Prof. Ruth Whittaker

• •  
  • Prof. Ruth Whittaker
    • Title: Head
    • Organization: Centre of Learning Enhancement and Academic Development (GCU LEAD)

  Professor Ruth Whittaker is Head of the Centre of Learning Enhancement and Academic Development (GCU LEAD.)   Her role includes leading and supporting  academic and professional development and enhanced approaches to learning, teaching, assessment underpinned by scholarship and research; providing  strategic and academic leadership for implementation of the university’s Widening Participation Strategy, including Articulation, in collaboration with the GCU community and external partners; engaging  in policy and strategy development and leading  university initiatives in Learning and Teaching as well as external research and development, nationally and internationally, in relation to learning and teaching policy and practice.

  Ruth has particular responsibility for research and development in the areas of recognizing prior informal learning (RPL); articulation; transition and progression. She has led university-wide strategic developments in these fields, such as GCU’s Widening Participation Strategy; RPL Policy and Guidelines; the university-wide Moving Forward initiative (Transition and Progression) and the SFC-funded Greater Glasgow Articulation Partnership (articulation from college to university) as well as directed research and development projects at a national and European level at the policy/practice interface. This included the development of the national SCQF RPL Guidelines (2003-05); models and resources  to support RPL in the Community Learning and Development (2005-06) and Social Services sectors (2006-08) and SCQF Partnership and Skills Development Scotland within the context of Careers Guidance (2009-12); the Flexible Delivery Quality Enhancement Theme project on Supporting Flexible Entry to University (2006); the First Year Experience Quality Enhancement Theme project on Transition into and through Higher Education (2007) and was a member of the Project Management Group for the Scottish Government funded scoping study  on support and recognition mechanisms for refugees and migrant workers (2009-10). The most recent research and development projects on RPL is the QAA-funded project Streamlining RPL Processes: facilitating the award of credit for prior informal learning (2011-12) which has resulted in sector guidelines to enhance practice, and the  SCQF Partnership/SDS –funded My Skills , My Future RPL profiling toolkit for use by young people in schools and people facing redundancy.  Future work includes the development of a national HE Framework  for RPL which will be linked to the new Quality Enhancement Theme , Developing and Supporting the Curriculum as well as post-16 reform , Putting Learners at the Centre.  Ruth has also led a number of EU funded projects, including the Socrates Grundtvig project Valuing Learning from Experience (VaLEx) (2003-05). Ruth is Chair of the QAA Scotland/Universities Scotland RPL HEI Network which supports research and development across the sector and is a member of the Steering Group of the European RPL Network. Ruth represents Universities Scotland on the cross- sectoral SCQF RPL Network. She is on the Board of Directors for the Prior Learning International Research Centre , based in Canada and is  working with other international RPL scholars to develop an international RPL research agenda and lead collaborative research activities in this field.

  As well as her institutional role as Head of GCU LEAD, Ruth is continuing her work on the recognition of prior learning through new research and development activities at sectoral, national and international levels. These activities are located within the context of widening participation, workforce development and national qualifications frameworks

   

  Recent Project Reports

  Whittaker, R, Brown J, Benske, K, Hawthorne, M Streamlining RPL Processes: facilitating the award of credit for prior informal learning (QAA, 2011)

  Whittaker, R; Benske, K Brown, J Moving Forward. Final Report (GCU, 2011)

  Whittaker, R and Anderson, P Evaluation of RPL Profiling Tool and SCQF Mapping Guide pilot (Skills Development Scotland, 2009)

  CARA Pathfinder Project: Capacity-building for Refugee Academic Mentoring in the West of Scotland. Final Report (CARA, 2008)

  Whittaker, R Recognition of Prior informal Learning (RPL) pilot. Final Evaluation Report  Scottish Social Services Council, 2008)

  Whittaker, R Quality Enhancement Theme First Year Experience, Supporting Transition to and during the First Year Project, Final Report (QAA, 2007)

  Whittaker, R Recognition of Prior informal Learning (RPL) pilot. Evaluation Report –Stage 1 (Scottish Social Services Council, 2007) Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Social Services

  Whittaker R, CARA Pathfinder Project: Development of RPL profiling, guidance and work experience model for refugee academics. Final Report (CARA/GCU, 2007)

  Whittaker, R Recognising prior learning in Community Learning and Development using the SCQF. Report 81. (Communities Scotland, 2007)

  Whittaker, R Scottish Executive RPL Scoping Exercise Report (Scottish Executive, 2006)

  Whittaker, R, Knox, H, Mills, V Flexible Delivery Quality Enhancement Theme Supporting the Development of the Flexible Curriculum. Final  Report (QAA, 2006)

  Whittaker, R Quality Enhancement Theme: Flexible Delivery. Report on Institutional Consultation (QAA, 2005)

  Whittaker, R Report on Consultation on SCQF RPL Guidelines (SCQF, 2005)

  Whittaker, R Summary Report on SCQF RPL Workshops (SCQF, 2004)

