Unit 22: Work-based Learning in the

Digital Economy

Unit code M/618/5692

Unit level 5

Credit value 15

Introduction
As a professional, learning is a continuous and lifelong process. In the digital
industries, there is constant change in technology, materials, processes, legislation,
and practice. In order for organisations to remain up to date, they need to recognise
the potential of both structured, formal based learning and learning gained through
professional activities in the studio, office, workshop or on site.
Whether through a traditional industry placement, a freelance opportunity, or a
simulated industry situation, it is important for students to recognise key industry
structures and their related employment patterns and characteristics. Effective
workplace learning requires both the application of a skillset and the implementation
of appropriate attitudes and behaviours.
This unit provides a framework in which students have the opportunity to reflect on
and contextualise the learning they gain from working in the industry. In coordination
with tutors and an employer, students will define the scope, duration, and content of
their expected work-based learning experience. Throughout the period of their work-
based learning experience, students will be expected to record their experience and
reflect on their learning.

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Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit a student will be able to:
LO1 Explore a range of digital technology working environments and culture
LO2 Prepare a work-based learning and development plan that enables monitoring
and reflection
LO3 Review work-based learning and development in a digital role
LO4 Reflect on own skills and knowledge developed through work-based learning
experience in a digital environment and plan for the future.

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LO1 Explore a range of digital technology working environments and culture

Industry roles and responsibilities in digital economy:

Range of industries that use digital technologies.

Identification of opportunities for work-based learning in appropriate sector(s).
Review career profiles in digital fields, including roles and responsibilities, e.g.
cyber security, software development, data analytics, network engineering,
digital animation, software testing, project management, business analysis.
Required skillsets and qualifications for different roles.

Sector work patterns:

Work patterns, e.g. full-time (FT), part-time (PT), freelance, contractual,
remote/virtual.

Core skills and competencies:

Value and importance of core skills and competencies, e.g. working as part of a
team, team dynamics, cultural awareness, independent working, leadership,
communication (verbal, written, visual), networking and collaboration,
negotiation skills.

Organisational culture:
Importance of a positive and collaborative organisational culture.
Achievement of a positive organisational culture, e.g. leadership, values,
traditions and beliefs, behaviours and attitudes.
Benefits of a collaborative workplace culture, e.g. improve retention, increase
performance, increase morale, productivity and wellbeing.
Impact of digital emerging technologies on workplace practices and culture, e.g.
remote working, virtual teams, networking and collaborative working, social
distancing measures.
Globalisation and development of multicultural and diverse workforces, meeting
needs and expectations.
Diversity of the workforce and meeting needs of individualism, equality and
inclusion and social responsibility.
Impact of improving educational standards in the workplace.
Organisational/employer expectations.

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LO2 Prepare a work based learning and development plan that enables
monitoring and reflection

Self-evaluation of learning needs for development and career planning:

Competencies comparison against job specifications and required personal and
professional skills.
Self-assessment of skills, e.g. skills audit.
Identification of strengths and weaknesses, e.g. analysis of strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT).
Setting specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time bound (SMART)
development plans, goals and objectives.
Identification of learning and development needs.
Achievement of learning and career plans via short-, medium- and long-term
career planning.

Learning and development plan:

Define learning and development vision, goals and matrices.
Develop an inventory of learning and development needs.
Undertake a gap analysis of learning and development to identify needs.
Identify modes of learning and development to achieve vision, goals and
matrices.
Identify priorities for learning and development.

Undertake work experience:

Experience a range of work, e.g. different patterns/types of work experience
opportunities – voluntary, placement, contract-based, apprenticeships,
internships and externships.
Experience a range of organisations, e.g. types, size and scope.
Use of a skills audit for matching opportunities for work experience with gaps in
own experience of skills.
Importance of developing interpersonal communication skills to support
personal and professional development, e.g. body language, tone of voice
(written, electronic and verbal).
Impact of appearance and professional conduct.
Professionalism and resilience.
Working within own remit.

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 Feedback and review systems during work-based learning:
Developmental opportunities – formal training, on-job training, shadowing,
buddying, self-directed study, secondment, coaching and mentoring, job
rotation, workshops, conferences, social learning and networking.
Reviewing performance, behaviours and interactions via informal, e.g. in-the-
moment, casual conversation and formal mechanisms of feedback, e.g. rag
rating, performance review, 360-degree feedback.
Different forms of feedback, e.g. formative and summative.
Exit interview.

Meeting employer objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs):

Employer use of key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and evaluate the
performance of an organisation against its strategic objectives.
Personal contribution and responsibilities to meet employer objectives.
Use of key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and increase productivity.
Effective and efficient time management skills, e.g. efficient use of own time.
Identification of workforce skills and requirement to upskill, e.g. soft/transferable
skills, hard skills.
Employee development to support objectives, e.g. Continuous Professional
Development (CPD), training and development.
Key risk indicators, e.g. financial KRIs: economic downturn, regulatory changes,
people KPIs: high staff turnover, low staff satisfaction, operational KPIs: system
failure, IT security breach.

