Editorial

Citation

Helyer, R. (2015), "Editorial", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Vol. 5 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-03-2015-0009

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Volume 5, Issue 2

Welcome to the second issue of the fifth volume of Higher Education Skills and Work-Based Learning (HESWBL), the official journal of UVAC (the University Vocational Awards Council). One again we are presenting you with some exciting and diverse work which has overlaps and differences whilst remaining within our remit of publishing new research from the areas where HE and the workplace intersect, a growing area.

The issue opens with a conceptual paper from Stan Lester, “A vocational qualifications system fit for adults? Revisiting some ideas from the University for Industry”, which considers the UK vocational education and training (VET) system. In considering the recent government reviews and the complexity of the associated qualifications structure the paper asks: “is the system fit for purpose?”. The author suggests that although National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) were innovative in their time they have since proved too restrictive for a genuinely national system, instead creating barriers to further development. However, it seems recognition has slowly emerged that VET systems and qualifications are not always the most appropriate for employed learners, or those with experience of work. The paper reflects on the qualifications that have been validated in the VET system, drawing partly on the work of the University for Industry, and focuses on what the Whitehead review leaves out.

Florian E. Klonek and Simone Kauffeld, in “Providing engineers with OARS and EARS: effects of a skills-based vocational training in motivational interviewing for engineers in higher education”, continue the vocational debate by examining “motivational interviewing” (MI) – a vocational communication skill from the helping professions. The authors propose that MI can provide important skills for engineers and demonstrate this via a small research experiment with 25 engineering students using an observation based, multi-method scientific approach, with observational measures.

This is the first study to evaluate training in MI for engineers and its results suggest that communication skills in MI can be taught effectively to a technical population and furthermore that MI could be effectively utilised within the higher education of technical professions who have to deal with motivational issues. The observational measures adopted within the research project demonstrated that as well as monitoring quality, such measures also facilitate feedback to work-based learning partners, a great example of international innovation.

Amal Abou-Setta’s “Revisiting communities of practice – the case of Egyptian graffitists” examines how Egyptian revolutionists developed graffiti as a peaceful artistic weapon of revolt and goes on to suggest that the artists (mostly novices in the field, with no formal education in art) operate as communities of practice (CoPs) in an informal non-organisational setting. The study draws on the literature of CoPs, emphasising that collective, incidental learning can occur within the context of social and political movements and making connections between this phenomenon and understandings of adult education, politically informed and collectively created. The author offers a close examination of the learning process that has been taking place for the Egyptian revolutionists, leading to the production of refined art, as the artists travel from novice to experienced artist. This is compared to the structured learning process used in formal education as a way to highlight pedagogical and systematic deficiencies in the education system.

The next paper continues the discussion about how to enhance traditional education systems. Nicola Tully and Alex Avramenko, in “Au fait law placements: an emerged reality or a popular trend in contemporary education?”, discuss ways to enhance law student employability, including more integration of theory and practice. They advocate for a more multifaceted approach than the traditional lectures, tutorials and simulations offer, arguing that law placements provide opportunities to gain vital experience whilst reinforcing the Law Society’s professional practice standards and requirements. The design and implementation of placements is illustrated, with an emphasis on how they facilitate student final year specialisation. The paper acknowledges the challenges faced by a higher education institution in organising meaningful placements and looks at the other avenues explored, particularly in the Third Sector. The initial findings of this study offer interesting ideas for HE Law departments, around organising law placements, evaluating their effectiveness and their impact on students’ skills, knowledge base and future employability.

Ruth Stoker also discusses integrating work and learning, in her paper, “An investigation into blogging as an opportunity for work-integrated learning for journalism students”. She claims that online environments can offer opportunities for work integrated learning, placing the term “work integrated learning” within the context of what is learned by working, and how students can gain this experience – but also the ways in which the term is used more widely internationally. The author encourages a wider definition for “work-based learning”, and discusses it instead in terms of experiential learning, to include observation of practice and simulated experience. The paper explores the opportunities offered by online environments through blogging, suggesting that blogging facilitates the development of transferable skills and attributes including creativity, sophisticated communication competencies, initiative and problem solving. Blogging is already widely adopted as a method of online communication and the author illustrates that students can utilise a blogging environment to develop sector-specific skills but also to enhance transferable graduate attributes and ultimately their employability.