  Whittaker, R SCQF RPL Project: Interim Report (SCQF, 2004)

  Cleary, P; Whittaker, R, Gallacher, J, Merrill, B, Jokinen,L., Carette,M and members of CREA  Social Inclusion through APEL: the Learners’ Perspective. Comparative Report (EU, 2002)

   

  Guidelines/Resources

  GCU Recognising Prior Learning Policy (GCU 2011)

  GCU Articulation Policy (GCU, 2010)

  GCU Transition and Progression Framework and Resources (GCU 2009)

  CARA Pathfinder Project: Capacity-building for Refugee Academic Mentoring in the West of Scotland. Mentoring Guidelines (CARA, 2008)

  Recognition of Prior Informal Learning (RPL): guidance and resources for mentors and learners (SSSC, 2007)

  RPL and Credit Transfer Guidelines for the Practice Learning Qualifications (Social Services) (SSSC, 2007)

  CARA Pathfinder Project: Development of RPL profiling, guidance and work experience model for refugee academics. Resource Pack (CARA/GCU, 2007)

  GCU Guidelines for Flexible Entry. Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior informal Learning (RPL) (GCU, 2006) Also Summary Guidelines for Staff, Flexible Entry Guide for Students, and Introduction to RPL for Staff

  Recognition of Prior informal Learning (RPL): Learner’s Pack (SCQF and Communities Scotland, 2006)

  Recognition of Prior informal Learning (RPL): Mentor’s Pack (SCQF and Communities Scotland, 2006)

  Flexible entry staff development pack for the HE sector. Recognising prior informal learning and credit transfer within the context of the SCQF (QAA, 2006)

  Flexible entry resource pack for the HE sector. Recognising prior informal learning and credit transfer within the context of the SCQF (QAA, 2006)

  SCQF RPL Resource Pack (SCQF,2006)

  RPL: Core Principles and Key Features (SCQF, 2005)

  SCQF RPL Guidelines (SCQF, 2005)

  Making Your Experience count. Learners’ Guide (VaLEx, EC,2005)

  Individual Pathways to the Post Qualifying Award portfolio guidelines and resources (CCETSW, 1994)

   

  Peer-reviewed publications:

  Harris, J and Whittaker R (2012) Editorial, ‘Learning through Experience: developing synergies between research and practice in workplace learning, workbased learning and the recognition of prior learning’ Special Edition of Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol 24 Number 2 2012

  Whittaker, R ‘Recognising Prior Informal Learning in Scotland: research and development within a National Credit and Qualifications Framework’ in Researching  RPL International Perspectives  edited by Judy Harris, Mignonne Brier and Christine Wihak  2011, NIACE

  Benske,K, Ward,K and Whittaker, R (2009): Moving Forward and beyond:
  a partnership approach to supporting student engagement and enhancing the first-year experience, CRLL International Conference Proceedings, 2009

  Whittaker, R (2008) Moving forward: enhancing progression through partnership, European First Year Experience Conference Proceedings, 2008

  Whittaker, R and Harold, A (2008) Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and Recognition of Prior Informal Learning within the Social Services sector. PEPE International Conference Proceedings , 2008

  Whittaker, R (2007) Supporting transition to the first year at university, CRLL International  Conference Proceedings, 2007

  Whittaker, S, Whittaker, R. and Cleary, P (2006) ‘Understanding the transformative dimension of RPL’ in Anderson P. & Harris, J (ed) Re-theorising the Recognition of Prior Learning RPL (NIACE, 2006)

  Cleary P and Whittaker R (2003) La Validation des acquis de l’experience comme inclusion sociale: transformer la rhetorique en realite, Politiques d’Education et de Formation. Analyses et Comparaisons Internationales , 2003/1/7 ( De Boeck et Larcier s.a )

  Whittaker R & Cleary P (2003) Broadening the concept of APEL in Scotland, CRLL International Conference Proceedings, 2003

  Whittaker R, Cleary, P., Gallacher, J, (2002) APEL: an Altered State of Learning?, SCUTREA Conference Proceedings, 2002

  Cleary P & Whittaker R (2001), What do Learners think about APEL? in Broadcast, Issue 53

  Whittaker R (2000), Developing APEL: Practice into Policy, Policy into Practice, Exploring Good Practice in Teaching & Learning series

  Reeve F. & Whittaker R (2000) Collaborating for Good Practice in APEL and Lifelong Learning ed Sam Bailie & Celia O’Hagan

  Sharp N., Reeve F., Whittaker R. (2000) Scotland: The Story of the Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning in Experiential Learning around the World. Employability and the Global Economy’ ed Norman Evans
  

  Brodie, I, Reeve, F and Whittaker, R (1995) Delivering the DEAL: implementation of a work-based learning programme at degree level. The Vocational Aspect of Education, vol 47, no.4

  Brodie, I, Reeve, F and Whittaker, R 1995 ‘Developing experiential learners in the workplace at degree level’, SRHE Conference Proceedings