Shift Happens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q

This piece presents us with stark facts and predictions about the world, technology and education. It strikes me that we are leaving the period in human development where we all learn specific skills for specific jobs. This 'modern' notion of society is where we all work to become specialists and to benefit ourselves in terms of the quality of work we undertake, and rewards that accrue.

In a 'post-modern' setting, we cannot rely on the stabilities of the past or imagine that the work we trained for will remain constant in our lifetime. So what do we need to learn to be? Adaptable? Flexible? Opportunistic? Entrepreneurial? What skills will we need? Better observation skills? Evaluation skills? Ability to synthesis ideas to formulate new thoughts? Or is it ‘attribute’ based? So we ‘become’ more adaptable, flexible, reflective by virtue of engaging these challenges and adapting ourselves, our behaviours and skills? And importantly, what do University teachers need to do to help students move from the former, stable model of employment, to this new, seemingly insecure model?

'The I' - 2007

Haunting piece by Sean Feldman
and Monika Wydrowska

http://www.rmwdance.co.uk/video/video_theI.html

Work Based Learning: Journeys to the Core of Higher Education

Here's the link to a recent publication frrom Middlesex University's Institue for Work based Learning:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Work-Based-Learning-Journeys-Education/dp/1904750192

Amazon provide the 'Click to look inside' function.

'Established' and 'Establishing' Practioners

I have been thinking for quite a while about the needs of professional practitioners across a range of fields. How do newly trained or educated practitioners transform over time into experienced insightful and flexible professionals?

...and what role do Universities have in this, especially when we can accompany newly establishing practitioners through work based learning programmes?

Defining Professional Practice

I wanted to develop a possible definition of professional practice to support my students. This is my initial thoughts:

Professional Practice might be understood to mean any work that demands a high level of specialist knowledge, that is sustained and developed over time, and which is guided by trans-disciplinary principles and conventions.

Professional practice has grown in importance for both individuals and work organisations in recent years and has several important features. Firstly, individuals value the status they believe that ‘professionalised’ work implies as it mimics some, if not most of the conventions established in the chartered professions. Secondly, the professionalization of occupations has provided a useful anchor in the development of standards of professional behaviour that has raised the expectations of society from workers. Thirdly, in a ‘super-complex’ world, the notion of professional practice has offered the individual worker the means to explore, understand and establish their own set of professional principles and conventions in types of work not previously considered worthy of such status. This has enriched work and made it special for the worker with the resulting benefits to both the worker and recipients of the work.

Getting Started with University-level Work Based Learning

Getting Started with University-level Work Based Learning

This little book is a guide to work based learning (WBL) run by UK Universities. It provides the answers to many of the questions new students will have and guidance on how to make positive use of the opportunity offered by WBL programmes. The book has been produced by a collaboration of three UK Universities.

Available on Amazon (with look inside function):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Started-University-level-Based-Learning/dp/1904750702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244578659&sr=8-1