The central aim of this thesis was to increase understanding of designing vocational learning environments at the school–work boundary. Four studies were conducted, focusing on learning environment designs at the school–work boundary and on design considerations of the actors involved in their construction, both from the world of school and the world of work.
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This article proposes a model for the design of a hybrid VET curriculum across the school-work boundary.
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Review of 42 journal articles on learning environments at the school-work boundary.
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Educational institutions and vocational practices need to collaborate to design learning environments that meet current-day societal demands and support the development of learners’ vocational competence. Integration of learning experiences across contexts can be facilitated by intentionally structured learning environments at the boundary of school and work. Such learning environments are co-constructed by educational institutions and vocational practices. However, co-construction is challenged by differences between the practices of school and work, which can lead to discontinuities across the school–work boundary. More understanding is needed about the nature of these discontinuities and about design considerations to counterbalance these discontinuities. Studies on the co-construction of learning environments are scarce, especially studies from the perspective of representatives of work practice. Therefore, the present study explores design considerations for co-construction through the lens of vocational practice. The study reveals a variety of discontinuities related to the designable elements of learning environments (i.e. epistemic, spatial, instrumental, temporal, and social elements). The findings help to improve understanding of design strategies for counterbalancing discontinuities at the interpersonal and institutional levels of the learning environment. The findings confirm that work practice has a different orientation than school practice since there is a stronger focus on productivity and on the quality of the services provided. However, various strategies for co-construction also seem to take into account the mutually beneficial learning potential of the school–work boundary.
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Learning environment designs at the boundary of school and work can be characterised as integrative because they integrate features from the contexts of school and work. Many different manifestations of such integrative learning environments are found in current vocational education, both in senior secondary education and higher professional education. However, limited research has focused on how to design these learning environments and not much is known about their designable elements (i.e. the epistemic, spatial, instrumental, temporal and social elements that constitute the learning environments). The purpose of this study was to examine manifestations of two categories of integrative learning environment designs: designs based on incorporation; and designs based on hybridisation. Cross-case analysis of six cases in senior secondary vocational education and higher professional education in the Netherlands led to insights into the designable elements of both categories of designs. We report findings about the epistemic, spatial, instrumental, temporal and social elements of the studied cases. Specific characteristics of designs based on incorporation and designs based on hybridisation were identified and links between the designable elements became apparent, thus contributing to a deeper understanding of the design of learning environments that aim to connect the contexts of school and work.
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Symposiumbijdrage conferentie EARLI SIG 14, 11-14 september 2018, Genève Learning across the contexts of school and the workplace is highly relevant to the VET-sector. This contribution analyses these cross-contextual learning processes with three key issues in mind: (1) guidance by vocational educators, (2) assessment of students’ development and (3) design of VET-learning environments. Guidance, assessment and overarching VET-curriculum designs form the basis for constructive alignment as an approach to optimize conditions for high quality cross-contextual learning processes. We used the theoretical framework of boundary crossing to clarify the complex, multilevel nature of these key issues.
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Ingewikkelde vraagstukken of opgaven in het sociale, pedagogische en educatieve domein beperken zich meestal niet tot één van deze domeinen. Ze vragen om een aanpak waarbij professionals uit meerdere domeinen betrokken zijn: vanuit de verschillende disciplines, organisaties of afdelingen die er elk op hun eigen manier iets mee te maken hebben. Die samenwerking tussen de domeinen is nodig om de complexe vraagstukken rond kinderen met wie deze professionals werken, succesvol op te pakken. Maar de betrokken organisaties en professionals brengen daarbij ieder hun eigen achtergronden, werkwijzen en perspectieven mee. Sociale of culturele verschillen (zoals een andere visie, andere vaktaal, een andere manier van werken) of verschillen die vooral praktisch van aard zijn (zoals verschillende werkschema’s of systemen die niet op elkaar aansluiten) maken het soms een uitdaging om écht integraal aan gezamenlijke uitdagingen werken: vanuit een gedeelde visie, met een gedeelde aanpak, aan een gedeeld doel.
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This study focuses on the school–work connection from the perspective of curriculum design. The aim was to uncover considerations underpinning the design of learning environments in vocational education. The research took place in the Netherlands. A focus group methodology was chosen to elicit designers’ considerations, which generally remain largely implicit. These considerations concern the designable elements of learning environments: epistemic, spatial, temporal, and social elements. Design considerations were uncovered at each of the aggregation levels of a curriculum. At the macro-level, considerations referred to the connectivity between the contexts of school and work. Based on these considerations, different designs were chosen along the school–work continuum. At the meso-level, another continuum was found: the complexity in terms of practices involved in the learning environment. At the micro-level, concrete design considerations were revealed that designers take into account to strengthen the school–work connection. Thus, design considerations at three levels were made explicit. Moreover, the need for alignment between the designable elements and the curriculum levels became more apparent, leading to a deeper understanding of curriculum design for vocational education. This paper adds understanding of ways to strengthen the school–work connection and design future-proof vocational curricula.
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Paper presented at the International conference on Competence theory, research and practice.Wageningen: Wageningen University & Research.
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In this chapter competence-based education is studied with respect to the curriculum. It offers a review of what competence-based education entails; from the design of a competence-based curriculum (intended), to the interpretations of these curricula by stakeholders (implemented), and the actual outcomes of these curricula (attained). In: Bruijn, E., Billett, S., & Onstenk, J. (Eds.). (2017). Enhancing teaching and learning in the Dutch vocational education system : Reforms enacted (Professional and practice-based learning, volume 18). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-50734-7
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