Transcript Translation into practice

Bringing practice back in: how
practice shapes constructions of
knowledge in (general)
vocational education
Ann-Marie Bathmaker
BRILLE, UWE Bristol, UK
Overview
1: Introduction – my interest in the question of
knowledge in general vocational education
4: Constructions of knowledge in GVE practice – two
examples from English FE
3: Constructions of knowledge amongst national
stakeholders
2: shaping the meaning of ‘knowledge’ in GVE and
‘bringing knowledge back in’ (Michael Young,
2008)
5: Conclusions
West London Further Education College
Birmingham Metropolitan College
Pass 6: ‘Theory’
The first question students ask is “how many pass tasks,
how many merit tasks, how many distinctions are
there?”
They’re all driven by the assessment method, they’re
not here to learn, they are here to get the qualification,
but to get the qualification they need to learn. I think
learning is seen as a second bit to it. They’re here to get
the qualification not to learn, if that makes sense.
(Tutor, Business Studies, City Centre College)
What is the ‘V’ in GVE?
What is meant by knowledge in General
Vocational Education?
Is the knowledge in General Vocational
Education ‘vocational’ and what does
‘vocational’ mean in the context of GVE for
(young) people in initial post-compulsory
education?
2: Constructions of knowledge in
GVE practice – two examples
from English FE
Science at Outer London FE college
Teachers and connections to the world of work
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Miss S: a young Asian teacher who taught Science on
academic (A level) courses and vocational (BTEC) courses at
Levels 2 and 3. She had taught BTEC for 6 or 7 years. She
described her ‘speciality’ as Biology.
‘Purely by chance’ that three staff have relevant work
experience in their backgrounds (comment by Programme
Manager).
Maintaining employer input is challenging because employers
‘don’t want to be involved’ and there are ‘practical issues
about accommodating large groups of students in
workplaces.’ (Programme manager)
Science teaching room
Imperatives shaping constructions of
knowledge: anticipated progression routes
The prospectus states:
 This course [BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Science] is
for you if you have an interest in science and would like to
develop a career in Laboratory and Industrial Science. You
can progress onto university or seek employment in a
laboratory as a laboratory science technician.
However, according to the Programme Manager
 BTEC is seen now as a progression route to higher education.
He thinks 90% of the learners go into higher education (not
100% because of circumstances ‘and the application process
works against them’.)
a type of pedagogy and assessment for a
type of student
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suits students who are less able to cope with
academic qualifications
differences between GVE (BTEC) and academic (A
Level) students:
I think in maybe ability - I mean I don’t like to say it
…they do a lot of group work, they do a lot of
presentations. [GVE students] say “OK, what’s the
data, explain to me what the data is”. Whereas with
an A level they’re just “oh what’s the work, I need to
get on with it” and that’s it. (Miss S)
Dominance of outcomes criteria in
planning teaching and learning
I looked at the criteria and on the criteria say
they have to have done this and that, and this
and that, and then looking at the text book it
says that they have to decide for themselves
what to do for the practical. (Miss S, planning
for level 3)
Knowledge in intermediate/level 2
teaching session
Fieldnotes:
The knowledge is identifying and listing factual
information, and relating it (I’m not sure I would call
it ‘applying’ or at least not in a cognitive sense) to
everyday examples, very briefly and fleetingly.
There’s not a sense of sustained engagement with an
idea or concept, but an overview of a fields of terms
and some specialist vocabulary. There is a
smattering of cell biology/structure, eg the facts of
cell structure in particular diseases.
Working with ‘knowledge’ in an
advanced/level 3 teaching session
TASK - DO INVESTIGATION, RECORD
RESULTS, WRITE UP
Instructions on board:
Make sure you Structure your report
Use clear headings
Past tense throughout
Excellent use of scientific language
Reference your data
Clear language
I have to think of different scenarios, like
osmosis, and how can they relate it to the real
world. For example we talk about chips, so if
they put the chips in water, I mean that’s
something that they could do at home….
(Miss S, teaching level 3)
The cultural norms of GVE in Science
GVE perceived as
 A progression route to higher education
 a type of pedagogy for a type of student
knowledge involves:
 ‘factual’ theoretical knowledge sometimes used to
do practical work (experiments)
 Little evidence of links to vocational contexts
 Benchmarking of academic and GVE knowledge
Performing Arts (PA) at City Centre FE college
Acting students on BTEC programme at City Centre College
Level 3 BTEC musical theatre students at City Centre College
Teachers and connections to the world of work
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Head of Department: ex-professional dancer
Amy (teaching at the college for 15 months):
“in the industry for a long time...as an actor and
then...as an agent and then....a casting assistant at
The Bill [popular TV programme in UK] for 4
years.... And then I got a job at the Brit School in
London where I taught Acting and Musical Theatre,
stayed there for a year and a half …. Moved here as
