The publication ‘Practice-based education — Perspectives and Strategies’ presents and deals with “PBE as a notion and an approach to education that is grounded in the preparation of graduates for occupational practice” states Higgs (2012: 3).
Trede and McEwen (2012: 27) use practice-based education (PBE) as umbrella term for a set of educational work-integrated practices, which share a situated and contextualised approach to professional education at universities. They observe that PBE is located in a contemporary space of regulated national standards and competency frameworks that are emphasising technical skills and knowledge. There is a preoccupation with graduates being work-ready, what they can do, and with procedures—in order to ‘hit the ground running’ when employed. Trede and McEwen (2012: 28) argue that PBE should provide a holistic perspective of professional practice, as being socially-situated and contextualised. Professional identity formation is an equally important aspect of PBE.
Higgs (2012: 6, 8-9) presents (Table 1.2 Download Higgs_J_pp8-9) a range of dimensions of teaching and learning activities (or standards) involved in achieving learning outcomes, namely:
- Curriculum design (qualified as the planned content, learning activities and assessment)
- Standard 23—Staff in workplace learning placements ensure a relevant balance between student learning and client services
- Curriculum review (specified as continuous quality improvement)
- Risk management of the curriculum
- Actual PBE teaching and learning activities
- Standard 29—Distance students have learning activities to develop practice skills, cultural capabilities, interactive skills, professional identity, etc.
- Inclusion of work-integrated learning (WIL) or workplace learning (WPL) activities
- Standard 31—Provide WPL activities to gain real-world and/or simulated experiences to develop sound decision making in practice
- Standard 32—Provide WIL strategies (e.g. simulations, e-learning, visits by industry partners and clients) to bring the practice work into the classroom (E-learning is of particular value to distance students.)
Higgs (2012: 6, 10-11) presents (Table 1.3 Download Higgs_J_pp10-11) the infrastructure and resources necessary for good PBE, namely:
- Staffing (including numbers and expertise)
- Staff support and development systems
- Student support systems
- Standard 39—Systems and schemes are in place to support students and their participation in learning opportunities (e.g. WPL placements)
- On-campus workplace learning environments
- Standard 40—To enable students to gain relevant work experience either to complement real-world experience or, when real workplace learning is not feasible, the school/faculty provides alternative learning opportunities, e.g. via simulated learning and workplaces or university clinics/farms, etc.
- These strategies provide for:
- developing practice skills & knowledge of the occupation
- developing professional identity
- learning to work in practice communities
- developing relevant interaction and social capabilities
- developing professional decision-making and self-appraisal skills
- Standard 41—Resources create an up-to-date practice-relevant setting that enables student to experience their practice world, e.g.
- real/simulated clients
- practice workloads
- real/simulated interactions with practice communities, clients and local communities
- Learning resources
Higgs, J. 2012. Practice-based education — the practice-education-context-quality nexus, 3-12. In Higgs, J. et al. (Eds.). Practice-based education — Perspectives and Strategies. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Trede, F. & McEwen, C. 2012. Developing a critical professional identity — engaging self in practice, 27-40. In Higgs, J. et al. (Eds.). Practice-based education — Perspectives and Strategies. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Higgs, J., Barnett, R., Billett, S., Hutchings, M. & Trede, F. 2012. Practice-based education — Perspectives and Strategies. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
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