Abstract:

Employers consistently highlight the widening gap between the skills they seek and those possessed by workers, emphasising the necessity of fostering technical talent for global competitiveness (World Economic Forum 2023).

In higher education, work-based learning (WBL) projects are commonly integrated into the learning outcomes and assessment matrix of cognitive domain programmes to address the division which can occur between academia and industry. These projects offer students hands-on experiences relevant to the industry, often in specific domain areas, enabling the application of theoretical knowledge into workplace situations and yielding additional benefits for their workplaces (such as a highly skilled workforce). Evaluation of the learning outcomes and competencies acquired through Work Based Learning projects, poses challenges to educators who use traditional assessment methods, particularly those entrenched in outdated practices. Higher education establishments have historically designed curricula to instil theoretical knowledge as well as technological skills in their graduates, however a growing body of evidence has shown that theoretical knowledge is not enough for the workplace of the future, and many graduates lack skills that are essential for being efficient, productive members of an organisation. Transferable skills include oral and written communication skills, critical thinking skills, team working skills, analytical skills and management and entrepreneurship skills. Novel assessment mechanisms with constructive alignment to learning outcomes can be key to, in the first instance, measure competencies and graduate attributes, while ensuring transversal skills are developed by learners.

The ongoing emphasis on innovative, flexible teaching, learning, and assessment practices within higher education underscores the importance of understanding the rationale behind the teaching and assessment methods for students engaged in work-based components of their studies. Work-based learning not only facilitates personalised learning experiences but also aligns with the objective of making each project unique through novel assessment strategies.

This paper conducts a literature review on Work-Based Learning, exploring current teaching and assessment practices in higher education. Additionally, it proposes an innovative assessment tool tailored for evaluating student achievements and subsequent learning in work-based projects.

The objective is to explain the multifaceted nature of WBL from the perspectives of teaching, learning, and assessment, encompassing emotional intelligence, critical thinking, peer review, problem-solving, research, teamwork, and personal and professional development.

Keywords:

Work-based, Learning, assessment, novel, transversal, skills, teaching, life, long.