Assessment issues Integrated WorkBased Learning

1
Assessment issues Integrated Work-Based Learning

• Some stimulating ideas?
• (or are they merely provocative?)

2
Overview/Scope

• Learning, WBL, and Placements
• Integration
• Assessment what and by whom?
• Accreditation or reward
• Compulsory placements
• General style - stimulating or provocative?
• Questions as we go

3
Learning and WBL

• HE two key transitions
• Pupil to student
• Pupils learn to be taught
• Students study/learn under guidance
• Student to Graduate
• Graduates learn without the props of either
  teacher or obvious learning environment
• WBL - is placement simply the most formal?
• halfway house to graduateness?
• A place to practise graduateness?

4
Work-Based-Learning

• Many possible labels including Work-Related
  Learning DfES report Feb 2002
• Much discussed during development of latest QAA
  Code Section 9
• WBL is widest-recognised term
• WRL could include case studies

5
Integration

• Several possible criteria
• HEI gets some funding during the WBL period
• So the student remains a student
• Something is assessed
• Something is accredited
• Suggest all three are necessary and sufficient

6
Assessment 1 What is assessed?

• Need to be crystal clear about what is being
  assessed
• Danger of trying to assess how well the student
  does the work
• Varies with employer size and work type
• Really should go back to Learning Outcomes for
  the WBL period, integrated into Course Learning
  Outcomes
• If accept ideas of graduateness in terms of
  independent autonomous learner
• then need to assess that somehow

7
Graduateness an aside

• Much of pre-tertiary education is to do with
  learning to answer other peoples questions
• Higher Education is largely about learning to
  formulate ones own questions, and knowing how to
  set about finding answers
• These ideas are fundamental to graduateness
• Another reason to be assessing evidence of
  becoming an independent autonomous l earner

8
Assessment 2 Quality v Quantity

• If you can measure it, it isnt quality
• Only quantity can be measured
• So need some clear thinking about what is desired
  and how to evaluate it
• Evaluate bridges qualitative quantitative
• May need to identify a quantitative proxy for the
  quality to be evaluated
• Dont just pick something easy to measure and
  pretend its quality e.g.48 weeks!

9
Assessment 2 Who does it?

• Pressures from students, employers and sometimes
  academics for employers to contribute
• Do whatever is in Learning Outcomes, BUT-
• 1 Employers will be assessing something different
  from Learning Outcomes
• 2 Employers vary in size and experience
• 3 Employers calibrated in HEI quality terms?

10
Compulsory placements

• Fashionable to call students customers
• Offer them anything they want
• But by definition WBL is challenging and possibly
  threatening or frightening
• Those that would most benefit may be those who
  will most readily opt out
• By all means have a safety net but dont let it
  be an easy option or one taken lightly or early

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Accreditation or Reward

• Broadly internal or external
• Internal
• baked into the award grade
• Addendum on the award
• Separate certificate
• External accreditation
• E.g. City and Guilds Licentiateship
• HEIs may not wish to be acknowledging outside
  awards implication that own awards are worth
  less
• To what extent do employers value them anyway?

12
Accreditation Guidelines

• Be clear what is being accredited ensure
  assessment evaluates the Learning Outcomes
• Ensure the accreditation satisfies the needs of
  both the student and subsequent employers
• Employer satisfaction brings its own rewards and
  accreditation bonus, promotion, job offer,
  reference and it is clear to all that those
  relate to doing the job

13
In Conclusion

• Why WBL?
• Learning Outcomes?
• Assessment?
• Accreditation?