Former College Managers Launch Educational Book

A former Principal and a former Director of Curriculum at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) have written a book which was launched at the International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference at Queen's University Belfast, held in early September 2024.

Building Better Learning: An RSTU Perspective, co-authored by Professor Simon Bridge, Visiting Professor, Ulster University Business School with former members of the SERC Management Team Professor Ken Webb MBE and Dr Michael Malone, identifies common sets of what they term transversal skills (problem-solving, citizenship and communication ) and uber skills (critical thinking, leadership entrepreneurial thinking) which, when combined in different ways, not only support employability, enterprise and entrepreneurship, but help many other aspects of life.  The book provides case studies of how educational organisations might “build better learning” through embedding opportunities to develop and assess these skills in the core curriculum.

Dr Michael Malone, Director of Curriculum and Information Services at SERC until July this year, says, “From SERC's experience, it doesn't work to present these skills as a separate course. Many students struggle to transfer this learning to real-world contexts and to apply the skills alongside their technical and vocational skills when needed. The skills must be embedded and assessed as part of students’ technical and vocational learning.”    

Copies of the book can be purchased online.