Aalborg Universitet
Practice Theory and Methodology
(De)centring Leaders in Work and Learning?
Buch, Anders; Bach, Søren Blem
Published in:10th International Conference on Researching Work & Learning
Publication date:2017
Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of record
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Citation for published version (APA):Buch, A., & Bach, S. B. (2017). Practice Theory and Methodology: (De)centring Leaders in Work and Learning?In 10th International Conference on Researching Work & Learning: Transitions, Transformations andTransgressions in Work and Learning & Work and Learning Research (1 ed., Vol. 1). [ID008]
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BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
10th International Conference onResearching Work & LearningTransitions, Transformations and Transgressions in Work and Learning & Work and Learning Research
6–8 December 2017 Rhodes UniversityGrahamstown South Africa
This publication was funded by BANK SETA
10th International Conference onResearching Work & LearningTransitions, Transformations and Transgressions in Work and Learning & Work and Learning Research
BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
6–8 December 2017 Rhodes UniversityGrahamstown South Africa
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
1
Welcome 5
Plenary Keynote Speakers 6
Pre-conference Workshops 9
Site Visits 10
Book of Abstracts 11
ID001 Tracking and Tracing of Artisans 12
ID002 Occupations,WorkandWork-orientedEducationinDifferentCountries 13
ID003 TheDevelopmentofOccupationalQualifications:HasSouthAfricaEscapedtheFailingsof 14
theNationalQualificationFramework?
ID004 TransformingClassroomLearningthroughtheImplementationofLearningOrganisationPrinciples: 15
A Case Study of Co-curricular Development and Instruction in Canada
ID005 WorkIntegratedLearningthroughR&DProjects:ACaseStudyofStudentParticipationinan 16
IntegrationR&DProjectbetweenUddevallaMunicipalityandUniversityWest,Sweden
ID006 InspiringandEnablingInnovationwithinVET 17
ID007 Work-Integrated Learning and Career Development Learning as Transformative Learning Pedagogies 18
inHigherEducation
ID008 PracticeTheoryandMethodology:(De)centringLeadersinWorkandLearning? 19
ID009 Work-relatedLifelongLearningParticipation:AComparativeStudybetweenNativeandForeign-born 20
Adults in Western Countries
ID010 EnhancingInstitutionalRelationshipsintheContextoftheSouthAfricanNationalQualifications 21
Framework:PolicyinPractice
ID011 QuestionsofRegulation:ProfessionalMilieusandLabourMarketsforAccountingProfessionsin 22
post-Apartheid South Africa
ID012 UnderstandingAdultLearners’Sense-MakingtoInformPedagogicalInnovationsinBlended 23
Learning Environments
ID013 TheInfra-StructuringofAdultLearninginSingapore 24
ID014 Job Crafting Practices of Restaurant Cooks 25
ID015 RenewingWorkers’Education 26
ID016 OrganisingLearningatWork:SimulationExercisesforInter-ProfessionalTeamstoImproveClinical 27
OutcomesofMaternityCare
ID017 AParadigmShiftfor(‘l)earning-a-living’inaPost-IndustrialWorld-of-WorkofMassUnemployment 28
ID018 ACriticalAnalysisofMotivesforParticipationinContinuingProfessionalDevelopment(CPD)inthe 29
OralHygienesectorinSouthAfrica:ACulturalHistoricalPerspective
ID019 FosteringLearner-LearnerInteractionistDynamicAssessmentthroughProcessOrientedEducation 30
ID020 RecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL):TransgressingBoundariesbetweenFormalandInformal 31
Learning – An Epistemological Case Study
ID021 TensionsbetweenOrganisationalandIndividualInterests–TransitionsandTransformationsinthe 32
NegotiatingCommunicationofTrainingNeedswithinEnterprises
ID022 UtilisingStudentHeritageintheLanguageClassroomforMotivationandCulturalUnderstanding 33
Contents
10 T H I N T E R N A T I O N A L C O N F E R E N C E O N R E S E A R C H I N G W O R K & L E A R N I N G | 6 – 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 R H O D E S U N I V E R S I T Y
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ID023 HowisUserInvolvementTransformingProfessionalWork,KnowledgeandIdentities?–Studiesin 34
theDanishHealthSector
ID024 ActivityTheoryandTransformativeAgencyatWork:ThePotentialofDoubleStimulation 35
ID025 Learning,IdentityandTransformativeAgency:AFrameworkforaDevelopmentalStudyof 37
MedicalStudents’LearninginaHealthcareSysteminTurmoil
ID026 Reflectionson‘Non-traditional’StudentsasHigherEducationPolicyConstructsandtheImplications 38
for Student Identity in Work and Learning Contexts
ID027 FosteringPotentialthroughWorkIntegratedLearning:ApplicationsofBehaviouralInsights 39
ID028 OccupationsandOccupationalism:TheEducationalDimension 40
ID029 SkillsandTrainingNeedsinCommunityBasedNaturalResourceManagement 41
ID030 DevelopmentalChangeLaboratoriesbetweenUniversityandWorkinHealthSciences 42
ID032 PrecariousWorkintheFieldofAcademicWork 43
ID033 AnAnalysisofSkillswithintheHorticulturalSectorinSouthAfrica:AValueChainApproach 44
ID034 StudentLearningattheInterfaceofUniversityandIndustry,DemonstratedinFinalYearCivil 45
Engineering Assignments
ID035 LearningtoDealwithPsychosocialStrainsatHospitals 46
ID037 KnowledgeDemocracies 47
ID038 YouthWorkforceDevelopmentinSouthAfrica:AnalysingtheNatureoftheEvidencefrom 48
Programme Evaluations
ID039 ChallengeLab–LearningbyEngaginginSociety’sSustainabilityTransitions 49
ID040 ThresholdConceptsinRadiationPhysicsUnderpinningProfessionalPracticeinRadiationTherapy 50
ID041 Re-employment after Profession Change 51
ID042 ExperiencesofMeaninginPrecariousAcademicWork–InitialAnalysisofanOngoingQualitativeStudy 52
ID043 UnderstandingtheInterfacebetweenSouthAfrica’sPulpandPaperSectorandSkillsRequiredto 53
AdoptBiorefineryTechnologies:ACaseStudy
ID044 QualityofEverydayLifeSupportedbyDigitalServices–ALandscapeofPracticePerspective 54
ID045 Transforming Teaching and Learning through Feminist Pedagogy 55
ID046 ResearchingPracticeandPractisingResearch–AHands-OnApproachtoResearchingInnovation 56
Practices
ID047 NegotiatingProfessionalKnowledgeandResponsibilityinTelecare–Inter-ProfessionalCooperation 57
across Sectors
ID049 TheGreatLicensureAssumption:DeprofessionalisationandHybridisationofEngineeringinCanada 58
ID050 TechnologyatWork–SupportingWorkersandInstitutionsinChangingTimeswithTransformative, 59
ReflexiveMethodologies
ID051 ContradictionintheEcosystem:UnderstandingtheDeclineoftheSouthernCapeFurnitureIndustry 61
ID052 ProfessionalBecomings:LinesofFlightinStudentNurses’ClinicalPlacement 62
ID053 LearningtoTeachinHigherEducation:FormalandInformalLearning 63
ID054 UnhingingParadigmsthroughPraxis:LocatingProfessionalDevelopmentandProfessionalisationin 64
RecognitionofPriorLearningModels
ID055 DoubleStimulationandScalingwithinLearningNetworks:FeaturesofExpansiveSocialLearningin 65
Southern African Social-Ecological Work and Learning Contexts
ID056 ProfessionalDevelopmentinInterculturalCompetenceofAcademicandAdministrativeStaffinLatin 68
AmericanHigherEducationInstitutions
ID057 Exploring Learning Conditions in a Public Service Organisation during a Transformation Attempt 69
ID058 TheRoleofCraft-HubsandPost-SchoolEducationinTextileandClothingSMEDevelopment:AFocus 70
onSouthAfrica’sMohair,ValueAddedThroughDesign
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID059 EmployabilitySkillsversusHumanDevelopmentSkills:DilemmasforUndergraduateSociology 71
Students in South Africa
ID061 TheNationalCertificateVocational(NCV)Qualification,ContinuedLearningandEmployment:Tracing 72
theDestinationsofTVETEngineeringCompletersintheNWProvince
ID062 ChangeLaboratorieswithYouthtoReconceptualiseWorkinLenyeVillage 73
ID063 MulticulturalLearningthroughDialogue?ExploringtheLearningProcessofTeachersAttendinga 74
CourseonMulticulturalUnderstanding
ID064 TheInfluenceofBiographiesandIndividualAgencyontheCultureofEmployeeLearning:TheCaseof 75
AdministrativeAssistantsataSouthAfricanUniversity
ID065 TheDeliveryoftheClothingCurriculuminSouthAfricanPolytechnicInstitutions:Towardsa 76
Competitive and Sustainable Industry
ID067 SystemicRelationshipsofSkillsDevelopmentStakeholdersinSupportingGreenEconomyfor 77
AddressingUnemployment
ID068 MeasuringtheImpactofHigherEducationonDevelopmentandSocialChange:ShiftingMethodologies 78
ID069 GreenSkillsintheSouthAfricanSurfaceCoatingsSector:AFocusonthePaintIndustry 79
ID070 Transitions in Care for the Disabled – Assistive Robotics, Tasks and Responsibilities 80
ID071 TransgressionsandTransformationsatWork:TowardsaSocialMediaPracticeamongSwedish 81
MunicipalityCommunicators
ID072 TransformingMunicipalWorkers’Knowledge-SharingPracticestoImproveHealthcareWaste 82
Management:AFormativeInterventionCaseStudy
ID073 ProcessesandLessonsfromResearchingCo-EngagedLearningof‘WaterForFood’inandacross 83
MultipleAgriculturalLearningWorkplacesintheAmanziforFoodprojectintheAmatholeDistrict,
Eastern Cape, South Africa
ID074 NavigatingTransitionsbetweenWorkandFurtherStudy:TheInnerWorkingsandPedagogicAgency 85
of RPL as Specialised Pedagogy
ID075 AnExpandedMethodologicalViewonLearningPathways:ALaminatedSystemsPerspective 86
ID076 Community-EngagedLearningandEmployabilitySkills 87
ID077 RelationalAgencyforSharedUnderstandingsTowardsanIntegratedEducationandTrainingSystem 88
of Quality
ID078 ImplementingResidentialLearningCommunitiesataLiberalArtsCollegeinJapan:ACHATAnalysis 89
ID079 ResearchingGreenWork–AnOpportunitytoRethinkHowWeDetermineSkillsDemand 90
ID080 ExploringConvergenceandDifferencesinTheorisingLearningin,for,andwithWork 92
ID081 LiminalEcologiesofLearning:PerspectivesonLearningandAgency 93
ID082 MethodologyDevelopmentforResearchingWorkandLearning:TheGlowofUnwork?Issuesof 94
Portrayal of Qualitative Research
ID083 DialecticalMaterialistMethodologiesforResearchingWork,Learning,Change:ImplicationsforClass 95
Consciousness
ID084 TransformationoftheProfessionalClassStructure?NegotiatingPower,SkillUseandPolitical 96
AttitudesinEmergent“KnowledgeEconomies”
ID085 TakingCareSeriously:TransformingPracticesbyDesign 97
ID086 TransitionatWork:IntroducingVideo-mediatedConsultationtoCancerRehabilitation 98
ID087 WorkIntegratedLearningforEducators:TheCaseoftheFundisaforChangeTeacherEducation 99
Programme
ID088 MobilisingFreireanPedagogicalPracticesinSouthAfricaandCanadaduringFacilitatorTraining 100
ID089 ExploringaConceptualFrameworkforUnderstandingWorkplaceKnowledge:TheCaseofRPL(APEL) 101
ID090 DataficationofProfessionalPractices:APosthumanExplorationofNewAccountabilitiesandFluencies 102
ID091 TheWorkplaceinTransition:ExploringEmergingChallengesandDemandsforNewCompetence 104
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ID092 The‘JoblessGeneration’:TheRoleofInternshipsinAddressingUnemploymentamongGraduates 105
ID093 ASkillsInterventionAnalysis 107
ID094 The‘NewSkillsforNewJobs’SkillsDevelopmentInitiativeforInfrastructureDelivery 108
ID095 ASocialExchangeModel:ImplementingEducationandLifelongLearningforSustainableDevelopment 110
ID096 Popular Education at/as Work 112
ID097 AligningPolicy,StrategyandSkillsforSustainability:AnOccupationallyDirectedStudyintoGreen 113
SupplyChainManagementinthePublicSectorinSouthAfrica
ID098 SustainableValueCreation,ConceptFormationandExpansiveLearning:ExploringtheNeed,Potential 115
andMechanismsforChangingBusinessModels
ID099 W(h)itherTVET? 116
ID100 CollaborativePartnershipsbetweenResearchandPractice:ANordicPerspectiveonOpenScience 117
ID101 ProvidingaBridgefromUniversitytoIndustry 118
ID102 ASocietyinFluxandthePurposeandPowerofProfessionalWork:APerspectivefromtheSouth 119
ID103 Workplace-basedLearningProgrammesandtheTransitiontotheLabourMarket 120
ID104 Transitions,TransformationsandTransgressions:ReconceptualisingTeachingPortfoliosasKnowledge 121
Objects in Professional Learning Systems
ID105 AssemblingtheEducator:TransformingTeachingforProfessionalPostgraduateLearning 122
ID106 Before&AfterHigherEducation:CodeClashingandMisrecognition 123
ID107 Comparative Analysis of Intercultural Competence and Interdisciplinary Competence in the
OrganisationalContext:AnExploratoryStudy 124
ID108 Educating in the Anthropocene 125
ID109 ‘SustainabilityStartswithTeachers’:MediatingChange-orientedProfessionalLearningtoEnhance 126
ReflexivePraxisandAgencyinTeacherEducation
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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Welcome
TheLocalOrganisingCommitteewelcomesyoutoRWL10.
TheEnvironmentalLearningResearchCentre(ELRC)atRhodesUniversityhastheprivilegeofhostingthe2017
ResearchingWorkandLearningConference.ThethemeforRWL10is
Transitions, Transformations and Transgressions in Work and Learning & Work and Learning Research
TheResearchingWorkandLearning(RWL)conferenceistheleadinginternationalresearchconferenceseriesin
thefieldofworkandlearning.Establishedin1999byresearchersatLeedsUniversity,itisconvenedeverytwo
years.Itisacriticalplatformforresearchersandprofessionalstoshareresearchinworkandlearning,engagein
dialoguewithcolleaguesandexpertsfromaroundtheworld,deepentheirknowledgeandadvancethefield.The
conference series is organised through the leadership of the RWL International Advisory Committee, in association
withtheJournal of Workplace Learning.
While the organisers have considered a variety of contributions, RWL10 seeks to encourage deliberative
engagementaroundthesequestionsinparticular:
¡ Whattransitions,transformationsortransgressionsareinfluencingworkandlearning,associetiesconfront
socio-ecologicalriskslikeclimatechange,economicstagnation,socialinsecurityandinequalities?
¡ Whataretheimplicationsofthesetransitions,transformationsandtransgressionsforthenatureofwork,
workeridentityandagency,careersandcareerguidance,andwork-basedlearning,amongotherareasof
interest?
¡ Does a focus on broader transitions, transformations and transgressions challenge traditional boundaries
andframingsofworkandlearning,andtherelationshipbetweensociety,economy,educationandwork?
Whatistransformative(ornot)inRWLresearch?
Inthisbookyouwillfindalltheabstractsofpaperstobepresented.Theyarearrangedalphabeticallyaccording
tothefirstauthors’surnames.TheycanalsobeidentifiedbytheirindividualIDnumbers(seetoprightorleftof
eachpage).YoucanusethisIDtolocatethefullpaper(if‘Paperavailable’isprintedbelowtheID)ontheUSBflash
drivewhichyoushouldcollectduringregistration.Papersthathavebeensubmittedalreadycanbefoundhere,as
submittedbytheauthors.Someofthemhavebeenreviewedandedited,othershavenot.Additionalpaperswill
becollectedandwillbemadeavailableontheconferencewebsite(www.rwl10.co.za)assoonaspossible.
WewishyouanenjoyablestayinGrahamstownandastimulatingconference!Mayitinspireusallaswegoforward
inourworkaroundtheworldinWork and Learning Research.
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Plenary Keynote Speakers
Annalisa Sannino
works at the Centre for Research on Activity, Development and Learning (CRADLE) in the Faculty
of Education at University of Helsinki where she is currently completing a five-year Finnish
Academy research fellowship. She is visiting professor at Rhodes University, South Africa and
at University West, Sweden. Her research is primarily focused on developing an activity-centred
educational theory of transformative agency. Her work demonstrates how transformative
agency can be discursively identified, supported and enhanced within communities, educational
and work activities by means of formative interventions.
Therearenumerousexamplesofresearchonworkandlearningengagedinlocally-initiatedtransformativeeffortsfor
socialjustice.Thefield,however,stilllackscoherentandrobustframeworkstounderstandthedynamicsoflearningand
agencyinvolvedintheseeffortsandtoconcretelysupportthem.Thiskeynotepresentsaconceptualframeworktopush
forwardanactivity-theoreticalagendatowardthisdirection,focusedonthecentralideaoflearningforenactedutopias.
The paper explores, in particular, the participatory processes of expansive learning and transformative agency that led
toandarestillstemmingfromtheFinnishnationalhomelessnessstrategy.
In affluent cities around theworld homelessness is spreading rampantly. Every country in Europe has a crisis with
homelessness,except,inrecentyears,Finland.ThisistheonlynationinEuropethathasbeenabletosignificantlyreduce
homelessness.Long-termhomelessnessinFinlandhasreducedby36%since2008with82%offormerhomelesspeople
maintainingtheirnewhomes.TheaimoftheFinnishhomelessstrategyisnotamodestone:thestrategyaimsatending
homelessness,ateradicatingit–anaimthatcanbeeasilyperceivedasunrealistic,evenutopian.Arecentstudystates
that“byinternationalstandards,Finlandisactuallyclosetoeradicatinghomelessness”(Pleace&Knutagard,2016:437).
Myconceptualframeworkpositionsitselfwithintheperspectiveofafourthgenerationactivitytheory,suggestingaunit
ofanalysisabletograsplong-termremediestopressingsocietalchallenges,sharedexperimentationwithalternatives
to capitalism, and heterogeneous work coalitions operating across local, regional, national and global levels. The
conceptualframeworkbuildsontherationaleofcontradictionstograsptension-drivenprocessesandrelationsthrough
whichlearningandagencyemergeanddevelop.
Undialecticalviewsoflearningandagencynourishthealreadywidespreadbelief,especiallyineconomicallydeveloped
countries,thatalternativestocapitalismentailstartingfromscratch.Infactalternativestocapitalismalreadyexistin
capitalism.Withoutmobilisingdialecticalthinking,however,thesealternativescanhardlybedetectedas“alternatives”.
Duetothepervasive lackofdialecticalculture, researchonworkand learninghasnotyet recognisedtherelevance
ofthesealternativesforthedevelopmentofthefield,eventhoughallthesealternativesinvolvestrong,moreorless
explicitlydefined,informalorformaleducationalcomponents.
ThelearningandagencydisplayedwithintheFinnishstrategyarestronglyfacilitatedwithmaterialaffordanceswhich
havekepttheenactmentofthestrategyinmovementforaperiodoftenyears.Understandinghowthislearningand
agencyemergedandaresustainedisacrucialchallengetomeettheglobaldemandsofequityincontemporarysocieties.
Incontrasttocriticalstudiesonthephenomenonofhomelessness,whichdocumentwrongdoingandscenariosofdespair,
the approachproposedhere prioritises the documentationof howeffective utopian solutionsmay come about by
collectivelyworkingthroughmultipleinterdependentcyclesofexpansivelearningandtransformativeagencybydouble
stimulation.Thisapproachisanalternativetostabilisedviewsofimpossibility that feed stereotypes and prejudices, such
asthosecontributingtothestigmaofpovertywhichfrequentlyhampersinitiativesforthehomeless.
Researching Work and Learning for Enacted Utopias: The Struggle to Overcome Homelessness
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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Weliveinparadoxicaltimes,whenthefreemarketrhetoricistriumphant,yetwhenmoreoftheincomeandpowerare
goingtothosewhouseorbenefitfromnon-marketdevices.
ContrarytoKeynes’predictionof“theeuthanasiaoftherentier”duringthe20thcentury,rentiercapitalismhasflourished
intheneo-liberalphaseoftheGlobalTransformation.Inthenameofpromotingliberalisedmarkets,governmentsand
international agencies have constructed a system that has resulted in a rising share of income going in forms of rent,
linkedtothepossessionofassetsandtheircontrivedscarcity,ratherthantheproductionofgoodsandservices.The
resultantinequalityisnotduetoimprovedbrilliancebythewinnersbuttochangesintherules.Itisneithermorallynor
economicallydefensible.
Threetrendshighlightanimpendingcrisis.First,aglobalintellectualpropertyregimehasbeenconstructed,withpatents
nowworthover$16trillionandrisingremorselessly.Inabeggar-my-neighbourcompetitioninfiscalpolicy,Governments
areboostingtherewardsgoingtoholdersofintellectualproperty.Second,theyareprovidingmoreregressivesubsidies
toattractorretainforeigninvestment.Third,globallytheshareofincomegoingtolabourisshrinking.
Drawingonatrilogyofrecentbooks,thispresentationwilldescribehowrentiercapitalismisbeingstrengthened,how
moreincomeisgoingtotheplutocracyandplutocraticcorporations,andhowtheprecariatisbeingdisadvantagedin
favourofrentiers.1
Thespotlightwillbeontheprecariat,thedefinitionandthereasonsforitsgrowth.Itistheonly‘class’thathasadirect
interestinopposingrentiercapitalism.Sofar,itsrevolthasbeenpopulistandmostlyfannedbythepoliticalright.The
finalpartwillsketchpoliciesforreducinginequalityandeconomicinsecurity,drawingonthesecondbook,APrecariat
Charter.
The Growing Precariat under Rentier Capitalism
Guy Standing
is a Professorial Research Associate, SOAS University of London; Fellow of the Academy of Social
Sciences; and Co-founder and Honorary Co-President of BIEN, the Basic Income Earth Network.
He has been involved in labour research in over 25 countries and has an extensive publications
record. His research work has focused on insecurities faced by workers; labour regulation and
social protection; social and economic security; labour economics; labour, work and occupation;
economic rights and globalisation and social protection policy. His comprehensive analysis of the
global transformation of work and labour will provide useful insights into the conference theme.
1G.Standing,Corruption of Capitalism: Why rentiers thrive and work does not pay(London:Biteback,2016);The Precariat: The New Dangerous
Class (London,Bloomsbury,2011);A Precariat Charter: From Denizens to Citizens (London,Bloomsbury,2014).The Precariat has been
translatedinto20languages,includingKorean.Thelatestbooktakesforwardathemeinthetrilogy:Basic Income…..And how we can
make it happen(London,Pelican,2017).
10 T H I N T E R N A T I O N A L C O N F E R E N C E O N R E S E A R C H I N G W O R K & L E A R N I N G | 6 – 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 R H O D E S U N I V E R S I T Y
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Johnny Sung
is the head of the Centre for Skills, Performance and Productivity at the Institute for Adult
Learning in Singapore. He is an international expert in workforce development, focusing
specifically on training effectiveness and the link between skills policy and business performance.
He is currently leading skills research in Singapore focused on skills utilisation and job quality;
the sectoral approach to skills and performance in key industry sectors; and adult competencies
and job performance. He is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Cardiff (UK) and
Visiting Professor at the University College London (UK).
Thispresentationisconcernedwithlinkingskillspolicytosocialprogress. Itchallengestheestablishedviewthatthe
supply-drivenskillspolicyis‘goodenough’.Instead,skillspolicyneedstounderstandwhatgoesonwithintheworkplace
and inparticularwhat influences jobquality, skill utilisationanddiscretionaryeffort. These factorsare important in
organisational performance andworkers’ employment outcomes. This understanding can lead to policy innovation.
Policyexamplesaswellasempiricaldataformpartofthepresentation.
Skills Policy, Business Model and Job Quality for Inclusive Society
TheEnglishhistorianEHCarrusedtosaythatwhatyouseedependsonwhichsideofthemountainyoustand.Istand
onthesoutherntipofAfrica,inJohannesburg,acitybuiltongold.Butnowthattheownersfeelthesegoldminesare
nolongerprofitable,theyhaveabandonedthem,leavingbehindunprotectedholesintheopenfields.Todaydesperate
menandwomengodeepintotheseabandonedtunnelsinsearchofgold.Theyrisktheirlivesinthesedangerousand
darkplacestosearchforalivelihood.
I see a changingworldofworkwhich shares certain similaritieswith the “advanced” industrialworldbut I also see
importantdifferences.Iwouldarguethatthehistoryandlegacyofcolonialism,aswellasthepoliciesofliberalisation,are
impactingonAfricainwaysthatarequitedifferentfromworkers’experiencesintheNorth.Itisnotonlythattherehas
neverbeena‘goldenage’ofdecentworkinthecolonialworkplace.Whenonegoesbeyondtheworkplaceintosociety–
thehousehold,thesquattercamps,theruralareas–thesedifferencesbecomeclear.InAfricathecrisisisnotsimplyover
jobs;itisacrisisovertheveryreproductionofsocietyitself.
Thefutureofworklooksbleak:eitheryouaredrawnintothenewworldofhyper-competition,workinglonghoursin
increasinglydemandingconditions,oryoujointhegrowingnumbersofunemployedwhostruggletosurviveintheurban
andruralslumsoftheworld.Butanalternativeisemerging:acombinationofpolicyinnovationsfromaboveandnew
formsoforganisingamongstprecariousworkerscouldchallengetheideathatbadjobsareinevitable.Thiswillbethe
focusofmypaper:theseinnovationsandtheirimplicationsforlearning.
The Future of Work: Its Implications for the World of Learning
Edward Webster
is a Research Professor in the Society, Work and Development Institute (SWOP) at the University
of the Witwatersrand. He is the author of seven books and over one hundred academic
articles. He pioneered the academic study of labour in South Africa and has contributed to the
development of many key industrial relations actors in South Africa. His most recent co-authored
book Grounding Globalisation: Labour in the Age of Insecurity was awarded the prestigious
American Sociological Association award for the best scholarly monograph published on labour.
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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Pre-conference Workshops
Workshop 1
Tracer Studies: Methodologies and Reflections
Convenors:Dr Angelique Wildschut, Dr Michael Rogan and Dr Hersheela Narsee
This3-hourworkshopwillexploretracerstudiesasaresearchmethodologyandtheassociateddesignandconceptual
challenges,andreflectontheirlimitationsbutalsotheinsightsandanalysesthesestudiesallow.DrNarseewillshare
theDepartmentofHigherEducationandTraining’sviewandexperienceinthemovetowardsinstitutionalisingtracer
studiesacrossSouthAfrica’spost-schooleducationandtrainingsystem.
Workshop 2
Activity-Theoretical Analyses of Change Laboratory Interventions
Convenors:Prof Yrjö Engeström and Associate Prof Annalisa Sannino
This 3-hour workshop aims at acquiring knowledge and competences for analysing data from Change Laboratory
interventionswith the help of conceptual tools from cultural-historical activity theory and the theory of expansive
learning.TheChangeLaboratoryisaformativeinterventionmethodbasedoncollaborationbetweenresearchersand
practitionersincommunities,workplacesandeducationalsettings.
Workshop 3
Vocational Pedagogy
Convenors:Prof Volker Wedekind and Prof Joy Papier
This3-hourworkshopaimstoexploretheconceptofvocationalpedagogy,whetheritisdistinctfromgeneralpedagogy,
and the implications for vocational teaching and the preparation of teachers. It explores the tension of vocational
teacherswhohavetofaceboththedisciplinaryknowledgebaseonwhichskilledworkreliesandtheworldofwork,which
requiresthemtobeembeddedintheworkprocessesandidentityoftheworkers,oftenwithhighlycontext-specificor
situatedknowledge.Thistensionsitsattheheartoftheworkofavocationalteacher,whoneedstobeabletoinduct
studentsintospecificworkknowledgeandpractices,andgivethemepistemicaccesstothedisciplinaryknowledgethat
underpinsthework.
10 T H I N T E R N A T I O N A L C O N F E R E N C E O N R E S E A R C H I N G W O R K & L E A R N I N G | 6 – 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 R H O D E S U N I V E R S I T Y
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SiteVisits
Site Visit 1
Bathurst Art Collective (fulldaytour)
Acomfortableone-hourbusdrive throughthe ruralEasternCapetakesus to thevillageofBathurst,whereartists,
academicsandamaXhosafamiliesseekagoodqualityoflifeamidtheever-presentthreatofpoverty.Fromthistranquil
haven,artistscreateproductsfornationalhigh-endchainstoresandboutiques,intheprocessalsocreatingmarketsfor
locallyproducedfabricsandopportunitiesforotherstomakealivingthroughartsandcrafts.Meetthewomenwho
seizedtheopportunitytomakeanovelkindoflivingwhereunemploymentisrife.Enjoythescenery,thecreativityand
thelocalproducewhilecontemplatinghowworkandlearningcanbeenhancedthroughglobalconnectionsandwell-
usedtechnologyincountrysidepockets.
Site Visit 2
Eastern Cape Midlands College, Volkswagen plant and Addo National Park (fulldaytour)
Ourbuswilltakeus135kmsouthofGrahamstowntotheindustrialareaofUitenhage,tovisittheVolkswagenautomobile
productionplantandtheEasternCapeMidlandsCollege,whichservesamongotherrolesasatrainingacademyforthe
EasternCapeprovince’smotormanufacturingindustry.Thecollegeischallengedtoprovidefortheneedsofanadvanced
industrialeconomy,ontheonehand,andawidespreadruralareawithhighratesofunemploymentandpovertyonthe
other,alongwiththeloweducationalachievementinmanyoftheregion’sschools.AttheVolkswagenmanufacturing
plant,wewillseeskillsinaction.Onthewayback,wemaytravelthroughAddoNationalPark,hometothe“bigseven”,
andparticularlywell-knownforcloseelephantsightings.
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BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
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Tracking and Tracing of Artisans
Akoobhai, Binaben (SwissSouthAfricanCooperationInitiative)
GraduationDestinationSurveys(GDS)areessentialindeterminingtheuptakeofeducationalprogrammesofferedbythe
labourmarket,thusprovidinganevidence-basedmeansofplanningandpolicydevelopment.Limiteddataisavailable
inSouthAfricaonwhatbecomesofgraduatesaftertheycompletetheirpost-schoolstudies,asveryfewgraduation
destinationsurveyshavebeenconductedtodate.Moreover,verylittledataexistsonwhathappenstoindividualswhile
theyareintraining.
ThispaperlooksattheresultsoftworesearchstudiesconductedbytheSwissSouthAfricanCooperationInitiative(SSACI),
inconjunctionwithNationalArtisanDevelopmentSupportCentre(NADSC),oftrackingindividualsdoingoccupational
trainingwhiletheyareinthesystemaswellaslookingatthelabourmarkettrajectoryofnewlyqualifiedartisans.
Thefirststudyfocusesontrackingindividualsthroughtheirtraininganddevelopmentprogrammesaswellastracing
theirprioreducation,howtheygetontotheprogramme,whopaysfortheirtraining,typeofapprenticeship,relationof
worktotraining,typesofworkplacement,problemsencountered,etc.
The second study focuses on tracking individuals that had learned various trades into the labour market determining
theiremploymentstatus,howtheywentaboutfindingajob,typeofcontract,andtypeofemployer,etc.
ThedatausedforthisstudycomesfromtheNADSC,aninitiativesetupbytheNationalArtisanModerationBody(NAMB),
to establish a central system for gathering, collating and storing up-to-date data on artisans and apprentices across
thecountry.Todate,NADSChasdevisedacentral,web-basede-informationsystemforallavailabledata.However,
NADSChasexperiencedsignificantchallenges,oneofwhich is lackofcapacity toconduct further research intothe
employmenttrajectoriesofnewly-certifiedartisansandthecriticalfactorsthatdeterminethosetrajectories.SSACIhas
beensupportingNADSCinitsresearchactivities.
Keywords:
artisanal trades, apprenticeship, labour market trajectory, contract type, employer type
ID001Paper AVAILABLE
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ID002Occupations, Work and Work-oriented Education in Different Countries
Allais, Stephanie; Carlo Fanelli; Lazaro Herrera; Lynn Hewlett; Carmel Marock; Hanlie Robertson; Yael
Shalem; Glynnis Vergotine(WitsUniversity,CentreforResearchingEducationandLabour)
This double symposiumwillpresentpreliminaryfindingsandananalysisofthestructureof labourmarketsandthe
educationandtrainingsystems insixcountries:Ghana,Ethiopia,SouthAfrica,Canada,SwedenandSwitzerland.The
maindistinctionbetweenthesecountries(otherthanwealthandlevelofindustrialisation)isthesizeoftheinformal
labourmarketorthesizeoftheunemployedworkforceandtheirrelationstotheprivatesectorandtostateservices.
