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.
Slide 3 of 58
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.
Slide 4 of 58
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.
Slide 5 of 58
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
Testing
implications of
concepts in
new situations
Observations
and
reflections
Formation of
abstract
concepts and
generalizations
Slide 11 of 58
KOLB-like examples
• Certificate of Nuclear Professionalism.
› http://www.nuclear.nsacademy.co.uk/productsservices/certificate-nuclear-professionalism
• HEA individual recognition route
› http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/professionalrecognition
• 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
Not as yet
knowledge but have not yet used
it
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 Begin to apply knowledge in novel
to question/modify to suit needs 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
Slide 18 of 58
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.
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