Contributors 2025 UALL W&L Network: 'Working through crisis: new designs for learning in the workplace'

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Workshop Lead - Dr Joanne Gosling QA

Mr Stewart Frost Centre for Policing Middlesex University

Dr Kieron Chadwick University of Staffordshire                             

Dr Trevor Gerhardt Specialist WBL Freelance Tutor Kent Business School

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Abstract: Working through crisis: new designs for learning in the workplace

 

There have been many challenges post-Covid and post-Brexit that have affected higher education (HE) institutional settings in the United Kingdom (UK). This disruption has required establishing and experienced educators and practitioner-researchers (Jarvis, 1999) to focus on implementing new programmes to support adult learners whose studies are, at some time, based in the workplace. Changes have included a growth in higher and degree apprenticeship provision; institutional delivery in tune with the Lifelong Learning Entitlement; an imperative to provide community and regional continued professional development (CPD) and knowledge exchange provision; higher education within further education; the need for greater access routes. The re-introduction of the skills agenda and the use of micro-credentials has brought us back to thinking about credit and learning. Digital provision and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has meant adapting policies that address hybrid learning and curricula boundaries.

 

Academic and professional staff have been required to positively re-invent what they do through this current time of crisis (Habib and Hastings, 2025), a crisis which has differing interpretations and manifestations (Tight, 2023). Academic and professional services face working through uncertainty and programme closures, navigating restructuring and redundancies within the sector as well as designing new programmes and delivering new curricula. Working through crisis includes the consideration of staff well-being and career planning for educators involved in workplace learning, as well as the desire to increase their presence in publishing practitioner research and scholarship.

 

As a collaborative, our network strongly believes in fair access and entitlement for lifelong learning that offers learners professional practice opportunities throughout their careers. We are committed to engaging in socially responsive provision that supports inclusivity, wherever the learning takes place. The Work and Learning network looks forward to presenting a workshop with thought-provoking conversations and solution driven actions.Workshop engagement We will start with several ‘lightning talks’ from our convenors and network members who will share experiences, focusing on experiences that have been instrumental in finding solutions to problematic challenges for this area of practice.

 

We will present innovative project work that has currency for the theme working though crisis and focuses on the nuts and bolts of what we do: teaching/facilitation, research, and knowledge exchange from a range of universities, partner organisations, consortia and learning/training providers. This will include insights from a researcher responsible for delivering a higher education apprenticeship to police practitioners and the fresh perspectives in workplace learning designs that are emerging from decades of public sector conservatism.Our network feels strongly that sharing practical peer experiences is an important way to find solutions that will benefit providers and learners. Inclusivity and social mobility have now become strategic drivers for work and learning. We will invite those who join the workshop to share their innovative practice and discuss with our UALL colleagues the solutions that they and other practitioners have found useful and strategic. •How can we ensure our output and aims continue to be relevant to workplace strategic drivers and emerging learner themes?•What has worked? •What needs wider reporting and scholarship?

 

We anticipate a rapporteur to orally present the conversation at the end of the session to share and review actionable take-aways from the session.In the workshop we propose:•to introduce ideas around working through crisis to contribute to current debates;•to celebrate practitioner achievements as they sustain and innovate practice;•to discuss learner experiences with new technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the use of technologies for online learning initiatives;•to share insights and actions that look forward to 2025-2026. The convenors and presenters will cultivate and encourage an open and inclusive dialogue that will include café style interactions to collaboratively identify new conversations for the network. Join us!