This is part of a study examining the notion of occupations as away of organisingwork, organising technical and
vocationaleducationandtraining,andsupportingpathwaysfromeducationtowork.Thestudydrawsonthefieldof
institutionalpoliticaleconomywhichprovidesinsightsintothewayscollectivewagebargaining,corporategovernance
andfinancing,labourmarketandstateregulation,andindustrialrelationsaffecteducationandtraining.‘Occupational
identity formation’ isacentral concept in this study,providinga framework for theclaimthatacquisitionofbodies
of knowledge and skill plusmeaningful opportunities to practise know-how (practical knowledge), strengthen the
abilityofanoccupationtoregulateandprotect‘work’andtoformorganisedandregulatedoccupationsorprofessions.
Ultimately,theaimoftheprojectistoidentify the social mechanisms that strengthen and/or weaken the relation
between education and the labour market.
Thecurrentphaseoftheprojectfocusesonthedevelopmentofanoverviewoftheoccupationalstructureandtheways
inwhichoccupationsareorganisedandregulatedacrossthecountries.Weaimtodevelopapictureatthebroadest
possible levelof the labourmarket–what it looks like in termsof levelsofemploymentandunemployment,main
trends intermsofsectorsandlevelsofemployment,whatkindsofworkareregulatedandhow,andwhattypesof
educationandtrainingareofferedineachoftheabovecountries.Thiswillincludetheextentoforganisedoccupations
(includingprofessions). Inotherwords,howmuchofthelabourmarketconsistsoforganisedoccupations,andwhat
arethemechanismsforregulatingoccupations(includinglegalframeworks,regulationofeducationallevelsforentry
intooccupations,andcollectivebargaining).Wearelookingatabroad macro level at the institutions which regulate
occupations, the number of professional/trade bodies with legal responsibility for occupations and what they
have power over, the role of the state, the number of occupations requiring licenses to practise, the points of
regulation, and the nature and extent of collective bargaining across different sectors and levels of the labour
market. This includes lookingatwhetherandhowqualifications relate tooccupations, and the levelsof security in
differentoccupationalcategories,linkedtoconditionsofservice.
Thesymposiumwillprovidethefindingsforeachcountryinthisregard,precededbyanintroductionandoverview,with
somereflectionsonthefindingssofarattheendofthesecondsymposium.
PaperOne: OverviewandintroductionbyStephanieAllaisandYaelShalem
PaperTwo: CanadabyCarloFanelli
PaperThree: GhanabyHanlieRobertson
PaperFour: EthiopiabyLynnHewlettandCarmelMarock
PaperFive: SouthAfricabyGlynnisVergotineandPopopoMohlala
PaperSix: SwedenbyLazaroHerrera
Keywords:
occupations, professional bodies, education, labour market
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The Development of Occupational Qualifications: Has South Africa Escaped the Failings of the National Qualification Framework?
Alphonsus, Naomi (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
InSouthAfrica,concernsaroundsloweconomicgrowthandhighunemploymenthavegivenrisetocritiquesofpost-
schooleducationandtraining.Thesecritiquesarecentredontheideathateducationandtrainingarenotproducing
therightskillsfortheeconomy.OneoftheSouthAfricangovernment’spolicyinterventionstocreatetherightskills
hasbeenreformingoccupationalqualificationsformid-leveloccupations.Currently,thesequalificationsaredeveloped
usingoccupationaldefinitionswithassociated skills, tasks andduties froman international system foroccupational
classificationsforthelabourmarket.Theoccupationalqualificationoutlineandcurriculumarecreatedbystakeholders
from education and the labourmarket. Occupational qualifications are intended to be significantly different from
previousqualificationscreatedthroughtheNationalQualificationsFramework(NQF).OneofthemanycritiquesofNQF
qualificationswasthecreationofnarrowoutcomesthatwerederivedfromskillsneededorperformanceoftasksinthe
workplacethatmadeitdifficulttodevelopcurricula.Thispaperwillarguethatareviewoftheprocessofdeveloping
occupationalqualificationsshowsthatthisprocessmaynotbeasignificantdeparturefromtheNQFqualificationsand
subsequently,thatthisprocessisvulnerabletothesamecritiquesoftheNQFqualifications.
Keywords:
occupationalqualifications,NationalQualificationsFramework
ID003
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ID004Transforming Classroom Learning through the Implementation of Learning Organisation Principles: A Case Study of Co-curricular Development and Instruction in Canada
Arulananthan, Niroja (UniversityofToronto)
Sengecoinedtheterm‘learningorganisation’ stating,“Throughlearningwere-createourselves.Throughlearningwe
becomeabletodosomethingwewereneverabletodo.”Sengeunderstoodlearningorganisationsashavingaprocess
tofacilitatelearningcoupledwiththeadeptnessofitspeopletoobtain,create,andshareknowledge.
This approach challenges the traditional boundaries and authorities of classroom instructors and post-secondary
curriculumdevelopersastheworkissharedbyallpartiesinvolved.However,thedeploymentofthelearningorganisation
model’sprinciplesinclassroomshastheabilitytotransformthelearnerandthecommunity,aswellasbridgethegap
betweendisenfranchisedpeoples and institutions. Through aposter presentation, a case study is illustratedwhere
principlesofalearningorganisationwereenactedinco-curriculardevelopmentandinstructionofanEarlyChildhood
Educationcurriculum.
ThecasestudyexaminessevenpartnershipprogrammesbetweentheMeadowLakeTribalCouncil,agrouprepresenting
nineFirstNationscommunities inCanada,andtheSchoolofChildandYouthCareattheUniversityofVictoria.First
Nations communities in Canada have been the subjects of historical and present-day systemic oppression and racism that
hasnegativelyimpactedoncommunityhealthandsocialandeconomicdevelopment.InsertionofFirstNationsvalues
andknowledgeineducationcurriculumareregardedasintegraltotransformtheircommunities.
Throughthepartnership,a‘GenerativeCurriculumModel’wasdeveloped.Itrepresentedanapproachthatprioritises
impactfullearningofcommunityrelevantknowledgesoughtthroughdialogue,open-endedandflexiblecurriculum,and
collaborativelyfacilitatedbyinstructors,studentsandcommunitymembers.
Themodelutiliseddemonstratedstrongevidenceofbenefitstostudents,thecommunitiesthestudentscamefromand
wenttoworkin,andthepost-secondaryinstitutioninvolved.Thelearningtransformationthatoccurredconfrontsissues
ofsocialinequalityamongsttheFirstNationscommunitiesinvolvedinthepartnership.
Keywords:
learning organisation, transformation, classroom learning
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Work Integrated Learning through R&D Projects: A Case Study of Student Participation in an Integration R&D Project between Uddevalla Municipality and University West, Sweden
Assmo, Per; Thomas Winman (UniversityWest,Sweden)
ThispaperpresentsanexampleofhowtheconceptofWorkIntegratedLearning(WiL)ispracticallyintegratedintotwo
R&DprojectsatUniversityWest(UW)inSweden.WilistheoverarchingprofileatUW,bothintermsofresearchand
education.
The empirical component focuses on the R&D projects that actively include and integrate undergraduate and graduate
studentsfromvariousdisciplines,toworktogetherwithresearchersandexpertsincivilsociety.TheR&Dprojectsare
concernedwithwhatknowledgeisneededandhowintegrationworkercompetencesareinducedandworkedwithto
support integrationof immigrants intosocietywhenavarietyofgovernmentallysupportedactivitieshaveemerged.
Theprojectinvolvesdifferentprofessionalgroupswithdifferentknowledgedomains,andthechallengestheproject
arescrutinisingaremulti-facetedaswell.
Toaddressthechallengesoftheprojects,weidentifiedaneedtoinvolvetheknowledge,methods,terminologyand
expertise fromdifferentdisciplines,aswellas fromvariousprofessionsandsectors.Theprojectdesign isbasedon
theco-productionofknowledgewhereallactorsjointlycontributetoeachother’sdevelopment.Weworkinaninter-
sectoralandinterdisciplinarymanner,whereeveryonecontributestotheproject,makingtheperformanceoftheproject
anarenaforinnovation,collaborationandpublicbenefit.Theresultsandinsightswedevelopwillbeofimportancefor
educationofmunicipalstaff,aswellasforthedevelopmentofintegrationactivitiesandtheprofessionalsinvolved.In
addition,theresultswillcontributetothedevelopmentoftheoriesandknowledgethatare importantforboththe
profession-specificknowledgedomains.
Weworkwith jointseminars,workshopsandR&Dcirclesandthroughtheexchangeof ideas,reflectiveconductand
active participation. The students, researchers and professionals can thereby gain knowledge and experience that
reaches beyond the conventional in-class education. This paper analyses howWiL can developworking styles that
enhancelearningandimproveacademicqualityinhighereducation.
Keywords:
Work Integrated Learning, higher education, integration, participation, co-operation
ID005Paper AVAILABLE
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ID006Inspiring and Enabling Innovation within VET
Barabasch, Antje (SwissFederalInstituteofVocationalEducationandTraining)
There has been growing recognition that nurturing students’ creative potential is a valuable, yet often unrealised,
educational goal. Much of the research focusing on creativity is concerned with the individuals’ intellectual skills
promotingcreativity,suchasdivergentthinking.InVETthereislittleresearchdonesofaroncreativitydevelopmentasa
competencethatsupportsinnovationattheworkplace.Movingtowardsafocusonteameffortattheworkplacerequires
anunderstandingofsocialpracticeandinter-subjectivitywhichneedstobeexperiencedwithinVETassupportiveof
creativeprocessesandinnovativepractice.
Thesubjectof inquiryistoelaborateonthequestionsofcreativityunleashingandenhancementinthefieldofVET.
Howcanschoolsprovideopportunities forchoice, imagination,andexplorationasacollaborativeendeavourwithin
theircurricula?Andhowdoenterprisessupportcreativitydevelopmentandinparticular,throughaestheticeducation
throughouttheirtraining?
InordertodevelopthecreativepotentialamongVETstudentstoshapetheirworkincreativeways,pedagogicalmethods
needtobeexploredandpossiblyfurtherdevelopedincollaborationwithteachers.Creativity-supportivepracticesinclude
(a)explicitlyteachingforcreativethinking,(b)providingopportunitiesforchoiceanddiscovery,(c)encouragingstudents’
intrinsicmotivation, (d)establishingacreativity-supportive learningenvironment,and(e)providingopportunitiesfor
studentstousetheirimaginationwhilelearningtodevelopaspirationalcommitment.Inordertosupportthispractice,
VETinstitutionsarechallengedtostrikethebalancebetweenprovidingstructureandfreedomsothatstudentsfeel
supportedandencouragedtotaketherisksthatexplorationentails.Inaddition,thelearningenvironmentinvocational
schoolsasmuchasthelearningcultureattheworkplaceneedtosupportcreativeexpression.Notmuchisknownyet
abouthowtoincorporatecreativityineverydayteachinginVETandhowstudentslearntobecreativeattheworkplace.
Thisinvolvesusingactivitiesthatleadtothedevelopmentofmultipleideas,problemdefinition,theuseofanalogiesand
evaluatingideasandproductsthatstudentsgenerate.
Thepapertobepresentedwilloutlinetheresultsofaliteraturereviewwhichbuildsthefoundationforaresearchproject
concernedwiththestudyofcreativitydevelopmentwithinthehigherVETprogrammesfortourisminSwitzerland.Itwill
introduceacriticalreflectiononapproachestoaestheticeducationandcreativitywithinselectedtrainingprogrammesin
SwitzerlandandprovidefirstresultsfromastudyintocreativepracticesatselectedhigherVETinstitutions.Theresearch
contributestoourunderstandingofcreativitydevelopmentandcreativeprocessesamongstudentsandteachersinVET.
Keywords:
vocational education and training, innovation, creativity, didactics
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Work-Integrated Learning and Career Development Learning as Transformative Learning Pedagogies in Higher Education
Batholmeus, Petrina; Pop Carver (CapePeninsulaUniversityofTechnology)
Careerdevelopmentlearningbranchesfromcareer(s)educationwhichWatts(2006)describesasplannedexperiences
designedtofacilitatethedevelopmentofself-awareness(interests,abilities,values);opportunityawareness(knowing
whatworkopportunitiesexistandwhattheirrequirementsare);decisionlearning(decision-makingskills);andtransition
learning(job-searchandself-presentationskills).CareerdevelopmentlearninginHigherEducationInstitutions(HEIs)in
Africa has not generally been considered a part of formal academic programmes, rather a support system that students
receiveandwhichisusuallyoptionalforstudents.However,withtheriseofwork-integratedlearningprogrammesinHEIs
andeffortstoenhanceworkplacelearningandgraduateemployability,thereisaneedtointegratecareerdevelopment
learning intoall academicprogrammes inHEIs.Thisdoesnotonlyassistwithpreparing students for theworkplace
andwithbuildingabridgebetweenclassroomtheoryand theworldofwork, careerdevelopmentalsoprovidesan
understandingofthestudents’careerpathsandtransitionintotheworldofwork.Hence,thisstudyaimstodiscussthe
importance of career development learning in curricula of higher education academic programmes as far as preparing
studentsfortheworkplaceisconcerned.Thisisdonethroughconsideringliteratureontherelationshipbetweencareer
developmentandwork-integratedlearningcareerdevelopmentlearningprogrammesemployedinhighereducation
institutionsaswellasmulti-disciplinarycareerdevelopmentframeworksandstrategiesinplacetohelpstudentstobe
readyfortheworldofwork.Careerdevelopmententailsspecificcareerneedsthatshouldbeconsidered.
Chen,ChangandYeh(2004)definecareerneedsasthepersonalneedsofgoals,tasksandchallengesinaperson’scareer,
anditisrecognisedthatcareerneedschangewithvariouscareerstages.Thisgoalmaybeaparticularlandmarktobe
achievedduringacareer,whichprovidesapersonwiththenecessarydirectionandmotivation.Careergoalsaccording
toChen,ChangandYeh(2004)enableanindividualtostructureandmotivatetheirworkbehaviourbysettinggoals
andbypractisingnewanddesiredworkbehaviour;thus,thesegoalsfocusoncurrentefforts.Conversely,careertasks
canbedefinedasindividuals’efforttoidentifyopportunitiesavailabletothemandthentakeactionbaseduponthem,
demonstratinginitiative,andspendingtimeandenergydevelopingskillsandcompetenciestoachievethem.Students
needthesetaskstorecognisewhatareasoftheircareerstheyhavelessinterestinaswellasareasthattheywouldlike
tospecialisein.Theopportunitytobegroomedandgaindeepunderstandingofacareermaybethedeterminingfactor
ina student’s levelof success.Therearehowevercareerchallenges that relate to futurecareerneedsarising from
subsequentcareerdevelopmentalopportunities.Overtheyears,careerdevelopmenthasevolvedandsomechallenges
experiencedinthepastarestillverycommon.TheseareexperiencedfromtheworkplacepointofviewaswellasHEIs.
Conlon(2004)proposedatheoreticaldomaintocomparecareerdevelopmentbetweenthe20th and 21st centuries to
createafoundationforfutureresearchoncareerdevelopment’sroleandeffectivenessinthe21stcenturyworkplace
whichcanalsobeadopted inHEIs tocreatecareerdevelopment learning.These include:demographics,oldvsnew
economy,careerpatterns,workplacejustice,lifestyleandwelfaretrends,employee/individualsresponsibilities,education
andtraining,aswellascareerdevelopmentroles.Conlon(2004)investigatedcareerdevelopmentchallengesinthe21st
centuryandfoundthatthestudywaslimitedbytheshortageofgloballiterature,particularlyindevelopingnationsor
incross-culturalcontexts.ThisstudyhenceusedliteraturefromAfricancountriesandcameupwithrecommendations
thatthesecountriescanusetointegratecareerdevelopmentinHEIs,ineffortstoimproveemployabilityandgraduates’
bridgingintotheworkplace.
Keywords:
careerdevelopmentlearning;work-integratedlearning;highereducation;workplacelearning;employability
ID007Paper AVAILABLE
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ID008Paper AVAILABLE
Practice Theory and Methodology: (De)centring Leaders in Work and Learning?
Bach, Søren Blem; Buch Anders (UniversityofAalborg)
Practicetheoreticalapproacheshavemadetheirentryinthesocialsciencesandhumanitiesoverthelast30years.Many
scholarsindifferentdisciplinesandwithdifferentresearchinterestsandbackgroundshavefocusedontheday-to-day
practicesofactorsintheirstudies.PhilosopherslikeTheodoreSchatzki,JosephRouseandAndreasReckwitzhaveoutlined
the fundamental ontological and epistemological presumptions of practice theories in relation to agency, the social and
societyanddescribedhowpracticetheoriesdrawonphilosophicalinsightsfrommainlythelateWittgensteinandthe
youngerHeidegger,butalsosignificantlytheearlyGiddens,Bourdieu,ButlerandthelateFoucault.Instudiesofwork
andorganisation,socialscientistslikeSilviaGherardi,DavideNicolini,WandaOrlikowskiandothershavetheorisedwork
andanalysedtheroleoftechnologywithinorganisationaldevelopment.Similarly,thepracticetheoreticalperspective
hasbeenmadeproductiveinrelationtoprocessesoflearning.TheoristslikeJeanLaveandEtienneWenger,PaulHager
andStephenKemmishavedemonstratedhowlearningprocessesarebestunderstoodastransformationsofandwithin
practices.Practicetheoriesaccentuate’theprimacyofthepractical’inunderstandinghumanactivityandbringforward
’practices’–understoodasorganiseddoings,sayings,andrelatings–astheunitofanalysis,therebyalsode-centring
’individuals’(andpresumably’inter-actions’amongindividuals)intheanalysisofworkandlearningprocesses.
The practice theoretical perspective has mostly been elaborated in relation to its ontological, epistemological and
theoreticalimplications.Itisonlymorerecentlythatpractice-basedscholarshavestartedtoexplicitlyandsystematically
focus on the methodological implications of pursuing a practice theoretical perspective (e.g. Silvia Gherardi, Davide
Nicolini, Paul Richard Trowler,Marcelo Bispo, Dubravka Cecez-Kecmanovic et al.). This paper explores and critically
reflectsuponmethodologicalapproachestothestudyofpractices.
DubravkaCecez-Kecmanovic et al. (2014) have reviewed recentpractice theoretical journal articles to explore their
methodologicalpreferencesandhowthemethodological choicesare coupledwithontological andepistemological
presuppositions.They identifiedtwodifferentstrandsof research:onethattheorisessociomateriality inthoroughly
’relational’terms,andanotherthatunderstandsthesociomaterialbasisofactivityin(atleastprovisorial)’substantialist’
terms.Thedifferencebetweenthesetwostrandsofpracticetheoreticalresearchthusconcernsthequestionofwhether
practicesshouldbestudiedaseitherinteractionsofwhatwasoriginallynon-relational(entitiesliketechnologies,people,
persons),orwhetherpracticesarebetterunderstoodas ’intra-active’ (e.g.Barad’sagential realismorActor-network
theory)relationshipsthatare’relationalallthewaydown’.
ThispaperdrawsonconsiderationsmadeforthedesignofaPhDproject.Theprojectexamineshowleadersindifferent
teamsinaNordicbanklearninpracticeatwork.Italsoexamineshowthelearningaffectstheleaders’subjectivation.
Theprojectusesactionresearchandincludesinterviewswiththeleadersaswellasobservationsoftheirleadershipin
practice.Thefocusontheleaders’practiceinvolvedcloselymonitoringhowtheylearntogetherwiththeirteamsand
howthisaffectstheirownsubjectivationprocess.
Practicetheoreticalapproacheshavetypicallyfocusedontheresearchofpracticesandhowtheychangeorreproduce
themselves.Lessfocushasbeenplacedontryingtounderstandthesubjectpositionsinlearningprocessesamongleaders
withinthepractices.Practicetheoryandcriticalpsychologywillbeappliedasatheory-methodpackageintheproject
andtheconceptof‘learningtrajectoriesinpractice’(Dreier,2008)willbeintroducedtomediatebetweenade-centred
practiceperspectiveanda‘substantialist’person-centredperspective.Ontologicallythefocuswillbeonunderstanding
anddescribingtheactivitiesoftheleadersandhowtheseactivitiescontributetoboththeproductionandre-production
oflearningandworkpractices.Itwillbearguedthattounderstandprocessesofsubjectivationandlearninginpractice,
itisnecessarytoadopta(atleastprovisorial)‘substantialist’position.
Keywords:
methodology, practice theory, relationality, substantivism
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ID009 Work-related Lifelong Learning Participation: A Comparative Study between Native and Foreign-born Adults in Western Countries
Boeren, Ellen (UniversityofEdinburgh)
Thispaperaimedto increaseunderstandingonthework-related lifelong learningparticipationof immigrants inthe
Westernworld.Inmostcountries,thepercentageoftheforeign-bornpopulationhasincreasedinpreviousyears.This
increasemeansthatcountriesneedtothinkaboutmigrationpoliciesandevaluatehowmigrantsarecontributingto
society ingeneral,andwork inspecific,orhowtheycouldbehelped inachievingsound levelsof integration.While
BonfantiandXenogiani(2014)havealreadyexploredthelabourmarketoutcomesofimmigrantsbasedonPIAACdata,
they mentioned the need to conduct additional analyses on the ‘access to training’.Theimportanceofthisarea(lifelong
learning)isregularlystressedinarangeofpolicydocuments,e.g.inEuropethroughthebenchmarkofparticipationin
adultlifelonglearningactivities,butalsotheOECDfocusesonparticipationindicatorsinannual‘EducationataGlance’
reports(EuropeanCommission,2009;OECD,2015).Therationaleforfocussingonparticipationinlifelonglearningis
stronglylinkedtothenotionofdevelopingandmaintainingusefulskills.
Usingaframeworkforcomparativeanalysesinlifelonglearningresearch,thispapercomparesresultsofnative-versus
foreign-bornadultsinarangeofWesterncountries(Europeancountries,USA,Canada,NewZealand)basedonPIAAC
data,undertakenaspartofaprestigiousThomasJ.AlexanderfellowshipwiththeOECD.Itrecognisesthecomplexity
of lifelong learning behaviour as an interaction between individuals (influenced by their socio-economic and socio-
demographiccharacteristics), their learningcontexts, includingworkplaces,andthecountries inwhichthey live,e.g.
throughdifferences in labourmarketpolicies,broadersocialpolicyactions,educationpoliciesetcetera (seeBoeren,
2016). The paper exploreswhether specificwork-related lifelong learning patterns among countries are visible for
foreign-bornadults,butalsowhethernativeandforeign-bornadultsdifferfromeachotherinrelationtolifelonglearning
based on their socio-economic and socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment and
theirjobs.Inthisrespect,thepaperiscomparativeatdifferentlevelsasit(1)comparesnative-andforeign-bornadults’
work-relatedlifelonglearningparticipationbasedontheirsocio-economicandsocio-demographiccharacteristics,and
(2)comparesthework-relatedlifelonglearningofforeign-bornadultsacrossdifferenttypesofcountries(e.g.Nordic
ScandinaviancountriesversusSouthernMediterraneancountriesinEurope).
Resultsindicatedthatparticipationinwork-relatedlifelonglearningactivitiesislowerforforeign-bornadultscompared
to native-born adults in most Western countries, although this is not true for participation in formal adult education –
butitistrueforparticipationinnon-formaleducationwhichismainlywork-related.Thereisalsoastrongcorrelation
betweenparticipationratesofnativeandforeign-bornadults(e.g.highforbothgroupsinScandinaviancountries),and
countrieswithhigherparticipationratestendtoinvestmoreineducation,e.g.thosewithahighlyeducatedpopulation,
alowunemploymentrateandalowscoreoninequalityindicatorssuchasthePISAInequalityofOpportunitymeasure.
While socio-economic and socio-demographic factors seem the strongest determinants of participation, foreign-born
adultsseemtokeeponexperiencingaslightdisadvantageintermsofchancestoparticipateinadulttraining(e.g.young
andhighlyeducatedadultsparticipatemost,butbeingforeign-bornslightlyreducesthechance).
This paper contributes to the academic and policy debate on the continued disadvantaged position of foreign-born
adultsinrelationtotheirparticipationinwork-relatedlifelonglearning.Becauseofthecomparativenatureofthepaper,
specificattention ispaidtoprocessesofpolicy learningandexchange(seePhillips&Ochs,2003),e.g.basedonthe
findingsthatcountrieswith‘strong’macro-levelcharacteristics(e.g.educationspending,lowlevelsofunemployment)
generatehigherlevelsofparticipationandhigherlevelsofuseofskills,alsoamongtheforeign-bornpopulation.Indoing
so,thepaperhelpsleaderstoengageinevidence-basedpolicymaking.
Keywords:
lifelonglearningparticipation,comparativeresearch,migrants,quantitativeanalyses
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID010Paper AVAILABLE
Enhancing Institutional Relationships in the Context of the South African National Qualifications Framework: Policy in Practice
Bolton, Heidi; Darren Lortan; Savathrie Maistry; Bruce Graham; Anandh Maistry (SouthAfrican
QualificationsAuthority,DurbanUniversityofTechnology)
DemocraticSouthAfrica inheritedaraciallysegregated,unequal,unfaireducationandtrainingsystem.Themajority
ofpeople in thecountryhadbeendeniedaccess;qualityassurancewasuneven;different typesof learningdidnot
enjoyequal respect,andqualificationswerenotnecessarily linkedto learningpathways.TheSouthAfricanNational
QualificationsFramework (NQF)was themeanschosen to integrate this system, tomake it accessible toeveryone,
andtoenablequality learning,andtransparency.TheSouthAfricanQualificationsAuthorityoversees, inter alia, the
implementationandfurtherdevelopmentofthisdifferentiatedandcoordinatedNQF.Thereisnowonesystem,which
has been set up to enable individual development of students in particular, and to contribute to the social and economic
developmentofthecountryasawhole.
The three papers in this symposium focus on the enhancement of articulation in the context of NQF policy in South
Africa.Paper1setsthescene,firstlydefininghow ‘articulationwithintheNQFcontext’ isconceptualised.Secondly,
itdescribesthetypesofintra-andinter-institutionalrelationships,andrelationalagency(Edwards,2014)neededfor
articulationinthiscontext.Thirdly,ittouchesontheroleoflong-termresearchpartnershipsinbuildingNQFCommunities
ofPracticeandrelationalagencyinthesystemforeducation,training,developmentandworkinthecountry.Itcloses
withasummaryofthefindingsofanationalSouthAfricanQualificationsAuthority-DurbanUniversityofTechnology
(SAQA-DUT)surveyintotheextentofexistingarticulationinitiativessevenyearsafterthepromulgationoftheNQFAct,
highlightingtheecologies(Bronfenbrenner,1989)offivesuccessfulmodelswhichcouldbetakentoscale.
Paper 2 outlines the SAQA-DUT partnership research into ‘articulation’ inmore depth. It sketches the relationship
betweentheNationalArticulationBaselineSurveyandthebroaderobjectivesofproject.TheSAQA-DUTinvestigation
includes an Articulation Baseline and six in-depth case studies involving a range of stakeholders, the development of the
‘relationalagency’(Edwards,2014)neededforstrengtheningarticulationnetworks,andthedevelopmentofarticulation
across thesystem.Theresearchattemptstoanswerthefollowingbroadquestion: ‘Whatsuccessfulmodelsexist in
SouthAfricaforlearnertransitioningbetweenTVETCollegesandHEIs,betweenUoTsandtraditionaluniversities,and
betweenCollegesorHEIs,andworkplaces?Whyarethesemodelssuccessful?Howcantheybetakentoscale?’The
projectseekstoidentify,analyseanddocumentsuccessfulmodelsandrelationshipsforstudenttransitioning;explore
thepotentialfordevelopingcollaborativemodelsinordertotakethesuccessfulmodelsandrelationshipstoscale;and
identifythenatureofactivitiesandsupportthatinstitutions,staff,andstudentsneedforsuccessfultransitioning.
Paper2introducesthefirstin-depthcasestudy,whichproposes‘participatorymanagement’asanenablerofeffective
managementofarticulationarrangementsbetweeninstitutions,inthiscaseaHigherEducationInstitution(HEI)anda
TechnicalandVocationalEducationalandTraining(TVET)College.
Paper3outlinesthesecondofthefivecasestudiesintheSAQA-DUTpartnershipresearch.Itfocussesonarticulation
betweenengineeringprogrammesintheTVETCollegesandHEIsinthreeprovincesandislimitedtothreedisciplines,
namelyElectrical,ElectronicandMechanicalEngineering.Thenotionof‘epistemicinjustice’(Fricker,2007,Anderson,
2012,Keet,2014)isusedasthelensthroughwhichaParticipatoryActionResearch(PAR)frameworkisusedtoguide
theenquiry.Thestudyexaminestheextenttowhichcertainpracticesemployedinarticulationarrangementsconstitute
epistemicinjustice,andexploreshowsuchpracticesmaybeameliorated,therebypromotingepistemicjustice.
Keywords:
NQF,articulation,learningpathways,inter-institutionalrelationships,participatorymanagement,epistemicinjustice
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ID011 Questions of Regulation: Professional Milieus and Labour Markets for Accounting Professions in Post-Apartheid South Africa
Bonnin, Debby (UniversityofPretoria); Shaun, Ruggunan (UniversityofKwaZulu-Natal)
The aim of this paper is to examine the dynamics that have shaped the professional milieus and labour markets for the
accounting(referringheretobothcharteredaccountantsandauditors)professionsinapost-ApartheidSouthAfrican
context.ThispaperexaminesthechangesintheregulationoftheaccountingandauditingprofessioninSouthAfrica.
Inordertodothis,webeginbybrieflyexamininghowtheprofessionwasregulatedhistorically.This,weargue,occurred
through the regulation of these professions by both the Apartheid state and the relevant professional bodies via strategies
ofracialisedandgenderedgatekeeping,professionalclosureandthemanufacturingofprofessionalboundaries.The
outcomewasaraciallyskewedlabourmarketintheseprofessions,aswellashostileprofessionalculturestowardsblack
SouthAfricanswantingtoentertheseprofessions.
Thesecondpartofthepapersketchesouttherecentglobalcontextforregulation.Wearguethatthiscontexti.e.the
adoptionof,andcompliancewith,theInternationalFinancialReportingStandardsassetbytheInternationalAccounting
StandardsBoardareimportanttothepost-apartheidSouthAfricaneconomyforanumberofreasons.Primarily, it is
necessarytoSouthAfrica’sintegrationintoaglobalisedintegratedeconomyandfurthermore,essentialtoattracting
ForeignDirectInvestment.
Thethirdpartofthepaperexploresthelocalenvironmentofregulationpost-1994.Therearetwoaspectstotheway
inwhichthishappens.Firstly,thereis‘outside’regulationi.e.throughthestate.Andthishasentailedtheintroduction
ofnew legislation in thepost-Apartheidperiod, itspurposebeing toensureglobal complianceaswell asmeet the
state’saimsofopeningaccesstothosepreviouslyexcluded.Andsecondly,therehasbeenself-regulationthroughthe
professionalbodyi.e.SouthAfricanInstituteofChartedAccountants.Thesetwo‘types’ofregulationhavenotnecessarily
beenincontradictionandtheconclusionistherehasbeena‘mixed’processofregulationwithnationalcontrolbeing
maintained.
Inthefinalsectionofthepaperweexplorethe‘meaningofthesedynamicswithregardtotheliterature.Wedrawa
numberofconclusions.Firstly,thatSouthAfricaisanexampleofco-regulation(i.e.bothStateandProfessionalBodies)
butthatintherecentperiodithasmovedfromhappeningontwofronts(nationalandprofessional)tohappeningon
threefronts(international,nationalandprofessional).Secondly,thattheStatehasarticulateditsregulatoryagencyat
twolevels–nationalandglobal.Thirdly,wehaveseenthecoincidingofmultipleagendas.TheState,asadisciplinarybody
withregardtotheprofessionsi.e.pushingitsagendafortransformation,alsocoincideswiththewishforindependence
(fromcharteredaccountants)bytheauditors(hencetheirsupportforanewregulatoryenvironment).Ultimately,the
paperraisesquestionsofintra-professionalboundaries/power.
Keywords:
professional milieus, labour markets, accounting, post-apartheid South Africa
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID012Paper AVAILABLE
Understanding Adult Learners’ Sense-Making to Inform Pedagogical Innovations in Blended Learning Environments
Bi, Xiaofang; Helen Bound (InstituteforAdultLearning); Christine Owen (UniversityofTasmania)
ThepaperwilloutlineaconceptualframeworkandpreliminaryinsightsonaprojectaimedatinvestigatingSingapore
adult learners’ learning experiences in blended learning environments. The focus is on how they ‘experience’ and
‘translate’ their learning in and across blended environments, considering the implications of these processes for
pedagogicalpracticesandbeliefs.