Staying with the theme of employability Karen Knibbs, Judith Fletcher Brown and Karen Middleton present a case study called “Developing ‘employagility’: the 3Es case for live-client learning” where they showcase the development of lifelong skills in students via learning within small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The existing discussions of employability outcomes are led by findings from larger organisations, this case study strives for a more meaningful concept by coining the term: “employagility”, to reflect the “agility” graduates develop whilst experiencing working in SMEs, hence enhancing their future potential to contribute to local and wider economies and develop innovative ideas for the businesses they are working with, even though their period of interaction may be relatively short. It is suggested that some simple curricula changes together with extra-curricular activities can support the development of “employagility”. The findings of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and reflective learning journals are shared from a cohort of undergraduate marketing students.

The final paper for this issue again investigates employability; Ian K. Pepper and Ruth McGrath present a small scale research project in, “Teaching the college of policing pre-employment ‘Certificate in Knowledge of Policing’ to undergraduate students: a student and staff evaluation”. Against a backdrop of widespread changes in UK society, not least caused by financial constraints, the authors illustrate how the police service both feel and respond to these changes; reviewing literature and reports which debate the potential financial benefits of applicants undertaking a programme of educational study prior to making their application to be a police officer. With the employability of all graduates high on the HE agenda, this case study shows how Teesside University, as part of its drive to integrate employability into the curriculum, became a College of Policing Approved Provider of the Certificate in Policing Knowledge. Research findings, both before and after the students studied the course, along with student feedback and staff reflections gathered at the end of the first year highlight the challenges and benefits encountered for students and staff.

I hope you enjoy the papers and agree that we have been lucky in locating such a rich and diverse mix of research and topics. It is a real pleasure to be able to publish and promote such interesting work.

We have several exciting Special Issues coming up. The first of these focuses on Global Perspectives on Profound Pedagogies and will be edited by Dr Tony Wall, University of Chester UK, and myself. The second planned Special Issue is to focus on Intellectual Property and will be guest edited by Professor Andy Penaluna, University of Wales Trinity St David, Swansea, and the Intellectual Property Office. More details about current and future Special Issues can be found on the journal’s web pages: www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=heswbl

If you have ideas for themes for potential Special Issues that you might like to guest edit please do get in touch.

I am delighted to welcome Dr Tony Wall from the University of Chester, UK to the Editorial Board and look forward to working with him. Tony is a specialist in International Pedagogies for Transformation at the University of Chester’s Centre for Work-Related Studies, where he is senior lecturer and director of the Doctor of Professional Studies Programme. Tony has taken on the role of international associate editor, and is keen to explore and expand HESWBL’s connections across the globe. He is particularly interested in connecting with new and experienced researchers and practitioners who can contribute to policy and practice debates, from different perspectives, whether they be from alternative cultural or theoretical angles. Please feel free to contact him at: mailto:t.wall@chester.ac.uk

Conor Moss from Sheffield Hallam University is continuing to develop the journal’s social media strategy. Please do follow us at: www.twitter.com/@heswbl. The account is for discussion, debate and engagement on all things HE, skills and WBL.

Our LinkedIn group is called Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning and is hosted and administered by Conor; by joining the group you will have the opportunity to:

• connect with your fellow researchers;

• engage in discussions and debates on HESWBL articles;

• share updates and information from the wider higher education and work-based learning communities; and

• be kept up-to-date with the latest HESWBL news.

Conor also facilitated live blogs at the annual UVAC conference last year and can be accessed here – https://conormoss.wordpress.com/2014/11/27/ukces-view-of-employer-needs/

We are eager to explore new ways to increase discussion and participation through social media with practitioners around appropriate events, topics and policy. Please contact Conor if you have any ideas or points to discuss within this area – mailto:C.Moss@shu.ac.uk

Please also feel free to contact me at: mailto:r.helyer@tees.ac.uk with any ideas for future publications or other general comments and please do continue to submit your fascinating work. Details of how to submit via the online portal are included inside of the back cover. I am also happy to view abstracts of papers initially, via my e-mail address, if this would help.

We are always keen to recruit suitable reviewers for the journal, if you would like to get involved please send me some details of your profile and areas of expertise.

Ruth Helyer