Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of

SCEPTrE

Clare Dowding

SCEPTrE

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

Main areas of SCEPTrE support to the university and beyond:

Support for staff.

One year full-time placements.

Acknowledgement of learning through part-time work.

Surveys connected with the placement year and how students learn.

SCEPTrE Fellowships supporting the placement year practically and academically.

Experimentation with equipment and software, especially web 2.0 technologies.

Links with businesses, voluntary and community groups.

Business mentoring scheme.

Established as a university mid 1960s Research intensive and cultural commitment to professional education.

14,441 students – 9,652 undergraduate, 4,789 postgraduate

Multicultural campus30% students are non UK/EU - 15% undergraduates and 45% postgraduates35% of Surrey Alumni live in 159 countries outside the UK

Students are given the option to undertake a placement as the third year of a four year degree.

Four Faculties:Management and LawHealth and Medical SciencesArts and Human SciencesEngineering and Physical Sciences

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrESupport for staff:

Fellowship schemes

SCEPTrE monthly drop-ins for the professional training community (informal chat about relevant issues over coffee and cake)

TeNT awards (Teaching with New Technologies), in conjunction with e-learning department

professional training year surveys:

how students wish they had prepared in L1

L3 student returners’ package

curriculum design and professional capabilities

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

Placements and part-time work at SCEPTrE:• Networker and Event Organiser one year full-time placement• Technologist one year full-time placement• CoLab – up to 10 part-time jobs.

Students come from all Faculties and levels (U/G & P/G)

5 networkers (surveys, events, projects, promotions, etc).

5 technologists (filming & editing, podcasts, web design, demonstrations, discovery workshops, etc).

Up to 5 hours a week in term time (£7.50p per hour).

Aim of enterprise is to become self-financing (£3K+ this year to date).

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

Learning Through Experience certificate

Concept maps are produced at the beginning and end of the process.

A reflective blog is written throughout the activity.

A synthesis is made of eight dimensions of learning through work.

A narrative is produced, drawing out their understanding of the learning achieved.

If significant learning is articulated, the certificate is awarded.

The student is mentored throughout the process.

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

Part-time work certificate

Skills and experiences questionnaire & personal and professional development plan

Reflective diary or blog

Developing your knowledge and understanding of learning in the work environment

Reflective account

Undertake a minimum of 100 hours work

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

Student surveys:• Student Perspectives on Immersive Experiences.• Learning to be Professional: Student Stories of their Professional

Training Year.• Life-wide Learning and a More Complete Education: Analysis of

Student Views.

Staff and consultant surveys:http://learningtobeprofessional.pbworks.com/FrontPage

• Michael Eraut, 8 dimensions of learning through work.http://learningtobeprofessional.pbworks.com/How-professionals-learn-through-work

• Jenny Willis, developing professional capability.http://learningtobeprofessional.pbworks.com/Developing-Professional-Capability-through-

Professional-Training-at-the-University-of-Surrey

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

SCEPTrE Fellowships• digital story telling

http://learningtobeprofessional.pbworks.com/Jane-Leng

• use of webcams in placement mentoring• exploring current professional practice• web-based resource to support development of professional

communication skills

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

Software and equipment:• Values exchange – considering/discussing ethical issues• SenseMaker – surveys using narratives for analysis• XING – business game, used in FLUX competition• secondlife – SCEPTrE island• Surveymonkey – multiple choice questions & short comments• Venture Simulation – business game• Turning Point hand sets – testing assumptions• Tektura wallpaper – write-on walls

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrELinks with Businesses, Voluntary and Community Groups

Placement Briefing breakfastshttp://sceptreserver.co.uk/sceptre/?page_id=380 (at bottom of page)

Taste of Technology eventshttp://sceptreserver.co.uk/sceptre/?page_id=1176

Food 4 Thought event

Innovation & Growth team

Library ‘Technovation’ competition

Getting more individual and community engagement with library services using the opportunities afforded by new technologies – particularly Web 2.0.

FLUX competition – XING business game

Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership

SenseMaker survey

Learning Through Experience certificate

Enhancing the Work Placement, the role of SCEPTrE

Business mentoring scheme• Very small scale – 5 students• Final year students who had not taken a placement year• Aim to help them with their job search and employability skills• Matched with SME and national employers• Minimum of 4 contacts, 2 of which are face-to-face• Time scale November to June