TakingourleadfromtheInstituteofAdultLearningthatoffersanexpandeddefinitionofblendedlearning,weconsider
blended learning to be any combination of classroom, technology-enabled learning and workplace or work-based
learning.Forthisproject,weunderstandlearningasaprocesscontributingtoanincreasedcapabilitytoactdifferentlyin
theenvironment(Owen,2017);thelearningprocessinvolvessense-making.Weick(1995)describedsense-makingasthe
processbywhichpeoplegivemeaningtoexperience.Ifweconsiderexperienceasaprocessof“transformingcollective
cultural experiences (knowledge, skills and normative directions) into individual experience, constituting individual
subjects indoingso,andat thesametimechangingsocialpractices” (SallingOlesen,2017), thismeansweneedto
understandthedynamicsinvolvedintheseprocesses.Morespecifically,weneedtounderstandtheprocessesofsense-
makingandhowthecontext–thespace,theinhabitedpractices,andtheindividual’sbiography–mediatesense-making
forindividualandcollectivesubjects.
There are existing analytical tools to better understand the conceptualisation and knowledge building processes.
ScardamaliaandBereiter’s(2015)knowledgebuildingapproachisonesuchtool;itenablesresearcherstocategorise
howlearnersconstructandco-constructknowledgethroughinteraction/dialogueswithtrainersorpeers.Indialogue
andinquiry,highqualityquestioningstrategiesareessentialforpromotingeffectivelearningandknowledgebuilding
amongstlearners(Bi,2016).Ourprojectisalsointerestedinbetterunderstandinghowlearnersdevelopsuchquestioning
strategiesandweadopttheinteractionanalysismodel(IAM)(Chai&Tan,2009;Gunawardena,Lowe&Anderson,1997)
to explore the different stages of knowledge construction and co-construction in learners’ learning processes. In
addition,weinvestigatethedevelopmentoflearners’conceptualunderstandingbyaskinglearnerstomakevisibletheir
developingunderstandingthroughtheuseofconceptmaps.
Weproposethatthestructuringorarchitectureofdifferentenvironmentscanfacilitatereflection,andcollaborationor,
alternatively,canshutitdown.Aslearnersnegotiatetheirwayarounddifferentlearningaffordances(Billett,2001)and
sense-making,thereisaprocessofappropriation(Wertsch,1998)takingplacethroughinteractionoftenwithamore
competentpartner.Howlearnersmakesenseindifferingenvironmentsrequiresanunderstandingonthepartofthe
researcherofthespaceitself–itsculturaltools,itsarchitecture,relationswithinthespace,theintentoftheactivities,
thenormsandlimitationsforsense-making,andsoon.Differentpatternsofrelations,routines,typeofwork,formsof
production,flowanddesignoftheworkandsoon,mediateperformanceandpossibilitiesforlearninganddevelopment.
Suchanunderstandingofthespacesoflearningnotonlypotentiallyenablesustounderstandhowlearnersmakesense
andembodypractices,butalsotheirinteractionwiththespacesintheirjourneyof“transformationofunderstanding,
identityandagency” (Edwardsetal., 2002:532).Thispresentationwill also seekengagementand feedbackonour
conceptualisation of adult learners’ sense-making to inform pedagogical innovations in blended learning to inform
futureresearchprojectwork.
Keywords:
sense-making, adult learners, blended learning, pedagogy, cultural tools
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ID013Paper AVAILABLE
The Infra-Structuring of Adult Learning in Singapore
Chia, Arthur (InstituteofAdultLearning,Singapore)
Infrastructures are typically invisible systems that operate in the background to enable forms of life and work.
Infrastructuresarecommonlyassociatedwithpublicsystemssuchasroads,electricity,andtheinternet.Thesesystems
enablethecirculationofpeople,resourcesandideas.Thereisacertaincoherenceandlogictoinfrastructureswhichcould
beregardedasmaterialisedexpressionsofideas,ideologiesandsociallife.Therefore,infrastructuresarebothmaterial
andsymbolicnetworksinwhichpeoplelive,imagine,identifyopportunitiesandtapintocirculatingandproliferating
resources.Infrastructuresarenetworkedformsofproductionanddistributionor“social-materialassemblages”thatare
constantlybeingmadeandre-madethrougheverydaypractices(Anand,2011). Infrastructuresnotonlyproduceand
distribute resources but also political authorities through mapping and regulating things like accessibilities, possibilities
andaspirations.
Using the frameworkof infrastructure, thispaperexploreshow (adult) learning inSingapore isbeing imaginedand
configuredforachangingeconomythatrequirespeopletore-thinkabouteducationandemploymentandtoadjusttheir
expectationsaboutcareerprospectsorjobopportunities.Iarguethattheinfra-structuringoflearningnotonlyattempts
toequippeoplewiththerequiredskillsandknowledgefornewtypesof jobsenabled(ordisruptedby)technology,
forexample,butitalsoseekstochangeattitudesandexpectationsabouteducationandwork,employmentandlife
chances. Ishowhowtheinfrastructureofadultlearningwhichcomprisestraininginstitutions,governmentschemes,
andregimesofrecognitionmaterialisesnewpossibilitiesaswellaspotentiallynewpoliticsandpublics.Hence,thispaper
suggests that by focusing on the infra-structuring and/or infrastructure of adult learning, one can better understand the
waysinwhichpeoplearemobilisedthroughlearningasanewregimeofthestateandmarket.
Keywords:
infrastructure,learningandworkaspirations,knowledgeandskills,politicsandpublics
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID014Paper AVAILABLE
Job Crafting Practices of Restaurant Cooks
Chia, Arthur; Silin Yang (InstituteofAdultLearning,Singapore)
Inthechangingnatureofwork,workersengageinjobcraftingtoimproveperson-jobfitbetweenjobcharacteristicsand
theirownabilities,needsandpreferences(Wrzesniewski&Dutton,2001;Tims,Bakker&Derks,2012).Jobcraftingis
arelativelynewconcept,whichisdifferentfromthetraditionalmodelsofjobdesign,wherestructuralfeaturesofthe
jobarecreatedandenforcedbythemanagers.Jobcraftingisaprocessthroughwhichworkersproactivelyredefine
andredesigntheirtasks,relationships,andperceptionsinordertocreateaworkenvironmentthatenablestothemto
achievebothjobandpersonalgoals.AccordingtoWrzesniewskiandDutton(2001),therearethreetypesofjobcrafting
practices–task,relationalandcognitivecrafting.Thispaperdrawsonthedatafromtwocasestudiestoinvestigatejob
craftingpracticesofcooksinrestaurants.
Thefirstcasestudywasoneofsixcasestudiesdrawnfromasemi-ethnographicqualitativeresearchproject(Bound,
Chia,&Karmel,2016).Inthisproject,thesixcasestudiesareveryvariedandspanacrossdifferentindustries:workplace
learningfacilitators,restaurantcooks,rotacommandersofafire-fightingunit,residentdoctors,aircraftengineersand
ITnetworkengineers.Beingasemi-ethnographicstudy,observations,analysisofcompanydocuments,semi-structured
interviewsandsmallfocusgroupdiscussionsconstitutedthedataforthesixcasestudies.Thedatafromthisproject
wasoriginallycollectedtounderstandhowassessmenthasbeencarriedout(i.e.designedandimplemented)invarious
learningsitesincludingtheclassroom,laboratory,centralisedtrainingkitchenandtrainingsimulator.However,thetopic
ofjobcraftingalsoemergedduringouranalysis.Thecasestudyselectedinthispaperfocusesonthelivedexperiences
ofthecooksinarestaurantkitchensettingofarestaurantchainoperatorbasedinSingapore.Thesecondcasestudy
isbasedonin-depthinterviewswitha19-year-oldfemalecookwithtwoyearsofworkingexperienceinthefoodand
beverageindustry.
Thetranscriptionsoftheinterviewsandfocusgroupdiscussions,documentsandfieldnoteswereimportedintoNVIVO
(software toassistwithorganisingandanalysingqualitativedata).Given thatWrzesniewski andDuttondefined job
crafting as changing the task, relational, and/or cognitive boundaries of a job, job crafting actions disclosed in the data
were initially codedbyeachof these threeboundaries. Thishelpedmaintain consistencywith the literatureand to
providereadersofthisstudywithaneasyframeworktounderstandandutilisethedata.Thisstrategyisalsoconsistent
withBergetal.’s(2010)jobcraftingdataanalysisapproach.Additionally,morethanonecodewasoftenassignedtoa
singlepieceofdataifitmetthecriteriaformultiplecodes.Throughouttheanalysis,relevantexcerptsinthedatawere
constantly summarised, sorted,andcompared inorder toensure thecodes thatwereused in thebeginningof the
analysiswerestillrelevantaftermanyroundsofdataprocessing.
Ourfindingsindicatethatalthoughthecooksdidnotknowabouttheconceptofjobcraftinganditwasnotaconscious
choice for themtoalter their jobs, theyareactivelyengaged inadoptingdifferent jobcraftingpracticeswithin the
constraintsoftheirworkenvironment.Ourfindingsalsorevealthatallthreeformsofjobcraftingareinterconnected
andmutuallyreinforcinginavarietyofways,thusofferingimplicationsfortheoryandpractice.
Keywords:
jobcrafting,assessment,changingnatureofwork
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ID015 Renewing Workers’ Education
Cooper, Linda (UniversityofCapeTown); Sheri Hamilton (UniversityofJohannesburg)
ItisgenerallyacknowledgedthattheSouthAfricanlabourmovementisincrisis(Satgar&Southall,2015);thisispartofa
broadercrisisreflectedinstubbornlyhighlevelsofunemployment,inequalityandpovertyinSouthAfrica,exacerbated
byinternationaleconomicandpoliticalinstability.SouthAfricantradeunionshavebeenexperiencingadownwardtrend
inmembershipforyears,asignificantdeclineinworkers’democracyandanincreaseinbureaucratisation.Thishasbeen
exacerbatedbydeep-seateddivisionswithin themajor tradeunion federation,COSATU, the fragmentationof long-
establishedunions,andtheproliferationofsmaller,independentunions.
Alongsidethesedevelopments–asbothcauseandeffect–therehasbeenaweakeningofworkers’education(Vally,
Bofelo&Treat,2013).Fewerandfewermembersgetaccesstounioneducationprogrammes,andthosewhodo,often
useittosupportindividualupwardmobilitywhichtakesthem‘upandout’oftheunionmovement.Manyunionsno
longercarryouttheirowneducationbut‘outsource’educationtotertiaryinstitutionsandeventoprivatecompanies.
Muchworkereducationhasbecomedepoliticisedandfocusesonnarrowversionsofskillsdevelopment.Manyobservers
havearguedthatinrebuildingthelabourmovement,itcannotreturntowhatitwasbutneedstobecomesomething
different,andinbuildingthenew,arevitalisedworkers’educationmustplayacentralrole.
Thissymposiumwillpresentwork-in-progressofaresearchandpublicationcollective,comprisingagroupofworkers’
educationscholarsandpractitionersworkingontheproductionofabookfocusedon‘RenewingWorkers’Education’.
Thebook isaimedatexploringhowtore-inventworkers’education– inSouthAfricabutalsobeyond– inorder to
engagewiththenewandbuildavisionofanalternativefuture. Itaimstocriticallyassesspastandcurrentpractices
ofworkereducation,understoodasthoseeducationalpracticesthathaveastheirspecificpurposetheeconomicand
politicalempowermentofworkers.Thebook’sfocuswillextendbeyondtradeunionstoincludetherangeofeducational
initiativesaimedattheworkingclassmoregenerally,includingworkingclasswomen,casualandinformalsectorworkers,
migrantworkers,andworkers’politicalparties.Itwilldocumentthemorerecenthistoryofworkers’educationinSouth
Africa,aswellascurrentpracticesandperspectivesfurtherafield inAfricaand inNorthAmerica. Itaimstodevelop
conceptualtoolsthatwillassistwiththereflectiononandtheorisationofthepracticeofworkers’education,andto
identifykeylessonsthatcanbeusedtoreinvigorateworkers’education,aswellasinformfuturepolicyandpracticeson
workereducation.
Thissymposiumwillcompriseapaneloffivecontributorstothisbookandtheirpresentationswillcoverthefollowing
themesandissues:
¡ Anoverviewofthebook’sgenesis,productionprocess,aimsandchallenges;
¡ Exploringtheimpactofkeyshiftsintheform,contentandpurposesofworkers’educationinthepost-apartheid
period, and particularly, the processes of institutionalisation and formalisation/certification of workers’
education;
¡ A critical assessment of gender training within the labour movement, and its ability to contribute to the
challengingandtransformationofpatriarchalnormsandpractices;
¡ Afocusoneducationamongstnon-traditionalworkers,includingthegrowingnumbersofoutsourced,casualised,
semi-employedandself-employedworkers–describedbysomeasthe‘precariat’(Webster,2012);
¡ Afocusontheorisingworkers’education–andwhysuchtheorisationmatters.
Thesymposiumaimstoenrichdebatesaroundworkandlearningbydrawingonthepracticalexperiences,intellectual
understandingandcriticalpoliticalinsightsoflongstandingworkereducatorsfromthe‘south’.
Keywords:
workers’education,labourmovement,radicalpedagogy,socialjustice,accreditation,institutionalisation
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID016Organising Learning at Work: Simulation Exercises for Inter-Professional Teams to Improve Clinical Outcomes of Maternity Care
Dahlberg, Johanna; Marie Nelson; Marie Blomberg; Madeleine Abrandt Dahlgren(FacultyofMedicine
andHealthSciences,LinköpingUniversityandUniversityHospital,CountyCouncilofÖstergötland,
Linköping,Sweden)
This paper explores the pedagogical practice and clinical outcomes of a ten-year competence development activity in
maternitycareaimingatimprovingskillsandteamcollaboration,withtheaimtoreduceinjuriesofthemotherandthe
infantduetocomplicateddeliveries.Maternitystaffneedtobeconfidentinhandlingcomplicationswhentheyappear;
however,staffmemberswillnotdevelopconfidenceinhandlingrarecomplicationsthroughdailyclinicalwork.Oneway
totacklethisdilemmaistointroducedifferenttypesofskillsandsimulationtrainingprogrammes.
In2008asimulation-basedteam-trainingprogramme,PracticalObstetricTeamTraining(PROBE),wasintroducedinthe
deliverywardatLinköpingUniversityHospital,Sweden.TheobjectivesofPROBEwereto improve inter-professional
teamwork, improveobstetricemergencyskills,and thus improvepatientoutcomes.Thechallengeofworkingasan
inter-professional team requires theneed tomakedifferentprofessional-specificmodesof knowing and reasoning
cooperate(Guile,2014;Fox&Reeves,2015).Inaddition,inter-professionalcollaborationandlearninghasbeenshown
tobeinterdependentwithhowtheworkplaceisorganised(Collinetal.,2012).
ThereareindicationsthatPROBEasacompetencedevelopmentactivityhasledtoimprovementsofpractice.Evaluations
ofthebabies’medicalrecordshavedemonstratedhowtheincidenceofnew-borninjurieshasdecreasedsincethestart
ofPROBEtenyearsago,which isan importantclinicaloutcome.Recentstudiesonthetrainingof inter-professional
collaborationskillsindicatethatinter-professionalsimulationimprovesroleclarificationandpromotesproblem-solving
skills(Titzeretal.,2012).Inthispaper,weareinterestedinstudyingthesimulationactivityasapedagogicalpractice,
particularlythedebriefingphaseofsimulationwhereparticipantsreflectonwhatwasenactedandwhatwaslearned
throughtheactivity.
Empiricaldatawasgatheredthroughvideo-recordingsofateamofprofessionalsinclinicalmaternitycareparticipating
insimulationasacompetencedevelopmentactivityandthroughobservationalfieldnotesof these recordings.The
modeloffacilitatingrelationalreflectionadoptedinthisstudyseemedtoprovidewaysofkeepingthecollaborationand
learning in the inter-professional team clearly focused, and might be one of the factors leading to a successful outcome
ofsimulationasacompetencedevelopmentactivityovertime.
Keywords:
inter-professional,teamtraining,simulation,debriefing,maternitycare
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ID017Paper AVAILABLE
A Paradigm Shift for (‘l)earning-a-living’ in a Post-Industrial World-of-Work of Mass Unemployment
Dalton, Norris (SouthAfricanInstituteofManagement)
Overthepastthreedecades,‘massunemployment’hasarguablybecometheleadingsocialprobleminmanydeveloping
countries,includingSouthAfrica,duetotheemergingPost-IndustrialAgesincethemid-seventies.TheIndustrialAge
(1775-1975)conceptofthe‘TheJob’(i.e.regular,secureemploymentwithacompanythroughoutone’snaturalworking
lifeuntilthepensionableageofsixtyorsixtyfiveyearsofage,afterwhichwhenonecouldhopetoretireinone’s‘Golden
Years’)haspasseditssell-bydate.
The ever-increasing progress of technological innovation – through automation (replacing the need for Blue collar
physicalactivity),computerisation(replacingtheneedforWhitecollar‘routine’mentalactivity),expertsystems/robotics
(replacingtheneedforWhitecollar‘higher’mentalactivity),hasdramaticallychangedthestructureoftheworkforce.
ThishasalsobeenexacerbatedbythemassiveinfluxofPinkcollarwomenintotheworkforcesincethe1970s,aswell
asglobalisation,whichhas shifted thesearch for low-cost labour (both low-skilled/ lowly-educatedandhigh-skilled/
highly-educated)fromtheFirstWorldeconomiestothefast-developingeconomies,suchasIndia,China,SouthAmerica,
MexicoandtheFarEast.
Theuniversalmantra that ‘Education is the Solution’ (i.e.Get anEducation -Get aQualification -Get a ‘good’ Job)
hasresultedinacrisistodaywherebythereisanexpectationthatallpupilsandstudentsareentitledtoauniversity
educationandthatitshouldbefree.Alternatively,theEducationsystemsuggeststhatifyouareunabletogeta‘good’
job,oranyjob,thentraintobecomean‘entrepreneur’andstartyourownbusiness.However,thetraditionalteachingof
‘entrepreneurship’basedupontheconceptofthe‘BusinessPlan’isirrelevantforstart-upenterprises,mostofwhichdo
notsurvivethe‘creative-destruction’phase.
Only a Paradigm Shift regarding the nature of ‘employment’, ‘jobs’, ‘work’ ‘money’, ‘self-help’, ‘mutual self-help’,
‘retirement’ and lifelong (l-)earning-a-living can meaningfully transform the lives of the millions of apathetic, non-
working,hopeless,discouragedjob-seekersintoapositive,motivated,hopeful,productiveworkforce.It issuggested
thattheconceptofthelife-skill‘workeracy’wouldbehelpful,namelytheabilitytosurviveandearn-a-livinginaworld-
of-work of high ‘job scarcity’ and a ‘lack of available capital’. Its implementation nationally through public-private
partnerships should be taught to all school leavers and the motivated unemployed, alongside numeracy and literacy, to
betterpreparethemforenteringthepost-industrialworkforce.
Inbrief,WorkeracyisbaseduponFourPillars(NewMindset)andTenPrincipals(NatureofWorkandtheWorkCreation
Process)andconceivedasasustainableprocessbasedonthefollowingpremises:
a. Continuallycreatingmultipleworkopportunities(i.e.incomegeneratinginitiatives)foreverycitizenwhodesires
towork.
b. Theincomegeneratinginitiatives(IGIs)willoperatethroughavarietyof‘monies’(shadowwage)suchasnotes’
andcoins(fiatmonies),goods,services,communitycurrencies.
c. Theworkopportunitiesaretobecreatedbytheunemployed jobseekersthemselveswithintheenablingor
facilitatingenvironmentofanationalnetworkofWorkeracyCentressituatedthroughoutthecountryinchurch
halls,after-hoursschoolbuildings,andlibraries.
d. GovernmentandBusinesswouldsupporttheimplementationoftheWorkeracyprocessbyfundingbursaries
(CorporateSocial Investment)forthe initial trainingofthePillarsandPrinciplesofWorkeracy,aswellasthe
facilitationoftheWorkeracyCentres.
e. TheWorkeracyprocesscouldalsobesupportedbyadedicated24-hourTVchanneldevotedtosharing‘workeracy’
successstoriesaroundthecountry.
Keywords:
workeracy,paradigmshift,(l)earning-living,post-industrial,massunemployment
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID018A Critical Analysis of Motives for Participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in the Oral Hygiene sector in South Africa: A Cultural Historical Perspective
Daniels, Freda (UniversityofWesternCape)
ContinuingProfessionalDevelopment(CPD)hasbecomeaglobaliseddiscoursewhichcutsacrossmostprofessions.In
theSouthAfricanOralHealthcaresector,professionalsareobligatedtoparticipateinCPDactivitiestoenablecontinued
learningandrefinetheirprofessionalcompetence.CPDhasbeenadvancedasapositiveconceptbybothpolicymakers
andproviders,intermsofassumptionsandclaimswhicharemadeinrelationtothebenefitsofCPD(Friedman,2012;
Boud&Hagar,2010;Friedman&Phillips,2004;Queeney,2000).However,therestillseemstobeageneral lackofa
consensualunderstandingofwhatCPDisacrossdiverseprofessionsandprofessionals.Thismaybeduetothewiderange
ofCPDframeworks,modelsandapproachesbasedondifferentconceptualisations,motivesandlearningassumptions
(Kennedy,2005;Webster-Wright,2009).Yet,despitethehighleveloffinancialinvestmentinCPD,thereappearstobe
agreatdealofambiguityrelatedtoit,whichcontributestothevariouswaysCPDisunderstoodandvaluedbydifferent
actors(Friedman,2012).ThisstudyarguesthatprofessionalsparticipateinCPDfordifferentreasons.Thestudyexplores
criticallyandanalysesthevariousconceptualisationsofCPD,whatdrivesthemotivesforparticipationacrossdifferent
institutionallevelsintheoralhealthcaresectorandhowthesemotivesmay,ormaynot,haveinfluencedtheirattitudes
andthevaluetheyattachtoCPD.‘Motive’fromacultural-historicalperspectiverefersto‘whatmatters’forprofessionals
(Edwards, 2010), andhow they think, is revealed through their actions andbehaviour in theCPDactivities inwhich
theyparticipate. Themotivesoforal healthcareprofessionals across institutional levels is analysed, i.e. oral hygiene
practitionersinbothpublicandprivatepractice,representativesfromtheirworkplaceinstitutions,theUniversityofthe
WesternCape’s(UWC)OralHygieneDepartmentasCPDprovider,andrepresentativesoftherelevantProfessionalBody
affiliatedtotheHealthProfessionsCouncilofSouthAfrica(HPCSA).
Acultural-historicalapproachisusedasabasisforunderstandingthedynamicrelationshipbetweenconceptualisations
andmotivesforCPDparticipation,whicharegenerallyembedded inthepoliticalhistories, traditions,structuresand
cultural values of professions and institutions and how thesemight influence attitudes towards CPD participation.
AccordingtoEdwards(2010),values,motivesandknowledgearedeeplyembeddedintheseinstitutionalpracticesand
aremanifestintheactionsoftheiractivitieswhichwillrevealwhattheyunderstand.ThestudydrawsonEdwards’(2010;
2011;2012)conceptsofrelationalagencytoexaminewhatneedstobeinplaceinordertobuild‘commonknowledge’
bothfromthetopdownandthebottomupthatcouldfacilitatetransformedattitudestoCPD.AsarguedbyEdwards,
whenprofessionalsnegotiateenhancedinterpretationsofacomplexphenomenon,likeCPD,itmaybecomepossibleto
buildknowledgethatwillbeheldincommonbyallparties.Commonknowledge,therefore,constitutesthemotives–
the‘whatmatters’–foreachoneandisrespectedbyallpartiesacrossinstitutionallevels.AccordingtoEdwards(2010),
thissharedknowledgeofwhatmattersfortheotherarisesfromnewwaysofunderstandingandactingwhichdevelop
throughparticipationindialogicengagementsbetweenactors.Toaddontologicaldepthtothecultural-historicalanalysis
ofconceptionsmotivesandattitudestoCPD,Archer’sconceptionofreflexivedeliberationvia‘internalconversation’is
employedtoanalysetowhatextentthestructuralandculturalconditionsandinstitutionalpowersinfluenceprofessionals’
senseof agencyandpower toactpurposefully in relation to their specificmotives. Edwards’ conceptsof relational
agencyandbuildingcommonknowledgethroughreflexivedeliberationsresonatewithArcher’sfocusontheinterplay
betweenstructureandculture,whichisactivatedandmediatedthroughagency.Ananalysisofthedialecticrelationship
betweenstructureandagencythroughtheinternalconversationsofprofessionalscouldhighlighttheresistanceand
contradictionsrelatedtomotivedactionsandrevealhowthestructuralandculturalconditionsconstrainorenabletheir
capacitytoexercisetheiragencytoeitherreproduceortransformconditionsforprofessionallearning.
Keywords:
continuingprofessionaldevelopment,motives,agency,internalconversationandcommonknowledge
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ID019Paper AVAILABLE
Fostering Learner-Learner Interactionist Dynamic Assessment through Process Oriented Education
de Boer, Mark (AkitaInternationalUniversity,Japan)
TheJapanesegovernmenthasoutlinedwhat ithasdeterminedtobethenecessaryeducationalpathtodeveloping
young learners into ‘GlobalHumanResources’ (METI, 2010), individualswhohave theknowledgeand skills towork
andinteractinaglobalenvironment.Theseincludeinterculturalcompetences,languagecommunicationabilities,and
teamworkskills.Fromthesepolicies,itwasdeemedthatanewtypeofsyllabusshouldbecreatedusingCLIL(Content
LanguageIntegratedLearning)forthefirst-yeargeneralEnglish languageclasses inthefacultiesofengineeringand
agriculture, so learners, based on these mandates of the Japanese government, could develop skills useful for their
universitycareerandtheworkingworld.Inthispresentation,Iwilldiscussthefindingsofthestudyoftheimpactofthis
newsyllabustypetermedEcologicalDynamicAssessment(eDA).Thetotalnumberoflearnerparticipantsinthestudy
was36andtheimpactofeDAwasexploredthroughaqualitativestudyoftheinteractionbetweenthemusingActivity
Theory(Engeström,1987)astheanalyticalframework.
Thesyllabuscombinedtheuseofanonlinelearningmanagementsystem(LMS)environmentwithweeklyscheduled
face-to-faceclasses.Thetasksthelearnersundertookrequiredthemtoresearchinformationwithingroups,sharethat
informationusingasynchronousdialogueintheLMS’sonlineforums,createpresentationsusingtheirresearchfindings,
andthenpresenttopeersandinvitedfaculty.Theface-to-faceclassroomtimewasdevotedtogroupdiscussionwiththe
teacheravailablefordialogicinquiry(Wells,2000).Initialexaminationoftheonlineforumdialoguerevealedevidence
thatthelearnersweremediatingeachother’slearning.
Tobegin,thereisasynopsisofeachstepoftheanalysisstartingwithamapshowingthecomplexityoftheinteraction
betweengroupsoflearnersintheonlineenvironment.Next,analysisofthedialoguewillbeshown.Usingactivitytheory
astheunderlyingtheory,thelearnerdialoguewasdividedinto‘threads’basedontheobjectofthelearners’activity
andthesethreadswereanalysedusingLongacrediscourseanalysistools(1996).Thisrevealedthatthedialoguewas
procedural, indicating the learners’mediationwas similar to an interactionist type (Poehner, 2008), different from
hortatory type dialogue seen in teacher-learner dynamic assessment dialogue exchanges (Kinard & Kozulin, 2008;
Poehner, 2008). Further analysis of the dialogue using Bereiter’s concept of progressive dialogue (1994) and the
‘improvableobject’(Wells,2000)indicatedthatthelearnerswereusingprogressivedialogueto‘push’theobjectofthe
activitytowardscompletion.
Itwashypothesisedthattheimprovableobjectplayedakeyroleinfosteringlearner-learnermediation,soFeuerstein’s
Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD) model (1979), used for constructing more progressively complex
modificationsofataskduringdynamicassessment,wasusedtocomparethelearners’modificationstotheirimprovable
object. Learnerdialoguewas then compared tomediated learningexperience (MLE)parameters (Lidz, 1991)which
showedevidenceoflearnersplayingtheroleofthe‘morecapablepeer’(Vygotsky,1978)whilemediatingtheother
groupmemberstomodifytheimprovableobject.Itwasevidentthatthelearners’mediationnourishedthedevelopment
oftheskillsnecessarytocompletethetask.Itwasconcludedthattheimprovableobjectwasthekeyfactorinfostering
the interaction between the learners, promoting learner autonomy and increasing learner agency (van Lier, 2004),
instillinghabitsthatencouragelifelonglearning.
This researchhas implications for second language learning researchandpractices.Asyllabusof this type inhigher
educationwould give learners the experience in using language to promote skill building, rather than focusing on
grammarorconversationpracticeirrelevanttotheirfieldofstudy.Thiswouldgivethelearnersmoreopportunitiesto
become‘GlobalHumanResources’whiledevelopinglanguagecompetences.
Keywords:
dynamicassessment,learneragency,ZPD,mediatedlearning,classroomecology,LPAD
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID020Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Transgressing Boundaries between Formal and Informal Learning – An Epistemological Case Study
de Graaff, Frederika(CapePeninsulaUniversityofTechnology)
RecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL)hasitsoriginsinsocialjusticeconcerns,ineffortsmadebygovernments,academic
institutionsandformaleducationtoreachouttoconstituenciesthathavebeenunderservicededucationally(Michelson
&Mandell,2004)orentirelyexcluded,aswasthecaseinSouthAfrica.InSouthAfrica,RPLbecamepartofeducational
policies following the establishment of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in 1996. Worldwide changes
in socio-economic and cultural conditions have also started to impact on education in SA and require academic
institutionstotaketheworkplaceintoconsiderationwhenplanningcurricula.RPLhasbecomesignificantbecause“the
interpretationsof learninghavebecomeextended”(Harris,2000),enablingadultstoreceiverecognitionforcurrent
knowledge,contributingtoemployabilityandthedevelopmentofsocietyandthelegitimacyofknowledgefromoutside
theacademia.
RPL draws its theoretical underpinnings from different philosophies, such as constructivism especially experiential
learning; critical theory, placing emphasis on what counts as knowledge (Harris, 2014); and social realism (Breier,
2005)lookingatthetypesofknowledgeinvolvedbasedontheworkofBasilBernstein.Therehavebeenwidespread
theoretical debates concerning the nature of RPL practice and resulting in recent research projects analysing the
interactionbetweentheknowledgedevelopedthroughexperiencevs.academicknowledge(Cooper&Ralphs,2016
andHarris,2014.)
ThispaperispartofabroaderstudyaboutthetypesofknowledgeinvolvedinRPLpractices.Thepaperwillanalysethe
knowledgeclaimsmadebyRPLapplicantsataVocationalandProfessionalHigherEducationInstitutioninSouthAfrica
(V/PHEI),intheprocessofgrantingcredits.Onlyonequalificationisusedforthepurposeofthispaper:theNational
Diploma(ND)inArchitecturalTechnology.
UsingaconceptdevelopedbyMichaelBarnett(2006)ofa“toolboxofapplicableknowledge”,ananalyticaltoolwas
developedtotrytounraveltheideaofaknowledgeclaim.Ontheonehand,thereisknowledgeforthepurposesof
teaching and learningwithinaV/PHEI,“recontextualised”(Bernstein,1996,2000)andadjustedforthepurposesofthe
institutionandthecurriculum.Ontheotherhand, issituated knowledge, tacitorexplicit, thedisciplinaryknowledge
as it isusedby industry,fieldorprofession inacontextdependentapplicationandrecontextualisedformtoenable
peopletouseiteffectivelywithintheworkplace.SituatedknowledgecanonlydevelopoveraperiodandoneoftheRPL
applicationrequirementsisafairnumberofrelevantyearsofworkingexperience.
TheknowledgeclaimsmadebytheRPLapplicantsareanalysedusingthreedifferenttypesofevidence;firstly,naturally
occurringevidenceorworkplacebasedevidencesuchasdesigndrawings,technicaldrawings,projectplansandminutes
ofsitemeetings;secondly,recordsofinterviewsheldbytheresearcherwiththeapplicants;and,thirdlyareviewofan
assignmentcompletedaspartoftheRPLapplication.TheassignmentisareflectedspaceaffordedtotheRPLapplicant
bytheacademicdepartmenttoindicatewidthanddepthoftheknowledgeasinterpretedbytheapplicant.
