Learning in vivo

Work-based education/work-integrated learning (WBE/WIL)

South Africa's Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, signed 27 June 2014 the Policy for provision of distance education in South African universities in the context of an integrated post-school system, which got published 7 July 2014 in the Government Gazette No 37811, as Government Notice No 535.

Whereas the notions workplace learning and work-integrated learning each appears 13 times in the preceding White Paper; the term workplace learning has been replaced by work-based education (WBE); which appears as synonynm to work-integrated learning (WIL) at the end of the glossary of the said policy. 

The glossary defines (emphases added) work-based education/work-integrated learning (WBE/WIL) as:

a component of a learning programme that focuses on the application of theory in an authentic, work-based context. It addresses specific competences identified for the acquisition of a qualification which relate to the development of skills that will make the learner employable and will assist in developing his/her personal skills. Employer and professional bodies are involved in the assessment of experiential learning, together with academic staff. Distance methods may usefully be used in providing a structured WBE/WIL experience within a larger learning programme; the provision of WBE/WIL, and the need for placement, mentoring, support, supervision and assessment present particular challenges for large scale distributed distance education provision and require special attention in the planning, resourcing and monitoring of programmes offered in distance mode.

It appears as if the notions and explanation have been haphazardly thrown together in that work-based education could be considered a sub-discipline of eduction, concerned with methods of work-based learning and the facilitation of learning that is work-based. The definition disregards the notion education and start by stating WBE/WIL is component of a learning programme.

The definition makes provision for the use of distance methods to provide WBE/WIL, but in the same sentence specify placement, mentoring, support, supervision and assessment. What the definition does get right is that planning, resourcing and monitoring require special attention. However, in the South African higher education context the work-integrated learning part/s of manny curriculums do not get state subsidy. Instead, funding is to some extend channeled through the Sectoral Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Organisational learning is crowd-sourced

What will the 2020 learning organisation look like? How will learning be enabled? Online Educa Berlin (OEB) suggested 20 August 2014 "Fast-forward to 2020, the not too distant future, and try to envisage your workplace." Finding difficulty? Jeanne Meister sketches as follow:

A new hire in the year 2020 experiences her first day on the job. It starts with new hire on-boarding materials accessed on a wearable device, learning about company products and services happen on an online game, and finally transparency in manager ratings guides the new hire to select her manager.

Best of breed companies already portray new ways of working and learning, such as "crowd-sourced learning where employees are both consumers of learning as well as contributors to the organisation’s intellectual capital, where leaders teach and are role models for continuous learning and finally where there is greater transparency in leadership", says Jeanne Meister. The German-based Adidas Group successfully uses a blend of social and online-learning she says. Topic-specific learning modules are provided through the virtual online learning campus, which includes videos, quizzes, PDFs and external blogs, MOOCs and YouTube clips, says Meister.

Workplace learning, step 5 of 7, of the South African decade of the artisan

Demonstration of “real competence in any occupation” entails “whether a person can apply and transfer learning at the workplace or across a variety of workplaces”, states the South African Department of Higher Education and Training. 2014 to 2024 has been declared the DECADE OF THE ARTISAN in South Africa, with an extensive programme to support the notion.

Workplace learning is considered the most critical component of learning in artisan development towards real competence. The 7-Steps of the National Artisan Development are:

• Step 1: Career Guidance and Management
• Step 2: General or Vocational or Fundamental Knowledge Learning
• Step 3: Learner Agreement Registration and Contracting
• Step 4: Occupational Knowledge and Practical Learning
• Step 5: Workplace Learning
• Step 6: Trade Testing and Recognition of Prior Learning
• Step 7: Assurance and Certification

During workplace learning the occupational knowledge and practical learning of step 4 are assimilated and applied in the workplace. Workplace learning exposes students/learners “to real life situations within the workplace including all aspects of the [particular] occupation such as work ethics, safety, responsibilities and quality performance of work required by industry".

Workplace learning is regarded “the most significant and most difficult of the various learning processes” and the support of a “qualified workplace mentor, previously known as the journeyman” is therefore regarded essential. “Workplace mentors are qualified and experienced artisans [or practitioners] in the same trade [occupation/profession as] the artisan learner [or student] is registered for”, which unfortunately—due to scarcity, hampers workplace learning. The proposed solution is “to bring back retired artisans to fulfil the function of a mentor in the workplace”.

The workplace learning process entail “on the job” learning; allowing the student/learner to progressively and sequentially apply what has been acquired in step 4 (above) in a real workplace. During workplace learning, the student/leaner is exposed to the entire scope of the
trade/occupation/profession; in accordance to the curriculum of the occupational trade or other qualification; in order to ensure that once qualified, the person will be fully competent to become a productive worker in the industry/profession and will only need further specific industry training.

Scenario-based or simulated elearning

Potential benefits (and some caution) concerning simulated scenarios through elearning include:

Motivational value for students/participants	The opportunity it offers students to become fully engaged in real-life issues
Increased learning retention	Taking a fraction of the time of on-the-job training / hands-on experiential learning
Risk exclusion, yet realism	Excellent teaching choice in areas which are dangerous or where real-life engagement is not feasible
Readily available	Flexibility with regard to accessibility
Could be most cost effective	But, upfront costs may be daunting

Source: Benefits of scenario-based learning by Desiging Digitally Inc.

The June 2014 talk topic of the Weill Cornell Medical College CPD series, also highlights several benefits involved in simulation-based teaching. However, the article cautions that simulations can be expensive and resource intensive, suggesting a need for evidence to support the use of this learning modality and to sustain access to funding. The article presents the Kern’s six-step approach to curriculum design for simulations, as well theoretical underpinnings of experiential and mastery learning.