Search Results for
"learning"

Since the beginning of the 1990s, work-related learning has(again) been receiving a great deal of interest from trainers and alarge number of researchers from various disciplines. Fenwick(2002), for example, remarks that sociologists, organisationtheorists, economists and cultural researchers are joiningeducators and are increasingly engaged on this subject. At thesame time there is '(-) a growing concern within anthropology,psychology, communications (-), and cognitive science forredefining the methods and topics that constitute the study ofwork' (Engeström & Middleton, 1998). The main reason for thisbroadly-based interest is, in Fenwick's opinion, the 'massivechanges in the nature of work and its meaning for twenty-firstcentury workers', which have led to 'significant challenges totraditional models of learning and the role of the educator'1.This widespread interest, according to Heikkila and Makinen(2001), is also reflected in the 'numerous theoretical views oflooking at the process of learning at work'. In a number of thesetheoretical views, learning processes occupy a central role, whilein other views, work processes receive greater attention. In thefirst group of approaches, the emphasis is sometimes placed onthe development of the organisation and sometimes on that ofindividual learning processes (see, for example, Russ-Eft, 2001).In the second group, the focus is sometimes directed at societyand sometimes at the actual work processes. Common tovirtually all these approaches, however, is the conviction thatprocesses of learning and working are intertwined and that thecontext of learning is important.The large number of diverse theoretical ideas, which have,moreover, been developed from various disciplines, have led tovarious terms which denote the relationship between learningand work. Some authors speak of workplace learning, others ofwork-based learning and still others of work-related learning.The differences (and any similarities) between the terms are notentirely clear. In publications on work-related learning, usuallynone of the other terms are used. Heikkila & Makinen (2001)make clear that 'Work-related learning can be divided into twocategories: a) informal learning at a workplace and b) a periodof working as a part of formal education'. This term includeslearning that was initiated by regular education, regularvocational education (placements) and by 'forces' in and atwork. Work-based learning and workplace learning are used byseveral authors (for example, Fenwick, 2002; McIntyre, 2000;Sadler-Smith & Smith, 2001) side by side or interchangeably.Sadler-Smith & Smith (2001), like Raelin (in Sadler Smith &Smith), see work-based learning as 'a broad term thatencompasses many conceptualisations of learning and may bedefined in terms of learning for work at work and through work'.McIntyre (2000) appears to put a restriction on this by statingthat: 'Work-based learning, as distinct from workplace learningin general, refers to the formalisation of learning at work'. Hethus regards the first term as a sub-category of the second. Thisprobably also explains why authors (Streumer &van der Klink,2004; Sadler-Smith & Smith, 2001) speak of an umbrella term,which includes many forms of learning. The problem ofdefinition outlined here is further substantively elaborated inSection 1.3. © 2006 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands.

In addition to dental hospital clinical activity, dental students at Paris Rene Descartes University have the opportunity in their final year of study to practise clinically in a dental office, as associates. This paper outlines a pilot, experimental study designed to assess student reaction to this Vocational Clinical Activity (VCA) in order to identify relevant weaknesses of the undergraduate programme. Using questionnaires, data were collected for each of the following clinical or management skills: clinical difficulty, therapeutic decision-making, patient/ practitioner relationship, time management, administrative matters and technical problems. Students were asked to rank each item in order of difficulty (1, high level to 6, low level). A high response rate was observed (90%) among the 50 undergraduate VCA students. The results pointed out three main difficulties encountered by undergraduate students during the VCA: time management (90% of the students), administrative matters (85% of the students) and clinical decision-making (80% of the students). These preliminary results need further investigation. However, they give us the incentive to carry on with this type of assessment and to extend it to young, qualified colleagues' perceptions and to other French Universities. © Blackwell Munksgaard 2006.

Background. Undertaking term-time employment is increasingly commonplace for university students. Much research suggests that combining 'earning and learning' may be detrimental to university life, generating role conflicts, increasing stress and reducing academic success, participation and overall adjustment to university. Potential positive effects of term-time employment on well-being are often neglected. Aims. This study adopted a balanced perspective, investigating the relationship between role congruence in academic, social and career domains and adjustment, with state and trait psychological factors as mediators/moderators. Methods. A questionnaire measuring perceived role congruence, adjustment to university life and psychological state and trait characteristics was mailed to all undergraduates at a Scottish university during term-time. Sample. Results for a subsample of 625 university students currently in term-time employment were included in this paper. Results. Findings suggested that students generally perceived employment and university roles to be in balance, and there was no difference in adjustment for students whether currently in term-time employment or not. However, psychological factors, particularly positive affectivity and stress were important mediators of the relationship between role congruence and adjustment. Conclusions. Since promoting role congruence may enhance students' adjustment and well-being, the study has implications for universities, student welfare organizations and employers offering term-time employment. © 2006 The British Psychological Society.