Thisdatawillthenbecomparedtothe learningoutcomesofthesubject(s)thattheapplicanthasrequestedcredits
for.Theanalysislooksatthelearningoutcomes,withinthecontextofthecurriculum,takingcognisanceofthebalance
betweentheoryandpractice;whatknowledgeapplicantshavedevelopedasaresultoftheirworkandexperiences,what
typesofknowledgeareinvolved,whatboundarieshavetobecrossed.Conclusionsaredrawnandknowledgeclaimsand
thelearningoutcomescomparedaccordingtothedegreeoftransgressionorcuttingacrossboundariesbetweenformal
educationandinformallearning.
Keywords:
RecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL),knowledge,curriculumandemployability
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ID021Paper AVAILABLE
Tensions between Organisational and Individual Interests – Transitions and Transformations in the Negotiating Communication of Training Needs within Enterprises
Denninger, Anika; Bernd Käpplinger (JustusLiebigUniversity,Giessen)
Itisafrequentclaimthatcontinuingeducationshouldtransformfromasupplyorientationtowardsanorientationon
demands.Tailor-madetrainingsuitabletotheworkplacesituationandorganisationalneedsistheoreticallyornormatively
frequentlyconsideredthebestway.Soundneedsassessmentsareimportanttoidentifyneedsandtotransfertheseinto
adequatetraining.Theparticipatoryinvolvementofallemployeesisessentialinrelationtoworkplacedemocracybut
alsoinrelationtomodernparadigmsofproductionandservicebeyondTaylorismandNeo-Taylorism.
This paper is firstly based on system theory (cf. Miebach, 2012; Luhmann, 2000). Enterprises are perceived as
organisations,whichmaketheirowndecisionsbutareinfluencedintheirdecision-makingbyothersystems(political
system, economical system, etc.). Different hierarchies and sub-systems existwithin enterprises.Decision-making is
oftenregulatedbydefinedandcommunicatedprocedures.Evenroutinescanbedefinedasdecisions,sincealternative
waysofdecision-makingwerepreviouslyorarecontinuouslyexcluded.AccordingtoLuhmann,communicationisused
asatooltoformorganisations.
Secondly,thepaperisinformedbyliteratureontrainingneedswithinprogrammeplanningtheories(cf.Rose&Fleige,
2017). “Needs assessment is a much discussed concept in adult education” (Sork 2000, p. 100) but scholars have
frequentlypointedoutthattrainingneedsarenotsomethingeasilyavailableorsomethingforwhichsomeonehasonly
toaskquestionsortoproduceaquestionnaire.Nonetheless,theillusionexiststhatneedsassessmentiseasytocarry
outandarathertechnicalissue.ProgrammeplanningliteratureinadulteducationinNorthAmericaandGermanyhas
challenged this technical approach by stressing the importance of socio-political approaches and ethical considerations
evenorespeciallyinenterprises(cf.Cervero&Wilson,1995;Käpplinger,2009;Sork,2010).
Thispaperisbasedontheresultsofacasestudyaspartofajointresearchproject.Thedatawasgeneratedfrom12
guideline-basedinterviews,onegroupdiscussionandadocumentanalysis.Themethodsofdataprocessingarebasedon
qualitativedataanalysisaccordingtoMayring(2008).Fromthismaterial,aprocessmapwasgeneratedshowingroutines
ordeviantwaysofdecisionmaking,stakeholdersinvolved,issuesofprogrammeplanningandformsofcommunication.
A case study originating in theGermanhealth sector is presentedwith the goal of pointing out core processes of
needsassessmentandneedscommunicationwithinenterprises.Tensionsbetweendifferent interestsandneedsof
differentactorsbecomevisibleandhowneedsarenegotiatedishighlighted.Transitionsortransformationsregarding
communicationprocessesareimportantandprogrammeplannersortrainersshouldbeawareofsuchdevelopmentsas
professionallyresponsiblepersons.Whatroledoexternalandinternalactorsplayorcouldtheyplayinordertofulfillthe
highexpectationsrelatedtodemandorientedplanningandtraining?
Keywords:
organisational and individual interest, transition, transformation
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ID022Utilising Student Heritage in the Language Classroom for Motivation and Cultural Understanding
Dougherty, Patrick (AkitaInternationalUniversity); Aya Dougherty (AkitaPrefecturalUniversity)
Learningasecondlanguagedoesnotrequireonetoshutthedooronone’sownculturalheritage.Languageeducation
canaidinthedevelopmentofstudentswhoaremorecognisantoftheirownculturallegacy,andthelanguageclassroom
canbecomeaplaceforthecelebrationofstudents’heritageorheritages,aswellasbeingavenuetoestablishawareness
of other cultures and cultural norms. This presentation is based on the research and teaching experiences of the
presentersandwillaccomplishtwoobjectives:(1)tooutlinearationaleforincludingstudentheritageassignmentsin
EFL(EnglishasaForeignLanguage)andESL(EnglishasaSecondLanguage)curricula;and(2)tointroducethreeprojects
thatthepresentersdevelopedandhaveusedintheirownlanguageclassroomsinordertogivelanguagestudentsan
opportunitytoengagewiththeirhomeculturesandpersonalheritages.
The cultural heritage of the language learner can also provide a rich source of inspiration and material to assist in
student-centredinstruction.ThepresentersacceptChismandLou’s(2005)premisethatoneofthesignificantgoalsin
a language classroom is intercultural understanding, and further that this intercultural understanding must include the
student’sownculture.Inlightofthisprinciple,itisincumbentuponEFLandESLteacherstocreateopportunitiesfortheir
studentstoexploretheirownculturalandheritagebackgrounds.Further,ifMoran’s(2001)conclusion,thatintercultural
understanding is formed from cultural comparisons, is applied in this context, it indicates a need for students to reach
asophisticatedunderstandingoftheirownculturesinordertounderstandothercultures.Likewalkingacrossastream
bysteppingfromstonetostone,astudentmustfirstappreciatehisorherowncultureandheritageinordertoreachan
understandingofanothercultureandheritage.
Theterms“culture”and“heritage”areexploredinthispaper.AccordingtoHofstede(1996),cultureisacollectiveway
ofactingandthinking.Moran(2001)identifiedcultureasbeingrootedinpracticesofbehavior,artifacts,perceptions,
andthematrixandinteractionofthecommunityandindividual.Practicesofbehaviourcanbelanguageusage,non-
verbalcommunication,actionsandinteractionsofindividualsandindividualsandthecommunity.Artifactscanbetools,
weapons, clothing, food,ordwellings, amongother items.Perceptions, according toMoran, canbebelief systems,
religion,andorvalues.The interactionsofthecommunityand individualcanberooted inreligiousobservancesand
rituals,andexpectationsofbehaviorandbelonging.AccordingtoMoran(2001:24),“cultureistheevolvingwayoflife
ofagroupofpersons,consistingofasharedsetofpracticesassociatedwithasharedsetofproducts,basedupona
sharedsetofperspectivesontheworld,andsetwithinspecificsocialcontexts.”Eachoftheprojectsoutlinedinthis
presentationaddressesoneormoreoftheseaspectsofculture.Thepresentersintroducethreeprojectsthathavebeen
developedforEnglishasaForeignLanguagecoursesinJapanandtheUnitedArabEmirates.Eachoftheseprojects(Tell
me about your Country, Speaking of Japan: a Conversation Game and Lives of our Heritage)offersstudentstheopportunity
togainadeeperunderstandingoftheirownculturalheritageandgivesthemthevocabularyandexperiencetobeable
toexplainthatheritageandculturetotheworldthroughthemediumofEnglish.
TheprojectspresentedtaketoheartthedirectiveoftheUnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganisation’s
WorldHeritageConventionConcerningtheProtectionoftheWorldCulturalandNaturalHeritageasadoptedon16
November1972, specifically,Article 27,where signatory countriesweredirected touseeducation and information
programmes to strengthen theunderstandingandappreciationofheritageand culture among their citizenry,with
specialfocusontheyoung(UNESCO,1972).ItisofparamountimportancethatEFLandESLstudentsunderstandthat
learningEnglishdoesnotentailclosingthedoorontheirowncultureandhistory.
Keywords:
culture, heritage, EFL, ESL, classroom
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ID023Paper AVAILABLE
How is User Involvement Transforming Professional Work, Knowledge and Identities? – Studies in the Danish Health Sector
Dybbroe, Betina; Annette Kamp (RoskildeUniversity)
User involvement is currently a cornerstone in the transformation of the health sector inmostWestern European
countries,aspartofa“sharedgovernanceforhealth“(Kickbusch,2011) involvingcitizensasco-producerswithnew
roles,responsibilitiesanddutiesinrelationtohealthprovision(Barnes&Coterell,2011).Thisaffectsprofessionalwork,
knowledgeandidentitiesofprofessionals,andmaybecomeoneofthemaindriversofchangesinknowledgebases,
clinicaldecisionmaking,andthepositionsoftheprofessionals.Userinvolvementtakesondifferentformsasdiscussedby,
forexample,Martin(2008),BarnesandCoterell(2011),Vrangbaek(2015)andcanbeunderstoodwithdifferentmodels
throughvariousmethods.However,userinvolvementisdrivenforwardthroughrationalitiesofbothconsumerisation,
rationalisation,andstandardisationofhealthcare(Vabø,2006;Christensen,2015;Entwistleetal.,2011)andmustbe
studiedcontextuallyinrelationtohowtheserationalitiescreatetensionsandarepresentedindifferentformsinrelation
tospecificareas,patients,andformsofuserinvolvement.
Ourresearchfocussesonuser involvementofthechronicallyandmentally ill,whereusersaresupposedtotakeon
amajor responsibility formasteringandmonitoringtheirownhealth.Wepresentananalysisofpsychiatricpractice
andhome-basedpracticewithelderly,andexplorehowprofessionalscouldmanagethisandengageinco-production
withpatients.The implicationsofuser involvementmaybeunderstoodasastrengtheningoforganisationalcontrol
andaschallengingtheautonomyoftheprofessionals(Evetts,2011). Itcanappeartothreatenthebalancebetween
responsibilityandrisk(Kilminster&Zukas,2013)andsubsequentlyplaysanimportantrolefortheidentityprocessesof
healthprofessionals.Itisnodoubtawaytocreatebettermanagementofillnessbypatientsasseenby,forexample,
Vrangbæk(2015)andØrtenbladetal.(2015).Butitmayalsobeseenasenhancementofpatients’knowledge;itcan
createhybridformsofknowledge, informedbybothmedicineandusers’experiences(Pols,2011),possiblycreating
distrustofknowledgeinbothprofessionalsandusers(Martin&Finn,2011).
Thiscontributionpresents researchonuser involvement in thehealthsector inDenmark in2015to2017basedon
ethnographic field studieswithin psychiatry andhome-based care.Only very few investigations illuminate how the
professionalsareinvolvedinandinterpretuserinvolvement,andhowthismayaffectprofessionalknowledge,positions
andpracticalwork.Afewstudiespointouthowtimeandorganisationalandinstitutionalframesformedthroughpresent
standardisationofhealthservicesareexperiencedbyprofessionalsasimpediments(Jönsson,2013;Holen&Ahrenkiel,
2011).Thisissuehasalsobeenpointedoutspecificallyinrelationtoworkinpsychiatry(Kamp&Dybbroe,2014).This
researchhoweverdoesnotaddressquestionsonhowuserinvolvementmayleadtoconflictsofknowledgebasesand
ofidentities.Thepaperwillfocusonhowthehealthprofessionals,mainlynursesandhealthcareassistants,interpret
andcontributetochangingwelfareservice inuser involvementmodelsandpractices inpsychiatryandhome-based
care.Howdotheycreate,resistandnegotiateknowledgeandqualityinthemeetingwithusers,andhowdoesuser
involvementtherebyinfluenceprofessionalism?Wepointouthowthelegitimacyofusermanagementmayclashwith
thelegitimacyofthe‘patient’,andfurtheraffectsthelegitimacyoftheprofessionalidentity.Furthermore,weseethat
userinvolvementseemstoenhancefragmentationofprofessionalwork,whenuserstoalargerextentmanagepatient
pathways,leadingtoprofessionalslosinginsightandclinicalunderstanding.
Keywords:
user involvement, health care
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ID024Activity Theory and Transformative Agency at Work: The Potential of Double Stimulation
Engeström, Yrjö (UniversityofHelsinki); Callie Grant (RhodesUniversity); Takaya Kawamura (Osaka
CityUniversity,Japan); Nick Hopwood (UniversityofTechnology); Belinda Gottschalk (Universityof
Technology); Joce Nuttall (AustralianCatholicUniversity); Irene Vänninen (NaturalResourcesInstitute,
Finland); Marco Pereira Querol (FederalUniversityofSergipe); Annalisa Sannino (UniversityofHelsinki)
Work related learning in today’s world is more than amatter of acquisition of pre-defined skills. It is increasingly
amatterofquestioningtheexistingmodesofpracticeanddesigningnovelsolutionsbasedonequity,sustainability
andcommongood. Inotherwords, learningatwork is intertwinedwiththechallengeofdevelopingtransformative
agencyamongpractitionersand their clients.Howdoes transformativeagencyemergeandhowcan itbe fostered
inlearning?Vygotsky’sprincipleofdoublestimulationoffersatheoreticalframeworkforstudiesaimedatanswering
thesequestions.Recentfoundationalresearch(Sannino,2015)hasledtoaconceptualmodelofdoublestimulationas
astepwiseprocessoffacingaparalysingconflictofmotivesandresolvingtheconflictexpansivelybymeansofcultural
artifactsusedas ‘secondstimuli’thatenablethesubjectstotaketransformativevolitionalactions.Thissymposium’s
papers reporton studies thatmakeuseof this framework indifferentworkcontextsandcultures.Thefivepapers
presentedinthesymposiumaimatidentifyingthepotentialsofdoublestimulationinworkrelatedlearning.
CallieGrant’spaper,Double stimulation and artifact use in leadership learning for school learners,askshowlearnerscanbe
involvedinschoolchangeinwaysthatdevelopthemasdemocraticdecision-makersandleaders.Thisquestionprompted
therestructuringofaneducationalleadershipelectiveofapostgraduatequalificationforpractisingschoolteachersat
RhodesUniversity,SouthAfrica.Theelectivewasdesignedasaformativeintervention.Inresponsetothepaucityof
learnerleadershipinschools(1ststimulus),thepostgraduatestudents(practisingteachers)weremandatedtointervene
intheirplacesofworkandestablishafter-schoolleadershipclubsforlearners.Throughtheirinvolvementinaguided
mini-researchactivity(2ndstimulus),learnerswereabletodetermine‘whatmattered’tothem.Thereafter,througha
processofpracticalexperimentation, learnersplannedand implementedchange initiatives in their schools.Looking
across thedataof70 research reports, thispaperexplores the roleofartifacts in thechange initiativesof theclub
learners.Itexaminesthekindsofartifactsthelearnersdrewonandhowtheartifactswereusedinparticularsituations
tofostertransformativeagency.
TakayaKawamura’spaper,Facilitating double stimulation in the arts-mediated critical management learning for health/
social care workers,considershowJapanesehealthandsocialcareworkersandorganisationsarefacingcomplicated
care needs of a rapidly ageing population as well as pressing governmental requirements for cost containment,
quality improvementand risk reduction.OsakaCityUniversity’shealth/social careexecutiveMBAprogrammetrains
medicaldoctors,nurses,pharmacists,socialworkersandadministratorstocopewiththesechallenges.Everystudent
isrequiredtoplanherowndevelopmentalworkresearchstudytocreateinnovativeprofessional/managerialpractices
and transform theirworkplaces. Thepaperexaminespotential contributionsof arts-mediatedworkshops to critical
managementlearningintermsofdoublestimulation,usingaquestionnairesurvey,interviewswiththestudents,and
observationsasdata.
ThepaperofNickHopwoodandBelindaGottschalk,Double stimulation and tool use in services for families with young
children at risk, examines learning and agency in early intervention services targeting families where risks to the
children’sdevelopmentandwell-beinghavebeenidentified.Theintentionistobuildparents’agencyinrelationtotheir
children’sdevelopmentbytransformingparentingpractices.Theanalysisdrawsondatafromahomevisitingserviceand
atoddlerclinic,examiningwhatkindsofartifactsareused,includingabstractconcepts,mundanehouseholdobjects,
thoseintroducedbyprofessionals,andthebody.Theseartifactswereusedtofosterpracticessuchasdistractingfroma
situation,calmingdown,andbecomingphysicallyandmentally‘present’.Theanalysisidentifiestentativelinksbetween
detailsoftooluseinparticularsituations,andtransformativeagency.
JoceNuttall’spaper,Exploring teachers’ transformative agency in response to digital technologies and popular culture in
preschools,exploreshowpreschoolteachersarestrugglingtorespondtoanapparentcontradictionbetweenpreschool
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asalong-standingculturalformandtherealityofchildren’scontemporaryengagementwithdigitaltechnologies.The
paperreportsonanongoingstudyofhowteacherscanlearntorespondeducationallybymeansofaprofessionalartifact
knownas‘web-mapping’.Web-mappingenablesteacherstobasethecurriculuminchildren’sinterests,includingpopular
culture,whilstalsoaddressingyoungchildren’sconceptformationandimplementationofmandatorycurriculum.This
has important implications for teachers’ capacity for transformative agency in response to young children’s rapidly
changinglife-worlds.
ThepaperofIreneVänninen,MarcoQuerolandYrjöEngeströmisentitledConceptual models as second stimuli: Building
transformative agency for collective pest management among Finnish vegetable producers. This study analyses double
stimulation in a Change Laboratory formative intervention aimed at developing integrated pest management among
greenhousehorticulturalproducersinFinland.Aseriesofconceptualmodelsservedassecondstimuliandwereusedto
grasp,reinterpretandresolveaseriouspestproblem(1ststimulus)inageographicallycompactgreenhouseproduction
cluster.Thekeyresearcherplayedadoubleroleasinterventionistandparticipantwhowasactivelylearningandhelping
toconstructthemodels.Theanalysisshowsthatthestepwisecollectiveconstructionanduseofthemodelsthroughout
theinterventionfacilitatedthegenerationoftransformativeagencyamongtheparticipants.Byallowingthesharing
ofdifferentconceptualisationsamongpractitionersandbymaterialisingthediscoverednewrelationsintheanalysed
system,themodelsfunctionedascommunicationandnegotiationdevicesthatfacilitatedexpansionfromnarrowfarm-
specificobjectstowardasharedobjectofcollectivepestmanagement.
Keywords:
transformativeagency,doublestimulation,activitytheory,conflictofmotives,expansivelearning,formativeintervention
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID025Paper AVAILABLE
Learning, Identity and Transformative Agency: A Framework for a Developmental Study of Medical Students’ Learning in a Healthcare System in Turmoil
Farnsworth, Valerie (UniversityofLeeds)
The UK’s National Healthcare System (NHS) has been undergoing dramatic changes, largely shaped by the state’s
move toprivatisation.Thispapermakesa case for theneed tobetterunderstandhowthesechanges impactupon
medicalstudents’learningandcareerchoices.Theprimaryargumentisthatthesechangesarehavingprofoundknock-
oneffectsforpatientsandhealthcarepractitionerswhichstudentsarepickinguponastheyprogressthroughtheir
medicaleducation,particularlyintheirpractice-basedplacements.Thedistinctwaysmedicalstudentsexperiencethese
changesneedtobeunderstoodandthatunderstandingshouldbeusedtosupportstudents’learninganddeveloping
professionalism.Professionalisminthiscasereferstolearningoutcomesthataredifficulttoteachandarguablymost
readily affected by informal and non-formal learning experiences, which are contextually situated. Professionalism
includestheprofessionalskillsandattitudesrequiredofadoctor,butalsoprofessionalidentity.Inadditiontoaconcern
fortheimpactonlearning,thereisaneedtobetterunderstandtheidentityworkthatgoesoninmedicaleducationin
lightofissuesaroundtheretentionofdoctorsandrecruitmentintocertainspecialismsaswellasleadershiproles.
The paper presents a framework and methodological approach to study the way these changes are shaping the
identities/identificationsandexperiencesofstudentswhoarecompletingacourse inMedicinewhich includesearly
pre-clinical placements in both primary and secondary care workplace contexts. The research uses case study and
interview-basedmethodstobetterunderstandthesituatedlearningexperiencesofmedicalstudentsinordertoinform
curriculumdevelopmentandeducationalstrategiesthatcansupportstudents’transitionsintotheircourseandintothe
workplaceuponcompletionofthefive-yeardegree.Viewinglearningassociallysituatedmeansweneedtoaccountfor
thewaysidentificationsshapeandareshapedbytheeducationalexperienceandtransitions.Italsomeanswerecognise
thatlearningtakesplaceinrelationtoactivitysystemswhichmayentailcontradictionsthatbothconstrainandenable
thelearningprocess.Thestudyexploreslearningfromthisperspective.Theproposedtheoreticalframeworkcombines
socio-culturaltheorywithasocio-spatialperspectiveinordertostudylearningassituatedinspaceandplace,understood
socio-materially, socio-politicallyanddiscursively.Thestudydesignwillattempt toaccount for thecultural-historical
transitionsoftheNHStosupportasystematicinquiryintotherelationshipbetweenthesechangesandthechanging
identityoftheindividualmedicalstudent.AnalysisofwhatJamesGeecalls‘Discourses’(orparticularwaysofthinking,
actingandinteracting)usedbyparticipants, inplacementcontextsandresearchinterviews,providesinsightintothe
qualitiesthatmakeupthekindofpersontheywanttobecomeandberecognisedas,henceprovidinginsightintohow
theyareorientingtothecontextandidentifyingwiththehealthcareprofessions.
In conclusion, thepaper illustrates theways the studydesignhas taken into consideration an intention to conduct
researchthatcreatesknowledgewhichcan informpractice.That is,akey researchaim is tounderstand learningas
situated,withinasysteminturmoil,sowecanbettersupportstudentstolearnanddevelopintoeffectivehealthcare
practitioners. One aspect of learning that is becoming increasingly important for doctors of tomorrow, given the
changinglandscape,iswhatAnnalisaSanninoreferstoas‘transformativeagency’.Transformativeagencyinthisstudy
wouldentail individualandcollectiveactiontowardsimprovedworkandsocialrelationsinhealthcare. Inelaborating
ontheframeworkandmethodologyIhopetomakethecasethatsuchastudywillnotonlyprovideauniquesituated
understandingoftheidentityworkandsituatedlearningprocesswithinmedicaleducationinanEnglishuniversitybut
alsowillelaborateonprinciplesandlearningobjectivesthatcouldsupporttransformativeagencytoenableourfuture
doctorstopromotejusticeandsocialchange.
Keywords:
healthcare system, learning, situated learning
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ID026 Reflections on ‘Non-traditional’ Students as Higher Education Policy Constructs and the Implications for Student Identity in Work and Learning Contexts
February, Colette (UniversityofWesternCape)
Aretheoriginsof‘nontraditional’studentconstructstobefoundmainlywithintheambitofeducationalpolicyrather
thantheacademicliterature,andwhataretheimplicationsforstudentswithinthecontextofthemassificationofhigher
educationandflexibleformsofteachingandlearningprovisionforallstudents?Insightsdrawnfromacasestudyofone
SouthAfricanuniversitysuggeststhattherearedifferentwaysofknowing,andnaming,‘nontraditional’studentsatthe
UniversityoftheWesternCape,andthevalueindoingsofacilitatesnewwaysofthinkingabouttransitioningcategories
of‘traditional’and‘nontraditional’students,bothinstitutionallyandbeyond.
Worldwide,agreaterandmorediversestudentpopulationparticipatesinhighereducationnowmorethaneverbefore.
Theliteraturesuggestsanincreasein‘nontraditional’studentscommonlyregardedasadult students, part-time students,
working college students, widening participation students, new wave students, millennial students and undocumented
students as examples in this regard. Policy imperatives, such as widening participation and flexible provision, have
influenced new kinds of student identities beyond the familiar and fixed student categories, of ‘traditional’ and
‘nontraditional’,conventionallyinuse.Problemsof‘nontraditional’studentidentityarecompoundedwhenthelanguage
andnomenclature inhighereducationperpetuateonlycertainkindsof ‘nontraditional’studentconstructs,denoting
mainlyanincreasednumericalpresenceforcertainstudentgroupswhileunderarticulatingblendedstudentidentities
andcorrespondingeducationalneedsforwhatisarguablyanewandgrowingsegmentof‘nontraditional’studentsin
highereducationtoday.While‘nontraditional’studentsarewidelyreportedintheliteratureashavingbothanincreasing
andprevailingpresenceinhighereducationinternationally,scholarlyinterestinstudentsconstructedinthiswayappears
toberelativelyrecentanddisproportionatewhencomparedwiththeliteraturepertainingtohighereducationstudents
regardedas‘traditional’.
Butwhoarethese‘nontraditional’studentsinhighereducationcurrently,andaretheiridentitiesbydefinitiondistinct
fromeachother?Whatiscurrentlydenotedbythis‘non-traditionalising’nomenclaturewhentheliteratureprogressively
regards‘nontraditional’studentsasthe‘newmajority’,the‘newtraditionals’andthe‘newnormals’inhighereducation
presently?Howdifferentaretheyfromstudentswhomaystillbeconventionallycategorisedas‘traditional’?
For higher education ecologies worldwide, generalisations about ‘traditional’ and ‘nontraditional’ higher education
studentscurrentlyprovideawindowononlytwomain‘types’ofstudentparticipatinginhighereducation.However,
newandtransitioningstudentconstructsmustalsobereflectedinthelanguageofhighereducationpresently.When
this is not done, the educational identities of all students in higher education are only partially understood and their
educationalexperiencesmaybecompromised.
Re-imagining nontraditional student constructs is recommended alongside discourses that make possible teaching
andlearningarrangementsforallhighereducationstudents,whofindthemselvesshapingtheirstudenthoodalongan
increasinglyblended‘traditional-non-traditional’continuuminhighereducationpresently.
Authenticatinglifelonglearninginhighereducationmaybeawayofnotperpetuatingcertainkindsof‘non-traditionalisms’
inthelexiconsofhighereducation,andmayusefullyleadtowaysofre-imaginingcontemporarystudentcapabilityas
partofawidersetofeducationalattributesinamorebroadly-acknowledgedstudentspectrum.
Keywords:
highereducation,wideningparticipation,lifelonglearning
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID027Fostering Potential through Work Integrated Learning: Applications of Behavioural Insights
Foster, Lori (NorthCarolinaStateUniversity); Raymond Patel (MERSETA)
Accesstomeaningfulwork isabasichumanright,asoutlinedintheUnitedNationsUniversalDeclarationofHuman
Rightsadoptedin1948.Worknotonlyservesasasourceofincomeandfinancialsecurity.Undertherightcircumstances,
it alsoprovides anopportunity forpsychological empowerment. It is anavenue throughwhichpeople candevelop
personalagency,formingmeaningfulrelationshipswithothersandcultivatingasenseofautonomy(freedomtomake
choices)andcompetence(masteringskills).
Giventhis,both“decentwork”and“lifelong learning”playprominentroles in internationaldiscourseonsustainable
development.In2015,thenationsoftheworldagreedtoseventeenSustainableDevelopmentGoalsestablishedbythe
UnitedNations.Goal#8entailspromoting“inclusiveandsustainableeconomicgrowth,employmentanddecentwork
forall.”Goal#4isto“Ensureinclusiveandqualityeducationforallandpromotelifelonglearning.”
Theworkworldcanbeanimportantconduitforlifelonglearning.SuccessfuleffortstowardWorkIntegratedLearning
(WIL)triggerreinforcingrelationshipsamonggoalsetting,learning,skilldevelopment,andempowerment,creatinga
positiveworkcyclethatbenefitsboththeworkerandworkplace.However,effortstowardWILarenotalwayssuccessful.
IneffectiveWILprogrammescanbackfire,leadingtofrustrationandreductionsinengagementandself-efficacy.
Atpresent,muchmoreworkisneededtounderstandandpromotemeaningfulWILexperiences.Becausepeopleare
atthecentreofWIL,insightsfromthesocialandbehaviouralsciencescanbeparticularlypowerful.BehaviouralInsights
aimtoimprovehumanwelfarethroughpoliciesandregulationsformedfromempirically-testedresults,derivedusing
soundexperimentalmethods(Lunn,2014;OECD,2017).BehaviouralInsightsusetheoriesandmethodsfromdisciplines
such as psychology and behavioural economics to design and test people-centred interventions – solutions that take
intoaccountthewaypeopleprocessinformation,makedecisions,thinkabout,influence,andengagewiththeirwork,
learningopportunities,andeachother.BehaviouralInsightsalsoaddressorganisationalfactorsthataffectlearningand
growth.
Behavioural Insightsgainedearlymomentum in theUK,Singapore,Australia,and theUSandare increasinglybeing
adoptedbygovernments,regulatorybodies,andpublicorganisationsworldwide.Anarticlepublishedlastyeardetails
the rapid spread of behavioural science initiatives around the globe from 2013 to 2016, pointing to international
bodiesincorporatingbehaviouralinsightsintotheirwork,includingtheWorldBank,theUnitedNationsDevelopment
Programme(UNDP),theEuropeanCommission,theWorldEconomicForum,andtheOECD(Halpern&Sanders,2016).
BehaviouralInsightshavenowreachedmanypartsoftheworldsuchasCentralandLatinAmerica,CentralandEastern
Europe, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. In 2017, the OECD published a comprehensive report describing
morethan100casestudiesfromaroundtheworld,whereBehaviouralInsightswereappliedtoavarietyofpolicyand
programmingchallenges,includingthoserelatedtoeducationandworkbehaviour.InthecontextofWIL,thesocialand
behaviouralsciencesoffermanyrelevantinsightsthatshouldbemoresystematicallyandstrategicallyembeddedand
tested.Examplesincludehowtocultivatea“growthmindset”amonglearnersandhowtobestunderstand,assess,and
connectvocationalinterestswithlearningandworkopportunitiestothebenefitofallinvolved.
Work,ifalignedwithanindividual’spassionandinterest,hastheabilitytoactasadriverofsocialdevelopment,cohesion,
andproductivity.InacountrysuchasSouthAfricawhereunemploymenthasexceeded20%formorethantwodecades,
it should be a national imperative to enhance the employment potential of people exiting learning to enter the labour
market.People’semploymentpotentialcanbebolsteredthroughabehaviourally informed integrationofworkand
learning,facilitatingbotheconomicandpsychologicalempowerment.
Keywords:
workintegratedlearning,BehaviouralInsights
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ID028 Occupations and Occupationalism: The Educational Dimension
Gamble, Jeanne (UniversityofCapeTown)
Anoccupationismorethanajobasaseriesofrelatedtasksoractivities.Itisasocialinstitutionwithfeaturessuchas
externality,objectivity,historicityandsocialitythatplaceitoutsideanindividualperformance,aspecificjobdescription
oraparticularworkplacetogiveitenduringstabilityacrosstimeandplace.Atthesametime,occupationsaredynamic
inthesensethattheycannotbeunderstoodoutsidetheworksystemsinwhichtheyarelocated.Whenworksystems
change,occupationsareopentoamalgamationatmoregenerallevelsbut,morefrequently,tointernaldifferentiation,
narrowerspecialisationandevenfragmentation.
This duality in the nature of an occupation makes it an attractive alternative to skill/competence as labour market currency
thatestablishesadirectrelationbetweeneducationandwork.Withinoccupationalclassificationsystemsthatallocate
codesatdifferent levels to familiesorgroupsofoccupations,an individualoccupationachievesgenericuniversality
acrosscontextsbyfittingintoalargergroup.Atthesametimequalificationscanbepeggedathigherorlowerlevels
withinanoccupationalgroup.Thehigherthelevel,thebroaderandmoregeneraltheoccupationalqualification;the
lowerthelevelthenarrowertheknowledgeandskillspecialisationthatprovidesthebasisforthequalification.
Giventherangeanddifferencesinworkcontextstowhichacodedoccupationwouldpresumablyapply,thequestion
that immediatelyarises iswhetheronedesignatedoccupationcancapturevariationsofthesameoccupation inand
acrossindustrial,commercialandservicesectors.Asecondquestionwouldbeabouttheeducationalimplicationsofthe
versionof‘occupation’adoptedasthebasisforqualificationsandcurricula.Broadandgeneralornarrowandspecific?
Thepaperexploresthesequestionstheoreticallyandempirically.Theconceptsof‘occupation’andaderivedrhetoric
of ‘occupationalism’asan ideologicallyconstructedcategoryare investigatedthroughreferenceto literaturedrawn
fromthesociologiesofeducation,work,professionsandoccupations.Thisprovidesaseriesofframesforinterpreting
asectionoftheempiricalfindingsofarecentresearchstudyundertakeninSouthAfricaon‘WorkandQualifications
FuturesforArtisansandTechnicians’,commissionedbytheLabourMarketIntelligencePartnership(LMIP).Thestudy
investigatedfourmid-leveltechnicaloccupationsofwhichthreewerecodedoccupationsintermsoftheSouthAfrican
OrganisingFrameworkofOccupations(OFO)andclassifiedastradesrequiringanartisanqualification(althoughthese
qualificationswerenotyetavailableatthetimeofthestudy).
