Enhancing situated learning: apprenticeship in learning departments

Jeroen Onstenk ([email protected]

)

INAP, Beijing, May 2011

New forms of work place learning

New apprenticeships Simulations Work learning period (traineeship) Adult apprenticeships (care, technical sector) Learning departments (nursing; care; administration) In school learning company (catering; restaurant; administration) Out of school learning company

Learning department Work placement involving a group of 6-8 apprentices, often of different courses, within a single department of an organization Apprentices run the department They engage in collaborative learning, involving both subject knowledge and work process knowledge The regional vocational college and the labour organisation are together responsible for quality, content and guidance of work place learning. On the learning department students are coached by a teacher from school, by a workplace coach and by each other (often students come from several levels, and from higher education).

Objectives ROC Leiden

Growing percentage in practice learning (40%) Improvement quality in practice learning Taking care of students (protection) Quality learning environment Strengthening connection school – practice learning Arranging work learning companies Networking companies Organization and planning Financial Development specific work learning companies

Design considerations

• Protecting weaker student/apprentices (learning and behavioral problems) to “harsh practice” in real companies • Shortage of apprenticeships places: looking for new kinds of authentic work learning places • Efficiency: dealing with scarce means (i.e. guidance time) • Integration theory and practice: connecting practice experiences to necessary knowledge basis • Steering: programming “learning units” (core tasks, scripts, critical work situations) in practice-theory blocs • Tailoring: company specific apprenticeships • New learning objectives (competences): school and comp[any working together; learning skills

Designing learning opportunities Job/Task characteristics

Completeness/Complexity Innovation, 'events‘

Problem solving

Planning; Discretion space;

Social Work Environment

Colleagues; Supervisors; Clients

F

eedback, explications

Information Environment

I nformation, database Job & Learning aids Material clues Teacher, Class,

Guidance in the workplace

Learn to learn (active; experiential)

learning by dialogue, inquiry and discovery Connecting learning in school and in the workplace

Coaching and mentoring

modeling; scaffolding; fading connectivity embedded reflection focus on choices and dilemma's

Sequencing; Learning assignments Developmental orientation

personal development plans developing codified, situated and tacit knowledge

The role of the school

Selection, matching and Preparation

• Motivation and orientation on company, department and activities • Connection to school learning

Teaching and Guidance

• Teaching at the workplace • Formative assessment

Elaboration, connection and integration

• Learning trajectories • Career development

Shared responsibility school and company

• Agreement on personal development plan • Regular contact teacher and workplace • Networking

Analysis

Place Sequens Co-makership Design learning environment Workplace as learning environment Guidance school; company Integration in course curriculum

Focal Points Alignment and connection Guidance by the school Content working & learning Guidance at the job Connecting levels: secondary and higher vocational education

Comakership

• Involvement companies large but variable: – Nursing learning departments: win-win situation – Acceptance content steering (“learning blocks”): in principle yes, in practice difficult – – – Scheduling problems (block versus part time weeks) Guidance models (exchange, cooperation) Assessment: methods; quality • Involvement national centres: • regional and national support ; control and regulation • In school learning companies: sometimes no real companies involved

Cooperation in practice

• Teachers in companies: guidance in learning departments; theory lessons on location; coupling teachers to student and company • Guidance in practice: trainer; work guidance, role model • Collective support individual student learning plans (PLP; PWP) • Monitoring assignments (progress student) • Assessment: division of labor; responsibility; reporting (still embryonic)

Learning processes

• Authentic context + reflection = good learning process • Role models: learning by imitating combined with reflection • Cooperation in working and learning to stimulate students to learn • Learning by guiding younger students as a powerful learning tool • Authentic context motivates • Leraning more in a learning department (than simnple working No systematic attention for leraning development novice to competent performer No systematic assessment on effect criteria (output measures)

Cooperation (internal, external)

Alignment work activities (didactic, organisational, pedagogical with colleagues Good communication and cooperation Ability and willingness tio discuss sucecs and problems in one’s way of working Responsibility for what we do and how we do Accepting criticism Contribute to learning and development of the school (and the broader community)