a sessional tutor, and then I’d been here about a year
and I took over the course, the running of the course.
The college facilities represent the ‘workplace’
Who are the students?
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have not achieved their potential
did not do very well at school, level 2 did not
get the grades for level 3, level 3 did not get
the grades for academic A level
are not independent thinkers
have “car crash lives” – serious problems or
experiences that have affected their lives
Comments made by Amy and Phil, course tutors
Teaching room: dance rehearsal studio, City Centre College
Imperatives shaping constructions of
knowledge: idealised progression routes
We’re preparing people [through GVE/BTECs] for
the future, for their careers, and their careers are
within the entertainments industry... if they wish to
be an actor or a dancer or a musician, they have to
have those requisite practical skills. So high skills
levels, really, very important in terms of coordination, balance etc etc, being able to sight-read if
you want to be a session musician, taking your skill
levels right up and beyond Grade 8....we’re looking
at world class, sort of pushing them that way. (Head
of Department)
a type of pedagogy and assessment for a
type of student
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They are people who need direction, structure
to their programmes and classes, they really
do need that firmness. (Head of Department)
Saying: “right, go off in your own groups and
work” they can’t do it, they need someone
there all the time to go “right, let’s do this,
what are you doing?” (tutor, Acting level 2)
students with weaker levels of literacy skills
they should be able to write about it…. But
taking written work...it’s like an 11 year old
has written it... it’s...really, really bad. And
then I say to them “oh do you struggle with
your writing, shall we offer you some
support?” and yet they got a B at GCSE.
(tutor, level 3 performing arts)
Importance of outcomes criteria in planning
teaching and learning
We look at the criteria and then we try and work out
the best way of assessing the criteria. Once we’ve
worked that out...we go to what they actually say
that you should do. We work backwards from the
criteria, and then often there are suggestions, like
you have to create a 30 minute piece, that is a prerequisite, and in the acting ones, often you have to
perform a piece that is a minimum of 10 minutes
long....the acting units I probably know inside out,
on the specification.” (Head of Department)
Knowledge in Performing Arts
“Knowledge...from a teacher’s point of view, is
those sort of skills and things that they need to know,
the knowledge of...the industry, so it’s...not just
teaching them the facts, it’s...the attitude and what
it’s like in the industry and what’s expected of them,
and....skills but also how to apply them....We can’t
just say “right, this is acting, learn that knowledge”.
It’s... “this is acting - right, this is how we do it and
this is how you apply it”, and I think that’s....what
the knowledge is in relation to BTEC.
(Tutor, level 2 Acting)
‘Theoretical’ knowledge in Performing Arts
If we’re teaching Stanislaski and naturalism
there’s a series of exercises that Stanislaski
created and actually prepares, and we run
practical classes in the theory of those
exercises. So all the theory pretty much is
done through the practice of doing,
demonstrating how the theory works.
(Tutor, level 3 theatre unit)
Teaching ‘theory’ includes genres of theatre, approaches of different directors, plays from
different eras
Differences in knowledge between
GVE/BTEC and academic A-level?
I don’t think there is. I think the difference is the
amount of time devoted to developing specific
knowledge and skills across the piece. Vocational
students still have to be able to articulate and write
about their understanding of composition, analytical
skills, dance works, critical appraisal, and in order to
get a distinction they have to do it at that A grade A
level equivalent standard. But ... the proportions of
the skill range I think are different. (Head of
Department)
The cultural norms of GVE in PA
GVE perceived as
 A practice-based route, which is preparing for future
employment in the entertainment industry (actor, musician,
dancer; or behind the scenes work)
 a practice-focused pedagogy for a type of student
Knowledge involves:
 Learning about what the industry is like, what is expected,
learning skills and how to apply them
 Applying ‘theoretical’ ideas to practice
 Strong location in authentic performing arts contexts
 Similarities in academic and GVE knowledge
Teaching for progression
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Although employment in the entertainment
industry is defined as the main goal, the
college strongly promotes HE courses in
Performing Arts
Progression from level 2 and 3 likely to be on
to more education and training, possibly
practice-based courses
3: Constructions of knowledge
amongst national stakeholders in
England
Who defines knowledge in GVE in England?
UK policymakers and stakeholders
Knowledge in Vocational Education Project found:
 Complex mix of stakeholders involved in design and
regulation of qualifications at national level
 Dominant role of employers
 Qualification awarding bodies have default
responsibilities. Difficult to discern who took
responsibility for knowledge beyond qualification
awarding bodies
 Absence of certain constituencies: HE subject
specialists, teachers
(Bathmaker et al, 2011a, 2011b)
UK policymakers and stakeholders’
constructions of knowledge in GVE
Our study found