Althoughthereasonsforsimultaneouspatternsof ‘upskilling’and ‘down-skilling’differedwidely,significant internal
occupationaldifferentiationwasfoundineachofthethreesectorswithoutformalqualifications.Whatwassignificant
wasthateachofthesesectorsexhibited,withinitsspectrumofoccupationalvariations,aversionofa‘whole’occupation
whichwascraft-basedinthesenseofrequiringall-roundexpertiseandcontroloverworkfromstarttofinish. Inthe
fourthsectorwhereoccupationalterritorieswerestable,well-definedandresistanttodilutionorfragmentation,formal
qualificationsoperatedatagenerallevelratherthanatanarrowlyspecialisedlevel.
Inthefinalsectionofthepaper,thesefindingsprovidethebasisforaddressingpossibleeducational implicationsof
using‘occupation’astheinterfacebetweenworkandeducation.Itisconcludedthatthechoiceswemakeaboutthe
scopeand levelofqualificationswilldeterminetheextent towhich the languageof ‘occupation’avoidsknowledge
andskillstratification.Relationswillneedtobeforgedbetweenbroadandnarrowtechnicalspecialisationtoprevent
theeducationaldimensionof‘occupation’fromservinganemptyrhetoricof‘occupationalism’andtoenableentryinto
occupational communities as living entities that extend beyond the bureaucracy of numbers and levels in an occupational
classificationsystem.
Keywords:
occupation, occupationalism, occupational qualifications, occupational differentiation, occupational community,
knowledgeandskillstratification
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID029Paper AVAILABLE
Skills and Training Needs in Community Based Natural Resource Management
Gandiwa, Edson (ChinhoyiUniversityofTechnology,Zimbabwe); Antje Barabasch (SwissFederalInstituteforVocationalEducationandTraining)
CommunityBasedNaturalResourceManagement(CBNRM),awell-establishedrelativelynewdisciplineinsub-Saharan
Africathatstartedinthe1980s,isconcernedwiththemutualco-existenceandinteractionofcommunitiesandwildlife,
especiallyinareasoutsideofprotectedparks.Socially,manyruraldwellingAfricans,whointeractmorewithnaturethan
urbandwellers,stillpossesstheskillsrequiredtosustainablymanagetheirnaturalresources,includingforests,through
differenttechniques,suchasharvestingofmedicalplantsorthehighlycomplexregulatedresourceusebasedonthe
productive and reproductive capacitiesofnature andwildlife. This knowledge is highly relevant for the sustainable
managementofresourcesandneedstobeintegratedintotrainingprogrammes.
Researchhasshownthattheutilisationof localknowledge isparticularlyrelevantwithinwildlifeandnationalparks,
gamereservesandoutsideprotectedareasincludingcommunalareaswhereoftentheconflictbetweenwildanimals,
traditionalfarmingandmodernfarmingescalates.SouthernAfrica isrich innaturalandwildliferesourcesaswellas
cultural heritage cultivated by local communities. Tourism development, sustainable natural resourcemanagement
and sustainable agriculture are highly relevant sectors for local employment. It iswithin these sectorswhere skills
developmentatalllevelsisneededandhastobeviewedwithinaframeworkofCBNRM.Keyissueswhichalsomake
training essential, such as the increasing need for biodiversity monitoring using modern technology, information sharing
on conservation, setting of sustainable utilisation quotas, tourism and international conservation initiatives, among
others,needtobeaddressedwithintrainingprogrammes.
Thepaperaddressesthecomplexityofthechallengesrelatedtowildlifeandnatureconservationanddiscussesthenew
skilldemandswithinthisfield.Itwillpointspecificallytorequirementsforvocationalortechnicaltrainingbasedona
criticalanalysisofthecurrenttrainingprovision,focusingoncasestudiesfromSouthernAfricancountries.
Keywords:
community based natural resource management, ecotourism, skills needs, vocational training
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ID030 Developmental Change Laboratories between University and Work in Health Sciences
Garraway, James; Lloyd Christopher (CapePeninsulaUniversityofTechnology)
Theresearchreportedoninthispaperiswithinthebroadthemeoftransformationofworkpracticesandboundary-
crossing between education andwork, ultimately towards improved health/socioeconomic conditions. The field of
EmergencyMedicalScience(EMS)isinfluxasitchangesfromamorepractical,rule-boundfieldofpracticetowardsone
inwhichpractitionersareexpectedtomakemoretheoretically-baseddiagnosticdecisionsandinteractmoreextensively
withbothpatientsandothermedicalpersonnel.Asthingsstand,studentsspendtime intheircurriculumunderthe
tutelageof currentworkplacepractitionerswhoactasmentors.However, thementorsare themselvesproductsof
theold styleof traininganddonotnecessarily supportor valuenewstudents’diagnosticabilities,whichmayeven
beinadvanceoftheirowntraining;thiscan,inturn,bedeleteriousforpatienthealth.Thereappearstobenoquick
fixorsimplesolutiontothishistoricallydevelopedproblemthustheso-called ‘DevelopmentalChangeLaboratories’
(Engeström&Sannino,2011)wereexploredasapotentiallyusefulapproachforfurtherinvestigationofdisjunctures
betweenuniversityandworkpractices.
Inshort,theChangeLaboratoriesarefuture-orientatedspacesinwhichthewisdomoftheparticipants,drawingfrom
theirpastandcurrentpractices,isusedtodevelopnewandimprovedwaysofpractising.Participantsarefirstmade
awareofthenatureofthelaboratoryandwhattheexpectationsarefromthemselvesandfromtheresearcher.The
startingpointorfirst stimulus is theunearthingof contradictions thatmayexistwithin thesystemasawhole,and
ensuringthatthesearefullyunderstoodbyallparticipants.Thenextstepisthecollaborativeidentificationofsomeform
ofinitialin-betweenobjectwhichcontainsthefundamentalcontradictionoftheactivity(Virkkunen&Newnham,2013)
andmayservetocoordinate,developandimproveonpractices.Initially,thisin-betweenobjectispoorlydevelopedand
definedandistermeda‘germcell’.Thepurposeofsuccessivemeetingsisthentodevelopand‘flesh-out’thisgermcell,
ultimatelyasanewwayofworkingthatcanbeexperimentedwithandfurtherrefined.Suchdevelopmentisreferred
tobyEngeströmandSannino(2007)as ‘expansivelearning’.Thenatureoftheactions inthelaboratorymovesback
and forward frommore empirical evidence drawn from participants’ experiences tomore abstract understandings
encapsulated in activity system diagrams. In between these are new ways of working, or tools, uncovered in the
discussions.Thesethreepartsaredisplayedvisuallyanddevelopmentsfrompreviousworkshopsareutilisedasstimuli
forsubsequentones(Virkkunen&Newnham,2013).Informationhasalreadybeengatheredfromacademics,workplace
mentorsandstudentsondifficultieswhichstudentsexperienceintransitioningintowork,whichwasusedasastimulus
to promote discussion amongst participants of contradictions for the first Change Laboratoryworkshop.We have,
furthermore,exploredapossible‘germcell’,whichencapsulatesthefundamentalcontradictionsbetweenworkplace
mentors and the developing academic curriculum, that of workplace mentors, academics and students working
collaborativelyoncomplexproblemsdrawnfromthefield.Tothisend,fourworkplacementorshavebeenemployed
toworkwithstudentsandacademicspart-timeintheuniversity-situatedskillslaboratory.Duringourworkshops(five
betweenMayandJune2017),weattemptedtoconcretiseandrevealthecomplexrelationswithintheinitialgermcell.
Theresearcherspreparedto launchaChangeLaboratoryprojectbyattendingaone-weektrainingprogrammewith
ProfessorVirkkunen(CRADLE)on‘ResearchingChangeLaboratories’.Thistrainingwasprecededbyaone-dayseminar
withProfessorEngeströmandDrSannino,alsofromCRADLE,onChangeLaboratoriesandexpansivelearning.
The number of analyses of the Change Laboratory process remains small (Virkkunen & Newnham, 2013) and our
presentationaims tocontribute to thisbodyofknowledge. Inourpresentationwewill reporton thedevelopment
ormutationofourinitialgermcell,andtheextenttowhichthegroupmanagedtocreatenewformsofpractice,an
expandedobjectoftheactivity,andwhichfactorsconstrainedorenhancedthisdevelopment.
Keywords:
changelaboratories,workplacelearning,contradictions,emergencymedicalsciences
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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Precarious Work in the Field of Academic Work
Gleerup, Janne; Niels Warring; Birger Steen Nielsen; Peter Olsèn (RoskildeUniversity,Denmark)
Precariouswork is a termoften associatedwithworking conditions for unskilled or low-skilledworkers, vulnerable
groupsandmigrantworkersintheprivatesector.Reasonsforthisareobvious,sincethisiswherethetendenciesare
first identified (Scheuer,2011).However, it seems thathigh-skilled,well-educatedgroups in the labourmarketalso
experiencechanges towardsmoreprecariouswork in termsofmore temporaryworkcontractsandgenerallymore
insecureworkandwageconditions(Standing,2009,2011).InDenmark,tradeunionsofacademicsbecomeawarethat
anincreasingnumberoftheirmembersareaffectedaswell.Fulltimeacademicpermanentjobsaretransformedinto
time-limited,project-basedorparttimejobs(Pedersen&Ribe,2013;Bøttcher,2016;Eilertsen,2016).
This paper presents selected findings from an ongoing Danish Research Project, exploring how precarious work
conditionsbegintoemergeintheacademicpartofthelabourmarket.Unlikethemajorityofcurrentresearchprojects
aboutprecariouswork,thisstudyismainlyqualitativeandseekstoexplorethesubjectivedimensionsofprecariousness.
Theresearchquestionsfocusonhowtendenciestowardsprecariousworkareexperiencedanddealtwithbyaffected
academicworkers.Theanalysisisinspiredbyaneverydaylifeperspective(Lefebvre,1991)aimingtoelicitwhatprecarity
isabout,whenitcomestoacademics.Howdotheemployeesinterpretandrespondtotheirconditionsandhowdothey
copewiththeinsecurityoftheirworklife?Aretheywellsupportedbytheirtradeunionordothetradeunionsfailto
grasptheirspecificneedsandinterests?
Thepaperfirstintroducesthecontentoftheresearchprojectandthemeta-theoreticalandmethodologicalpointof
departurebehindtheresearchdesign.Next,weelaboratebrieflyonthenotionofprecariouswork,arguingthatthe
complexityof thephenomenoncallsuponan interdisciplinaryapproach, viewing subjectiveexperiences in the light
ofcurrentchangesonthelabourmarket,interwovenwithglobalisationandthetransformationoftheNordicwelfare
statemodel(Andersen,2014;Mailand&Larsen,2011).Thirdly,thepaperpresentsempiricalfindingsinterpretedfroma
criticaltheoreticalstandpointinspiredbytheGermanresearcherAxelHonnethandhistheoryofrecognition(Honneth,
2006).Thepaperconcludesbyaskingopenlyhowsuchnewinsightscanqualifydiscussionsanddecision-makingprocess
needed,inordertofacetendenciesofprecarityinthefieldofacademicwork.
Keywords:
precarity,academicwork,lifeworldperspective,theoryofrecognition
ID032Paper AVAILABLE
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An Analysis of Skills within the Horticultural Sector in South Africa: A Value Chain Approach
Govender, Dhiren (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
TheSouthAfricanfloriculturesub-sectorhasbeenrecognisedastheoneoftheindustrieswiththepotentialtogrow
andcontributepositivelytothecountry’seconomy(Netnou-Nkoana&Eloff,2012).Withthelabourintensivenatureof
thefloriculturesub-sector,employinginexcessof17500people,itisarguedthatithasthepotentialtobecomeamajor
playerontheglobalstage(KaiserAssociates,2000).Althoughsubstantialhumanresourcecapacityisavailablelocally,
ashortageofskillsincertainareasislikelytohinderthedevelopmentofcertainsectors(Visser,deVisser&Dijkxhoorn,
2012).Hence,acoherentstrategyisneededtoaddressskillconstraintsthatmaypreventtheexpansionofthepertinent
sectorsor the introductionofnewactivitiessuchasskillsdevelopment towardsgreenerdisciplines likehorticulture
(Maiaetal.,2011).
Thisstudywillexplorethecircumstancesunderwhichparticipationintheglobalvaluechainfacilitatesskillsdevelopment
andeconomicgrowthinthehorticulturalsectorinSouthAfrica.Thestudywillbelimitedtothefloriculturesub-sector,
aselectedvarietyofflowersandthemainproductionareasinSouthAfrica,namelyKwaZulu-Natal,CapeTown,Gauteng
andtheLimpopoprovinces.Thisstudywilldrawonthebroadconceptualmodelsofvariousexpertsonindustrialpolicy,
value chain upgrading, demand analysis, supply analysis, vocational education studies, the evolutionary economic school
andtheirfocusoninstitutions,includingskillsdevelopmentinstitutionsandhowallthisappliestohorticulture.Thiswill
bedonewithparticularinterestintheinterfacebetweeneducationalandtraininginstitutionsandfirms.
Keywords:
horticulture,floriculture,globalvaluechain,skillsanalysisdevelopment
ID033
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Student Learning at the Interface of University and Industry, Demonstrated in Final Year Civil Engineering Assignments
Gwynne-Evans, Alison (UniversityofCapeTown)
Engaged scholarship is an area of research that seeks to focus attention on the learning opportunities that occur at
theinterfaceoftheacademicandthewidercommunity.Akeycomponentofengagedscholarshipisthatitrecognises
thatexpertiseresidesnotonlyinacademia,butintheworldbeyondtheuniversity.Muchacademicengagementwith
communitieshas focusedon thebenefits to the communityofpractice that comeas a resultof engagementwith
academia.Learningwasseentobedirected fromacademia towards thebenefitof thecommunities thatacademia
engageswith.Incontrast,engagedscholarshipintentionallyrecognisesthemutualityofthelearningexperience:that
learningoccursinbothdirections–fromtheuniversityintothecommunityandfromthecommunityintotheuniversity.
This recognitionchanges thepower relationships in the learningexperienceandallowsparties toengageas fellow
learnersandbuildersofknowledgeratherthanasexpertsorbeneficiaries.
Thispaperexplorestheopportunitiesforengagedscholarshipthatoccurasaresultofinteractionbetweenfourth-year
civilengineeringstudentsattheUniversityofCapeTownandthecivilengineeringcompaniesthestudentsengagewith
aspartoftheirprofessionalpracticeworkexperience. Inthefourth-yearmodule,ProfessionalPractice,studentsare
allocatedtoacurrentengineeringproject.Studentsarerequiredtoengagewiththedifferentpartiesmanagingthe
project.Theyneedtoassessthewayinwhichengineeringprofessionalismisdemonstratedbythevariouspartiesand
toshowthedegreetowhichtheirengagementwiththeprojectbuildsacriticalawarenessoftheimpactofengineering
activityonthesocial,industrialandphysicalenvironment.
The students’ engagement demonstrates engaged scholarship in the opportunity to engagewith the professional
environment – at the same time the engineering project is impacted by the engagementwith the students and is
potentiallychangedbythe interaction.The learningprocessherecanbedepictedas theacquisitionofexpertiseor
professionalexperienceprimarilyinvolvingthestudentlearningfromthecompany.However,becausethestudentis
potentiallyatthecuttingedgeofnewknowledgeacquisition,thereisalsothepotentialforthestudentstocontributea
newperspectivewithintheworkplace.
Thereisalsopossiblesecondarybenefittothecompany.Thismayincludethestudents’visitactingasan‘alarmbell’
encouragingemployees’ carefuladherence to safety rulesandprofessional time-keeping.Students’presence in the
workplacemightalsobeseentoencourageworkerstoworkharderastheyareawareoftheadditionalpairsofeyes
watchingthem.Inturn,studentsareabsorbingprofessionalpracticeasadiscourseandasawayofbeingintheworld.
Thisanalysisshowsthepotentialofengagedscholarshiptocontributeasamethodologytodevelopingknowledgein
acontextwherestudentidentityistransitioningintothatofaprofessional.Engagedscholarshipenablescollaborative
engagementandagencybetweendifferentpartiesintheprocessofknowledgeproductioninamutuallybeneficialway.
Keywords:
engagedscholarship,professionalpractice,workexperience,professionalidentity
ID034Paper AVAILABLE
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Learning to Deal with Psychosocial Strains at Hospitals
Hvid, Helge; Peter Hagedorn-Rasmussen; Henrik Lund (RoskildeUniversity)
AtRoskildeUniversity,wewereinvitedtojointheinitiative‘ExpertAdviceandInspirationforaBetterPsychosocialWork’.
Thisthree-yearinitiative,withfundingof135000euro,aimedforimprovementofthepsychosocialworkenvironment
withinhospitalsandauthoritieswithintheregions.
Our contribution – expert advice and guidance related to organisational development and psychosocial work environment
–woulddifferfromtheadviceofthehospital’sinternalconsultancies.Itwouldberesearch-based,butalsocontributeto
improvementofthepsychosocialworkenvironmentandthequalitiesofthehospitalservices.Weprovidedthehospitals
withaframeworkofthreeinterconnected,butdistinct,research-basedconcepts:
¡ Job crafting: an importantpartof theactualorganisationaldevelopment is the jobcraftingwhicheveryone
performsaspartoftheirjobs(Wrzesneiwski&Dutton,2001;Berg,Dutton&Wrzesneiwski,2007)
¡ Rhythm analysis: inspired by Lefebvre (2012), according to this concept, the daily rhythms of the work
organisationarecrucialforsocialsupportandlearningopportunities(Hvid,2010;Hvid,Lund&Pejtersen,2008)
¡ Relational coordination: inspiredbyGittell (2009), according to this concept, sharedgoals, timingofwork,
sharedknowledgeandmutualrespectamongdifferentprofessionsarecrucialforperformanceandwell-being.
Our assumptionwas that advice and guidance is an intervention that induces organisational learning, if facilitated.
Employeesandmanagersengagedindialogicalandreflexivepractices,associatedwiththeexpertadviceandguidance,
maywellleadtochangesinworkorganisation.Theaimwastopavethewayforincrementalchangesinordertoincrease
organisationalresilience(Hagedorn-Rasmussenetal.,2016;Sutcliffe&Vogus,2003),enhancetheabilitytolearn,adapt
workorganisationtoenvironmentalchangeandmobilisecopingstrategiesandresistancerelatedtoworkstrain.The
threeconceptshadtobetranslated(Røvik,2007)intotherealitiesofthespecificworkorganisations.Forconceptual
contextualisation,we conducted interviewswith employers and employees at theirwork places. Subsequently,we
conductedone-or two-dayworkshops, focusingonpossible (incremental) changes. Furthermore,our ambitionwas
tocreateatwo-wayknowledge-production:fromacademiatopracticebymeansofdialogicalandreflectivepractices;
andfrompracticetoacademiainordertogainpracticalknowledge,thusdevelopingthecoherenceoftheconceptual
framework.
To date, we have engaged with five workplaces: a hospital ward for children, a large district psychiatric ward, an
emergencydepartmentofahospitalandtwomedicalsectionsofahospital.
Preliminary results:Thetheoryofjobcraftingdrawsattentiontoandrespectfortheactualperformanceofwork.In
worksettings,whereemployeesareworkingcloselytogetherandusingnotonlytheirprofessionalknowledge,butalso
theirpersonalities,itseemstobeveryimportanttocreateapublicappreciativeofhowemployeescrafttheirjobs.A
meanstocreatethispublicattentionisthecreationofrhythmsinworkthatmakeitpossibletoreflectonanddiscuss
one’sownandcolleagues’wayofperformingwork.
Inhospitals,thedivisionoflabourbetweenprofessionalsandtheabilitytocreaterelationalcoordinationstillisacritical
factorforwell-being,qualityandproductivity.Ageneralpublic,formaland informal–aboutcontentofworkofthe
differentprofessions–isimportant.Tocreatethis,itisnecessarytocreaterhythmsthatmakeitpossibleforemployees
tomeetandtocommunicate.
Keywords:
job crafting, rhythm analysis, relational coordination, incremental intervention
ID035Paper AVAILABLE
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ID037Knowledge Democracies
Harman, Kerry (Birkbeck,UniversityofLondon); Linda Cooper (UniversityofCapeTown); Hongxia Shan (UniversityofBritishColumbia)
Thissymposiumengageswiththeconferencequestionof‘Whatistransformative(ornot)inRWLresearch?’througha
collectionofpapersgroupedunderthethemeof‘knowledgedemocracies’.Weareagroupofresearchersinterestedin
socialjusticeandequalityandeachofusisinterestedinthepotentialofworkplacelearningresearchasasiteformore
democraticapproachestoknowledgeproduction. In takingupandworkingwitha ‘knowledgedemocracies’ theme,
weanticipatethesymposiumwillprovidethespacetoconnectandexploreongoingcollaborationforthoseworking
on projects that challenge current knowledge divides such as: North/South; West/rest, active/passive; knowledge/
ignorance;academic/practical.Thiswillincludeconnectingwithusefulliterature(e.g.Cooper&Walters,2009;Grauetal.,
2017;Shan&Fejes,2015),learningfromtheexperienceofthosewhohavedevelopedprojectswhichincorporateactivist
researchtechniques,aswellastheopportunitytojoinaninternationalnetworkexploringthe‘politicsofknowledge’.
Thefollowingquestionswillbeexploredinthepapersandsymposiumdiscussion:
HowontologicalandepistemologicalapproachestoknowledgemayentrenchtheWestastheepistemiccentreand
whatneedstobedonemethodologicallytomakespacefor,ifnottoflattentheontologicalstatusofdifferentwaysof
knowingatworkinthecontextofmigrationandglobalisation.
Whoisabletospeakinaccountsoflearningatwork;whoandwhatisabletobeheard;whoandwhatisvisibleandnot
visible;andwhatgetstocountasexperienceandlearning?Andwhataretheimplicationsforknowledgeproductionin
thefieldofworkplacelearning?
Howmightweproducemoredemocraticaccountsofknowledgeandlearningthattakeintoaccountnotonlydifferent
knowledgesbutdifferentwaysofunderstandingknowledgeand itsrelationshiptoexperience?Andhowmightthis
contributetosocialtransformationandchange?
Keywords:
democraticpolitics,knowledges,equality,changeandtransformation
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ID038 Youth Workforce Development in South Africa: Analysing the Nature of the Evidence from Programme Evaluations
Hewlett, Lynn (UniversityofWitwatersrand); Carmel Marock (SingiziConsulting)
Interventions in the formof fundedprogrammesareawidelyusedstrategyto tryand improveyouthemployment
in many countries. Many of these interventions target skills development and support formal education-to-work
transitions.Programmesaimtoassistyouthtoseekemploymentopportunities,becomemoreemployable (through
educationandtraining),maketransitionsfromeducationtoworkand/orcreatetheirownemployment.Thespecific
objectivesoftheseprogrammesvary;however,allassumethatyoungpeoplewillbeabletoeitheraccessemployment
asaconsequenceoftheprogrammeand/oraccessfurtherstudyandtrainingopportunitiesresultinginqualifications
thataremoremarketable.
SouthAfrica has followeda similar trend in implementing youthemploymentprogrammes focusingon supply-side
interventions.Theseincludeschooltostudyorworktransitionalprogrammes,programmesfocusedonenhancingwork
readiness and supportingwork placement, programmes supporting the development of occupational competence
(learnerships,artisanships,graduatedevelopmentprogrammes),thoseenablingentrepreneurialdevelopment,andthose
thatcreatepublicemploymentopportunities.Therehasbeenlessevidenceofwhatworksassuccessfulinterventions,
particularlyreviewsthatgobeyondevaluatingtheprogrammesintermsofconventionallyusedsummativeevaluation
criteriarelatingtoimpactandvalueformoney.ThisabsenceofevaluativeworkinSouthAfricaisalsobecausemany
programmeevaluationsarenotavailableinthepublicdomainforscrutiny.Understandingthenatureoftheevaluative
workthatisbeingcarriedoutinthissector,andensuringthattheseresultsarecredible,validandrelevant,iscrucialto
ensuringthatthecentralchallengeofyouthunemploymentisbeingaddressedthroughtheseprogrammes.Inaddition,
itisimportanttobeabletoidentifythelessonsthatcanbelearnedfromtheinterventions.
Forthisstudytheresearchersworkedwithmorethan40summativeevaluationreportsonvariousyouthprogrammes.
This paper reports on ameta-evaluation examining these evaluation reports from two perspectives: whether they
provide useful information on the effectiveness of the intervention and whether they are credible as evaluation
studies.Answering thesequestions requires analysisof thedatapresentedanda considerationofhow ithasbeen
analysedagainstasetofdefinedqualitycriteriawhichenableconclusionstobedrawnabouttheefficacyoftheyouth
employmentprogrammes.Indevelopingthesecriteria,wedrewonframeworksthathavebeendevelopedtoreview
youth employment interventions particularly the ILO and PEPNet and other studies examining evidence from evaluations
andresearchonyouthemploymentandyouthemploymentinterventions(USAIDandWorldBank).Thesestudiesused
the common summative evaluation criteria relating to impact and value for money, but some also add criteria concerning
innovationandpossibilitiesforreplication.
Analysingtheevaluationsusingthesecriteriashowedthatthatmanydidnotprovidethenecessarydataforconclusions
tobedrawnabout theefficacyof theyouthemploymentprogrammes.Thiswas inpartdue to thepoorqualityof
availabledataandanalysis,theresearchdesignsandthetimingoftheevaluations.Whilethesecriteriapointtothepoor
qualityofmanyevaluationsthatneedtobeaddressedbythosecommissioningandundertakingthestudies,thispaper
raisesbroaderquestionsabouttheusefulnessoftheevaluativecriteriaforprovidingpotentiallyusefulinformationabout
theinterventions.Otherreportscontainedinformationandinsightsintotheinterventionsthatwerenotwell-captured
bytheframeworkusedtoevaluatethemandone-offnatureoftheseevaluations.Thispaperexamineswhatcouldbe
learnedfromthesestudies thatwasnotwell captured in thesummativeevaluativecriteriausedandalsoconsiders
howthedesignandconductoftheseevaluationscouldbeapproachedtoallowforbetterqualitydatatoinformthe
developmentofyouthemploymentprogrammes.
Keywords:
youthemployment;programmeevaluations;SouthAfrica
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ID039Paper AVAILABLE
Challenge Lab – Learning by Engaging in Society’s Sustainability Transitions
Holmberg, John; Johan Larson (ChalmersUniversityofTechnology)
TheUnitedNations(UN)2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentwithits17SustainableDevelopmentGoalsdevotes
Goal4specificallytoeducation,butsustainabledevelopmentisaltogetheralargesocietallearningprocess.Education
withitsinstitutionsthereforehasakeyroletoplay.Thedifferentaspectsofthisrolearediscussedwithineducation
forsustainabledevelopment(ESD)andseveral interestingexamplesofreal-worldESDlearning initiativeshavebeen
developedandrealised.Yettheyarerarelyevaluatedindepthtounderstandwhy,howandwhatkindoflearningthat
occurs.
Inthispaper,ChallengeLab(C-Lab)isanalysed,wherestudentsareprovidedsupportandspacetoengagewithcomplex
real-world sustainability challenges in society. The results indicate that C-Lab is in linewith the ESD ambitions, but
focusesparticularlyonperspectiveawareness,experimentation, leadershipandtheuniquerolestudentscanplay in
society’stransition.TheresultsalsoindicatethatC-Labrelatestoeducationandlearningconceptsofexpansion, dialogue,
values, authenticity, scaffolding, reflection.ThebackcastingprocessusedatC-Labgivestheexpansionadirectiontoward
sustainability,whichisalsotheambitionofESD.
Keywords:
sustainability, education for sustainable development, challenge lab
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ID040 Threshold Concepts in Radiation Physics Underpinning Professional Practice in Radiation Therapy
Hudson, Lizel; Penelope Engel-Hills, Christine Winberg (CapePeninsulaUniversityofTechnology)
Radiation therapy is a scarce skilled profession globally, and more radiation therapists need to be trained in order to
address this shortage, particularly as healthcare changes from the curative paradigm of the 20th century to a more
preventativemodel in the21stcentury. Imagingandtreatmentmodalitiesarecentral tothismodelandaredriving
that change to thebenefitof thepatient.Medical imagingandoncologyplaya key role inunderstanding complex
biologicalsystemsandaredependentoninterdisciplinaryknowledge(e.g.physics,humanbiology,computersciences)
toextractthatinformation.Tothelayperson,professionalidentityseemscloselyboundtowhataprofessionalcando,
butprofessionalcompetence isunderpinnedbywhatprofessionalsknow,and it istheengagementwithspecialised
knowledgethatcreatesaprofessionalidentity.Centraltoradiotherapypracticeistheknowledgethatenablesaccurate
targetingandtreatmentoftumours,whileensuringmaximumprotectionofthesurroundingnormaltissue.
Thispaperarguesthatwithoutadeepunderstandingand internalisationofthresholdconcepts inRadiationPhysics,
radiotherapistsareunlikelytoachievethenecessarylevelofaccuracyandconsistencyintreatment.Potentialthreshold
conceptsinradiationphysicswereidentifiedandtheirrelationshiptoprofessionalpracticeinradiationtherapyexplained.
Keyconcepts,whileimportant,arenotnecessarilysynonymouswiththresholdconcepts.Keyconceptsareimportant
buildingblocksfortheacquisitionofdisciplinaryknowledge,butwhatsetsthresholdconceptsapartistheirimportance
to professional knowledge, identity and competence, as well as opening the way for future learning possibilities.
Conceptssuchashowtheradiationbeamspreadsout(beamdivergence)andhowthedistancefromtheionisingsource
affectsthebeam(inversesquarelaw)canbechallengingforstudentsenteringhighereducationandexperiencingtheir
firstclinicalplacements.Masteryofthese(andmanyother)conceptscomprisethebuildingblocksofradiationtherapists’
learningtowardsprofessionalpracticeinthecareofthecancerpatient.Thisstudythusaimedtoaddressthefollowing
researchquestions:1)howcanactualorpotentialthresholdconceptsinRadiationPhysicsbeidentified,and2)howare
theseconceptsrelatedtoRadiotherapyclinicalpractice?
Transactionalcurriculuminquirywasusedasamethodologicalapproachthatprovidedopportunitiesforstudentsand
subjectexpertstoengage inextendeddialoguestouncoverwhyparticularconceptsmightbetroublesome,aswell
ashowmasteryof theseconceptsmightbeachieved.BystudyingtheRadiationPhysicscurriculumdocuments, the
students’studyguides,assessmenttasksandtestsoffirst-yearstudents,anumberofconceptswereinitiallyidentified.
Itwasalsoimportanttoelicitinformationfromacademicandclinicalstaffbothtotriangulatethestudentdataandto
hearallvoicesonthethresholdconceptsinRadiationPhysicsandtheclinicalpracticeofradiotherapy.Themulti-voice
perspectivewasanimportantethicalconsiderationtowardsthebenefitofallparticipants.
Identifyingandseparatingnon-thresholdconcepts(i.e.coreconceptsandbuildingblocks)fromthresholdconceptsis
challenging.Itrequires‘mapping’thekeyconceptsinthefieldtoformacoherentwhole,andthenidentifyingthose
conceptsthatareparticularly‘troublesome’.Itwasclearfromthisstudythatthresholdconceptsareindeed‘troublesome’,
often(asinthecaseoftheinversesquarelaw)involvingbothcomplexmathematicsandphysicscalculations.Thefindings
suggest that the typical progression in professional education that assumes the application of theoretical concepts to
practice,mightnotbethebestwaytoacquirethethresholdconceptsthat leadtotransformedpractice.Thisstudy
hasmadeacontributiontothe identificationofthresholdconcepts inprofessionalfieldsasareciprocalrelationship
betweenconceptandpracticewasestablished.WhilethestudywasconductedinaparticularBachelorofSciencein
Radiation Therapyprogramme, it has implications for howacademic and clinical educators in other contextsmight
facilitatestudents’acquisitionofthethresholdconceptsthatunderpinprofessionalpractice.
Keywords:
radiation, radiotherapy, transactional curriculum
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ID041Re-employment after Profession Change
Ikonen, Leena (UniversityofJyväskylä,Finland)
Theaimofthisongoinggroundedtheorystudyoftheprofessionchangeprocess (PCP)wastogain insight intothe
profession change process of adults enrolled in vocational education programmes and on this basis, to create a model
ofprofessionchangeprocessaswellastoexaminere-employmentafterswitchingtoanotherprofession.Thefollowing
researchquestionisaddressed:Whatarethepossibilitiesforre-employmentafterprofessionchange?Participantsinthe
studyhadalreadychangedcareersandwereenrolledinvocationaltrainingorwererecentlyfinishedtheirstudies.They
hadshiftedtoanotherprofessionthroughvocationaladulteducation.