LO3 Review work-based learning and development in a digital role

Work-based learning and development:

Review of structured opportunities for work-based learning and development,
e.g. mode – online, distance, peer.
Learning and development that supports the digital role.
Identification of further learning and development.
Planning work-based learning and development to enhance career prospects.

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 Development of skills and knowledge:
Roles and duties undertaken, e.g. practical operation of equipment, software
development, analysis, networking, animation, software testing, project
management, programming, research, provision of service to internal and
external customers, marketing, technical, consultation.
Communicating with managers and stakeholders.
Reporting/receiving feedback on development and progress.
Working as part of a team and supporting team initiative and proactivity.
Adapting to and using technology.

Identification of learning and development to progress in a role:

Skills and knowledge required to progress in an identified role and identification
of learning and development requirements.
Use of formal and informal methods to assess learning and development needs
to support progression into identified role.
Skills gaps analysis.
Prioritising learning and development needs.

LO4 Reflect on own skills and knowledge developed through work-based

learning experience in a digital environment and plan for the future

Reflective practice:
Methods of recording reflective practice, e.g. diary, portfolio, reflective log,
personal journal.
Responding to and adapting to formative feedback.
Self-evaluation of work-based learning and experience in all areas; systems,
interpersonal skills, problem resolution, incidents and accidents, teamwork and
management practices.

Evaluation of performance:
Methods of final evaluation in the workplace, e.g. final skills audit, performance
reviews, appraisal, observation feedback, benchmarking to match skills
standards, 360-degree feedback process, e.g. client, peer, tutor, employer
feedback.

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 Future development opportunities:
Identifying skills gaps and needs for improvement, future training needs and
personal development planning.
Developing a lifelong learning plan.
Recommendations on how to enhance future development plans, e.g. different
work context, alternative roles and titles, locations, preparation methods, time
management.
Future opportunities to promote development, e.g. coaching and mentoring,
seeking new assignments/opportunities, attending conferences and networking
events.

Career planning:
Identification of areas for improvement.
Lessons learnt and how to enhance performance.
Use of experience to enhance career prospects.
Development of a career plan.

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Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 Explore a range of digital technology working
environments and culture.
P1 Examine work cultures M1 Analyse professional LO1 and LO2
in the digital technology conduct and employer D1 Justify the selection of a
sector. expectations of employees. work-based learning
P2 Profile careers in the opportunity in terms of the
digital technology sector skills and knowledge to be
and working environments gained, and how it
which make use of digital contributes to future
technology. developmental goals.

LO2 Prepare a work-based learning and development plan

that enables monitoring and reflection
P3 Plan a work-based M2 Analyse how work-
learning plan based on own based learning will
learning needs, including contribute to own
methods for review. development and career
goals.
P4 Devise SMART
developmental goals in
relation to work-based
learning.

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 Pass Merit Distinction
LO3 Review work-based learning and development in a
digital role
LO3 and LO4
P5 Undertake work-based M3 Evaluate the specific
learning that develops both skills, competencies and D2 Critically evaluate own
the subject-specific skills knowledge developed learning and development
and core competencies through different duties through consultation and
required for working in the undertaken in the digital reflection, identifying areas
digital technology sector. technology sector. for future development in
support of future plans.
P6 Implement review and
performance monitoring
methods during work-
based learning to assess
performance and
capabilities.
LO4 Reflect on own skills and knowledge developed
through work-based learning experience in a digital
environment and plan for the future
P7 Compare 360-degree M4 Evaluate own
feedback to identify areas development through
of good practice and areas reflection and feedback.
for improvement.
P8 Assess own
development of
transferable and
employability skills through
work-based learning.

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Recommended Resources

Textbooks
Bolton, G. (2014) Reflective practice: Practice: Writing and Professional Development.
New York: Sage Publications Ltd.
Cottrell, S. (2015) Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook.
New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Jordan, T. (2020) The Digital Economy. London: Polity.
Helyer, R. (2015) The Work-based Learning Student Handbook.
New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Moon, J. A. (2006) Learning Journals: A Handbook for Reflective Practice and Professional
Development. London: Routledge.
Orme, G. (2019) Human Intelligence: How curiosity and creativity are your superpowers in
the digital economy. London: Pearson Business.
Tarrant, P. (2013) Reflective Practice and Professional Development. New York: SAGE.
Thompson, S. (20018) The Critically Reflective Practitioner. New York: Palgrave
Macmillan.
Kersten, M. (2019) Project to Product: How Value Stream Networks Will Transform IT and
Business: How to Survive and Thrive in the Age of Digital Disruption with the Flow
Framework. Portland: IT Revolution.

Websites
cipd.co.uk Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development
The CPD Cycle
(General reference)

Links
This unit links to the following related unit:
Unit 1: Professional Practice in the Digital Economy

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