Everybody Wins? Using the Workplace as an Arena for Learning Chrissy Ogilvie Gill Homan Manchester Metropolitan University Business School

Context of Research Work Based Learning option unit for 1 st year undergraduates Designed for business students in part time employment Provides opportunities to utilise work experience to gain academic credit Employer support for student learning discretionary (employment not placement)

Theoretical Context Strands of WBL (Brennan & Little 1996) Impact of part work on academic performance (Barke et al 2000, Van Dyke et al 2005, Harvey, 2003, Callender & Wilkinson 2003) Employability (Leitch 2006, Little et al 2005 & 2006 Theory into practice (Brennan 2005, Nixon 2006) Student experience (Roodhouse 2007, Barke et al 2000, Curtis 2007, Rhose & Shiel 2007) Role of employer (Leitch 2006, Scosa & Williams 2008, Roodhouse 2007, Nixon 2006, Rhodes & Shiel 2007)

Methodologies Discussions with employers at design stage (4 across 4 different sectors) Pre-module focus groups with whole cohort to establish expectations (72) Self selected research group of 14 - questionnaires - end of unit interviews Whole cohort post unit questionnaires and reflection (80) Comments from employers on Business Improvement reports (75) Interviews with employers

Findings: Benefits for students Managers take you more seriously(43%) Strengthened relationship with manager (35%)Contact with higher managers/ head office(31%) Broader perspective on organisation (50%)More aware/ independent in job (36%)More job satisfaction (36%)See work as more than just a job (14%) Career potential awareness (self esteem) Flexibility in managing work and university life Theory into practice – relevance of learning Favours activist and pragmatist learners?

Findings: Benefits for employers 1.Student attitudes to company & role 2.Student performance in role 3.Informal learning by managers 4.Career potential awareness 5.Outcomes from Business Improvement Report

Findings: Benefits for University Resource effective Enhanced student experience Enhanced learning and academic performance Encourages development of independent learner

Findings: Stakeholder challenges Employers - knowledge may also lead to challenge and an awareness of shortcomings as well as good practice University – difficulty of managing own learning may cause drop out Student – managing time; engaging employer; isolation from mainstream

Conclusions WBL is highly valued by students in part time work because: Flexibility; ‘paid to learn’; theory into practice motivating; relevant to degree In addition to BIR there are unanticipated benefits to employers supporting WBL: increased employee job satisfaction and performance; future recruitment; informal manager learning It offers the university a means of enhancing the student experience and student learning that is resource effective It contributes to government agendas of employability and widening participation