Welcome

Ms Deirdre Goggin Cork Institute of Technology Empowering students through mentoring, learning and reflective portfolios

Introduction Economic indicators Employer return on investment on education and training Workplace learning - ‘centre of/for learning’ Academic accreditation National funding agencies pressures for academic – workplace partnerships and collaboration

Tri-partite learning environment Employee / Learner Employer Higher Education Institution (HEI) National Economic Policies Changing Demographics National and Regional Development Priorities Learning Partnership Interactions (REAP 2012)

Student empowerment Co-creators of knowledge To become reflective practioners In part responsible for their own learning journey Developing relevant, reusable and transferable skills Linking education more closely with the needs of the workplace

Case Studies of student empowerment Irish Naval Service, Print media company Workplace competencies incorporated into the curriculum Workplace mentors Academic support Valid assessment methods –learning and reflective portfolios 10 – 20 ECTS Level 7 & 8 NFQ and Level 6 EQF Workplace responsible for partial assessment of the module

Learning outcome 1: Determine through analysis, the techniques & procedures necessary to navigate in pilotage waters in both visual and blind conditions. Indicative content: Pilotage Training, responsibilities and duties of both Commanding officer and Navigator, evaluation of techniques and use of equipment and instruments used in execution of pilotage, navigating in confined and controlled waterways. Workplace competence: Pilotage Display a comprehensive understanding of the duties of a Navigation officer in respect of preparing pilotage. Show how you work on your own initiative and as a member of the Bridge Management team. Present evidence of how you planned, briefed and executed pilotage in both a major and secondary port. If there were problems, how did you overcome them? Was the equipment available suitable and appropriate to the task? If so why, if NOT, why NOT? How did you prepare your pilotage brief for command? Naval Command and Training Organisation

Significant Learning in empowering students/ employees The benefits of reflective practice stretched beyond academia and into the workplace The student/ employee tended to ask ‘why’ more which was a significant departure from following instructions or the way things were always done Increased self-confidence Improvement in other skills outside of the academic programme Employee occupation potential realised

Enablers & Challenges Enablers – Engagement by employer, employees and HEI – Flexibility – Consideration given to current and future skill requirements – Mentor network within workplace – Willingness to learn from the engagement Challenges – Culture – Resistance to change by HEI – Difficulty in separating roles as manager and mentor

Conclusions – Why they worked Commitment of the employer organisations Partnership approach to programme design, development and support It tied in with the corporate vision and transformation agendas of the employer organisations Mentor networks successfully implemented The right mix in terms of module content and assessment methods Commitment by the Higher Education Institution(HEI) Led to further HEI – employer collaborations Continuous revisiting, revising and tweaking of programme

Questions ???

Contact details: Deirdre Goggin RPL/ WBL company advisor CIT Extended Campus