Module leader: Wendy Pearson

Aims

The module allows staff engaged in career and employability work in higher education to consider the role of work-related learning in their service provision. It integrates theoretical consideration of the role of work-related learning in career learning and career development, with the practice of working with individual students, groups of students, other staff, and with employers on work-related issues. It considers contrasting institutional approaches and allows participants to apply their learning to diverse contexts.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, the student should be able to:

• Compare and contrast a range of perspectives on work-related learning in Higher Education

• Identify the role of work-related learning in theories of learning, career development covered, and employability in this module and the core learning

• Critique competing perspective on the above with reference to own context and professional values

• Apply the knowledge and understanding of work-related learning to their own institutional setting in the support of innovative approaches to career and employability development

• Demonstrate professional autonomy through formulating responses and creating coherent and creative recommendations and plans for implementation

• Communicate effectively by sharing information and discussing good practice in the design of opportunities for work-related learning, using current course guides to presentation and referencing.

 

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

• Articulation of participants' context and practice in relating work experience to career and employability.
• Theories of learning and career development and their relationship to work experience and employability.
• Support of individuals and groups in learning from work experience.
• Institutional approaches to work experience, including curricular and extra-curricular provision, models of support in sourcing opportunities, availability and targeting of opportunities, pre-, during and post-placement support for learning, quality assurance and evaluation.
• Approaches and methods for working with employers to develop work experience opportunities including placement design, legislative and other regulatory requirements such as health and safety and liability insurance, assessment and evaluation.
• Strategic considerations in developing placements drawing on labour market intelligence.
• Professional values and ethics in the support of work experience.

Summary of teaching
30 hours of blended learning made up of predominantly intensive, workshops with further materials and help provided via a virtual learning environment, online reading, and webinar support.

Module timing and duration
Usually, this module runs once a year in May. Participants should check the AGCAS calendar and also complete a Warwick module registration form. Participants are allowed 5 months to complete.

Summative assessment
The assignment consists of a 5000-word project (100%). Typically, the project entails evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the work experience provision in your own context from the point of view of a range of stakeholders and developing a plan for further development.