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Facilitating the integration of knowledge based learning with professional body CPD, and employer appraisal for students in STEM professions

Kay Bromley MCT

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Workshop structure

• The project• The module which ‘inspired’ this proposal• Experiential learning cycle• Relevant good practice within the OU

› More examples welcome

• Sharing experience• Plenary

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Aim

• The project will inform STEM departments wishing to develop assessment that is closely related to employer needs.

• It will recommend teaching approaches to enable students in early professional development to actively engage in the learning cycle and demonstrate competencies within industry frameworks and standards.

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Background

• During 2009 a small group of MCT academics worked with e-skills to develop a postgraduate certificate aimed at graduate recruits within IT

• Employers were very involved, contributing to the learning outcomes (related to the SFIA framework) and design of assessment strategy.

• After promising beginnings, the feedback from students was that they did not understand the relevance of the module to their work.

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TM893

• 60 credit postgraduate module • B2B market, learning outcomes linked to SFIA• Aimed at new graduate recruits, and for career

development. › Graduate recruits who need, within one to three years, to

be able to make significant contribution in their training placements.

› Talent management - experienced employees with potential for future promotion.

• These students are pressed rather than self-selecting and display differing attitudes to study and its relation to their working lives.

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TM893 portfolio

• Assessed by portfolio• The articulation of achievement is important in

demonstrating to the student and their sponsoring employers the benefit of continuing education at postgraduate level in their working life

• Even at postgraduate level, students find difficulty in demonstrating their achievements

• Portfolio structure simple.› A reflective commentary plus evidence for each unit

› An integrative commentary plus evidence for whole

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TM893 - structure

• Option to study over 6, 12, or 18 months, with additional 6 months to complete portfolio.

• Most materials provided on module website, plus 1 book.

• 6 units, each with a formative TMA, dates to be agreed

• Recommended to study unit 1 first, then can choose study order

• Begin by negotiating/agreeing study plan with tutor › 6 TMAs

› Practice portfolio

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TM893 continued

• The first portfolios were submitted in March 2011› A few 12 months after start

› Mostly 18 months after start

• Students reported that now beginning to see how the study on the module has enabled them to make more impact in the work environment.

• We need to be able to motivate and support this engagement earlier in their studies.

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Skills Framework for the Information Age • SFIA• http://www.sfia.org.uk/• Skills into their business

context:»Strategy & architecture »Business change »Solution development &

implementation »Service management »Procurement & management

support »Client interface

• Skills levels»1. Follow»2. Assist»3. Apply»4. Enable»5. Ensure/advise»6. Initiate/influence»7. Set

strategy/inspire/mobilise

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Experiential Learning Cycle

• Concrete experience: direct practical action, the experience of doing something yourself.

• Observation and reflection: what this concrete experience means to the individual.

• Abstract conceptualisation: the theoretical knowledge which may be more comprehensive than the concrete experience but is not ‘hands-on’.

• Testing concepts: in new situations, or active experimentation, transforms the theory and extends it by practical testing, so that there is further concrete experience.› Kolb 1984

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The Experiential Learning Model

• (after Kolb, 1984, p21)

Concrete experience

Observations and reflections

Formation of abstract concepts and generalizations

Testing implications of concepts in new situations

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KOLB-like examples

• Certificate of Nuclear Professionalism. › http://www.nuclear.nsacademy.co.uk/products-

services/certificate-nuclear-professionalism

• HEA individual recognition route› http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/professional-

recognition

• International Accounting Education standards board Information paper, June 2008, introduced a four-phase CPD cycle.

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Related examples

• ITIL› Information technology infrastructure library

› IT Service management

› Seven-step improvement process»Based on Deming Plan-Do-Check-Act

»And on Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom

• U810 – Continuing professional development in practice

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Hohman (1997)Level Knowledge Application

Innocent Unaware of the existence of the subject area

None

Aware Exposed to the area of knowledge but have not yet used it

Not as yet

Apprentice Some formal training, use knowledge without question

Simple outcomes for well-defined problems

Practitioner Use knowledge and apply in some new situations

Able to accomplish moderately difficult tasks

Journeyman Regularly use the BoK and begin to question/modify to suit needs

Begin to apply knowledge in novel ways. Give guidance to those with awareness.

Master Can apply the knowledge in many different situations

Can solve well-known problems quickly and solve problems by adapting or inventing.

Expert Communicate knowledge to others or apply in new domains.

The knowledge is externalised from the individual for use by others.

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Learning and applying: Making a (significant) difference

• Kirkpatrick's evaluation model› Reaction

› Learning

› Behaviour

› Results

• http://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/

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Good practice within the OU

• H8** modules, aimed at practitioners and use portfolio for EMA

• M253 a student project rather than workplace, uses reflective practice and students required to write reflective accounts (like portfolio commentary)

• HSC, › K316 Exploring practice - R05 and Derby Foundation

NHS Trust,

› K260 Death and dying – R05 and East Midlands Strategic health authority

• ICT Foundation degree, workplace projects

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Primary research

• Comparison of student experience. › Survey of students in one tutor group to identify changes

in motivation during and following study on the module.

• Summary of student articulated application of learning to professional context. › Review of submitted portfolios (March and September

2011) to identify explicit and implied use of Kolb leaning cycle, and recognition of learning and application to work environment

› Use of grounded theory / merged with thematic analysis – Anne Adams http://oro.open.ac.uk/11911/

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Questions to consider

• A What do we need to do in our teaching to facilitate application in the workplace?

• B How much (if at all) do students need to know about the theory of learning to be able to articulate their learning?

• C What motivates students to collate evidence for a portfolio?

• D How important is flexibility in study timetable?

• All - examples of good practice in teaching• All – information about similar projects

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References

• Approaches to continuing professional development measurement June 2008 International Accounting Education standards board Information paper

• Dealtry R (2004) Professional Practice: The Savvy Learner, Journal of workplace learning vol 16 (1/2) pp101-9

• Hohman L (1997) Journey of the Software Professional A Sociology of Software Development. Prentice Hall

• Kirkpatrick DL (1994) Evaluating training programs: the four levels. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler

• Kolb D A (1984). Experiential Learning, Prentice Hall.