Anita Walsh, BA, MSc, PhD

Senior Lecturer in Work Based Learning

Contact details

email: a.walsh@bbk.ac.uk
tel: 020 3073 8225

Employment history

• Anita Walsh joined Birkbeck in September 2005. She is a Senior Lecturer in Work-Based Learning and also Director of the College’s Institute of Professional Studies.
• Previously Anita was a Senior Lecturer at Kingston University, where she was a member of the University’s Academic Development Centre with responsibility for the areas of work-based learning and experiential learning.
• Anita is an expert in designing academic programmes which are based on people’s activities in the workplace. She was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2009’.

Professional affiliations/memberships

• Member of Philosophy of Education Society, Great Britain
• Member of Society for Research into Higher Education
• Member of Higher Education Academy Employer Engagement Exchange Group
• Member of Higher Education Academy Work-Based Learning Research Group
• Member of Universities’ Association for Lifelong Learning  (UALL) Work-Based Learning Network

Recently completed/current research

• Anita’s research focuses on the academic recognition of high level learning which takes place in organisations and elsewhere. She is exploring the role of experience in workplace learning, and also in the development of professional expertise.

Areas of research supervision

• Work-based learning; epistemology of informal and work-based learning.
• If you are considering applying for MPhil/PhD research in any of these areas, you are advised to contact Professor Jackson about your research plan before making an application.

Recent publications

• 'An opportunity to widen participation through work-based learning?  The impact of gender' chapter in Gendered Choices : Learning, Work and Identities S. Jackson et al (Eds) Springer Academic Press  (forthcoming)
• 'Reconciling Graduateness and Work-based Learning' co-authored with Dr B. Kotzee in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (forthcoming)
• 'Beyond a naturally occurring ethnography : the work-based researcher' in Journal of Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning (forthcoming)
• 'Achieving Equity and Consistency by Quality Assuring APEL' - part of the Higher Education Academy Employer Engagement publication (forthcoming)
• ‘Modes of Reflection: Is it possible to use both individual and collective reflection to reconcile the ‘three party knowledge interests’ in workplace learning?’ (2009) in European Journal of Education Volume 44(3)  pp 385-398
• ‘What is distinctive about work-based knowledge and learning?’ (2008) in Workforce Development: Connections, Frameworks and Processes Yorke, M. (Ed) published by the Higher Education Academy
• ‘Engendering debate: credit recognition of project-based workplace research’ (2007) in Journal of Workplace Learning Volume 19(8) pp 497-510
• 'Researching in the workplace: a chance to avoid researchers' 'Reality Shock'?' (2007) in Research in Post Compulsory Education Volume 12(3) pp 319-330
• 'Will increasing academic recognition of workplace learning in the UK reinforce existing gender divisions in the labour market?’ (2006) Journal of Vocational Education and Training, Volume 58(4)
• The Role of Vocational Education and Training in Promoting Lifelong Learning in Germany and England’ by D. Dehmel – Book review (2006) Compare Volume 36(2).
• SEEC Companion to the Quality Assurance Agency Guidelines on APL (2005) co-authored with Professor Bob Johnson.
• ‘Supporting Students with Dyslexia in their Transition to Higher Education’ (2004) Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning Volume 6 (2) co-authored with R. Fidler.
• Reflections on Credit Practice (2001) SEEC project report co-authored with Professor Bob Johnson.
• Credit Practice : A Comparative Approach (1994-1999) (2000) SEEC project report co-authored with Professor Bob Johnson.

Conference papers

• 'Assessment of experiential learning and employer engagement' (2010) presented at Enhancing Human Capital through Innovative Workforce Development Conference, Derby (by invitation)
• 'Beyond a naturally occurring ethnography : the work-based researcher' (2010) presented at international Vocational, Profession and Work-Based Learning Conference, Cyprus
• 'Does work-based learning represent a democratisation of the higher education curriculum?' (2010) presented at Universities' Association for Lifelong Learning Work-Based Learning Annual Conference, Teesside University
• 'Not Teaching but What? The identification and assessment of experiential learning in higher education' (2010) presented at Recognition of Prior Learning : Sharing European Principles and Practices Conference,  Brussels (hosted by Scottish Govt and QAA Scotland)
• 'Graduateness, Transdisciplinarity and Work-Based Learning' (2010) presented at Birkbeck Institute for Lifelong Learning seminar
• 'Using reflection in workplace learning : Is it possible to use both individual and collective reflection to reconcile the 'three part knowledge interests' in workplace learning? (2009) presented at OECD international conference What Works - Quality Teaching in Higher Education, Istanbul (by invitation)
• ‘Beyond a naturally occurring ethnography: the work-based research project’ (2009) paper given at the 6th International Researching Work and Learning Conference, Denmark, July
• ‘Using experience-based learning in academic awards’ (2009) paper given at the Higher Education Annual Conference, Manchester, July
• ‘ Valuing the experience in work-based learning : reflections on academic practice’ (2008)  paper presented at the Society for Research into Higher Education Annual Conference, December
• Modes of Reflection:  Is it possible to use both individual and collective reflection to reconcile three party knowledge interests in workplace learning? (2007)  UALL Work-Based Learning Network Annual Conference  London  5 & 6 July
• 'Levels of Reflection : A Flexible Recognition of Workforce Professional Development'  (2007)  jointly with Richard Frost and Farida Dean (Leadership Academy, Metropolitan Police Service)  Birkbeck Institute of Lifelong Learning conference Innovations in Lifelong Learning London  29 June
• Pragmatism or Principle?  Academic Recognition of Work-Based Learning (2006)  Society for Research into Higher Education Annual Conference  Brighton  12-14 December
• The importance of level in negotiating the interface between workplace learning and higher education (2006)  International Symposium of the World Association for Cooperative Education  London  16 & 17 November
• 'What are the implications of a pedagogy based on constructivist approaches for the existing distinction between academic and workplace learning?' (2006)  Developing European Work-Based Learning Approaches and Methods Conference Florence 29 November-1 December
• 'Demonstrating Equivalence: Credit Recognition of Project-based Workplace Learning' Work-Based Projects: the Worker as Researcher, 24 and 25 April, 2006, UALL Work-Based Learning Network Annual Conference.
• 'An Exploration of Biggs’ Constructive Alignment in the Context of Work-Based Learning' Assessment and Evaluation in Work-Based Learning, 21 and 22 March, 2005, UALL Work-Based Learning Network Annual Conference.
• 'Academic Recognition of Work-Based Learning: A Paradigm Revolution?' Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Lifelong Learners, 20-22 Nov, 2003, UACE Work-Based Learning Network Annual Conference.

Conference workshops

• ‘Facilitating “Stop Out” not Forcing “Drop Out”: Academic Credit in Flexible HE’, Innovations in Student Success, 9 February, 2006, Higher Education Academy.
• ‘Credit-Based Modules and Their Role in Encouraging Progression’, Supporting Part-Time Students in Higher Education, 18 October, 2005, Open University/Universities UK.