Thisresearchwasconcernedwithchangesinworkinglifeingeneralandwithdesiretochangeatanindividuallevel.
The context of this study is vocational adult education and employment in Finland.Globally, an insecure economic
situation reflects in the labourmarket, influences employment negatively and escalates structural unemployment.
Changesinthelabourmarketorapersonaldesiretochangeone’sworkforcesemployeestomaintaintheirskills,acquire
suitableknowledgeandadaptto labourmarketneeds.Changingone’sprofession isoneoption.Theworkingworld
itselfischangingandworkcanbecombinedindifferentways:bothpart-timeworkandfixed-termworkhaveincreased;
entrepreneurship,seasonalworkandcrossingbetweenseveralprofessionshavealsobecomemorecommon. It isno
longertypicaltoworkinthesameprofessionorwiththesameemployerthroughoutone’scareer.Furthermore,career
developmentcanbeseenasalife-longprocess.
Intermsofmethodologyorresearchdesign,pre-researchconsistedofinitialinformationfrom136studentapplications.
Teninterviewswerecarriedoutwithparticipantsrangingfrom29to50years.Participantshadallswitchedtoanother
professionthroughvocationaladulteducation.Transcribed interviewswereanalysedusinggroundedtheoryandan
open-codingprocedurefirst,linebyline.Selectivecodingfollowedbyconstantcomparison,combinationandqualifying
ofthematerialuntilsaturation.Thisresearchaimedistogaininsightintoabasicsocialprocessandtogenerateanew
substantivetheory.
ChangingprofessioniscurrentlyacommonphenomenoninFinland.Manyemployeesareupdatingtheirqualifications
andre-evaluatingtheircompetences.Suddenunemploymentorradicalchangeatworkcancauseaprofessionchange.
Changecanalsobeinspiredbypersonalmotives.Changesmayaccumulatewhenapersonundergoesseveralchangesin
lifeconcurrently,withPCPonlyoneofanumberofchanges.
One of the main categories under study is Returning to work.Re-employmentisanessentialfactor intheprofession
changeprocess.PCPincludesseveralsub-processes,whichfolloweachotherinchronologicalorder,butmayalsomove
backandforth.Whenswitchingtoanotherprofession,one’scareerstatusand/oreducationalstatuscanmoveeitherup
ordown,dependingonone’spreviouseducationandworkposition.Duetoaprofessionchange,anemployeecanmove
fromanexpertroletoanoviceroleatwork.Variedconcretealternativesofre-employmentarepresented.
Keywords:
groundedtheory,professionchangeprocess(PCP),re-employment,vocationaladulteducation
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ID042Paper AVAILABLE
Experiences of Meaning in Precarious Academic Work – Initial Analysis of an Ongoing Qualitative Study
Jakobsen, Anders (RoskildeUniversity)
This paper presents an initial analysis of interviews for an ongoing PhD research project (“Meaning in precarious
academicwork”)atRoskildeUniversity,Denmark.Thepurposeoftheprojectistoinvestigatethesubjectiveexperience
ofprecariousacademicwork,andtheaimofthepaper is topresentan initialanalysisasabasis forconductingthe
remaininginterviews.
Theprojectworkswithinthetraditionofcriticaltheory,combiningbothsubjectiveand institutional levels,historical
and synchronedimensionswith an immanent understandingof critique and a critical knowledge interest (compare
Nielsen,2015andJakobsen2012).Intheproject,workistheoreticallyunderstoodasacentralformofhumanactivity
andexpression,asitwasoriginallydevelopedbyMarx,especiallyinhisearlywritings,andlaterdevelopedanddiscussed
withincriticaltheory(importantlyNegt,2001,andalso,forinstance,Honneth,1994,2003).
Workingeneraliscurrentlyintransformation,academicworkinparticular(Boltanski&Chiapello,2005;Sennett,2006,
2008;Etzkowitz&Leydesdorff,2000;Gibbons,1994).Changesarealsoencompassingthelabourmarket institutions
andthewelfarestate(Jensen,2007;Hansen,1998).Theprojectinvestigatesthesubjectivedimensionofthesechanges,
focusingonwhatKamp(2012)termedthecriticaltraditionofresearchinmeaninginwork.Themaininterestisthus
nothow“meaning”maybecreated(throughmanagement),butininvestigatingthereasonsforitsabsence(compare
Jakobsen,2017)anddrawinguponBecker-Schmidt’s(1982)understandingofambivalenceintheexperienceofwork.
Theserecenttransformationsofacademicworkareunderstoodas“precarisation”(Standing,2011;comparealsoCastel,
2009;Dörre,Kraemer&Speidel,2004;Castel&Dörre(eds.)2009);Sander,2012;Brodersenetal.,2016,Pedersen&Ribe
2013).
Standing(2011)describedtheprecariatasa“class-in-the-making”,ifnotyeta“class-foritself”intheMarxiansense,but
onethatatthesametimelacksboth“workbasedidentity”,“codesofethics”,“normsofbehaviour”ortheexperience
ofa“solidaristiclabourcommunity”.Inthissense,theprojectinvestigates,withacademicworkasaspecificinstanceof
precarisation,whetherthisthesisofa“class-inthe-making”isplausible,andifitis,whichprocessespointinthisdirection.
Thefollowingthreequestionswereexplored.Firstly,howdoacademicsworkingunderprecariousconditionsidentify
theirworksituation(forinstance“precarious”or“independent”),andhowdotheyexperiencetheirworksituationas
eitherapossibilityorbarrierforfindingmeaninginwork?Secondly,whichformdoesthismeaningtake(forinstance,
professionalidealsorsocietalutility)andhowistherelationshipbetweenthemeaningofworkandthenecessitiesof
incomeandsecurityexperienced,forinstanceasaccommodationandidentification,butalsoasconflictandambivalence?
Thirdly,whattypesofcriticalconcepts,politicalidentificationsandformsofstrategiesforimprovementareembedded
in their experiences and practices, for instance on the one hand, professional, independent and individual types, or on
theother,labourist,collectiveandpoliticalones?
Myinitialanalysisshowsdifferentexperiencesoftherelationshipbetweenprecariousworkingconditionsandfinding
meaning in work, which I organise around three interconnected dimensions, in which the participants experience
possibilitiesandidentityorconflictandambivalence.Thepaperconcludeswithadiscussionoftherelevanceofthese
experientialtypesofcriticalconcepts,politicalidentificationsandformsofstrategiesforthepossibleemergenceofan
academicprecariatasaclass-for-itself.
Keywords:
precarisation;academicwork;meaningofwork;ambivalence
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ID043Understanding the Interface between South Africa’s Pulp and Paper Sector and Skills Required to Adopt Biorefinery Technologies: A Case Study
Jenkin, Nicola (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
Theobjectiveof thisposter is tooutlineaneducational assessment,witha specific focuson the rolesof theCSIR,
UniversityofKwaZulu-NatalandDurbanUniversityofTechnologyinsupportinginnovationaroundcircularwatereconomy
interventionsinthepulpandpapersectorofSouthAfrica.Twocomponentsarepresented:1)anoverviewoftheSouth
African education and training system that supports the pulp and paper sector and the role of the institutions in relation
tothesector;and2)keypointsidentifiedinanexaminationofspecificskillsandtraininginterventionsundertakenby
theseinstitutionsinrelationtotheSouthDurbanBasin,inwhichtwopulpandpapermillsaresituated.
TheSouthAfricanpulpandpapersectorisasignificantcontributortothecountry’seconomicprofile.Inaddition,itisa
majorcontributortothecountry’smanufacturingimpactontheenvironment.Itisalarge-scaleuserofwater.Assuch,
afocusforthisposterisonthesector’sconsumptionofwaterandoperationalmitigationpractices,andtheskillsand
knowledgerequiredtomitigatethesepractices.Theargumentforaquadruple-helixframeworkisproposed,whereby
collaborationand transferenceof skillsandknowledgebetweenactors (business,government, research institutions
andcivilsociety)throughouttheglobalvaluechainareconsiderednecessarytoradicallytransitionthesectortowardsa
circularwatereconomy.Forthepurposesofthisposter,acasestudyoutliningtheroleoftheidentifiedinstitutionswill
beassessedinrelationtohowtheyfacilitateand/orcouldfunctionwithinaquadruple-helixframeworkofcollaboration
andup-skillingwithinandtosupportthesector.
In conclusion, the actor interactions, role of the research institutions, and improvements to achieve and implications of
thequadruple-helixpropositionwillbepresented.
Keywords:
greenskills,circulareconomy,pulpandpaper,water
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ID044Paper AVAILABLE
Quality of Everyday Life Supported by Digital Services – A Landscape of Practice Perspective
Johansson, Lars-Olof; Ulrika Lundh Snis (UniversityWest,Sweden)
Thispaperwillreportontwoservicedesignprojects(Free2RideandHITTA)conductedbetween2009and2012.The
majorideainthefirstproject(HITTA)wastodesignanddevelopadigitalservicethatcouldbeusedbypeoplesuffering
fromdementiaandtheirnextofkin(Johansson&LundhSnis,2011).Thesecondproject(Free2Ride)wasaprojectwith
theaimtodesignanddevelopadigitalservicetobeusedbymembersofequestrianclubs(Johanssonetal.,2016).In
otherwords,wetriedtodesignadigitalservicetobeusedineverydaylifesituations.Oneofthefundamentalprinciples
oftheprojectswastoputthroughvalueco-creationinthedesignofthedigitalservice(Prahalad&Ramaswamy,2004).
Actorsinvolvedintheco-creationweredevelopers,users,consumers,andresearchers.Thevalueco-creationthattook
placewasbasedon servicedesign thinking aspresentedbyBarrett et al. (2015): “Design thinking adopts a largely
human-centredapproach,recognizinganiterativeprocessthatmovesfromgeneratinginsightsaboutenduserstoidea
generationandtestingtoimplementation”.Inthetwoprojects,theresearcherswereengagedandactivelyinvolvedin
the process of designing a novel digital service by combining digital and physical products that enhanced the everyday
lifesituationofaspecificgroupofstakeholders.
Activeengagementandinvolvementbyresearchersarenotnew;seeforinstanceactionresearch(Baskerville&Myers,
2004), action design research approach (Sein et al., 2011) or the engaged scholarship approach (Van deVen, 2007;
Mathiassen&Nielsen,2008).Inalltheabove-mentionedapproaches,theresearcherdealswithreal-worldproblemsin
ordertobepracticalandrelevant.Engagedscholarshipisprimarilyconcernedwithhowacademicresearcherscanbe
involvedwithpractitionersinwaysthatmeettheiroftendiverseneeds(VandeVen,2007).Engagementintheresearch
isdescribedasaprocessthatinvolves“negotiationandcollaborationbetweenresearchersandpractitionersinalearning
community;suchacommunityjointlyproducesknowledgethatcanbothadvancethescientificenterpriseandenlighten
acommunityofpractitioners”(VandeVen,2007:7).Inthetwoprojects,threegroupsofstakeholderswereinvolved:
users,developersofthedigitalserviceandresearchers.Asresearchers,wesawthepossibilitytocombineinsightfrom
digitalservicedesigninpracticewiththeoreticalinsightsondigitalservicedesignandboundarycrossing.Thedevelopers
sawanopportunitytodesignadigitalservicegroundedintheneedsoftheusers,andtheuserssawanopportunity
toenhancetheireverydaylifewithadigitalservice.Theknowledgesharingprocessinthedesignofdigitalservicesis
important(Lusch&Nambisan,2015).Inordertoshareknowledge,knowledgeneedstobetranslatedbetweenactors
(Carlile,2004),transferred(Carlile,2004)andnegotiated(VandeVen,2007),whicharethefundamentalbuildingblocks
oflearning.Oneapproachtounderstandinglearningisfromasocio-culturallearningperspective.Inthesocio-cultural
perspective, boundaries are understood as a dialogical phenomenon that gives rise to discontinuities in interaction and
action(Akkerman&Bakker,2011).Takingpartinalearningcommunityisaboutcrossingknowledgeboundariesbetween
involvedstakeholderssuchasdevelopersandusers.Forexample,therecouldbediscontinuitiesduring interaction in
servicedesignprojectssuchasHITTAandFree2Ride,duetodifferencesinknowledge,background,experiencesandskills.
Inthispaper,theresearchertakesacloserlookattheinteractionduringtheknowledge-sharingprocessbetweenusers
anddevelopers.Thereforetheresearchquestion is:Howcanboundarycrossingbesupportedduringco-creationof
innovativedigitalservices?Theaimofthepaperisto propose a set of implications grounded in the roles of the users and
developersandhowtheysupport learning in the value co-creationofinnovativedigitalservices.Thecontributionofthe
articlecouldbeusedtodiscussknowledgeandcompetenceofthedevelopersthatareinvolvedinvalueco-creation.
Akkerman andBakker (2011) have identified fourpotential learningmechanisms that can takeplace at boundaries
between different actors during co-creation: identification, coordination, reflection, and transformation. Therefore it
becomesnatural toapply theanalytical lensof learningmechanism (Akkerman&Bakker,2011) tocomplement the
existingliteratureondigitalservicedesign.
Keywords:
boundary crossing, digital, design
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ID045Transforming Teaching and Learning through Feminist Pedagogy
Johnson-Bailey, Juanita; Nichole Ray (UniversityofGeorgia,Athens,Georgia)
Inherseminaltextonthehistoryandfutureoffeminism,EstelleFreedman(2003:7)cogentlyarticulatestheoverarching
purposeoffeminismas ideologyandsocialmovement: “Feminism is thebeliefthatwomenandmenare inherently
ofequalworth.Becausemostsocietiesprivilegemenasagroup,socialmovementsarenecessarytoachieveequality
betweenwomenandmen,withtheunderstandingthatgenderalwaysintersectswithothersocialhierarchies.”Feminism
isbothasocialjusticemovement,aswellasaframeworkthroughwhichtounderstandwomen’sexperiencesinmale-
dominatedsocietalinstitutions.Asamovementtopromoteequalitybetweenwomenandmen,feminismhasservedas
oneofthemosteffectiveandliberatorysocialmovementsintheUSandabroad(Freedman,2003).Withafoundational
focus on issues such as equal pay, reproductive justice, access to women’s healthcare and the like, contemporary
feministactivistshavetransformedthewaysinwhichwomenandmenexperiencesocietalinstitutions,includinghigher
education.
AsAfricanAmericanfeministeducators,wearecommittedtoamodeloffeministteachingthatsupportsgoalsofequity,
diversity,andsocialchange.Thepurposeofthisroundtablediscussionistoprovideparticipantswitheffectivestrategies
to build and sustain feminist and social justice-oriented adult learning communities.More specifically,we focus on
women as teachers and learners and, as such,we ground ourworkshop in the principles and practices of feminist
pedagogy(Crabtree,Sapp&Licona,2007;Johnson-Bailey&Lee,2005;Maher&Tetreault,2001;Ray,2010).
Weproposethatfeministpedagogyisaviableframeworkthroughwhichtocreateandfosterlearningenvironments
that centre the voices and experiences ofwomen and othermarginalised learners. In addition, feminist pedagogy
foregrounds the development of critical thinking skills, building a community of learners, and consciousness-raising
throughlinkingpersonalexperiencestostructuralissues(Hooks,2003).Afeministclassroomisalsooneinwhichthe
adulteducatorfacilitatesaclimateandlearningexperiencesthatcanfacilitateempowermentamongwomenlearners.
Inaddition,feministeducatorsdevelopstrategiessuchascreatingspaceforstudentstomakeconnectionsbetween
thepersonalandpolitical.Feministpedagogicalpracticescanhaveatremendousinfluenceontransformingthelives
of students and educators, as they can support inclusive learning environments and prepare students for a diverse,
changingandglobalsociety.
Thisroundtablediscussionisdesignedforadulteducatorswhoarecommittedtobuildingandsustainingclassrooms
groundedinsocialjustice,whilespecificallyaddressingtheneedsandexperiencesofwomenlearners.Thediscussionwill
befacilitatedinsuchawaythatcanappealtobothjuniorandseniorscholar-educatorswhoareinterestedinfeminism
asitrelatestoworkingwithdiverseadultlearners.Roundtableparticipantswillhavetheopportunitytocriticallyreflect
on their teaching practice, explore the intersection of race and gender in the classroom, develop a teaching philosophy
rooted in feminist thought, and participate in activities designed to aid them in building and sustaining a feminist learning
community.
Keywords:
feminism, pedagogy, teaching, critical thinking
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ID046 Researching Practice and Practising Research – A Hands-On Approach to Researching Innovation PracticesJuelsbo, Tue; Charlotte Wegener (AalborgUniversity,InstituteofCommunicationandPsychology)
Thispaperisaboutresearchpracticeandresearchingpractices.BasedonOrlikowski’swork,weinvestigatepracticeas
aphenomenon,practiceasatheoreticalperspectiveandpracticeasafundamentalphilosophy.Referringtopractices
throughoutthepaper,wewillwriteabout‘practising’–real-life,real-timedoingsandsayingsinspecificplacesandtimes.
Basedonayear-longresearchprojectinaglobalindustrialmanufacturer,thispaperexploreshowtheresearchproject
wasdesignedandexecuteddrawingontheideasofactionresearchandchangelaboratories(Engeström,1996).Through
utilisingpractice theories,we seek tounderstand innovationpracticesbydescribing and analysing actors’ activities,
interactionsandperformances.Inshort,weseektounderstandtheinnovationpracticesthatactors(re)produceinworking
life.Wearguethatpracticetheoryappliedonthefieldofinnovationletsusaccessandaffectorganisationalreality.It
does this from a perspective that grants agency to the participants, describes and seeks to understand their personal
andsharedexperiences/realityandinasense–givesusaccesstothe‘nitty-gritty’ofeverydaylifeaslivedbyparticipants
inorganisations.Thisisthespaceofpotentialityinbetweenaninnovationstrategyorpolicyandtheactualisedresults.
This practice theory-approach lets us grasp, shape and participate in the practices of the industrial manufacturer as
innovationresearchersandholdssignificanceforbothinnovationpracticewithintheconcreteorganisationassuchand
moregenerallyinformshowwemightconductresearchwithinthefieldofinnovationresearch.Wedrawonthework
ofFeldmanandOrlikowski(2011)todifferentiateandnuancethenotionof‘practice’fromthreedifferentperspectives:
Practices matter! ‘Practiceasphenomenon’,focusingonwhathappens‘inpractice’asopposedto‘intheory’.The
researcher’scuriosity isdirectedtowardsexperiencesandpracticalactivity.Practicesmatterandtheyshouldbe
empiricallyengagedwithtounderstandandimprovetheinnovationprocessesandpracticesoforganisations.
Practices shape reality!‘Practiceasperspective’,focusingonsocialphenomenausingpracticetheoryasapowerfullens
tounderstandsocialreality.Practicesshapesrealityandtherecurrenteverydayactivityhasstructuralconsequences
thatareproducedandchangedover time.Thisposition is suitedtoaddressorganisationalphenomenathatare
inherentlyrelational,dynamicandemergent–liketheinnovationprocesseswearestudying.
Practices are reality! ‘Practice as philosophy’, representing an ontological commitment and a normative social
science: all social life is constituted in and throughpracticesand to studyorganisationsonemustgroundone’s
studiesontologically,theoreticallyandempiricallyinongoing,livedpractice.
Apracticeperspectiveoninnovationisrelevantbecauseinnovationisapowerfuldiscourseinmanyorganisations.Itis
intricatelywovenintoeverydaypracticeofworklife,affectedbyandaffectingepistemologicalandontologicalissues
ofprofessionalskills,workpracticesandvalues(Wegener,2016).Atthesametime,theterm‘innovation’isnotoriously
ambiguousandlacksasingledefinitionormeasure.Althoughinnovationresearchisincreasinglyinterestedinthe‘social’
dimensionsofinnovation,theproduct,policyormanagementlevelsarestilldominant.Innovationcanbeexploredfrom
arelationally-basedandprocessorientedperspectivesituating innovation ineverydaypractices.Forresearchersand
practitioners interested in actual innovation processes and the practices that constitute innovation, practice theories
offerseveralinterestingperspectives.
‘Practiceasphilosophy’representsanontologicalcommitmentandanormativesocialscience:allsociallifeisconstituted
in and through practices. Practices are reality. This was not without consequences: these studies are grounded
ontologically,theoreticallyandempiricallyinongoing,livedpractice,includingresearchpractice.Thepapersumsupon
potentialsandpitfallsofthisstanceandsuggestsstrategiesforahands-onapproachtoresearchinginnovationpractices.
Keywords:
research, practice, innovation
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ID047Paper AVAILABLE
Negotiating Professional Knowledge and Responsibility in Telecare – Inter-Professional Cooperation across Sectors
Kamp, Annette; Agnete Meldgaard Hansen (RoskildeUniversity)
Telecareisagrowingpracticeinmanywesterncountriesandispromotedasanewmantraforreformingthehealthand
socialcareservices,currentlyunderpressurefromdemographicchanges,andincreasesinpeoplesufferingfromchronical
diseases. Followinga longperioddominatedbyNewPublicManagement inspired reformsaimingat rationalisation
andmarketisation,telecaretechnologiesareenvisionedasleadingtonewandclevererformsofretrenchment,higher
quality,empowermentofclients/patientsandworkthat issmarterandmorequalified(IDA&KL,2008). InDenmark
telecarehasbeenaprioritisedfocusareawithinwelfarestatepolicyandacrossgovernmentlevelssince2008,whichmay
explainwhyDenmarkisoneofthecountries,wheretelecaretechnologiesareinmostwidespreaduseindailypractice
(RegeringenKLogDanskeRegioner,2016).Telecareisdefinedasdiagnosis,treatmentandmonitoringamongdoctors,
nursesandpatientsthatismediatedthroughICTandwithoutface-to-faceinteraction.Itiscurrentlybeingusedinthe
careforclients/patientsufferingfromCOPD,chronicheartdiseases,diabetes,chroniculcers,psychiatricsufferingsetc.
Thispapercriticallyexploreshowtheuseoftelecaretechnologiesmaychangeconceptionsofcare,implyredistribution
ofworkandresponsibilities,andchallengeinter-professionalrelationsandprofessionalidentities.Ourpointofdeparture
isthattelecaremustbestudiedcontextually, inordertoaddresstheparadoxesandtensionsthatappearwhenthis
specificsocietalframingtakestheculturalandorganisationcontextintoaccount.Previousresearchontheimplications
oftelecareforprofessionalworkprimarilyfocusontelecaresolutionsusedtoprovidecaretoclientsatadistance(e.g.
Oudshoorn,2012).Theystresshowvirtualisationmayalterthecharacterthesocialcontactandtheobservationsthe
professionalsareabletomake(Mol,Moser,&Pols,2010;VanHout,Pols,&Willems,2015)andhowthevalidityofthe
patients’ownmeasurementandobservationsbecomesanewfactorofuncertainty(Oudshoorn,2008).
Telecare may however also be used as means of establishing virtual spaces for cross sectoral inter-professional
cooperation.Telecareisusedtoallowservicestomovefromthecostly,specialisedhospitaldepartmentstotheprimary
healthsector,wherelessspecialisedpersonneltakeontasks,whilehavingaccesstospecialisedcompetences.Thispaper
isbasedonanongoingethnographicfieldstudycarriedoutofthistypeoftelecare:Tele-ulcer.Thestudyformspartofa
largerresearchprojectontelecareandambientassistivetechnologiesandtheirimplicationsforworkinglife.Tele-ulcer
isatechnologicalarrangementthathasbeenusedinallDanishmunicipalities(thelocal level)andregionalhospitals
(thecentrallevel)since2012.Nursesintheprimaryhealthsectordiscusstheirtreatmentofchroniculcerswithwound
specialists–tele-nurses–ataspecialisedhospitaldepartmentthroughanICTbasedsystem.Thisstudypointsouthow
theuseoftele-ulcertechnologiesmaychangenurses’positionintheinterdisciplinarynetworkthatevolvesaroundthe
clients,andredistributeresponsibilities inpractice (Kilminster&Zukas,2013).Knowledgesharingthrough ICToften
impliesstandardisationanddecontextualisation(Kamp&Dybbroe,2016;Timmermans&Epstein,2010).Consequently,
introductionof telecare technologymay imply tensions and contradictionsbetweendifferent formsof knowledge.
Whilethevirtualspaceofferedbytele-ulcercertainlyofferspossibilitiesfor learningandprofessionaldevelopment,
it also challengesmeaning and identity and implies tensions in inter-professional relations, when negotiating local
embodiedknowledgeoftheclientversustheabstract,standardisedknowledgeofdisease.Thestudyaddresseshow
nursesareactivelyengaginginasubjectiveandemotionalprocessofframingandusingthetechnology.Technologies
are interpretedandshaped,whenapplied inspecificcontexts,andmaybeused in innovativeandunexpectedways
(Halford,Obstfelder,&Lotherington,2010;Orlikowski,2007).Thepaperpointsathowthelocalnursesusetelecarein
unintendedways,assumingtheroleasnetworkoperators,whonavigateinordertosecureandcoordinatetheclients’
contactswithdifferentprofessionalsinarelativelyfragmentedhealth-caresystem.Itendsupdiscussingtheparadoxical
‘hyperresponsibility’thatseemstoresultfromthiskindoftelecare.
Keywords:
professionalidentity,carework,knowledge,hyperresponsibility,inter-professionalrelations
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ID049Paper AVAILABLE
The Great Licensure Assumption: Deprofessionalisation and Hybridisation of Engineering in Canada
Klassen, Michael (UniversityofToronto)
Engineering has been a regulated profession in Canada for nearly 100 years, with exact dates varying by specific
provincialjurisdiction.Inrecentdecades,macropressuresofglobalisationandeconomiccompetition,combinedwith
increased student enrollments in university engineering programmes, have caused changes to the profession at large,
withprofoundimplicationsforindividualprofessionalsintheworkplace.ThispaperarguesthatengineeringinCanada,
andspecificallyintheprovinceofOntario,isundergoingprocessesofbothdeprofessionalisation(Haug,1975;Scanlon,
2011)andhybridisation(Noordegraaf,2007,2015),demonstratedbythesmallanddecliningproportionofengineering
graduateswhoobtainlicensestopractice.Usingsecondarydatafrommacrogovernmentsurveysofuniversityenrolment
andlabourmarketoutcomes(Lavoie&Finnie1998,PrismEconomicsandAnalysis,2016)andpublishedmesoandmicro
qualitativestudiesofindividualengineers’learningatschoolandwork(Adams,Livingstone&Sawchuk,2016;Stevens,
O’Connor,Garrison,Jocuns&Amos2008),Iwillshowhowneo-WeberianperspectivescancombinewithNoordegraaf’s
conceptsofsituatedandhybridprofessionstoexplainthecomplexchangestakingplaceinengineeringinCanada. I
willusethesedataalongwithpubliclyavailableinformationfromnationalassociationsofprofessionals(DeVita,2012;
ProfessionalEngineersOntario,2016)andacademics (NCDEAS,2016) to interrogate the rolesplayedby the typical
actorssuchastheprovincialgovernment,theregulatorybodies,universities,andorganisationswhichemployengineers.
Thepaperfirstlyexploresthecoreideaofprofessionsasameanstoachievingdifferenttypesofclosure:exclusionary,
demarcationaryandsocial.IusetheworkofMikeSaks(2010,2012)toclarifytheneo-Weberianapproachtostudying
professions.Second,IlookathowtheengineeringprofessioninCanadaobtainedclosurethrougharegulativebargain
withthestate,aidedbythesymbolicandstructuralroleofuniversitiesasbarrierstoentry.Third, Ipresentgrowing
evidence of challenges facing the profession, namely a declining proportion of engineering graduates obtaining
licensure,andchangestothecareerstructureandlabourmarketoutcomesforengineers.Fourth,Idrawonthework
ofMirkoNoordegraaf (2007, 2015) to explain these changes, showing howdeprofessionalisation and hybridisation
are distinct but complementary processes that are driven by pressures inside engineering companies and by dramatic
growthinthehighereducationsector.Finally,Iinvestigatesomeoftheprofoundimplicationsofthesechangesforthe
profession’sknowledgebase,legitimacyandauthority,suchasthegrowingtensionsbetweenlicensedandnon-licensed
engineers.Ialsoraisequestionsabouttheroleofkeyactorsinmaintainingthekeystructuresofregulation,licensing,
accreditationandeducation.
Keywords:
engineering, licensure, professions
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ID050Technology at Work – Supporting Workers and Institutions in Changing Times with Transformative, Reflexive Methodologies
Kloetzer, Laure (UniversityofNeuchâtel,Switzerland); Laura Seppänen (FinnishInstituteofOccupationalHealth); Sarah Hean (UniversityofStavanger,Norway); Edwige Quillerou (INRS)
To research learning and collaboration at work, intervention methodologies based on Activity Theory have been
demonstratedtoprovidebothtransformationsofworkorganisationsandvaluablescientificknowledge(Engeström,
1987; Clot, 1999). Among these intervention methodologies are the well-known systemic Change Lab approach
(Virkunnenetal.,2013)and–stillinternationallyunderpromoted–FrenchpsychologicalActivityClinicapproach(Clot,
1999;Kloetzeretal.,2015),whicharebothinfluencedbytheworksofVygotsky,LeontievandLuriaincultural-historical
psychology.Inthissymposium,wepresentanddiscussfourresearchprojectsinspiredbythesetwotraditions.These
researchprojectsfocusonprofessionallearning,interprofessionalcollaborationatworkandtechnology,withanaction-
orientedperspectiveaimingatprovokingworkandorganisationaltransformations.Thespecificgoalofthisworkshopis
thereforetoexplorereflexiveandtransformativemethodologieswhichconnectworkanalysiswithorganisationaland
institutionaltransformations,inatrulyinternationalway,consideringresearchprojectsconductedinfivecountries(USA,
Finland,Switzerland,NorwayandEngland).
ThefirstpaperdiscusseshowcollaborationinaninterdisciplinarydesignprocessintheUSAcanbestrengthenedby
theadditionofcrossself-confrontations(Kloetzeretal.,2014),amethodologyinActivityClinic.Theprojectsupports
innovativemodesofdialoguebetweenexpertdesignersandexpertpilotsaroundthedesignofanewtoolinthecockpit.
ThesecondpaperpresentsaninterventioninFinlandcrossingDevelopmentalWorkResearchwiththemethodologyof
crossself-confrontationstoenhancelearninginroboticsurgery.Itdraftsatechnology-basedmethodologyadaptedto
thiscontextforsupportingtheinterpretivewayofworkingofexpertsurgeons.Thethirdpaperpresentsanintervention
conductedwiththemethodologyofcrossself-confrontationinaSwissfactory.Itdiscussestheconditionsofaresearch
projectfocussingonsupportingknowledgetransmissionattheworkplaceandhowthesemaytriggerorganisational
transformations.ThefourthpaperfocussesonimprovinginteragencycollaborationbetweenMentalHealthServices
andCorrectionalJusticeServicesinprisons,usingtheconceptsofculturalhistoricalactivitysystemstheory,withintwo
organisations,inEnglandandinNorway.Itdiscusseshowtechnologycansupportcollaborationinthiscontext.
ThediscussionwillbeledbyProfAnnalisaSannino(UniversityofHelsinki,CRADLE),akeynotespeakerofRWL2017who
hasextensiveknowledgeofActivityTheoryandinterventionistapproachesbothinDevelopmentalWorkResearchand
inActivityClinic.
Paper 1. Methodological Explorations with an Activity Clinic Approach to Analyse and Support Industrial Designers doing Participatory Design: A Way to Contribute to Health at Work
Edwige Quillerou,OccupationalHealth&SafetyResearcher,INRS(FrenchResearchandSafetyInstituteforthePreventionofOccupationalAccidentsandDiseases)
This paper presents interdisciplinary research crossing engineering and occupational psychology to improve
industrial designers’ work with an Activity Clinic approach. Collaboration enabled a reflexive methodology
throughoutthedesignprojectanddifferentconditionsweretestedtodevelopaparticipatoryframeworkwith
workerswhowouldusethenewworksystem.Thepaperisbasedonaresearchanddesignprojectconductedin
alaboratorywithanenhancedflightsimulator,anewtoolforcommercialpilotsinthecockpit.Thegoalofthe
projectwastodesignaninteractivetablettorepresentthemostusefuldataontheweatherin3Dduringthe
flight.Wetesteddifferentkindofinterviewswithexpertpilotsforeachstepofthetechnicaldevelopmentof
thesystem.Ourfindingsshowthatwehavetoorganisedifferentstagesandconditionsofreflexivedesigners’
andpilots’work.Weshowespeciallyhowcrossself-confrontationinterviewshelppreparethedialoguebetween
designersandpilots.Thisexperimentisafirststepinaresearchprogrammededicatedtosupporttheworkof
designers in improvingfutureworksystems,anticipatingthechangesofworkorganisation,enhancing inter-
professionalcollaboration,andincreasingthehealthandsafetybenefitsforpilots.
