which address communication and collaboration between the parties involved in work placement and Career and Professional Development to demonstrate how a more joined-up and satisfactory experience can be realised for students, employers, academics and administrators.TRANSCRIPT
Centre for International ePortfolio DevelopmentUniversity of Nottinghamwww.nottingham.ac.uk/eportfolio
Alt-C 2011, Leeds
Kirstie Coolin
Connecting the worlds of learning and workFishing through the ice
3 JISC-funded Projects
1.SAMSON 2009 - 2011Workforce development and lifelong learningData sharing and communication between student, employee, academic and business www.nottingham.ac.uk/eportfolio/samson
2. ESCAPES 2010-2012Relationship Management‘blueprinting the Placement Experience’ - Improving processes for better student experience www.nottingham.ac.uk/eportfolio/escapes
3. SHED 2010-2012Learning and Teaching Innovation‘student/employer matching’ - Unlocking institutional data for knowledge exchange
www.nottingham.ac.uk/eportfolio/shed
University Drivers
Sailing the stormy seas of...
Efficiency
Student Experience
Employability
Business Engagement
hergé
3-way conversation
Student, Academic and Employer
1 Mahara ePortfolio…
1 Placement Manager…
15 Employers…
10 Academic staff…
180 MSc Placement students…
An Example – A Placement Pilot2 month industrial placements for MSc students at the School of Biosciences
What was the purpose of the Mahara ePortfolio?• An online space to store and present work• Create and present weekly reports on project progress• Record and track professional and academic skills
gained whilst on the placement• Multi-way communication between Student, Academic
Supervisor, Placement Manager and Employer Supervisor
• A central place for the Placements Manager to coordinate, track, monitor and identify early any issues
• Announcements, share relevant news items
What did the students, staff and employers say?
Outcomes• Better feedback management• Closer links between the University and Employer• Better project planning and dissertation support• Professionalism as a learning outcome• Peer interaction with current and former students• Easily reviewed placement record• Improved relationships with their mentors• Received guidance and steer on work-based projects
from their employer• Significant efficiency improvements in placement
administration
Frank Hurley
The Centre for International ePortfolio Development (CIePD) are an autonomous Centre within the University of Nottingham’s Information Services.
Our aims are to deliver projects that maximise the efficiency of information flow in order to support educational stakeholders access seamless ICT services and quality information.
www.nottingham.ac.uk/eportfolio
Thank you for listeningKirstie [email protected] for International ePortfolio DevelopmentUniversity of Nottingham