blurring of pre-vocational preparation, general vocational
education, work-related learning, work-based learning

complicated and unstable state of knowledge in general vocational
education (GVE) and associated qualifications

Lack of consensus amongst stakeholders about the purposes of
GVE

uncertainty about the role of GVE as preparation for both work and
further study

Challenges related to dual goals of progression to employment or
higher levels of education – preparing for and developing higher
levels of cognitive understanding may not work well with
developing skills and knowledge for general employment, specific
occupations and roles
4: Shaping the meaning of
‘knowledge’ in GVE and
‘bringing knowledge back in’
(Michael Young, 2008)
Normative discourses that form the background
to general vocational education (GVE) provision
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Notion of a ‘knowledge society’ and the need for higher level
knowledge and skills for individual and national economic
prosperity, and international competitiveness
Core, key, transferable, generic skills are the most important forms
of ‘knowledge’
Achievement of outcomes and credentials are essential
for institutional league tables
for international benchmarks
for individuals to ‘exchange’ in the education and labour market
Prolonged participation in education and training is essential as a
means of achieving social mobility and economic prosperity
Vocational Education and Training (VET), including GVE, is a
means to increase and widen participation and to raise
achievement.
Increasing participation in education
and training
In the UK
1.64 million 16-18 year olds were in
education and training at the end of 2010,
representing 84.4% of 16-18 year olds, with
70% in full-time education.
(DfE, 2011)
Participation in f/t education increasing
in WBL and employer-funded training decreasing
Source: UK Department for Education (2011) p.21
How many taking ‘vocational’ qualifications?
In 2010 70% in full-time education included:
 21% taking a ‘vocational’ qualification
14.2% at level 3
6.8% at level 2
 34% taking an ‘academic’ qualification
32.9% at level 3
1.5% at level 2
(includes a number of ‘applied’ ‘GVE’ subjects)
‘Knowledge’ shaped over time by the
role of GVE in England
1980s: end of ‘old’ apprenticeships, increasing ‘staying on’ in the ‘new
FE’, expanding GVE routes (Banks et al, 1992; Bates and
Riseborough, 1993)
1990s: new GVE qualifications (such as GNVQ) – taken mainly by
lower achievers (Bates, 1998; Bloomer and Hodkinson, 1999,
2000; Hodkinson, 1998; Wolf survey for FEDA, 1997)
prolonged staying on, riskier transitions (Furlong and Cartmel,
1997
end of 1990s: diverse routes and pathways, young people not wanting
to commit themselves yet, living for the weekend* (Ball, Maguire
and Macrae, 2000) (*Marginson, 1997)
2000s: FE learning cultures vary between different learning sites:
in vocationally-related courses there are often ‘no substantial
employer links or even work experience.’ Successful students
‘learned how to be good students of business studies, not how to be
business employees.’ (James, Biesta et al, 2007: 77/78)
‘Bringing knowledge back in’
The phrase used by Michael Young (2008), who
argues for a ‘social realist’ theory of the sociology of
knowledge (see also Leesa Wheelahan, 2010; Rob Moore and
Johann Muller, 1999)
a) knowledge is socially constructed in that it is constructed
by people at a particular historical moment BUT
b) knowledge also has an objective base in representing what
we know about the world at a particular time
e.g. from atoms to quarks to the Higgs Boson particle (the
‘god’ particle)
The importance of context-independent
‘powerful’ knowledge
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‘Knowledge based on experience alone
provides only a limited basis on which to
generalize and can easily degenerate into
mere opinion or prejudice.’ (Young, 2008:
165)
Context independent knowledge ‘can provide
a basis for generalizations and explanations
that go beyond specific cases’ (Young, 2008:
166)
Michael Young’s key concerns and
argument now
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Powerful knowledge (2008)
vs
Knowledge of the powerful (1971)
the distribution of educational opportunities is
related to the ‘capital’ available to different social
classes (the ‘cultural capital’ that fits or does not fit
with formal education)
leading to a) arguments for recognition and valuing
of alternative forms of capital OR b) ‘compensatory’
education to give disadvantaged people (workingclass, minority ethnic etc) access to the knowledge
of the powerful (see for example, Power, 2008)
Knowledge in GVE: vocational knowledge?
Michael Young:
 Providing access to the knowledge that is transforming
work (based on subject disciplines or broad occupational
fields)
 Learning job-specific skills and knowledge – which tend
to be equated with ‘everyday’ knowledge
 Learners need to understand the different internal
structuring, contents and purposes of theoretical and
everyday forms of knowledge, so that they grasp the
relation of the two forms to one another
 Learning the generic skills now required in the
workplace
Knowledge in GVE: ‘applied’ knowledge?
Term used by Richard Pring and the Nuffield Review of 14-19
Education in England (Pring et al, 2007)
e.g. Applied science

