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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the views of academics, senior university managers and employer representatives on the design and implementation of an innovative work-based learning (WBL) programme in UK higher education. Design/methodology/approach – The research project draws upon case study research and utilizes data from semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis of policy papers. The experiences of university staff and employer representatives were analysed methodologically using the organisational story-telling framework. Findings – The paper exposes voices which are rarely heard in the public domain and provides insights into the challenges involved in introducing new practices within higher education. The themes that have emerged are: the intensity of the learning experience; tensions amongst academics delivering the programme; and, academic support for students, particularly in relation to the importance of face-to-face contact. Originality/value – The paper addresses key gaps in the WBL literature, most notably a dearth of critical accounts of practice within WBL programmes from the perspective of university staff and employer representatives. This type of research is also needed given the increased priority by governments in relation to forging links between business and higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of using several commercial tools in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects for enterprise education at Newcastle University, UK. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The paper provides an overview of existing toolkit use in higher education, before reviewing where and how tools are used across science and engineering disciplines. Feedback was collated from Newcastle educators and students to determine whether the projected enterprise learning outcomes were achieved. STEM learning outcomes were also mapped to the NCEE entrepreneurship learning outcomes framework. Findings |!|#8211; The paper investigated the use of three key enterprise toolkits across the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering and the Faculty of Medical Sciences, where the focus is on innovation and product/service development, rather than on the desire to |!|#34;be an entrepreneur|!|#34;. This reflection on practice evaluates the benefits and student perceptions of workshop tools for enterprise, decision making and teamwork. It makes comparison between the perceived employability needs of these students, and addresses the intended and actual outcomes of these tools. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; Evaluating toolkit use within a single university is constrained by common internal workings, however as exemplars of good practice this is of value to other UK higher education institutions. Practical implications |!|#8211; Consideration is given to entrepreneurial support and development, and whether using existing tools should be used for summative or for formative assessment. It also questions whether tools are fit for purpose. Originality/value |!|#8211; This paper reveals patterns of tool use and their effectiveness across science and engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to obtain a shared understanding of entrepreneurship education and to evaluate the effectiveness of employability and enterprise division in current fashion courses and amongst the students between a British and a Chinese university (UClan and SCAU). Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; It is a three-stage action-oriented PMI2 project (Second Prime Minister|!|#39;s Initiative for International Education) in fashion entrepreneurship, which was funded by the British Council. This paper presents the findings of the first stage of the research project. A combination of literature reviews, participant observation, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were employed to deliver the results at this stage. Findings |!|#8211; The findings represent similarities and differences between UClan and SCAU related to enterprise entrepreneurship education: identify rationale of evaluating fashion entrepreneurship education; and clarify a shared understanding of entrepreneurship education and the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; Due to geographical restrictions and limited resources, smaller-scale samples were selected to gain a deeper insight into different approaches to fashion enterprise and entrepreneurship education between UClan and SCAU. Practical implications |!|#8211; This research will be valuable to academics who wish to develop or enhance fashion entrepreneurship education, in particular with regards to forging links between universities in the UK and China. Social implications |!|#8211; This paper will increase awareness of fashion entrepreneurship amongst students, graduates and academics. Originality/value |!|#8211; This research contributes to the current knowledge and best practice of fashion entrepreneurship education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to discuss the value of social learning from group work that emulates a professional community of practice. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; A thought piece that first, examines the role of group-work projects as part of social learning, then outlines key arguments for social learning based upon applying a |!|#34;communities of practice|!|#34; approach and finally, discusses the experience of a leading UK university in light of Hoadley and Kilner|!|#39;s |!|#34;C4P|!|#34; communities of practice framework. Some reflections are offered to help practitioners and academics who wish to adopt a similar approach. Findings |!