6 September 2023 | United Kingdom
The eWBL Framework was showcased in two sessions at the 2023 ASET conference. Habtamu Garomssa, the eWBL Project Manager from the Science to Business Marketing Research Center (S2BMRC) and Samantha Carty, EU project specialist from Momentum Consulting represented the eWBL project and actively engaged with the community of practice present at the conference. The framework was first presented at the morning workshop session and subsequently showcased at the poster presentation event.
The eWBL framework is designed to help educators and supervisors from higher education institutions (HEIs) and companies design effective online or hybrid work-based learning programs for students. In line with that, the ASET conference which brought together key stakeholders working at the intersection of work and learning served as an excellent platform to validate the framework and collect feedback.
The 2023 ASET Conference, hosted by Bath Spa University in Bath, United Kingdom from the 5th-6th of September 2023 was held under the theme, "Developing Local to Global Citizens". It highlighted the importance of preparing students to engage with industry globally within the context of the accelerated digital developments we have seen in recent years. The conference was well attended by an international group of participants from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Germany and Ireland.
The eWBL presentation focused on the five phases of the eWBL implementation process with quality assurance as a continuous cross-cutting dimension.
- Phase one entails the DESIGN stage where important decisions about the nature, structure, and timing of the work-based learning program will be made while taking into account the adaptations and modifications necessary in an online context.
- The second Phase corresponds to the PREPARATION phase where students' suitability for eWBL is assessed and where necessary training for students, facilitators and supervisors is provided.
- Phase three is ONBOARDING which introduces the aims of eWBL as well as the content, workflow, team members and other practicalities.
- Phase four is the DELIVERY phase where task briefing, task monitoring, networking and socialisation are critical.
- Lastly, ASSESSMENT and EVALUATION complete the eWBL implementation phase.
The framework was enthusiastically received by the key stakeholders who participated in the sessions whose experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic pretty much aligned with the findings from our research.
Overall, the conference proved to be a highly rewarding event allowing us not only to share the project results but also to foster invaluable exchanges and networking opportunities with key practitioners who are spearheading eWBL initiatives in their institutions.
You can freely download the individual case studies, national reports and synthesis report undertaken as part of the needs analysis phase via the following link.