Work-based learning(& maybe ‘work-related learning’)

Billy Frank, History (Uclan)

Today….in half and hour Negotiated Learning Outcomes (and the

‘variability’ of module aims) UCLan Modules

Year 2 Module: ‘Community History Project’ Year 3 Module: Placement (originally

‘Museum/Heritage Placement’ History ‘Realistic Work Environment’ (if time

permits)

Negotiated Learning Outcome Idea that the outcomes of the module may be

different from one student to another sometimes challenging

Notion of ‘negotiation’ at first posed problems Validation questions etc. Role of external ‘partner’? (Placement Provider) Health and Safety (more recently) Risk assessment (even more recently)

Community History Project 2nd level module Student teams

Work towards a ‘brief’ set by external organisation (or a member of staff if a particular topic)

Team meets with ‘client’ Works towards a defined goal over a semester

Examples of projects: Local History Displays, Booklets, video

presentations, oral history testimonies, etc. http://

www.lep.co.uk/community/nostalgia_2_1892/tanks_for_the_memory_1_2915802 http://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/prestons_hundred_years_of_cinema_going_revealed.p

hp

Placement Module Network of placement providers (takes

time….and lots of tea drinking) Establish ‘shared ownership’ University based sessions (more tea) for

placement providers Role of negotiation of placement activities – in line

with the ‘current needs of the institution’ Role of the placement provider is crucial

Clear guidelines about what is expected from the outset

Support for student while on placement ‘Confidential’ report following completion

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:1. Formulate a realistic and manageable plan of work

through negotiation, for completion in a workplace. This will involve any ‘placement specific outcomes’ identified in the Learning Agreement (see later).

2. Demonstrate a capacity to carry out specified tasks of a professional nature arising from the plan, within a workplace environment, to the satisfaction of the host institution

3. Demonstrate the application of historical knowledge and skills to a task(s) or problems completed in a workplace context.

4. Critically evaluate and reflect on their personal learning experience and skills development gained through the work placement and its applicability to future employment opportunities

PERSONAL AIMS   PROJECT AIMS     

FORMULATED IN TERMS OF PERSONALDEVELOPMENT

  FORMULATED IN TERMS OF PROJECT

OUTCOME/PRODUCT‘saleable unique

     WHAT SKILLS AM I:USINGDEVELOPINGACQUIRING

  ON THIS PLACEMENT I WILL:OUTLINE PROJECTFINAL ‘PRODUCT’

 

Finished Learning Agreement

AssessmentNumber of Assignments

Assessment Weighting % Type/Duration/Wordcount

Learning Outcomes being assessed

1 Preliminary survey of the tasks agreed, setting goals.

20% 1000 words Ability to define a task in a functional manner.

1 

Submission of descriptive records of the work done

40%   All

1 Confidential reflective essay on the experience

40% 3000 words Ability to learn from experience in the workplace, both in terms of skills and more general appreciation of the successful management of tasks

1 brief report by host institution

For information

  Actual performance

‘Value Added’ Obvious employability focus Students encouraged to demonstrate how they

would highlight the experience in cv, personal statements, etc.

Feedback from graduates Many have reported the usefulness of the

experience ‘It gave me something to talk about in the interview’ In some interviews graduates were asked about the

experience ‘The display I did is still there’, ‘I was able to show

them the web pages I designed for…’

Placements 2007 - 2011 Manchester Regiment Museum Ribble Steam Railway Museum, Preston Lancashire Museums (Preston HQ)

(Lancaster Castle, Queen Street Mill, Clitheroe Castle Museum, Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, Rossendale Museum, Gawthorpe Hall, Turton Tower, LMS Head office)

Fusiliers’ Museum, Bury Various schools ‘In our lives’ project (Age Concern, Preston) Queen’s Lancashire Regiment Museum (Preston) ‘Black History Month’ (PCT Preston)