The Leitch Review of Skills and the Government’s subsequent publication of Innovation Nation and the World Class Skills implementation plan challenge institutions to deliver work-based learning and higher level skills for work, including demand-led continuing professional development. As 75% of the 2020 workforce are already in work today, in order to meet Lord Leitch's ambitious targets for workforce skills, much of the additional provision will have to be delivered in the workplace and on a flexible (probably part-time) basis.

Students are also increasingly voting with their feet against the traditional, campus-based, three year undergraduate degree, and this trend may increase as students and their families bear more of the costs of a degree. However, work-based learners have specific needs and difficulties, such as:

• sense of isolation from their cohort, tutors, and the physical locations of the university or college
• lack of access to appropriate resources and tools in the workplace environment
• difficulties capturing work-based tasks for reflection and assessment

Mobile technologies in particular can help work-based learners overcome some of these problems. e-portfolios are widely used to support capture and reflection on learning incidents at work, along with digital cameras, smart phones, and blogs.

On a broader scale, institutions are preparing to deliver more of the curriculum in partnership with employers, and to have ongoing dialogues about requirements, as well as curriculum processes that are agile enough to respond to need. The JISC Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development programme has been exploring the technical infrastructures that will be required both to support learners in workplace settings, and to enable ongoing dialogues with learners and employers over the shape of the curriculum.

See also engaging employers.

Projects

COWL, Duckling, MoRSE, Generation4, CoEducate and PC3 are all working with work-based learners.

Case studies, professional and work-based learning experiences

• ESCAPE case study - Fieldwork: Engaging students with real-world data
• ESCAPE case study - Enhancing consultancy skills through group work and role play
• Information Spaces for Creative Conversations case study Year 1 at City University
• Information Spaces for Creative Conversations case study Year 2 at City University
• Information Spaces for Creative Conversations case study Year 2 context
• Information Spaces for Creative Conversations case study Year 1 at Middlesex Univesrity
• Atelier-D Using an Online Design Studio Environment
• Atelier_D Mapping of Design Thinking and Practice
• Atelier-D Collaborative Design in Second Life
• Atelier-D Social Network for Design Learners
• Atelier_D Conferencing to Support Collaborative Group Work
• Atelier-D Peer Asessment in Design
• Integrate Students as agents of change: Student engagement in lectures
• Integrate Students as agents of change: Photography competition
• Integrate Students as agents of change: Podcasting in Business Education
• Integrate Students as agents of change: sustainable practice

Quotes

'97% of learners valued the opportunities provided by the work experience projects in which they were involved. (Student survey undertaken by 31 respondents 49% of student body)' (SpringboardTV)
'The DUCKLING interventions resulted in improved learner engagement, more flexibility in the curricula to accommodate the needs of time-poor, work-based distance learners, and the reduction of learner isolation.' (Duckling)

View all resources on the Design Studio tagged 'work-based'