The development of hospitality and tourism education in Taiwan in the past two decades brought forth various off-school internship systems to meet the needs of educational and business fields. This paper, with methods of literature review, interview, and pragmatic investigation, researched tourism-related students' work performances under different off-school internship systems. The data gathered and analyzed came from interviews and questionnaires with directors of Personnel, Room Service, and Food and Beverage Departments from select international tourist hotels with tourism-related off-school intern programs in Taiwan. The results showed, in correlated recognition of hospitality and tourism education and off-school internship, no matter what the degree of emphasis or satisfaction was, business directors placed higher appraisals on off-school internship systems of Employment Link Intern Program, Old Sandwich Intern Program, and New Sandwich Intern Program. In regard to work performances, interns did better in aspects of interpersonal relationship, work adjustment, service concepts, and interest for learning, while worse in aspects of foreign language proficiency and customer complaint management. In regard to off-school internship systems, interns of Sandwich Intern Programs (both Old and New) performed better than those of other systems. To be specific, interns of New Sandwich Intern Program fared the best, with those of Old Sandwich Intern Program being second, and those of Vocational Intern Program the third. Copyright © by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

A prison setting, with its numerous clinical issues, is a valuable learning experience for the graduate art therapy student. Oftentimes, they see the correctional facility as a dangerous challenge and an intriguing unknown. However, confusion and ambiguity often emerge while providing art therapy services. A graduate art therapy program in a major university in the Southeast instituted an internship/research site in a prison setting for its graduates. Ongoing dialogue between the intern placed at this facility and her faculty supervisor revealed unique boundary issues, specifically those that involve time, space, materials, self-disclosure, and transferential issues. Through supervision, the intern gained further insight into different approaches to addressing these boundary concerns. This essay focuses on the intern's struggles with certain boundary transgressions and the supervisor's responses to her inquiries. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Purpose - This paper aims to analyse, through the lens of learning network theory, ways in which external VET practitioners work within private enterprises to promote learning within these organizations. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on analyses of six case studies in two Australian States, each comprising a vocational education institute and an enterprise. In total, 34 interviews were held with four groups of participant - TAFE managers and practitioners, enterprise personnel and worker-learners - from different industries. Findings - The paper finds that the overlaying of an external learning system on existing learning systems brings inevitable tensions that need to be carefully managed. VET practitioners working in industry operate in two worlds with very different cultures. They need to learn how to work within different power structures, how to build around existing work and learning networks, and how to mesh in with the flow of enterprise work. In the process of working with company staff, and crossing boundaries, they may well be creating a "third space" in which new meanings can be, and have to be, constructed that go beyond the limits of either site. Practical implications - The paper shows that understanding these ways of working has practical implications for VET managers and practitioners, company staff and policy-makers in terms of how human resources are managed and how different parties work together. Originality/value - The paper shows two objectives: a relatively new focus in the research literature and an extension of learning network theory in terms of external learning systems.

In this essay, Christopher Winch explores the relevance of Ludwig Wittgenstein's account of rule-following to vocational education with particular reference to the often-made claim that any account of an activity in terms of rule-following implies rigidity and inflexibility. He argues that most rule-following is only successful when it involves a degree of flexibility. For instance, most technical work that involves rule-following requires flexibility and situational awareness for success. Technical education that fails to take account of the need to apply rules in a way that accounts for a wide variety of situations is likely to be unsuccessful. Winch offers an account of professional judgment based on Stephen Toulmin's theory of argumentation and discusses progression from novice to expert in terms of Toulmin's analysis. He also considers the relation between vocational education and other practices in the context of the wider civic implications of occupational practice. © 2006 Board of Trustees.

Teaching anatomy is becoming increasingly challenging due to the progressive evolution of university teaching missions, student populations, medical and undergraduate curricula, coupled with a paucity of empirically tested evidence-based instructional practices in the anatomical and medical education literature. As a mechanism to confront these pedagogical challenges, recent advances in educational psychology are analyzed for developing a framework to guide educational reform efforts. Extensive research in educational psychology over the last 100 years has resulted in four major theories on human learning that have facilitated a paradigm shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered classrooms and are described here in temporal order of development: behavioral theory, information processing theory, metacognitive theory, and social constructivist theory. Each theory is analyzed in detail and is used to construct instructional design principles for enhancing anatomical education research and practice. An example of a cognitively based learning environment for an undergraduate anatomy course is presented. Preliminary results suggest that intentionally drawing on different theories of learning when making instructional decisions gave students the learning support they needed to be successful and nearly doubled the course's student retention rate over a 3-year period. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

This paper challenges the prevailing conventional wisdom in the UK that the government is the sole architect of the education and training (E&T) system and that qualifications are the magic bullet for securing employment in the creative and cultural sector. It also argues that if policy-makers are serious about wanting to diversify the occupational profile of the creative and cultural sector to reflect both the multicultural composition of the UK's population and the rising demand for broader creative and cultural products and services, then it is necessary to develop a less qualification-driven and more multifaceted approach to facilitating access and supporting learning and development in that sector. The paper maintains that this presupposes a shift from the current credentialist strategy to develop 'creative apprenticeships' towards a strategy that supports people to 'be apprenticed' in a variety of ways in the creative and cultural sector. © 2006 Taylor & Francis.

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the evidence of whether new forms of medical training, where substantial training takes place in general practice, will be acceptable to GPs. In particular, we asked the questions: Are GPs willing to act as trainers and supervisors in their practices? Do GPs have the appropriate skills to be trainers? Do practices have the infrastructure and resources to support placements? And, are patients happy to be seen by medical students and General Practice Registrars? Design: Key Australian and international databases, key Australian journals and key Australian websites were searched for literature on general practice-based training of medical students and General Practice Registrars. Results: In the international and Australian literature, we found that many GPs consider training medical students and General Practice Registrars to be intrinsically satisfying. They vary in their skills, and most medical schools have made significant investments in training and support activities. Many practices do not have the necessary infrastructure, and investments need to be made if extended placements are to be successful. Many patients are happy to be seen by students and Registrars, but careful thought needs to be given to implementing appropriate models so that students have good learning opportunities, patients are not disadvantaged and general practices can operate efficiently. Conclusion: The success of this new model of clinical placements is dependent on medical schools having a detailed understanding of the needs and expectations of GPs. © 2006 The Authors; Journal Compilation © 2006 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.