Before summer becomes a distant memory, I thought I’d note down some thoughts about an event that took place at the start of this summer: this was the FACE 15 (Forum for Access and Continuing Education) Conference, which took place at the University of South Wales, Trefforest campus, July 1-3. The conference was particularly significant for those of us working at the Wales Institute of Work-Based Learning (WIWBL) at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) because on the morning of Day 2 we hosted a Work-Based Learning Symposium (more about this presently).
Day 1 of the FACE15 Conference began with a keynote address from Nick Davey of the AoC. He discussed the limitations of further and higher education in the UK when it comes to part-time education for adults, particularly in a vocational context. Later that day, a keynote by Cerys Furlong of NIACE echoed many of the issues raised, and made that point that there is a particular need for quality education for adults in Wales given the rise in average age and ongoing workplace skills needs. Parallel sessions during the day covered further adult learning themes covering widening access, policy and practice, and student support. It was within this last theme that I delivered a session on the role of innovative technologies to support past-time and distance learners, and this will be the focus of my next blog post.
A keynote from Brian Power on the Bologna Working Group started off the second day of the conference, and it was very interesting to find out about the different approaches to Higher Education (HE) across Europe, and ways in which the Bologna process aims to connect adult continuing education practices in different European countries.
The Symposium on Work-Based Learning mentioned above followed on from this, chaired by Prof Danny Saunders who also led the discussions. The Symposium had the theme: ‘Claiming a Space for the Work-Based Learner Voice’, and provided an opportunity for WIWBL to outline how it provides opportunities for the expression of the Learner Voice, Partnership Voice, and Institutional Voice. It also provided a platform for several members of the WIWBL team to express their voices! During a series of brief addresses, we explained how WIWBL works with employers and learners to provide tailored programmes of study to support progression towards HE qualifications. In the process, learners reflect on the wealth of knowledge and understanding that their work-based experience has given them, and build on this to improve and enrich their own practice and that of their workplaces.
Further sessions during the afternoon Day 2 extended the work-based learning theme, and included a session led by Rhianon Washington of WIWBL on ‘Developmental Mentoring’. Other sessions that afternoon looked at learner progression and tracking, and also explored perspectives from the USA, Sweden and Australia. The day ended with one of the conference highlights: the conference dinner at the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, accompanied by the Treorchy Male Voice Choir!
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| Members of the WIWBl team with Prof Danny Saunders at the National Musuem of Wales |
Day 3 of the conference involved a further examination of widening access, building partnerships, and reflecting on teaching practices. Rhianon Washington led another session falling into this last cetegory which discussed the pros and cons of HE in the context of work-based learning. There was also a parallel theme based on resources, and my WIWBL colleague Lowri Harris and I led a session within this theme which examined the role of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for distance learners, and this is another topic I’ll return to in the future.
The FACE15 conference proved to be an excellent opportunity to discuss the key issues facing adult continuing education, and in particular to learn about, and reflect on, many approaches that could help work-based worked learners.