|#8211; Developing a communities of practice approach using group work can promote social learning and workplace transferrable skills. The authors discussed five main elements of the C4P communities of practice framework in light of a group project at a leading UK university: |!|#34;purpose|!|#34; |!|#8211; to emulate an IT consultancy environment and create energy and results as part of the final year group-work project; |!|#34;conversation and connections|!|#34; |!|#8211; to promote information exchange between group members through meetings, e-mail, or wikis; |!|#34;content and context|!|#34; |!|#8211; drawing upon organisational knowledge and directing groups to improve the quality of project deliverables. Some key reflections include: emulating real world practice helps develop transferrable skills; building membership of a community through simulated teamwork roles encourages motivation; and group leadership helps achieve common purpose. Originality/value |!|#8211; The paper offers a unique insight and applies a communities of practice framework for analysing and developing group work as part of social learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the university course trajectories of students from entry to a 3-year full-time undergraduate programme, to graduation with an honours degree, in the light of their self-reported motivations to study. This small-scale investigation took place at a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI). Design/methodology/approach – A small-scale survey using the Academic Motivation (to study) Scale was administered to 102 students on entry to a full-time undergraduate degree course in an interdisciplinary information-based department in a UK HEI. The students' motivation profiles were assessed in relation to their trajectory through the degree course and selected students were interviewed just prior to graduation. Findings – The report focuses on the pattern of student motivations – in general students who achieved "good" degrees were likely to have lower motivation and students achieving "not so good" degrees were likely to self-report higher levels of both autonomous and controlled motivations. Whilst the small sample size and individual variation may partly explain these results, interviews with a small number of participants allowed some further explication of these patterns. Research limitations/implications – Because of the complexity of variables potentially involved in studies relating to motivation, the focus of this study was practitioner reflection. Thus, it examines self-reported motivations measured on a established scale and "success' in terms of progression and attainment. The research findings were from a small cohort study in a convenience sample of 102 students in a particular context, so there are necessarily limits on the generalisability of the study. Practical implications – Elements around student achievement and progression related to their motivation are identified, and may contribute to effective design of learning experiences that students "can be arsed" to engage in. Originality/value – New empirical data are reported which provide an insight into student attitudes to study and the applicability of teacher responses, which are briefly discussed in relation to socio-cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to discuss the proposal that curriculum designed for and about enterprise education can be sustained via a cyclical model of evaluation. Such an approach takes into consideration an important aspect of enterprise education which is |!|#34;context|!|#34;, a significant aspect overtly linked to the differing subject disciplines offering such curriculum. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The design of this research project was driven by the authors|!|#39; suggestion that to evaluate the impact of enterprise education pedagogy different factors to those that are currently prescribed need to be taken into consideration. Current evaluation practice is to take a global, generic approach, often utilising quantitative techniques, but the authors argue that evaluation of enterprise education should consider local, contextual factors only |!|#8211; key contextual factors being subject discipline, along with the lecturer|!|#39;s own context, teaching and learning materials and implicit and explicit notions of enterprise education. The research utilised two different modules and approaches to evaluation: first, a questionnaire designed using module materials such as learning descriptor and module outcomes which produced quantitative data that could be linked directly to the module learning and teaching inputs as well as lecturer|!|#39;s approach; and second, a focus group-type approach undertaken with students on a completely separate and distinct module returning qualitative data, The former module was explicitly enterprise education and the latter module had a very implicit nature in relation to enterprise education. The students for the latter module were not aware of the enterprise connotation of the module. Findings |!|#8211; The authors|!|#39; notion that contextual evaluation has real value was upheld in each case. Both lecturers used the data collected to improve and make productive changes to their module content and teaching and learning materials for the following cohorts of students. Practical implications |!|#8211; It is the authors|!|#39; belief that contextual evaluation offers enterprise education pedagogy the opportunity to be evaluated in a more useful and practical forum, with results not only illustrating the impact on students but also on the module content and how this has been instrumental in the students|!|#39; progress. Originality/value |!|#8211; Those wishing to embed and sustain enterprise education by keeping the topic up to date on an annual basis will find this case study useful and, upon request, may have access to the evaluation methods used by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]