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Paper 2. Towards New Learning Practices in Robotic Surgery
Laura Seppänen,PhDseniorresearcher,FinnishInstituteofOccupationalHealth
Theso-calledinterpretivemodeofwork(Norrosetal.,2015)isabletorespondflexiblytovaryingsituational
demands, to use multiple sources of knowledge, and to learn by creating new collective knowledge. An
interpretivewayofworkingisassumedtobeneededintheincreasinglycomplexandtechnology-mediatedwork
whereuncertaintiesofmanykindsneedtobeconsidered.Acrossself-confrontationintervention(Kloetzeretal.,
2014)wasappliedinaFinnishhospitalforenhancinginterpretivenessintheworkofroboticsurgeons(Seppänen
etal.,2016).Basedonthefindingsandonactivity-theoreticalliteratureondevelopmentalinstruction(Davydov,
2008; Engeström, 1994), the aim of this paper is to outline principles and elements that are important for
supportinganinterpretivemodeofworkinginroboticsurgery.Moreover,thepossibilitiesofdigitaltechnologies,
especiallylearningplatforms,inenhancinginterpretivenessinroboticsurgeryinparticularandinhospitalwork
ingeneral,willbediscussed.
Paper 3. From Technical Expertise to Organisational Transformations: An Intervention in Cross Self-Confrontations around Knowledge Transmission
Laure Kloetzer,UniversityofNeuchâtel,Switzerland
Thispaperpresentsrecentlycompletedresearchwhichwasconducted inaSwissfactoryaroundknowledge
transmission and training of expert workerswith themethodology of cross self-confrontations. Combining
detailed work analysis, professional dialogues, and production of films and photographs, this intervention
engaged workers andmanagement in a dialogical framework, to discuss and transform work organisation
andtraining.Wewilldiscussthe interventionprocesseswhichallowstheparticipantstodriveorganisational
transformations,onthebasisofjointworkwiththeresearchteam,whichleadsaworkanalysisonthetransmission
ofthetechnicalexpertiseinthefactory.Byhighlightingtechnologicalconstraintsinthefactory,howtheexpert
workersovercomethem,andhowtheyreflectontheworkorganisation,theinterventioncreatesconditionsfor
organisationalchangesconnectedtothestrategicchoicesofthedirection.
Paper 4. The Use of Technology in the Criminal Justice System to Promote Interagency and Interprofessional Collaboration
Sarah Hean,DepartmentofSocialWork,UniversityofStavanger,Norway&FacultyofHealthandSportSciences,UniversityofBournemouth,UK
Effectivecollaborationbetweenprisonservicesandhealthandsocialservicesiskeytoeffectivelyaddressing
offenders’ rehabilitationneedsandreducingreoffendingrates inthe longerterm.Arangeoforganisational
integrationorcollaborativetoolsareusedinpracticetofacilitatethisactivitywithvaryinglevelsofsuccess.We
exploretheroleoftechnologyinfacilitatingcollaborationinthisenvironmentfocusingspecificallyontheuse
ofsharedelectronicrecordsasatoolthatmediatescollaborativeactivitiesandinformationflowbetweenintra
andinteragencyinteractions.WeexplorespecificexamplesintheNorwegianandUKcontexts.Theoretically,
we underpin our discussion using the concepts of cultural historical activity systems theory to explore the
complexity of these interagency interactions, the use of electronic records as a collaborative tool and to propose
waysinwhichprofessionalsandleaderswithintheprisonsystemmightwishtoreflectonandtransformtheir
useofthistechnology,toidentifyandarticulatesomeofthecontradictionstheyfacewhenimplementingthese
sharedrecordsystemsandtoco-designsolutionsthatovercomethese.
Keywords:
knowledge transmission, cross self-confrontations, electronic records, prisons, England, Norway, activity systems
theory,interpretiveness,roboticsurgery,intervention,activitytheory,interdisciplinaryresearch,designwork,aviation,
simulation
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ID051Paper AVAILABLE
Contradiction in the Ecosystem: Understanding the Decline of the Southern Cape Furniture Industry
Kraak, Andre (WitsUniversity,CentreforResearchingEducationandLabour)
This paper seeks tomake a contribution to the emerging literature on skills ecosystems, particularly Hodgson and
Spour’sconceptof‘expansiveecosystems’.Itisalsoaboutthefurnitureindustry,whichhaswitnesseddramaticchanges
sincethe1990swiththeadventoflow-costChineseexports.Onemajorchangehasbeenatransformedlabourprocess,
withdesigncapabilitiesbecomingthemostprizedasset.Oldcraftmodelsofmanufacturebasedontheartisanalskills
ofthecabinetmakerandupholstererareindecline,atleastintheAnglo-Saxonworld.Theyarebeingreplacedbylarge
scalemasscustomisationplantswhichseektocompetewiththeChineseonthebasisoflargevolumes,higherquality,
gooddesignandcompetitiveprice.Inaddition,inthesuccessfulfurnitureregionsoftheworld,thesmallfamilyowned
‘craft’firmsofyesteryearhavebeenupgradedtobecomehigh-skilleddesign-intensive‘bespoke’furniturefirmsthat
manufacturesmallbatchesofhighqualityproductsfortop-of-the-rangenichemarkets.Thispaperfocusesontherole
playedbydesignintheriseofthesebespokefurniturefirms.
Thefocushereisontwofurnitureindustrycasestudies–oneinGeorge,intheSouthernCape,SouthAfrica,andthe
other in HighWycombe, in Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. Both towns have served as historically significant
furnitureclusters.However,bothindustriesarecurrentlyinseveredecline.Amanifestationofthisdeclineisthecollapse
ofpolytechnic-typesupporttobothlocales,specificallyintheformoffurnituredesigneducationandtraining.Inboth
locales,suchdesigntraininghasbeenshutdown,orisnotavailable,arealityinsharpcontradictiontotheimportant
rolebeinggivento ‘designcapabilities’ inthe industrialpolicyarenaasakeyfactor indeterminingthe international
competitivenessoffurniturefirms.ThispolarisationbetweenfurniturefirmsandETinstitutionsinbothlocalessuggests
amalfunctioningandrestrictiveskillsecosystemunabletogobeyonditscurrentlow-skill‘lock-in’.
Thepaperconsidersways inwhichthis ‘stasis’couldbeovercomeandturnedaround–becomingmoreexpansive–
especiallyinbuildingadesign-intensivebespokefurnituresub-sectorinbothsettings.Afocusontheinstitutionalstructure
oftheskillsecosysteminbothsettingsisproposed.Theroleofindustrialpolicyiskey,particularlytheimplementation
ofmoreeffective ‘furniturecluster’policies.Thesimilaritiesbetweentheconceptsofclusterandecosystemwillbe
explored.Whatseemstoberequiredinthisturnaroundisacombinationofpolytechniceducationandindustrialcluster
policiesthatbuildbothcollectivelearninginandbetweenfirmsaswellasrekindletheofferingofformalqualifications
providedbypolytechnicinstitutionsinexpertprogrammesthatdevelophighqualityfurniture-specificdesigncapability.
Thisiswork-in-progressinafield(researchonfurniture)thathasbeentotallyignoredbyacademicscholarshipinboth
nationalsettings.
Keywords:
ecosystem, furniture industry, polytechnic
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ID052 Professional Becomings: Lines of Flight in Student Nurses’ Clinical Placement
Lehn-Christiansen, Sine; Mari Holen (RoskildeUniversity)
This study explores the learning processes nursing students engage in during clinical placement in a hospital setting in
ordertodevelopnewunderstandingsofthecomplexencountersbetweenthehospitalasaspaceoflearningandnurse
students.
Sincethebirthoftheclinic,hospitalshavebeenaplacewhereeducationforthemedicalprofessionshastakenplace
alongsidetreatmentandcaringforpatients.Onemighteven,likeFoucault,pointtotheideathatclinicaleducation,clinic
knowledgeproductionandclinicalpracticeco-constituteeachother(Foucault,1994).Despitetheirlongjointhistory,
educationalandpatient-orientatedpracticesdonotalwaysco-existwithouttensionsinthehospital.Existingresearchon
clinicalnurseeducationhasfocusedonidentifyinggoodeducationalpractices(Bjørk,Berntsen,Brynildsen&Hestetun,
2014)andonbarriersandpotential for improvement (Ironside,McNelis&Ebright,2014).Themes like stress (Admi,
1997), roleconfusion (Cooper,Courtney-Pratt&Fitzgerald,2015), lackof focusonclinical reasoning (Ironsideetal.,
2014),students’experiencesofdisconnectedness(Campbell,2008,inForber,DiGiacomo,Davidson,Carter&Jackson,
2015)andstudentsfeelingunsurehowlearningobjectivesaremet(Mannixetal.,2006,inForberetal.,2015)havealso
beenthefocusofcurrentresearch,thusestablishingclinicalplacementaschallengingbothpersonallyandeducationally.
This study explores how students engage in the challenges of everyday clinical placement. By deploying the post-
structuralistconceptsof‘becoming’and‘linesofflight’(Davies,2007,2009),weaimatdevelopingnewunderstandings
ofthechallengesofclinicalplacementbylookingatthestudents’actionsandreflectionsaswaysofagencyandcreating
newspacesoflearningandthusasnewopportunitiesofprofessionalbecomingthatarenotprescribedbytheformal
studyprogramme.
Thestudyispartoftheresearchproject‘CLIP’,whichisaqualitativelongitudinalstudyofacohortof40studentswho
startednurseeducationin2015.Thispaperdeploysempiricaldatacollectedonthebasisofthestudents’firstten-week
placementsinsomaticcare.
Ethnographicfieldobservations(AmbrosiusMadsen,2003;Widerberg,2015)werecarriedoutinfoursomatichospital
wardsinMay2016.Twofulldayswerespentwithfourstudentsandsemi-structuredinterviewswerecarriedoutwiththe
students,theirclinicalanddailysupervisors.Sixfocusgroupinterviewswereheldwiththetotalcohort.Theseinterviews
focusedonthestudents’experiencesoftheplacement.
Ourstudyshowsthatfourdistinctivelinesofflightcanbeidentified:
1)Activechoiceofdailysupervisors
2)Formingpartnershipwithpatients
3)Usingco-studentsassoundingboards
4)Strivingforsuperiority
Thisstudy’sfindingsstimulateadiscussionoftherelationshipbetweentheformalandinformalprocessesoflearningin
clinicalplacement.Theypointtotheideathatstudentsengageveryactivelyintheirlearninginamultipleofways,and
thatthesewaysshouldbeviewedincloseconnectionwiththeclinicalcontext.
Keywords:
clinical placement, nurse students, poststructuralism
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ID053Learning to Teach in Higher Education: Formal and Informal Learning
Leibowitz, Brenda (UniversityofJohannesburg); Lynn Quinn; Jo Vorster (RhodesUniversity); Patricia Muhuro (UniversityofFortHare)
Theaimofthissymposiumistoexplorechallengesrelatedtolearningtoteachinhighereducationwhichcanbeaformalor
informalprocess,oracombinationofboth.Theliteratureonlearningtoteachhasoftenfocusedonformalprogrammes.
BoudandBrew(2016:77)referredtothisas‘front-endloading’.Thepointhasbeenmadebypracticetheoristssuchas
TheodoreSchatzkithatindividualslearnviaexplicitformulations–thusmoreformalprocesses–aswellastacitly,from
practice.Ourownresearchhasalsohighlightedprocessesthatarenotnecessarilyformal,butinvolvethemediationof
policyorsystemssuchasgrants,excellenceawards,studentfeedbacksystems,mentorprogrammes,workshopsand
one-on-oneconsultationssponsoredbycentralised,facultyordepartment-basedacademicdevelopmentcentres.
Inthissymposium,weconsiderthepotentiallycomplementaryandmutuallyreinforcingrelationshipbetweenlearning
toteachviaformaland informal learning inhighereducation inrelationtothevariedandunequalnatureofhigher
education institutions, and in relation to the need for a contextualised approach to supporting academics to learn to
teach.Arebothformsoflearningequallysignificantacrossthesettings?Whatfactorsinfluencetheimpactofformal
andinformallearninginthevariedsettings?Whatisrequiredtomakeformalandinformallearningmoreeffectiveacross
variedgeographic,socio-economicsettingsandinstitutionaltypes?
We explore these questions with data collected as part of the NRF-funded research project entitled ‘Interplay of
structure,cultureandagency:Astudyonprofessionaldevelopmentinhighereducation’.From2010–2012,datawas
collectedateightSouthAfricanpublichighereducationinstitutions.Thesymposiumbeginswithabriefintroductionand
continueswithpresentationson:
Formal learning provision in varied settings
Formal‘learningtoteaching’opportunitiesareusuallyofferedbycentralisedacademicdevelopmentunitsorbyacademic
development staff located in faculties or departments. These opportunities usually take the formof postgraduate
diplomasinhighereducationandshortcoursesorworkshopsonspecifictopicsrelatedtoteachingandlearning.These
formallearningopportunitiesaredesignedtoencourageacademicstoengagewiththetheoryandresearchofhigher
educationandtoadoptascholarly,criticallyreflexiveapproachtotheirteachingrole.Boththeopportunitiesandthe
responsestothemarevaried.
Legitimacy of staff developers and Teaching and Learning Centres
Academicdevelopment isa relativelynewfieldofpracticeand research. In thispartof thesymposium,weexplore
howtheinterplayofvariousstructural,culturalandagentialconditionsacrossarangeofinstitutionalcontextsenable
orconstrainthelegitimacythatacademicdevelopersenjoyandhowthis impactsonhowtheycancontributetothe
developmentofacademicsasteachers.
Rural historically disadvantaged institutions
Acasestudyoftworuralinstitutionsfoundthattheseinstitutionsfacedchallengesinrecruitingandretaininghighly
qualifiedstaff,andthishadarippleeffectontheremainingstaffwhohadtograpplewithheavyworkloads,coupled
withpressuretoattainhigheracademicqualifications,thushavinglimitedtimetoundertakeprofessionaldevelopment
onteaching.
A concluding section considers the implications of this account for a systemic national, but contextualised approach
tosupporting learningtoteach inSouthAfrica,aswellasthe implicationsforthe literatureonformaland informal
approachestoprofessionallearning.
Keywords:
higher education, formal, informal
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ID054Paper AVAILABLE
Unhinging Paradigms through Praxis: Locating Professional Development and Professionalisation in Recognition of Prior Learning Models
Lloyd, Shirley (DepartmentHigherEducationandTraining)
Thispaperpresentsaviewofhowprofessionaldevelopmentandprofessionalisationintwodifferentcontextswere
achievedthroughRecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL)practices.Thispaperiscontextualisedwithinacriticaldiscourse
aboutRPL,whetherandhowRPLpracticesandmodelshavearoletoplayinaworldwherechangeisconstant.The
purpose is to provide empirical evidence through case studies, that RPL is a credible and reliable mechanism for
professional development. Using the lenses of theory of change and Actor Network Theory (ANT), current RPL
developmentsbothinSouthAfricaandwiderafieldarebrieflyconsidered.Thevalidityofthispaperliesintheresearch
methodologyunderpinningthispaper,conductedthroughadesktopliteraturereviewabouttheoriesofchange,and
ANT,thetrendsimpactingthedevelopmentofRPLandNationalQualificationFrameworks(NQFs),andfinallyintwo
shortcasestudies.Theempiricalevidencefromthecasestudieswillprovideavalidandstrongargumentaboutwhyand
howRPLmodelscanbeusedtoenableprofessionaldevelopmentandprofessionalisation.
Keywords:
ActorNetworktheory,theoryofchange,recognitionofpriorlearning,professionaldevelopment,professionalisation
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ID055Double Stimulation and Scaling within Learning Networks: Features of Expansive Social Learning in Southern African Social-Ecological Work and Learning Contexts
Lotz-Sisitka, Heila; Mutizwa Mukute; Charles Chikunda; Tichaona Pesanayi; Experiencia Chisoni; Louise
Madikze; Chamunorwa Muthambo; Yrjö Engeström
GeorgeMonbiot,aleadinginternationalsustainabilityandsocial justicewriter,provocativelyrecentlysuggestedthat
theonlyquestionreallyworthaskingis“Sowhatarewegoingtodoaboutit?”Thiswassaidinresponsetoanurgency
toengagemoreactivelywithsocietalconcernsinthefaceofstatecapture(bybillionairesandtheirlobbyists),persistent
andgrowingextremeinequality,andthecollapseandradicalalteringofthelivingworldandsignificantearthsystems.
Whilebeingprovocative,healsonotesthatsuchaquestionisnoteasytoanswer,giventheimmensecomplexityand
scopeoftheforcesatplayandtheassociatedconsequences.Therearesocialtheoriststhatsuggestthatitmightbe
toolatetoasksuchquestions,anditisbettertosimplyallowexcessenergyto‘takeover’andallowfortransgressive
emergenceofevent-basedalternatives,possible,theysuggest,inthecity.
Inthissymposiumweconsiderdialectical,emergentspacesforworkandlearningthatareproducedbysocial-ecological
riskandtheirassociatedcontradictionsandabsences,not inthecity,but inruralsouthernAfrica.Here,weconsider
the potentially transgressive emergence of alternatives produced interactively via co-engaged, generative formative
interventionist research and learning processes that we have observed emerging in a range of southern African
workplaces.ThesedrawprimarilyonYrjöEngeström’sCHATscholarshipandtheappliedmethodofdevelopmentalwork
researchthatuseschangelaboratoriesanddoublestimulationinformativeresearchandlearninginterventions.
Asafirstdimensionofoursymposium,weconsiderthetypesofdoublestimulationtoolsthatappeartobenecessary
when engaging with social-ecological risks and matters of concern in a rural southern African work and learning
contexts.Thefirststimuluscomprisesthechallengeand itsunderlyingcausesand/orcontradictionsthathavetobe
addressed,andisalwayscontextspecific.Weframetheproblematicissuesas‘mattersofconcern’,andhavesoughtto
understandthesehistorically,butalsoviacriticalrealistanalyseswhichshedlightonunderlyinggenerativemechanisms
or‘generativecomplexes’thatshapethemattersofconcerninourcontext,addingontologicaldepthtohistoricity.The
secondstimulusthatwefocusoninthissymposiumhelpspractitionersandresearcherstobetterunderstandandtackle
theproblematicissuecollectivelyandepistemologically.WhiletheactivitysystemmodelofYrjöEngeströmhasbeen
critical for helping researchers to analyse the problematic issues and the expansive learning process emanating from this
workhasbeenusedtoguidetheprocessoftacklingthem,researchersinsouthernAfricahavealsousedothertoolsto
aidanalysisandgeneratecollectiveunderstandingofproblematicsituations.Thisisconsistentwithdevelopmentalwork
researchandtheCHATproject.
As we will illustrate across our papers, the tools used in southern African double stimulation vary, ranging from
ontologicaltoolsfromcriticalrealistanalysisandindigenousknowledgeexperience,toepistemological,activity-specific
conceptsandcollectiveengagementmethodsthatpractitionersarefamiliarwith.Wehavenotedthatthenatureand
scaleoftheactivity,localconditionsandculturalexperience,aswellastheobjectbeingengagedallplayanimportant
rolein‘determining’orshapingthetoolsthataresuitable.Theseincludedrawingmediationtoolsfromsystemsthinking
sciencestosupportquestioningandanalysisincomplexcontexts,anddrawingmediationtoolsfromculturalexperiences
andindigenousknowledge.Theneedforsucharangeandvarietyofdoublestimulationtools,weargue,isshapedbythe
complexityandinherentsystemicdynamicsoftheobjectofactivity,andtheirlonger-termhistorieswhicharecomplex
toengage,uncoverandsurfaceforexpansivelearningengagements.
Asaseconddimensionofoursymposium,weconsidertheissueofscalingofexpansivelearningprocessesinthecontext
oflessformalinstitutionalworkandlearningstructuresthataremanifestingmainlyasforumsorlearningnetworks.The
emergenceoftheseworkandlearningstructurestoaccommodateboundary-crossingexpansivelearningprocesses,we
suggest,isalsorelatedtothecomplexityandinherentsystemdynamicsoftheobjectsofactivity(i.e.activitiesthatfocus
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onsocial-ecologicalriskreduction,politicalecologyandsystemchanges).Inparticular,wenoticetheneedtore-thinka
moderntendencytofocusontheprimaryeconomicmodelwhichforegrounds individualismand ‘rationaleconomic
man’within the so-called ‘freeeconomy’. Fordecades, this hasbeen
introduced and has reproduced a training logic that foregrounds the
individualandhis/hercognitivegrowth.Instead,ourworkandlearning
processes, collectively engaged, scale across a more complex economic
systemofthinking,whichincludeshouseholdeconomiesthatinterface
withstateandmarketeconomies,andthatareinclusiveofaneconomy
ofthecommongood/commonseconomy(theinteractionswhichwe
haveobservedincontext,aretheorisedbyRaworth(2017)inherthesis
of the kind of regenerative economics required for living in the
Anthropocene–seeFigure1).
All papers will address both dimensions of the symposium framework.
Paper 1(IntroductorypaperbyHeilaLotz-Sisitka)
ThefirstpaperprovidesabroadoverviewoftheCHATresearchbeingundertakeninsouthernAfricansocial-
ecological / political ecology systems with emphasis on some insights gained into 1) the types of double
stimulation tools (especially the rangeof these tools in relation to thecomplexobjectsbeing investigated);
2) institutionalforms(especially learningforumsand learningnetworks);and3)economicspheresthathave
emerged as the change laboratory processes across a range of studies have unfolded in the Environmental
LearningResearchCentreworkandcommunitylearningresearchprogrammeoverthepasteighttonineyears.
Paper 2(PresentedbyCharlesChikundafromAWARD)
The second paper considers the production and use of a variety of system-based double stimulation tools
producedbytheAssociationforWaterandRuralDevelopment (AWARD) inLimpopoProvince,whereCHAT-
based change laboratories are emerging in a range of sites in the catchment around key areas of transformative
activity.Theoverarchingquestionforthediscussioninthispaperishowdowesupportpeopletoconceptualise
and address the intricate interplay of social, economic, political and cultural factors that combine to preserve
injustice?Asanattempttoanswerthequestion,thepapersharesand interrogatesnovelwaysofmediating
sensemakinginasociallearningprocessofconfrontingcontextincomplexsettings.
Paper 3(PresentedbyReubenThifulufwelwifromAWARD)
The third paper considers the production and use of a selection of the above noted double stimulation tools
producedbyAWARD,butthistimeappliedtooneofthespecificactivitiesbeingco-developed,namelyimproved
rehabilitation for biodiversitymanagement in the Blyde River Catchment, which is a sub-catchment of the
OlifantsCatchment.Thepaperalsoreflectsontheeconomicformsinfocus(i.e.economyofthestate(EPWP
programme),andeconomyofthecommons(biodiversityandwatersystemeconomies)andhowthisinfluenced
learningnetworkformationinthecasestudy.
Paper 4(PresentedbyTichaonaPesanayi,LouiseMadikizeandChamunorwaMuthambo)
Thefourthpaperconsiderstheworkandlearningofsmallholderfarmersfromfourlocalfarmers’associations
togetherwithextensionofficers,agriculturaleducatorsandlocaleconomicdevelopmentagriculturalspecialists
intwolocalmunicipalitiesoftheAmatholeDistrictoftheruralEasternCape,SouthAfrica.Weconsiderthedouble
stimulation processes and tools used in the co-development of productive demonstration sites and consider the
expansiveworkandlearningprocessesthataroseinformalagriculturaleducationcurriculumwork,andfarmer
andextensionactivityviaboundarycrossingchangelaboratoriessituatedwithinalearningnetwork.Agricultural
watercontradictionswereusedasafirststimulus,leadingtoaseriesofsecondstimuli,whichincludedrainwater
harvestingpracticesfromWaterResearchCommissionmaterials,amemorandumofunderstandingmadewith
anagriculturalcollege,OPVseedvarietiesandavaluechainforlocalproduceprovidedbythelocalmunicipality.
Productiverainwaterharvestingandconservationdemonstrationplotsweredevelopedandbecamecatalyticin
expandinglearningandactivityacrosseconomicspheres,leadingtoarangeofinterconnectedoutcomes.
Figure 1: Kate Raworth’s (2017) embedded economy model
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Paper 5(PresentedbyExperienciaChisoni)
ThefifthpaperconsiderstheworkandlearningofwomenwhomaintainthehouseholdeconomyinruralMalawi
villages,wheretheydependondepletingwoodstocksforcooking. Itconsidersthedoublestimulationtools
related to socio-technical instrumentsassociatedwith the introductionof improvedcookstovesasa climate
changeresponsestrategy.Toolswererequiredtoengagecontradictionsaroundculturalconvenienceofthe
newsocio-technicalinterventionaswellaspowerdynamicsinthedeterminationofprices,relatedaffordability
issues,qualityandmarketingproblemswhichwereassociatedwithcookingactivityinthecontextofuse/non-
useof the improved cookstoves.Responses co-produced in change laboratoriesover aperiodof two years
generatedtheco-productionofnewconceptsandalternativeswithinthiseconomy,andamixofdemandsfor
newformsofworkandlearningamongstthehome,stateandmarketeconomicspheres.
Paper 6(PresentedbyMutizwaMukute)
The sixth paper considers thework and learning of eight district organic farmer association associations in
Zimbabwewhoareworkingtogethertoestablishmoreviablesystemsofproductionforhouseholdconsumption
and income generation. Here, double stimulation processes included identifying and analysing matters of
concern around sustainable and viable agricultural production, marketing and solidarity in the face of climate
change,decliningrainfall,foodandincomeinsecurityandunsupportiveproductionandmarketingsystems.The
expansive learning process paid attention to cognitive justice and the economy of the commons via scaling of
localfarmers’knowledge,organicagriculturalpracticesandvaluechaindevelopmentcrossingeconomicsphere
boundaries.Viaexpansivelearningchangelaboratoriesoveraperiodoftwoyears,theyhaveco-producednew
solutionsthathaveeconomicvalueforthemselvesaswellassocialandecologicalvaluefortheirneighbours,
againgeneratingamixofdemandsfornewworkandlearningacrosstheeconomicspheresconcerned.
Inconclusion,wewill reflecttogether,with inputfromProfessorYrjöEngeströmfromCRADLE,onthe interrelated
themes picked up here across our expansive learning change laboratories in a southern African context of engaging
social-ecologicalrisksandsustainabilitycommonsconcerns.Thesethemesinclude:1)thetypesofdoublestimulation
tools thatwearefindinganeedfor,2) theemergingpatternof learningforumand learningnetworkformationto
accommodatetheexpansivelearninginterventionsovertimeandtoensuretheircontinuityandsustainability,and3)
theemergenceofscalingacrosseconomicspheresofhousehold,market,stateandthecommons.Weproposethat
theseinsightsofferwaysofaddressingMonbiot’squestion‘whatwearegoingtodoaboutit’,butalso‘howwemight
goaboutdoingit’i.e.engagingthedialecticallearningspacesthatopenupinengagementsattheinterfaceofsocial-
ecologicalriskandtransformingpoliticalecologies.
WehaveinvitedYrjöEngeströmtoofferaresponsetooursymposium.
Keywords:
expansivesociallearning,doublestimulationtools,scaling,CHAT
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Professional Development in Intercultural Competence of Academic and Administrative Staff in Latin American Higher Education Institutions
Lukic, Dane (GlasgowCaledonianUniversity); Yarosh Maria (UniversityofDeusto)
Withthegrowthofdiversityandinternationalisationinthehighereducationsystemandindustryinthelastfewdecades
(UniversityofOxford,2015),therehasbeenanincreasedneedfordevelopingprofessionalcompetenceinorganisations
to deal with the benefits and challenges arising from intercultural encounters and work collaboration (Gregersen-
Hermans,2017). Inordertosuccessfullyworkandcollaborateacrossdifferentculturaldomainsandwithpeoplefrom
diverseculturalbackgrounds,asetofabilitiesfordealingwithculturaldiversity isrequired.Theseabilities,collectively
termedinterculturalcompetence(IC),enableeffectivestudying,livingandworkingacrossdifferentculturalboundaries
(Fantini,2007).HigherEducationInstitutions(HEIs)areexpectedtoprovidestudentswiththecompetencetodealwith
differentculturesandusetheculturaldiversityoftheirsurroundingsasanadvantageforinnovationacrossthewhole
curriculum (Deardorff, 2015). Studies and our previous research experience reveal that academic and administrative
staffinLatinAmericanHEIs(LAHEIs)areparticularlystrugglingtodevelopasolidlevelofICthemselves(Lukic&Solari,
2015;Berry&Taylor,2014).Moreover,mostprofessionaldevelopmentprogrammesappeartobefocusingonlimited
diversityawarenessprogrammesratherthantransformativepowerofconsideringorganisationaldiversityasapotential
forinnovation.LAHEIshavegonethroughaprocessofincreasedinternationalisationwithplannedfurtherrapidgrowth
of intra-regional(deWit,2017)andinternationalmobility(Berry&Taylor,2014)by2020.Atthesametime,there isa
widespreadmovementtowardswideningaccesstostudentsandstaffcomingfromindigenousbackgrounds.However,if
notfocusedwell,culturaldiversitycancreatealackofcommunication,conflicts,exclusion,projectdelaysandlowerquality
ofoutputs.Ontheotherhand,ifmanagedwellandwiththeappropriatelevelofIC,thediverseenvironmentcanprovide
forbetterandmoreinnovativeoutputs,novelprojectsanddiscoveriescomingfromculturalboundarycrossing.These
recentchangesandfutureprojectionshighlighttheneedforactivitiestacklinginternationalisationcapacityofLAHEIs.
AcademicsandadministratoremployeesinLAHEIsarefacedwiththefollowingchallenges:
1. Teaching, learning and assessment of diverse student cohorts (internal LA student mobility, international
overseasstudentsandstudentsfromindigenousculturalbackgrounds);
2. SupportingstudentdevelopmentofICasoneofrequirementsforgraduatesforfurtherstudyandemployment
inaglobaleconomy;
3. Preparingtheirstudentsforfurtherstudieswhicharelikelytobecarriedoutinothercountries/continents;
4. Collaborationwith academic colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds in their own institutions (due to
increasedacademicstaffmobility);
5. Livingindifferentculturalsettings(duetoincreasedacademicstaffmobility);
6. Collaborationoninternationalresearchandconsultancyprojectswithcolleaguesaroundtheworld;and
7. LackofprovisionandrecognitionprofessionaldevelopmentofICintheinstitutionalevaluationofstaff.
These challenges create a need for more tailored, integrated and engaging professional development opportunities
forstafftoimprovetheirownICandsupportstudentsindevelopingtheirinterculturalabilities.Thepaperreportson
anapproachtoaholistic,customised,flexibleandreflectiveprofessionaldevelopmentprogrammethatwouldprovide
LAHEIswithincreasedknowledge,awareness,skills,attitudesandtoolstobeinterculturallycompetentprofessionals.
Thepaperproposesaqualitativeapproachandframeworkforprofessionaldevelopmentofinterculturalcompetence
ofLAHEIstaffinordertopreparetheinstitutionsforinternationalisationandbuildsontwopreviousresearchprojects.
Itthenoutlinesthenextphasesoftheresearchandhighlightscontributiontoresearchandpracticeofuniversitystaff
professionaldevelopmentandworkplacelearninginthefieldofinterculturalcompetence.
Keywords:
professional development, organisational learning, diversity, transformation
ID056Paper AVAILABLE
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ID057Paper AVAILABLE
Exploring Learning Conditions in a Public Service Organisation during a Transformation Attempt
Halvarsson, Lundkvist Agneta; Kock Henrik; Maria Gustavsson (LinköpingUniversity)
The aim of this paper is to explore the conditions that enabled or constrained learning during a transformation process
aimed at integrating continuous improvement into employees’ everyday work in a social welfare department in a
Swedishmunicipality. Intheprocessoftransformation,thedepartmentreceivedsupportfromaNationalWorkplace
Development Programme (WPDP) that offered support to public service organisations in need of becomingmore
efficientbyadaptingtoaLeanproductionmodel.
FullerandUnwin’stheoreticalmodelofexpansive–restrictivelearningenvironmentswasusedtoexploretheconditions
thatenabledorconstrainedthetransformationprocess.Theresearchisbasedon22interviewswithmunicipalityactors.
