Placement and work based learning

Transforming Rural Education

Learning to Work or Working to Learn?

What Colleges want from placement

Liz Warr & Lydia Arnold


What is ‘Learning’?

• Learning is transforming information into knowledge.

• Learning is “doing something with information- such as remembering it, understanding it, applying it in a new situation, analysing and evaluating it”.


What is ‘work-based learning’?

• “Learning through, at and for, work”.

• “ Learning which accredits and/or extends the workplace skills of employees”.


How does work-based learning correspond to placement

learning?

Activity 1Consider the following terms:• Learning to work• Learning at work• Learning through work• Learning from work


How does work-based learning correspond to placement

learning?

How important is each :1.To the student?2.To the employer?3.To the tutor?


What about academic level? • Are we looking for different types of ‘learning’

from FE and HE placement students?

• Do we differentiate adequately between , for example, National Diploma, Foundation degree and Honours degree students?

• Do employers know the difference? • Do we tell them what we expect from each?


Overall purpose of Placement Learning

• Can we define this in a single sentence ….


Purpose of placement learning …

• ‘to develop higher level vocational and personal skills in the chosen sector’

• ‘ to enhance long-term employability’• ‘to develop cognitive (intellectual) abilities

that are conducive to successful performance in the work-place’,

• Any more …….. ?


Activity 2• You are given 6 groups of learning outcomes

taken from work based learning modules.• Rank the groups in order of importance for FE

and/or HE learners and pin them on the relevant ‘bodies’ on the wall – head (most important) to toe (least important).

• Think about the individual outcomes and rate their importance to placement learners.


Groups

A. Enhancing vocational skillsB. Understanding the work placeC. Developing employability attributesD. Applying theory to practiceE.Extending and reviewing professional skillsF. Reflecting on personal capability


A. Enhancing vocational skills

Outcome• Recognition of appropriate

competencies• Performance of designated

tasks to industry standards• Understanding the needs of

employers and/or professional bodies

• Gaining relevant industrial qualifications

Rate


B. Understanding the work place

outcome• Recognition of workplace aims,

and physical, financial and other targets

• Understanding performance indicators and success factors

• Awareness of work-related responsibilities e.g. health and safety, legislation

• Appreciation of external factors e.g. ethics, sustainability

Rate


C. Developing employability attributes

Outcome• Developing independence

and self-reliance• Time management,

punctuality and effort• Ability to work

independently and in a team

• Showing respect for self and others

Rate


D. Applying theory to practice

Outcome• Transfer of learning from

theoretical study to new work-based contexts

• Extension of knowledge, understanding and skills

• Exploring the relationship between the world of work and the academic discipline

• Integration and synthesis of knowledge derived from the workplace into subsequent academic study

Rate


E. Extending and reviewing professional skills

Outcome• Appreciating the complexity

of the work environments• Analysing and evaluating

the determinants of success• Developing technical and

managerial awareness (motivation, leadership)

• Enhancing professional attributes (problem solving, creativity)

Rate


F. Reflecting on personal capability

Outcome• Interrogation of knowledge

and skills derived from work based activities

• Evaluation of the learning opportunities provided by work place

• Reflection on own and others’ performance

• Planning for future personal, professional and career development

Rate


Summary

• The term ‘Learning to work’ is easy to understand, whereas the term ‘Working to learn’ is somewhat more complex.

• Would ‘learning to learn’ be more appropriate?


Learning to learn

• having an awareness of learning as a process.• taking control of the learning process.• making the task, individual and context work

together for maximum learning.• making good learning decisions. • Developing a culture of life-long learning.

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Conclusion

• As colleges, we want to capture the very powerful learning that undoubtedly takes place on placement for the long term benefit of our students, their future employers and, indeed, for the future of our rural industries

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• Liz Warr is curriculum Development Advisor for REEDNet and works remotely from Essex.

• [email protected]

• Lydia Arnold is Work-based learning developer for the Aspire CETL.

• [email protected]

• These slides can be downloaded from www.lydiaarnold.net

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Placement and work based learning

Education

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