understanding scientific knowledge and methods of scientific
enquiry which are embodied in techniques used by scientists.

developed through authentic work-related contexts
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focus on the people who apply the scientific techniques and
knowledge, looking into the thought processes and skills involved
(e.g. questioning the theoretical and practical limitations of a given
technique that determine its application to different problems).

providing opportunity for practical problem-solving, emphasising
ability to use techniques, skills and knowledge for tackling sciencerelated problems
(Nuffield Applied Science, 2008)
Caveat: knowledge in ‘work-based’
vocational education and training
Research into work-based knowledge raises additional
and different issues concerning knowledge to those
emphasised in GVE research. For example:
 Tacit knowledge (Eraut, 1994)
 Knowledge and skills required for workplace
performance (Billett, 2006)
 Processes of relating theoretical and practical
knowledge (Guile, 2006)
 Knowledge as social practice (Lave and Wenger,
1991)
Conclusions (1)
Knowledge in GVE and the quality of GVE are shaped on the
one hand by constant interventions from policymakers, and
on the other, by the practices of teachers and students
involved in GVE, resulting in:
 slippery and elided meanings of knowledge
 implicit cultural ways of doing and being are seen as ‘normal’
and therefore unproblematic
In particular:
 association of GVE with lower achievers and/or types of
pedagogy and assessment, leading to a particular approach for
‘these sorts of students’
 Aspirations for work futures that do not necessarily match
reality of student progression or labour market opportunities

Conclusions (2) – Knowledge in GVE
The ‘V’ about knowledge in GVE in practice appears to
vary from ‘applied’ approaches to studying a subject,
where the ‘subject’ may (but is not necessarily)
located in a broad occupational field, to practising
knowledge and skills, in authentic (but not necessarily
workplace) contexts.
So what about workplace knowledge?
GVE is also used as a form of ‘compensatory education’,
enabling students, who for various reasons have been
unable to succeed in the traditional academic system,
to stay in education and possibly succeed by following
an alternative route. So how do we address the fact
that these students often find ‘theoretical’, ‘abstract’
knowledge challenging, difficult and de-motivating?
Conclusions (3)
‘Knowledge’ in GVE is a significant
issue.
To make productive use of renewed
interest in the question of knowledge,
we also need to consider how
knowledge is formed and reformed at
the micro level of practice.
This presentation is based on the Knowledge in
Vocational Education project (2010-2011)
Research team
Ann-Marie Bathmaker (UWE, Bristol)
Sandra Cooke (University of Birmingham)
Kathryn Ecclestone (University of Birmingham)
Contact
[email protected]