how can technology help to prepare learners for the world of work?

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

Preparing learners for the world of work 2

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


»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


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


Effective practice examples

Table


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


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


Further education and skills

InnoTech, South West College, Cookstown, NI

Examples

Keele

Greenwich virtual law clinic


Higher education

Title of presentation 00/00/2013 10

Technology for employability


Technology-enhanced authentic and

simulated learning experiences

Active and “real world” learning experiences – supported by technologies – that help to develop employability skills

Simulated 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






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






employability

Technology-enhanced employability skills

development

Digital communications and


Learner skills diagnostics

Technology-enhanced development for skills gaps

Computer-aided assessment






employability


developmentEmployer-focused digital literacy development



• Developing student technology-enhanced employability skills






employability







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?


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”


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


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


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


Some early thoughts…..





employability





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


Where to find out more

+ Webinar – 29 April (12pm – 1pm) - registration: http://bit.ly/1DwhZP0

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/change-agents-network

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/developing-digital-literacies

http://bit.ly/jisc-assess

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/cdd

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)


mailto:[email protected]



http://jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/developing-student-employability

http://employabilityproject.jiscinvolve.org/

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/eportfolio

how can technology help to prepare learners for the world of work?

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