Alan Smith

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• Alan Smith
• Cardonald College

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• The project
• Scottish Funding Council Strategic Development
  Fund
• Collaborative partnership arrangement - Lead
  college Adam Smith
• Built on the success of Focus on Learning 1
• Action Learning Research Methodology
• Focus - the development of Employability
  Skills
• Policy Drivers

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More Chances, More Choices
Life through Learning Learning through Life
The Policy Drivers SFC Strategic Development
Fund
A Smart Successful Scotland

Workforce Plus an employability framework for
Scotland
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• SFC Research paper Learning to Work
• Many of the skills and attributes that make for
  effectiveness in the workplace cannot be taught
  (in the traditional sense of the word) but they
  can be learned, with the right kind of support
  (2004 Futureskills Scotland Employers Skill
  Survey)
• Definition of employability
• A set of achievements skills, understanding and
  personal attributes that make individuals more
  likely to gain employment and be successful in
  their chosen occupations.

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• SFC Research paper Learning to Work
• Develop a common understanding of the term
  employability and employability skills
• Provide a learning experience that will allow
  learners to improve their employability skills
• Identify factors within these enhanced programmes
  that contributed to improved levels of
  employability
• Help practitioners develop new skills and a
  higher level of understanding of employability as
  a set of key skills and behaviours.

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(No Transcript)
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• criteria Classroom interventions
• Focus on the development of core and soft
  employability skills
• Skills needs will vary between learners and
  between vocational areas
• Innovative practice embedded within core
  activity (no bolt-on)
• Enhancing employability skills of learners will
  impact positively on their level of motivation
  and achievement
• Provide a basis for the development and transfer
  of new skills.

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• www.focusonlearning2.com
• Army preparation
• Basic skills/Independent living
• Computing/IT
• Construction Skills
• Craft Skills
• ESOL
• Textiles and fashion

• General education
• Graphic design
• Hairdressing
• Health and Social care
• Hospitality
• Social science
• Sport and fitness
• Stress management

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Action learning A model for CPD
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• Case study
• Personal development A focus for business
  success !
• Issue A need to raise confidence and self
  esteem of group of qualified holistic
• therapists and develop business skills awareness.
• Actions
• Liaise with industry
• Introduce life coaching
• Raise awareness of Emotional Intelligence (EQ
  Goleman 1995)
• Self assess - Wheel of Life / Emotional
  competence framework (baseline data)
• Adapt course design to include HN level
  business unit

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• Outcomes
• Identification of key holistic employment skills
• Links with industry
• Raised levels of confidence /motivation, self
  esteem (self-assurance of ability to be self
  employed elevator statement
• Learners recognise/demonstrate key skills
• Increased achievement
• Increased retention
• Staff Development

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• Recurrent themes and development issues
• Relevance of curriculum content
• Engaging with employers
• Develop tutor/learner learning partnerships
• Significance of self esteem in the learning
  process and employability
• Tutors must be open to new methodologies and
  approaches
• Trust - the relationship between tutor /learner
  is pivotal
• Need to overcome negativity with specific groups
• Action learning a focus for meaningful
  development and CPD.

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• Dissemination Strategy
• National dissemination event 7 December 06
• Intervention reports
• Full project report and summary report
• College presentations
• National conferences/SERA
• Newspaper Articles
• In-house workshop/sharing practice
• www.focusonlearning2.com

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• On one level, the focus on learning project was
  nothing special. Every day in
• every college in Scotland, staff reflect on how
  students are progressing and
• adjust the input and support they provide, to
  help students do better. Focus on
• Learning simply encouraged this process and made
  space for it to happen.
• (Ros Micklem principal Cardonald College)
• www.focusonlearning2.com

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Focus on Learning 1