Workplace Learning and the Brave New World

1. Workplace Learning and the Brave New World Some suggestions for providing students with a rewarding workplace experience

2. Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton

3. Structure Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton Suggestions Preparation Support Assessment design Assignment Feedback Provider involvement

4. Preparation Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton Provide students with a clear, comprehensible rationale for undertaking the placement – and its relationship to the History course. Specify any learning outcomes in plain English, not validationese. Ensure placement providers understand what they can expect of the students, what the students can expect of providers– and what both groups can expect of the module tutor(s). Brief students fully and collectively, orally and in writing. Risk assessments

5. Support Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton • Hold regular face to face meetings with individual students or groups. • Use a variety of channels of communication to keep in touch with students. For example: • Email • Phone • Skype • Social networking sites • Bulletin boards • Online forums

6. Assessment design • What is being assessed • Reflection on • Personal • Development Reflection on Learning Reflection on Practice Reflection on History Learning about learning Practical work skills/products Subject knowledge and skills Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton

7. Assessment design • Consider different assessment methods. • Orals and interviews • Patchwork text • Portfolios • Presentations • Reports • Workplace products Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton • Audio- and/or video-recording of workplace practices, with analytical commentary • Briefing papers • Blogs or wikis • Critical incident exercises • Digital stories/diaries

8. Assignment support Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton Make exemplars from previous years’ assignments available. If assessing reflection, refer students to material on reflection and reflective writing. Encourage peer review.

9. Assignment Feedback Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton Feedback sheets Electronic feedback Podcasts SAE In class (groups) Traditional 1:1 tutorials Include provider’s report

10. Provider involvement Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton Providers as markers Invite to graduation ceremonies/provider workshops Send copies of students’ reports to providers

11. The ultimate aim of a History placement? Richard Hawkins & Harvey Woolf, University of Wolverhampton To encourage ‘students to stop being students’. (Steve Caunce, UCLAN) To make students think that the module is ‘less about work and more about History’. (Amanda Richardson, University of Chichester)