how can technology help to prepare learners for the world of work?
TRANSCRIPT
Lisa Gray, Peter Chatterton and Geoff Rebbeck
22/04/2015 How can technology help to prepare learners for the world of work?
Overview
»Background and context
› Why is this important?
› Technology as an enabler
› Introduction to the Jisc employability study
»Examples of practice
»A framework for ‘technology for employability’
» Institutional readiness….some early thoughts
»Key themes and issues
»Emerging recommendations
»Group activity – identifying good practices
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Why is this important?
»Employability
› Increasing importance in
policy and strategy
– evidence of an
‘employability gap’
› Means to economic
independence and active
citizenship.
› Qualifications not an end to
themselves
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»Technology
› Evidence that technology can be
an enabler….
– But it’s not clear how institutions
are using technology most
effectively to support learners
› Digital savvy graduates are
essential for shaping tomorrows
entrepreneurial activities
– But digital literacies aren’t well
articulated in relation to
employability skills
Benefits
Learners
»Efficiently self-direct, plan, manage, evidence and review their lifelong learning and employability
»Present and showcase their ‘rounded self’
› Opening up opportunities worldwide
»Opportunities for interaction with peers, staff, mentors, employers
Employers
»Engage digitally literate students, supported by staff, offering potentially added value to the business
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Technology as an enabler…a flavour
Institutions
»Enhanced engagement with
employers
› Leading to better understanding of
employer needs….and courses that
better meet those needs
»Efficiencies and cost effectiveness
› Virtual reality opportunities
particularly at scale
› Mapping portfolios, faster progression
through courses (~20%)
Jisc employability study
»December 2014 - study funded
»February - open invitation for examples of practice
»April 29th – webinar to share emerging themes and findings
»May – study completes
› Case studies and vignettes
› Analysis of the technology and employability landscape
› Issues, challenges, gaps and recommendations
»June – next steps identified
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Effective practice examples
Table
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Case studies - HE Institution Subject
University of Greenwich Greenwich Connect: a joined up approach to employability in a digital world
University of Northampton Student employability development through social innovation and enterprise
Glasgow CaledonianUniversity
Problem-solving real business issues using wikis
Birmingham City University A range of creative approaches to developing student employability
Keele University ILM accredited e-portfolio-based employability award
University of Edinburgh Student-led e-portfolio-based assessments for evidencing graduate attributes
University of Birmingham Online employability skills pathway of the Personal Skills Award
University of London Employability skills MOOC
Staffordshire University Staffordshire Graduate Employability project
Bath Spa University International virtual internship programme
Oregon State University collaboration
Global student collaborative venture to compete in international student racing
Effective practice examples
Table
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Case studies – FE and skills
Institution Subject
The Mindset Joint venture between Reed employment and 13 colleges – in campus branches
S&B Autos Supporting motor vehicle apprenticeships through Moodle and virtual reality
Job Centre Plus Using technology to support those out of work
Welsh Baccalaureate Digital literacies embedded into the qualification
My Worksearch An online employability service supporting learners on an ongoing journey
South Devon College Using an online employability course
South West College, NI Using technology to support partnership projects between students and industry
Portland College Project using video, accessed by QR codes to support learners with disabilities
Reading College A college-wide move away from the VLE to learner-centred approaches
City of Glasgow College An e-portfolio for stonemasons to best record their experiences in the workplace
Examples
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Further education and skills
InnoTech, South West College, Cookstown, NI
Examples
Keele
Greenwich virtual law clinic
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Higher education
Technology for employability
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Technology-enhanced authentic and
simulated learning experiences
Active and “real world” learning experiences – supported by technologies – that help to develop employability skills
Simulated experiences
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Technology-enhanced authentic and
simulated learning experiences
Technology-enhanced lifelong learning and
employability
Self-directed personal and professional learning (planning, reflection, managing, recording, review) – supported by technology
(Digital) feedback and engagement with a variety of stakeholders including employers to help develop learner self-regulatory skills
Employer-supported/ related assessment for learning
Technology for employability
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Technology-enhanced authentic and
simulated learning experiences
Technology-enhanced lifelong learning and
employability Digital communications and
engagement with employers
Researching, identifying and developing contacts and relationships with employers
Developing “digital” and “employability” identity
Developing “digital collateral” as evidence of student “rounded self”
Showcasing student “rounded self” to employers and personal clients
Technology for employability
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Technology-enhanced authentic and
simulated learning experiences
Technology-enhanced lifelong learning and
