Call for projects on Applied Learning for integrating employability in practice

Student PresentationsThe Applied Learning Academic Interest Group has done well this year as it has considered what employability in practice looks like. A list of some of our achievements from this year will appear in the next post. Next year we will continue our monthly ‘generative’ meetings, developing knowledge of applied learning together. We are introducing a new dimension to the sessions that will build upon our recent thinking. We will develop a set of interrelated projects. Each one will be,

  • led by a member of the Academic Interest Group;
  • co-developed by a project group formed from the AIG membership;
  • peer reviewed each month by the AIG.

There are benefits to leading projects or taking part in the project groups. Involvement provides an opportunity to,

  • lead innovation with university-wide impact;
  • receive recognition and develop evidence of project leadership or contributing to change in an area of strategic priority;
  • gain recognition by making a significant difference to our students’ experience;
  • work collaboratively within the AIG and in other configurations, as determined by you;
  • create a research opportunity.

In addition to the AL AIG, LEAD staff are able to support your innovation and research.

We are now calling on the whole group for proposals for projects aimed at enhancing student employability through an applied learning philosophy. This means, supporting student employability by developing their successful transition.

We are keen to focus on some of the ideas we have discussed this year relating to,

  • First Contact;
  • Transition-In;
  • The First Year Experience.

During the last workshop the following initial proposals emerged,

  • Addressing the attainment gap through mentoring;
  • Creating community from day 1;
  • Developing student expectations from day 1;
  • Induction SHOOC (Sheffield Hallam Open Online Course) – orientation and expectations;
  • Developing learner autonomy and self-perception;
  • Outduction;
  • Developing student self-efficacy confidence and esteem.

At this stage we are looking for succinct expressions. We can begin to identify common ideas which will enable us to identify connections. Please contact Charmaine Myers in LEAD if you would like to suggest a project. You will not be committing yourself to anything initially. We are keen that contributions are realisable and realistic and we will work with individuals  to ensure that this is the case.

We have developed a project specification template which we will populate with your proposal towards having a coherent set of proposals by the beginning of September.