Innovative curriculum designing for work - based learning

Work-based learning enables students to apply classroom instruction in a real-world business or service-oriented work environment. Here you will find seven different WBL methods:

1. Job shadowing is a method of short-term, school-coordinated career exploration in which the student interviews a competent worker about his/her job and industry and “shadows” (follows) the worker to observe the performance of a variety of job tasks. Job shadowing is less intensive than the other methods and is usually the first form of workplace assignment given to a student. Prior to job shadowing, the student receives instruction about careers and the process of career choice, develops appropriate questions to ask, and learns the rules and guidelines for grooming, dress, and behavior in the workplace. Once the student has identified a career interest, path, or goal, job shadowing helps the student make informed career decisions and focus his/her studies. Job shadowing does not provide a standard unit of credit, but the student may enhance his/her class grade through the experience.

2. Mentorship is a structured, school-coordinated method that enables the student to learn about the industry and the workplace from a selected worker who has a recognized record of achievement in the occupational field. It requires student preparation, including career exploration prior to the experience. Mentorship is more complex than job shadowing but less demanding and often of shorter duration than internship or service learning. Mentorship does not provide a standard unit of credit, but the student may enhance his/her class grade through the experience.

3. Service learning is a method in which the student engages in community-service work for a specified number of hours in order to gain developmental experience. Students and teachers cooperate with local leaders to address community problems and issues, resulting in student service to the community and development of personal, workplace readiness, academic, and citizenship skills. Students engage in critical, reflective thinking and experience the relationship of theory and practice. Service learning does not provide a standard unit of credit, but the student may enhance his/her class grade through the experience.

4. Internship is a progressive, school-coordinated method that places the student in a real workplace environment in order to develop and practice career-related knowledge and skills needed for a specific entry-level job. An internship can be either introductory (short-term) or extended (lasting a summer, a semester, or an entire school year and involving a specified number of hours in the training agreement). Currently, interns may be paid or unpaid. An internship provides hands-on experience in a particular industry or occupation related to the student’s career interests, abilities, and goals and allows him/her to document job-related experiences. Prior to an internship, the student receives the established criteria and guidelines from the workplace supervisor, and throughout the internship, the supervisor evaluates the student. Internship does not provide a standard unit of credit, but the student may enhance his/her class grade through the experience.

5. Clinical experience is a form of cooperative education for Health and Medical Sciences students, except that students are not paid for their clinical work. Clinical experience provides the student with an opportunity to integrate knowledge acquired in the classroom with clinical practice, and it affords practice of the basic skills, behaviors, and attitudes needed for professional competence in the healthcare field. Clinical experience is based on observation and treatment of patients at different stages of medical practice. These experiences place students in a variety of healthcare settings so they may better understand the scope of the profession and healthcare needs. Like cooperative education, clinical experience is closely supervised, qualifies students for credit toward graduation, and requires a significant number of on-site hours.

6. Student apprenticeship is a WBL method that provides the student with opportunities to use job skills and reinforces academic instruction under the guidance of a supervisor in a specific occupational area. Student apprentices are paid for their work. Like cooperative education, student apprenticeship is closely supervised by the school coordinator, qualifies students for credit toward graduation, and requires a significant number of on-site hours (up to a maximum of 20 hours per week). Student apprenticeship is designed to lead students directly into an entry-level job, a registered apprenticeship, or a postsecondary program.

7. Cooperative education is a career-preparation WBL method that combines CTE classroom instruction with paid employment that is directly related to the student’s plan of study. The school and the employer plan, coordinate, and supervise the instruction and employment so that each contributes directly to the student’s career objectives and employability.

To learn more about these methods:

• http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/work-based_learning/index.shtml
• http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/professional_development/work-based_learning/04-03-2014_wbl_comparison_chart.pdf