employability
Technology-enhanced employability skills
development
Digital communications and
engagement with employers
Learner skills diagnostics
Technology-enhanced development for skills gaps
Computer-aided assessment
Technology for employability
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Technology-enhanced authentic and
simulated learning experiences
Technology-enhanced lifelong learning and
employability
Technology-enhanced employability skills
developmentEmployer-focused digital literacy development
Digital communications and
engagement with employers
• Developing student technology-enhanced employability skills
Technology for employability
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Technology-enhanced authentic and
simulated learning experiences
Technology-enhanced lifelong learning and
employability
Technology-enhanced employability skills
developmentEmployer-focused digital literacy development
Digital communications and
engagement with employers
Technology for employability
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Embedding and aligning technology
for employability into polices, plans and
resources
Staff digital literacies for
employability
Collaborations and partnerships to drive change in technology
for employability
QA & continuous improvement
through employability data
monitoring, analytics and review
Technology tools, resources,
infrastructure and support for
employability
Institutional readiness….some early thoughts
Themes
» Different visions of ‘maturity’ and variation in approaches to developing employability skills and attributes
› FE – focused on ‘line of sight’ to employment
» Authentic experiences can develop skills, but depend on the degree of “authenticity” and the degree to which students learn/reflect on them and articulate them
» “Lifelong employability in a digital age” needs to be a core student capability, with students encouraged to ‘take ownership’ early on
› Curriculum design structures can be a barrier
› Are learners routinely challenged to think about their learning experiences or achievements and progression?
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1. Institutions are on various points of the continuum towards student employability “maturity”
Themes
» Variation in practices and understanding of potential of technologies – by institutions, students and employers
» Many creative uses of technology, but ‘embedding’ remains elusive to many institutions
» Digital literacies are underplayed for underpinning employability skills
» Employers and HE/FE generally have low aspirations in relation to “digital entrepreneurialism”
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2: Technology is under exploited
Themes
» Core employability skills and attributes are typically being addressed, with variations… but they are continually evolving
» Unclear the degree to which employers (large and small) are involved in defining and developing employability skills
› And not much evidence of institutions evaluating the impact of employability policies / initiatives with employers
» Not always easy to identify “truly” authentic learning experiences with employers for ALL students, though there is much potential for student cohorts to work in partnership with employers on “real and challenging” employer/sector problems
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3: Insufficient engagement and partnership working with employers
What does “maturity” look like? …. a scenario
“Connected curricula”:
» Employability embedded into curricula and assessment
» Authentic learning experiences
» Inextricably linked to “assessment for learning” and authentic assessment
» Includes student articulation and evidencing of experiential learning and employability skills
» Maps to QAA “Flexible curricula” framework
» Requires a learner-centred connected technology infrastructures
» Requires effective employer engagement
» Requires joined-up approaches to institutional policies and plans
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Emerging recommendations
»Benchmarking tool
› to help institutions self-assess
‘technology for employability’, plan
enhancements, linked to policies,
goals and priorities
»Framework making clearer the digital
context for employability skills
»Online space to support collaborative
problem solving with students/
professional bodies/ staff and
employers
»Collaborative communications and
engagement plan to raise awareness
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Some early thoughts…..
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Technology-enhanced authentic and
simulated learning experiences
Technology-enhanced lifelong learning and
employability
Technology-enhanced employability skills
developmentEmployer-focused digital literacy development
Digital communications and
engagement with employers
Group activity
• Take one of the “Technology for employability” dimensions
• Identify good practices
record on post-its
Related Jisc activity
» e-Portfolios – guidance on what they, how you can use them and successful implementation (new ‘quick guide’ in development)
» Students as Agents of Change
› www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/change-agents-network
» Digital Literacies
› www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-digital-literacies
» Assessment and employability
› http://bit.ly/jisc-assess
» Curriculum Design
› Bit.ly/jisccdd
» Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development
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Where to find out more
+ Webinar – 29 April (12pm – 1pm) - registration: http://bit.ly/1DwhZP0
Find out more
»Lisa Gray [email protected]
»Peter Chatterton [email protected]
»Geoff Rebbeck [email protected]
»Project page: jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/developing-student-employability
»Join the conversation on the blog: employabilityproject.jiscinvolve.org/
»and on twitter #jiscemployability
»e-portfolio resources: www.jisc.ac.uk/eportfolio (new ‘quick guide’ currently in development)
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