The Active Work life Oriented Learning Enviromnent

Evaluation and Assessment at the Work life

Studyfying the Work life
•Non scholæ sed vitæ is a Latin phrase. Its longer
form is non scholæ sed vitæ discimus, which means "We do not learn
for school, but for life". 
The starting point
• Studytimes in higher education are too long, and e.g. therefore
working careers are too short

• Higher education practicies do not serve students with different

backgrounds, needs and activities, e.g. employment

• There is a need to develop flexible study paths in higher

education, including learning at work
 The question is…

Expertise VS. Expertise

Expertise Expertise

Learning at Integrating
work Integrating
learning at work
learning at work
and theoretical
and theoretical
studies
studies
Theoretical
Theoretical
studies
studies
Work oriented learning enviromnets
• The operating model is working life oriented
• Students, academic staff, working life experts and clients (as
end users):
• They work together in real working life related development
projects
• The outcomes are seen as new innovations (products, services,
processes, models and working life cultures) and new
competences
 How do we work
differently?
Teacher Students

Teaching Learning
Lectures Project work
How do we work
differently?
Partner

Project
Work and study
program
 The Student's Perspective
The Key to Success
• The student's own responsibility in
process?
• How do the students networking takes
place?
• How do we learn to apply theory to
practical work?
• How do you learn working roles,
cooperation skills and communication
skills?
• How can we achieve an authentic (not
simulated) workplace experience?
• Something else?
The Critical Points
• How to ensure that students are not
only labor to the companies?
• How the guidance & assessment takes
place (tripartie)?
• How to avoid unclear objectives and
assignments?
• How to accumulating knowledge is
taken into account in studies?
• Something else?
 The Teacher's Perspective
The Key to Success
• How does the learning environment
promote business co-operation and
networking?
• What is the function and role of
teachers? teaching, counselling,
• How the curriculum is interpreted so
that the learning environment in the
work can be included in studies?
• Something else?
The Critical Points
• How to avoid school-like activities and
teacher-centered learning?
• How to ensure co-operation with companies?
• How the guidance & assessment is
organized?
• How to organize regular meetings with
partners?
• What kind of learner is the teacher in this
project?
• Something else?
 The Partners' Perspective
The Key to Success
• How the company's needs are taken
into consideration (in the early
phase)?
• Do the benefits cover the invested
resources?
• How to ensure the teachers' activity?
• How does a company get more added
value compared to normal business?
• Something else?
The Critical Points
• How to solve teaching and enterprise
scheduling differences?
• What is the optimal amount of
guidance meetings?
• How does the thesis are presented
with companies?
• What kind of learner is the teacher in
this project?
• Something else?
 What is the
point?
meaningful faster improved
contacts, career
studies deep learning employ-
networking options
ment

continuous
collegial participation dynamic self
collabo- in real work- varied develop-
ration action place tasks ment

highly
faster more 1st improved
attractive stronger priority
graduation financing
graduates applicants
brand

co- recruiting strategic

development
operation
partnership
THE WELL-FUNCTIONING LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
Findings based on interviews with UAS students
• Students display accountability for their actions
• Networking effective among the three parts in collaboration
• Learning to apply theory into practice
• Learning work roles, collaboration skills and communication skills
• Gaining work contacts
• Working life activity is at the core
• Getting authentic work experience
THE WELL-FUNCTIONING LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
Findings based on interviews with UAS teachers:
• Structure of the teaching plan is flexible and developed in
conjunction with the tripartite (student, UAS, working life)
• Teacher as multitasker
• Roles go beyond traditional boundaries
• Solid pedagogical foundation throughout the projects
• Projects are driven by clear learning concepts
• Synchronization of interests among students, companies and
the UAS
THE WELL-FUNCTIONING LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
Findings based on interviews with business partners:
• Company needs are taken into account at the early stages
• The advantages of the collaboration outweigh the invested resources
• Company receives more added-value than from normal activity
• Teachers are active and aware of working life needs
• One contact person is available from the UAS side
• Regular and systematic meetings between the UAS and company
throughout the year
• Company has a more active role in the development of UAS education
• Companies have to understand the importance of collaboration for
workforce recruitment
How could we work differently in VLU?
• What factors should we…
• Eliminate
• Raise
• Reduce
• Create

• Mark to post-it
Blue Ocean Strategy

Eliminate
 
Raise
How could we  

work
differently in
VLU?
  What factors
Reduce should we…
Create 

 
How could we work differently in VLU?
Vote the three best points to each group
Mark to post-it’s…
1. ***
2. **
**
3. *

*** *
 The circle of influence Things I can't
influence and I
can't decide on

Things I can
influence but I
can't decide on

Things I can
Give me tranquility to accept the influence and
things I can't change and the decide for
courage to change those I can. myself
Give me the wisdom to separate
these two perspectives.
 The process of ’student-driven’ validation
Planning the process
of competence Study points

development and
validation
Validating
Negotiations with teachers competences
and at work

The
Recognising the learning
competence Doing additional studies
opportunities at work criterias
The
defined in
developing
curriculum
competen
cies

Student Getting to know the curriculum

employment

Active student
20
 The process of diary thesis work;
nursing studies

Phase 1. Phase 1: negotiations at workplace

Choosing to do Phase 3 can be included in phase 4
thesis as diary
thesis

Approval
Gate 1

Phase 3.
Phase 2. Phase 5.
Evidence-
Introduction and Gate Discussion
Gate based 3
Gate
description of 2 4
developmen Phase 4. Regular
current situation
t documentation and
discussions with
supervisors
Key concepts: Gate
• Analysis of work The supervisor
5

• Defining own work The supervisor The supervisor and the student
approves phase approves pahse
• Naming the partners 2 products 3 products
assess the
status of the Phase 6.
at work process Assessment
and
publishing the
The goals for development at work thesis
Assessment based on literature
Documentation
 The demonstration day, Several different
business studies ways of
demonstrating

The student

Peer group

The alumni

The teachers
The tools of studyfying work can be used
as:
• Assessment tools for planning the ways of acquiring
competences in a workplace or a project (planning the study
process).
• Assessment tool for assessing the gained competences or for
giving feedback.
• The assessment tools are appropriate for different phases of the
study process such as before or after a study course or module
or at the end of terms or the entire study program. Thus, they
are tools for assessing and guiding the student’s professional
growth.
http://www.amkverkkovirta.fi/osataan-tools-english
Brainstorming with fishbone diagram
• What elemets could promote could ’student-driven’ validation work in VLU
projects?

Element 1 Element 2 Element 3

Element B
Element A
Element D
Element C
’Student-driven’
validation work

Element 4
Element 5 Element 6