Thefindingsshowthat,overtime,multipleandemergingexternalandinternalorganisationalconditionsinteractedto
constraintheemployees’learning.Themajorconditionsidentifiedinthisstudywerepoliticsandlackofsteering,the
organising of the WPDP, the infrastructure intended to support managers integrating continuous improvement into
employees’everydayworkandthemanagers’limitedresourcestodoso.Thenoveltyofthisworkliesintheattention
given to the external conditions attributed to theWPDP,which provides insight into the complex struggle to find
nationalpoliciesthatworkforpublicsectororganisations.
Keywords:
workplacedevelopmentprogramme,workplacelearning,organisationaldevelopment
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ID058 The Role of Craft-Hubs and Post-School Education in Textile and Clothing SME Development: A Focus on South Africa’s Mohair, Value Added Through Design
Mahlangu, Isaac Bongani (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
SouthAfricahasconsistentlydominatedglobalmohairproductionandgainedrecognitionasthemainsourceofmohair.
Favourable climate conditions enable the country to produce almost 53% of theworld’smohair.Over 90% of the
mohairis,however,exportedasgreasy/rawmohair(NAMC,2012)bypassingthedomestictextileandclothingindustry
andconstraininglinkageswithinthedomesticvaluechain.Decreasingaccesstomohairandlowinvestmentlevels in
humanandphysicalcapitalhasledtoasignificantdeclineinthetextileandclothingindustryanditscontributionto
manufacturingoutput,whichisreflectedbythefallingexportshareandthesignificantcontractioninemployment.
ParalleltothisisincreasedSMEstart-upamongstgraduateswhostruggletofindemploymentinacontractingindustry.
There are claims about poor relations between post-school education and industry resulting in the production of
graduateswhoseskillsarenotconsistentwiththeneedsoftheindustry(Muzenda&Duku,2014).Thegrowingretrenched
populationhasalsorespondedtofirmclosuresbystartingSMEs.Thisstudyexaminestheroleplayedbycraft-hubsand
post-schooleducationindevelopingskilledSMEsthatproducevalue-addedmohairtextileandclothing.Itpresentsa
caseoffourSMEswhichmirrorgapsininteractionsbetweenpost-schooleducation,domesticindustryandgovernment
intheEasternCape.Itusedacombinationofsemi-structuredinterviews,documentanalysisandobservationtocollect
datafromuniversitymanagement,lecturers,programmemanagersatthecraft-hubsandthefourSMEcasestudies.
Thestudyfindsthatpost-schooleducation’sfocusonproducinggraduatesenteringtheworldofworkasmanagers,
supervisorsandresearchers isnotconsistentwiththeneedsof thecountrytostimulateentrepreneurshipactivities
anddiversifyeconomicactivities.Basedonthefindings,thestudyconcludesthatthelackofclear linkagesbetween
the industry, government interventions and post-school education is indicative of a lack of a comprehensive industry
strategywhichallstakeholderscanbuyintoanddrive(SASTAC,2014).
Keywords:
craft-hubs,globalvaluechain,mohair,post-schooleducation,textileandclothing,SME
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID059Employability Skills versus Human Development Skills: Dilemmas for Undergraduate Sociology Students in South Africa
Manyonga, Bothwell (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
This paper explores the dilemmas that sociology undergraduate students face as a result of the teaching and learning
thattheyexperience.Specifically,thefocus isonwhatfunctioningsandhencecapabilitiesarevaluedbyandenable
sociologystudentstoliveandactintheworld.Thecontextiswheresomeuniversitygraduatesexperienceapersistent
advantageinthelabourmarket,yetsociologyundergraduatestudentsstrugglewithoccupationidentityandtosituate
themselves in the jobmarket.Drawing fromtheprinciplesof thecapabilitiesapproachofAmartyaSenandMartha
Nussbaum,thepaperarguesthatcurriculumoughttoofferstudentsrealopportunities,expandingchoicesforindividuals
todoandbewhattheyhavereasontovalue.Thus,equippinggraduateswithmorecapabilities(includingbutnotlimited
to employability skills),morewell-being (achievements) andmore agencymeans that higher education, particularly
throughcurriculum,wouldbemorejustratherthanlessjust.Ifstudentsareequippedwithfewercapabilities,lesswell-
beingandlessagency,thismeanshighereducationisunjust.
ThepaperpresentsfindingsfromqualitativedatacollectedfromundergraduatesociologystudentsattwoSouthAfrican
universities.Itsuggestsgroundsfor(re)thinkingpolicyorientationstosociologycurriculumdevelopers,particularlyon
howthecapabilitiesapproachandthehumancapitaltheorycancomplementeachotherincurriculumdevelopmentand
fosteringskillsforlife,work,andsociety.Italsocastslightonhowuniversitycurriculaandindeededucationmightbe
transformedinthetwenty-firstcentury.
Keywords:
employability skills, capabilities formation, sociology curriculum, social justice
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The National Certificate Vocational (NCV) Qualification, Continued Learning and Employment: Tracing the Destinations of TVET Engineering Completers in the NW Province
Mashongoane, Thabo (DHET)
ThisstudywaspromptedbyaquesttorespondtotheskillsshortageinSouthAfricaandtheallegedinadequacyof
theprovidedprogrammestothestudents inFurtherEducationandTrainingcolleges.This issobecausetheformer
DepartmentofEducationdevelopednewprogrammescalledtheNationalCertificateVocationalNC(V)whichhavenever
beenevaluatedastotheirefficacywhichisthefocusofthispaper.TheNationalCertificateVocationalcurriculumhas
recentlybeenrenamedtheTechnicalVocationalEducationalandTrainingColleges(TVET).Qualitativeandquantitative
approacheswereusedtocollectdata.Thedatasourcedwasalsousedfortriangulationpurposesofcomparison.This
researchstudywasundertakentosurveyandtrackthecohortsofgraduatesof2009to2012withaviewofdetermining
theimpactoftheNC(V)programmeontheirdestinations.TheNC(V)programmesarerolledoutinvariousstudyfields
throughoutthecountry,buttheresearchwaslimitedtothegraduateswhofollowedthethreeprogrammesranging
frombuildingconstruction,electricaltoengineeringandrelatedstudiesintheNorthWestProvince.Toconclude,the
interviewschedulewasusedtocollectdatafrompurposivelyselectedparticipantsfromtheColleges,Departmentof
HigherEducationandTraining,theSectorEducationandTrainingAuthorities(SETAs),theUniversitiesofTechnologies
(UoTs),andthevariousemployerorganisationswhilethequestionnairesolicitedquantitativedatafromthegraduates.
Thestudyrevealedthattheprogrammesoffereddidnotsatisfyallthestakeholdersastheactualpresentationwillshow
andwillalsodiscussaproposedmodelassolution.
Keywords:
impact,NationalCertificateVocational,continuedlearning
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Change Laboratories with Youth to Reconceptualise Work in Lenye Village
Matiwane, Lwazi (RhodesUniversity)
The masters research on which this poster presentation is based is motivated by Sustainable Development Goal
number8(UnitedNations,2015)which isdecentworkandeconomicgrowth,andtheGlobalActionProgrammeon
Education for Sustainable Development priority action area number 4 (United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation, 2014) which focusses on empowering and mobilising youth. This research could contribute
to some of the key developmental and transformational concerns in South Africa, namely, rural development, youth
unemployment,environmentalsustainabilityandagriculture.Itisfurthermotivatedbythepotentialinvestmentthat
youtharefordevelopment,growthandsustainability.Lenyevillage, located inKeiskammahoek in theEasternCape
ProvinceofSouthAfrica,hasyouthworking in farmingpractices suchasemployees inpublicworkprogrammes,as
self-employedfarmers,asayouthgroupworkingtowardsregisteringasaco-operativeandastemporarylabourina
farmingco-operative.Oneofthechallengesfacedbyyouthsisdefinedasunemployment.Changelaboratoryworkshops
(Virkkunen&Newnham,2013)havebeencarriedouttoidentifyandaddresssomeofthechallengesfacedbytheyouth
inthissectorinwiththehopethatemergingsolutionswillhelpnotonlytheyouthbutthecommunityatlarge.Semi-
structuredinterviews,observationsanddocumentswereanalysedthroughthirdgenerationCulturalHistoricalActivity
Theory(CHAT)(Engeström,2001)tomapandunderstandtherelationshipbetweentheagriculturalactivitysystemsthe
youthsrepresentandthesustainabledevelopmentactivitysystemthattheagriculturalactivitysystemsareworking
towardsinLenyevillage.
Thevaluecreationframework(Wengeretal.,2011)andsecondgenerationCHATwereusedtoanalyseaudiorecordings
andminutesoftheexpansivelearningprocessandapostchangelaboratoryworkshop’sfocusgroupinterview,inorder
tounderstandtheroleofexpansivelearningindevelopingruralyouthsasvaluecreators.Thisposterisareviewofthe
workingandlearninghappeninginandaroundthevillagewithregardtoyouthinfarmingpractices.Whatappearstobe
anissueisthatthetruechallengeisstrugglingtoseeandrecogniseemploymentandworkassomewhatequivalentwith
respecttothedesiredbenefitssoughtwhenseekingemploymentparticularlyinaruralcontext.Myresearchhasshown
thattheyouthseemtoratherbeemployedthantowork;however,employmentisworkthathasbeenformalised,often
bysomeoneotherthanyourself,andisrewardedthroughmonetaryvalue.Thisisaclassicalinternalcontradictionwith
rootsintheMarxistdialecticofusevalue(workforoneself)versusexchangevalue(workinformalisedemployment)
(Marx,2004).Inworkingwiththeyouthinsuchacontext,wehavedeliberatedthatiftheirorientationcouldbetolook
forworkratherthanemployment,particularly in lessdevelopedspacesthatdonothaveaplethoraofemployment
opportunities,thentheyouthcouldfindworktosupplytheirneedsasindividualyouthsandtheneedforgrowthand
developmentintheircommunities.Thiscontradictionthatseemstoarisebetweennotionsofworkandemployment,
hasthepotentialtobecomearichspaceforgenerativesolutionsfromformativeinterventionresearchtradition.
Theposterincludesreflectionsonhowtheworkingandlearninghappeningcanfurtherbehighlightedandunderstood
as working and learning that can be channelled or is being channelled for youth and community development,
reflectionsonhowtheyouthscanengagewiththecommunitytostrengthentheirnetworkinginandaroundthevillage
toachievegrowthanddevelopmentinagriculturalpractice.Thisreviewwillalsoincludesomereflectionsontheuseof
changelaboratoryworkshops/expansivelearningwithyouthsinthevillage,reflectionsfromaformativeinterventionist
perspectiveandaparticipatingyouthperspective.
TheposterpresentationwilldescribehowyouthsinLenyevillagelearnedtogetherhowtoworkintheirownworkspaces.
IseethisasprovidingusefulinformationfortheEasternCapeconsideringitisoneoftheprovinceswithalargeruraland
discouragedjobseekerpopulation.
Keywords:
expansivelearning,work,ruraldevelopment,youth,employment
ID062
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Multicultural Learning through Dialogue? Exploring the Learning Process of Teachers Attending a Course on Multicultural Understanding
Matthiesen, Noomi (AalborgUniversity)
Inaworldofincreasingupheavalanddiscontinuity,itisimportantthatteachershavethecompetenciesnecessaryto
adequatelyaddresstheneedsofchildrenandparentsofethnicminoritybackgrounds,bothlong-termresidents,new
immigrantsandrefugees.Thispaperexploresthelearningprocessofpost-serviceteacherswhoattendedacourseina
largecityinDenmarkonmulticulturalunderstandingineducation.Throughparticipantobservationatthecourse(eight
work-days)andsubsequentinterviewswithsixoftheteachers,theirinsightsandnewunderstandingsareexploredas
wellastheirexperienceswithapplyingtheirnewperspectivesinpractice.Thecoursewasdesignedtodeveloptheskills
andunderstandingoftheteachersinordertoallowthemtomeettheincreasingchallengestheyfacedintheirinnercity
multiculturalschools.Atthebeginningofthecourse,theteacherswithDanishbackgroundsdescribedethnicminority
parentsinnegativedeficitterms,whichisinaccordancewithmuchresearchonteacherconceptionsofethnicminority
parentsbothinaDanishcontext(Matthiesen,2017)andinternationally(seeforinstance,Brenner&Kia-Keeting,2016).
Theyremarkedondifficultiesassociatedwithdifferencesinunderstandingsofchildupbringinganddiscipliningaswellas
practicaldifficultiesduetolanguageandcommunicationchallenges.Theyalsonotedtheparents’apparentdisregardfor
attendingschooleventsandsupportingtheirchildren’seducation.Thesenotionswerechallengedbytheethnicminority
teachers,oftenresultinginheateddebates.Whilesometeachersnotedafewincidencesofincreasedunderstandingof
theother’sperspective,mostofthedialoguedidnothavethisoutcome,resultinginsteadinthemaintenanceofalready
establishedperspectives.Furthermore,theteacherswerehardputtodescribeanyapplicationintheireverydaywork
ofwhattheylearnedduringthecourse.Inordertounderstandthis,weneedtoconsiderthepowerdynamicsandsocial
relationsatplayinthecoursewhichconstructedthelearningconditionsfortheteachers.Socialpracticetheoryholds
someusefulconceptstoanalysetheselearningconditions.
Firstly,wemustnotethatdialogueandlanguagearemerelyasmallpartofwhatitmeanstobehuman.Dialoguedoes
nottranspire inafrictionlessvacuum,but instead issituated inaspecificpractice;asocialpracticethat ishistorically,
culturally,politicallyandsociallyproduced.Accordingtoasocialpracticetheoreticalapproach,relationsaremediated
throughpractice.Thesocialworldisseenasexistingonlythroughbeing(re)producedandchangedbytheparticipation of
persons,whoaresimultaneouslybeing(re)producedandchangedthroughthisparticipation.Thesocialworldiscomprised
ofvariouspowerstructuresthatarehistoricallyconstructedandinstitutionallysustainedasparticularstrugglesandlocal
contentiouspractices(Holland&Lave,2009).Personsparticipateinpracticesfromspecificpositionsthatholdparticular
purposes,goalsandpowertoparticipateincertainwaysbutnotinothers(Dreier,2008).Participationisthustheconcrete
materialthroughwhichthesubjectandthesocialworldareconnected.Participationis,asDreier(2008:22)noted,”the
fabricthatconnectsus”.Inthisperspective,subjectsareunderstoodasradicallysocialandinterdependent(Nielsen,2016).
Itisarguedthatthedialoguesinthecoursecanbeunderstoodbyconsideringlargersocietalstruggles.Theethnicminority
teacherswereconcernedwithchallengingstereotypes,breakingdownunhelpfulanddiscriminativeprejudicesaswell
asrestoringandsustainingdignity.TheethnicDanishteachers,ontheotherhand,wereconcernedwithaddressingthe
concretechallengestheymetintheirday-to-dayworkandinsistedonmaintainingtheirexplanationsastheyconsidered
thepossibilityofaddressingtheseexplanationstheonlywaytofindsolutions.Oneperspectiveunderminedtheother
andviceversaandresultedinastruggletoconvincetheotherofherperspective.Itisthusarguedthatenablinglearning
thatallowsforotherstotranscendmarginalpositionsnotonlyrequiresconsideringattitudesandknowledgeofthe
other, but rathermust consider the local power dynamics, struggles and individual concerns. Rather than viewing
learningasanepistemologicalproblemofacquiringknowledge,beliefsandskills, learningmustbeconceivedofas
radicallyrelationalandthoroughlysituated.
Keywords:
post-service teacher education, multicultural understanding, ethnic minority teachers, situated learning
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The Influence of Biographies and Individual Agency on the Culture of Employee Learning: The Case of Administrative Assistants at a South African University
Mavunga, George (UniversityofJohannesburg)
Inthepast,employeelearningandthecultureassociatedwithitwereseenasexclusivelydependentonorganisational
strategicinitiatives,ononehand,andtheresponsetotheseinitiativesbycollectiveentitiessuchasworkers’unionsand
workteams,ontheother.However,thisnotionbegantobechallengedinthe1990swithfurtherattentionbeingdrawn
totheroleplayedbyemployees’biographiesandindividualagencyinshapingtheircultureofworkplacelearning(Billet,
2006;Cole,1998).
Thecultureofemployeelearninganditsconceptualisationisadynamicandcomplexphenomenon.Thisisparticularly
soinSouthAfricawhereoneschoolofthoughtsuggeststhattheskillsrevolutionmeanttoredressunemployability
and unemployment,which are a legacy of the country’s past, has failed (Freeman, 2015). Based on a study at the
UniversityofJohannesburg(UJ) involvingfifteenadministrativeassistantsfromdifferentfaculties,departmentsand
unitsacrossthefourcampusesoftheinstitution,thispaperisacontributioninthisregard.Inadditiontosemi-structured
interviewswiththeadministrativeassistants,dataweregatheredfromemployeelearning-relateddocumentssuchas
theUJPerformanceManagementPolicyandthenewUJTrainingandDevelopmentPolicy.Thefollowingwerealso
useful:CriticalRealism(Bhaskar,1978;Archer2000);Bernstein’s(2000)ideaoflearningdomainsandBourdieu’s(1977;
1980)notionofhabitus.Thepaperestablishedthat theadministrativeassistants’biographiesand individualagency
playedacrucialmediatoryrole inshapingtheirresponsestotheUJemployee-learningproject.Biographicalaspects
suchasfamilybackgroundaswellasbasicandtertiaryeducationinstitutionsattendedwerefoundtohavehadamajor
influenceontheadministrativeassistants’cultureofemployeelearning.Thiswasparalleledbytheinfluenceofschools
andtertiaryinstitutionswhichplacedconsiderableemphasisonacademicandprofessionalsuccess.Aspectsofindividual
agencysuchasperceptions,attitudesandmotivationwerealsofoundtohaveastrongbearingonthecharacterofthe
administrativeassistants’cultureofemployeelearning.
Emerging from the study aswellwas the largely ignored disparity between theUJ seniormanagement’s strategic
intentionsandsomeadministrativeassistants’careerdevelopmentaspirationswhichthemselvesareafunctionoftheir
identities,subjectivitiesandeverydaylivedexperiences.TheUJ’sstrategicintentionswerecharacterisedbytwomain
aspectsarisingfromwhatGravett(2005)calledemployees’prescribedneedsinrespectofemployeelearning.Firstwas
thedrivetowardsrealisationoftheinstitution’svisionandmission.Tothisend,employeelearningwouldbeusedtoequip
theemployeeswiththerequisiteskillsandcompetencies.Secondwastheneedtoconformtogovernmentlegislation
regardingemployeelearning.Anexamplewastherequirementforeveryemployeeattheinstitutiontohaveapersonal
developmentplan(IDP)whichwouldultimatelyfeedintotheinstitution’sWorkplaceSkillsPlan(WSP).Inmostcases,
however,theadministrativeassistants’careerdevelopmentaspirationswerecharacterisedbynotsimplytheneedto
acquirecompetenciesrelevanttotheircurrentjobsbutthosebymeansofwhichtheycouldrealiseupwardcareermobility.
ThisexemplifieswhatGravett(2005)called‘feltneeds’.Thecontradictionsbetweentheinstitutionalstrategicintentions
andtheadministrativeassistants’careerdevelopmentaspirationsrepresentaseriousconstraintontheachievementof
alignedambitioninrespectofemployeelearning.NecessaryatUJ,therefore,isaholisticconceptualisationofemployee
learningwhichtakesintoaccounttheinfluenceoftheglobal,nationalandsectoralcompetitiveimperativesreflectedin
theofficialdomainofemployeelearningaswellastheinfluenceofworkplace-basedcollectivesocialentities.However,
italsoneedstoaccommodatewhattheadministrativeassistantsbringtotheemployeelearninglandscapethroughtheir
biographiesandindividualagencyasreflectedinthesocialandlearningdomains.
Keywords:
administrative assistants, employee learning
ID064Paper AVAILABLE
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The Delivery of the Clothing Curriculum in South African Polytechnic Institutions: Towards a Competitive and Sustainable Industry
Mavuso, Sibusisiwe (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
The role of polytechnics curriculum and fashion design programmes towards skills development for the clothing
industrycannotbeunderestimated.Theaimofthisstudywastogainaninsightintotheinteractionsbetweeneducation
andtraininginstitutionsandclothingfirmstowardsskillsformationfortheSouthAfricanclothingsector.Thetarget
population for thestudywasuniversitiesofferingClothingManagementandFashionDesignprogrammesandtheir
students.Sixsemi-structuredinterviewswerecompletedwithacademicsfromtheUniversityofJohannesburg,third-
yearClothingManagementstudentsfromtheUniversityofDurbanTechnologyandclothingmanufacturersbasedin
theGautengregion.Allinterviewsweretranscribedanddatawascodedaccordingtothethemesemerging.Findings
indicatethatpolytechnicshave,overtheyears,builtpartnershipswiththeclothingindustrythoughtherelationshipis
notformalisedandconsistent.Therelationshipallowsstudentstobeplacedontheindustryforworkintegratedlearning
programmesandalsoforexperiential learning.Furthermore, it facilitates inputonthecurriculumbythe industry in
thecontextwhere technologyand trendsare in theclothing industryarechangingconstantly.Basedon theabove
findings,thestudyconcludedthereisaneedtoestablishstrongandmoreconsistentpartnershipsbetweeneducation
andtraininginstitutionsinorderfortheappareleducationcurriculumtoplayamajorroletotheclothingindustry.
Keywords:
skills, clothing industry, education institutions, pattern making, curriculum, South Africa
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ID067Systemic Relationships of Skills Development Stakeholders in Supporting Green Economy for Addressing Unemployment
Mmotong, Surprise Cleopatra (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
SouthAfricahasaresource-intensiveeconomyandisfacedwithdecliningnaturalresourcesanddeepeninginequalities.
Likemuchoftherestoftheworld,thecountryisgraduallytransitioningtowardsagreeneconomy.Policy,environmental,
socialandeconomic factorsdriveSouthAfrica’s transitiontosustainabledevelopmentandagreenereconomy.The
transitiontoagreeneconomyisconsideredanopportunitytoachieveaninclusiveeconomybytacklinginequalitiesin
humaneconomicdevelopmentsuchaspovertyandsocialinjustice(Rosenberg,2015).Educationandtrainingareessential
buildingblocksforthetransitiontoagreeneconomy.Thiswillinvolvegreenskilling,creatingpublicparticipationaswell
aspublicawareness.This raisesthe importanceofeducationsystemresponsivenessasagreeneconomywillcreate
differentdemandsonskillsandforcelabourmarketstochangeinordertoremaincompetitiveandinnovative.Various
policies have been developed to foster sustainable development and various projections on potential job creation for a
greeneconomy.However,thereisaproblemrelatedtoboththeachievementofsustainabledevelopmentandgreen
economyobjectives.SouthAfricaissaidtolackadequatelyqualifiedpeopletoimplementthesegoalsresultinginwhat
istermed‘scarceskills’intheenvironmentalandsustainabledevelopmentsector(Ramsarup,2015:60).Itisimportant
tonotethatSouthAfricaneducationandtrainingprovidersarecurrentlyofferingvariouscoursesrelevantforagreen
economy.However, earlier research conducted towards aNational Environmental Sector Skills Plan (DEA&Rhodes
University,2010)andotherhumancapitaldevelopment strategies, indicated thatenvironmental skillsplanningand
provisioninginSouthAfricaislargelyreactive,adhocandinadequate(Ramsarup,2015).Thescaleofthechallengeof
transitioningtoagreenandinclusiveeconomy,andconceptualisingskillsdevelopmentneedswithinacontextwhere
tomorrow’sjobswillbedifferentfromthoseweknowtoday,requiresamoresystematicengagementoftheeducation
andtrainingsector.
DHEThasacentralroletoco-ordinatethedevelopmentofgreenskillswithinthelabourforce.SETAsneedtofacilitate
fortheproductionofgreenskillsneededbytheworkforceinallsectorsatalllevels.Atransitiontoagreeneconomywill
havestructuralchangesinthelabourmarketandexistingoccupationsandindustrieswillexperiencegreeningchanges
totaskswithintheirjobs;thiswillrequireadjustmentstothecurrenttrainingandqualificationframeworksforthese
occupations.QTCOandSAQAwillthereforeneedtocreatenewoccupationstosupportneweconomicactivities.TVET
collegeswillalsohavetolookintoofferinglowlevelgreenskillsprogrammeswhichsupportentryintothelabourmarket
Thisstudysetouttoexplorehowgreeneconomydiscoursecancontributetoaddressingthechallengeofunemployment
experiencedinthecountryfocusingontheroleoftheskillsdevelopmentsystem.Theresearchquestionsare:
1. Isthereaconsensusamongskillsdevelopmentroleplayersonhoworthroughwhichinstrument/sthegreen
skillsobjectivescanbeachieved?
2. Istheskillsdevelopmentsystemrespondingwithappropriatetrainingdesigntosupportgreeneconomywhich
addressesunemployment?
3. Howwill new streams of demand for green skills products and services impact on skills, employment and
employability?
It is important for the education and training system to provide appropriate skills and competencies to support the green
economytoenhancejobcreation.Greenskillsplanningisofparamountimportanceifthecountryistoprovideadequate
learningpathwaystosupportagreeneconomy.Itisnotcleariftheskillsdevelopmentsystemiscurrentlyresponding
withappropriatetrainingdesigntosupportagreeneconomyduetothefactthatgreenskillsplanningisnotintegrated.
Keywords:
green economy, unemployment, sustainable development
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ID068 Measuring the Impact of Higher Education on Development and Social Change: Shifting Methodologies
Molebatsi, Palesa Malehlohonolo (UniversityofWitwatersrand)
Theimpactofhighereducationhastraditionallybeenobservedbyeconomiststhroughratesofreturnstudies.While
thismaynotreflectacausalrelationship,itpointstoanincreasingassociationbetweenhighereducationandindividual/
nationalincome.
However,notenoughisknownabouthowhighereducationcontributestodevelopmentandtheextenttowhichitdoes
so.Thereisanunder-theorisationofkeyconceptsthatcanreflecttheimpactofhighereducation.Newmethodologies
areemergingtorespond(Clark,2017)withmetricstryingtobetterreflecttheseconcepts.
Recently, definitions of the ‘public good’ nature of higher education have shifted and been linked to social justice
throughincreasingsocialmobility(Williams,2016).Policiesappeartoattempttoincorporatethesechangesgivenrising
inequalityevenindevelopingcontextsliketheUSA,Canada,etc.(Margison,2016).TheTeachingExcellenceFramework
ofEngland,amongotherthings,assesseshoweffectivehighereducationisinmeetingtheneedsofadiversestudent
fromadisadvantagedbackground.
TheTeachingExcellenceFramework (TEF) is agovernmentassessmentof thequalityofundergraduate teaching in
universities–universitiesareawardedgold,silver,orbronzestatus.SixcoremetricsliebehindtheTEF.Threeofthese
come from theNational Student Survey (i.e. students’ views on the quality of teaching, assessment and academic
supportreceived).Afourthmetricisbasedonauniversity’sdropoutrates.Thefinaltworelatetograduateactivities
afterleavinguniversity.
ThereissomedebatearoundthevalueofTEF.Dometricssuchasstudentsatisfactionandemployabilitydataadequately
measureteachingquality?TheTEFpositionseducationasacommodityforsaletobuyers(i.e.students).Universities
targetspendingonactivitiesthatmaximisescoresonTEFindicators.Thismayleadtounderfundingcertain‘collective
goods’(Margison,2017).
Keywords:
highereducation,TeachingExcellenceFramework,shiftingmethodologies
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ID069Green Skills in the South African Surface Coatings Sector: A Methodological Exploration
Moroane, Kedibone (ChemicalIndustryEducationandTrainingAuthority–CHIETA); Presha Ramsarup (WitsUniversity); Nicola Jenkin(PinpointSustainability); Eureta Rosenberg (RhodesUniversity)
For South Africa to realise a greener economy, the National Development Plan recognises the need for skills development
to strengthen thenation’s economic and social resilience. Togrowagreenereconomyand to facilitate sustainable
development opportunities at sector and national levels, an understanding of green skills demand and utilisation
isnecessary.ThisstudythusaimedtosupporttheChemicalSkillsAuthority inSouthAfrica,theiremployersandthe
broader skills planning community by providing a methodology to identify green skills priorities and demand articulation,
atthefirmandsectorlevelinthesurfacecoatingspaintsector.
Drawing on amulti-level perspective of transitioning, it thus provided theoretical and explanatory tools to look at
greeningworkasaninterplayatthreeanalyticallevels:
¡ landscapepressuresthatimpactofsectors/analysisofthedrivers;
¡ operatingnormsandpracticeswithinaregimeandthusexplorethe lock-insthatholddominantpractices in
place;and
¡ workplacepracticesforevidenceofthelock-insandopportuntiesfortransformativepraxis.
Thestudystartedwithacontextualdriveranalysiswhichhighlightedthesignificantenvironmentalimpactsatvarious
stagesinthepaintvaluechain.Theseincludeimpactsduringtheextractionandprocessingofinputmaterials,impacts
during themanufacturingprocess (withwastewater and sludgeproduction) andhighand inefficientenergyuseby
theautomotivepaintsindustryparticularly.Therearealsosignificanthealthimpactsassociatedwithpaintapplication
andhazardouscomponentsofpaintsuchaslead.Keyareasofenvironmentalconcernarelinkedtoproductinnovation
andeducationontherisksassociatedwithlead-basedpaintsandregulation.Thecontextualdriveranalysisprovideda
platformforsurfacinggreenskillneeds.
Central to the research methodology was an expanded value chain analysis as a means to identify and map out
environmentalhotspotsinthesector.Thisrequiredanintensivelookatregulationandinnovationprocesseswithinvalue
chains. Inaddition,anoccupationalnetworkmappingexercisewasundertakento identifythecoreoccupationsthat
requiregreenorthegreeningofskillsinthevaluechain.
The study of green skills needs across occupations reflected that themajority of green skills interventions require
greeningofcurrentoccupationsandthesupportofskillsdevelopmentthatcanfostermoresustainablepractices.In
thestudythreecorefocalareasemergedascentraltoopportunitiestoincreaseworkforcecapabilitytosupportamore
sustainablepaintindustry:risk,regulationandinnovation.Thefollowingoccupationswereparticularlyrelevanttothe
greeningofthepaintindustry:EnvironmentalHealthOfficers;Safety,Health,EnvironmentandQualitymanagersand/
orSustainabilitymanagers;TechnicalManagersandLaboratoryTechnicians;ResearchandDevelopmentManagersand
Researchers;EngineeringManagers;andPaintersandContractors.Thestudyprovidedacomprehensivesetofgreen
skilloccupationalprofilesrelatedtothepaintindustry,whichcanbeusedbythechemicalsectorfortherevisionofthe
greenoccupationalframeworksandforstrategicinterventionstosupportbettersectorsskillsplanningforgreenskills.
Inaddition,thefindingsprovideguidelinesforthegreeningofjobsalongthevaluechaininthesector,andcanhelp
employerstostrengthenworkplacegreenskillsplanningprocesses.
Thestudyidentifiedsignificantopportunitiesfortheindustrytocontributetothegreeneconomybyreducingenergy
usage,bettermanagingitswasteandintroducinginnovationstoreduceenvironmentalimpact.
Keywords:
green skills, value chain, surface coatings
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ID070Paper AVAILABLE
Transitions in Care for the Disabled – Assistive Robotics, Tasks and Responsibilities
Nickelsen, Niels Christian Mossfeldt (AarhusUniversitySchoolofEducation)
Manyinterestingtechnologicalinnovationsandassistiveroboticswithregardtocareforthedisabledandelderlyhave
appearedinrecentyears.Therearedifferentlevelsofparticipationinsuchinnovationsbycitizensandprofessionals.
Initiatives like these have in common, among other things, that they involve important elements of self-care and are part
ofaninternationalmovementtowardempoweringcitizens.Theseinitiativesareoftenassociatedwithdemocraticvalues
thatincludetheactivationandservicequalityseenfromtheperspectiveofthecitizen.Whilesomeseethisastimely
service development and continuous care, others see it as an expression of individualisation, de-institutionalisation and
evendismantlingofthewelfarestate.Thisongoingtransformationofcareforthedisabledwillleadtonewformsof
citizenship,newformsofprofessionaltasksandchangingrelationshipsbetweencaregiversandthosetheycarefor.
Recently,assistiveroboticshavebecomeanewconsiderationinsocialworkandhealthcare.Thispaperdiscussesthe
relationbetweencareinnovationandnewmodesofprofessionalismintermsofempoweringthecitizen.Bywayofan
ethnographic study in housing institutions for the disabled in three boroughs in Denmark, based on observation, focus
groupsandphotoelicitation,Idiscussthewaysprofessionalsandcitizensengagewithassistiverobotics,howassistive
roboticsco-produceeverydaylifeinhousinginstitutions,andthesensibilityoftherobotics.Duringrecentyears,Feeding
AssistiveRobotics(FAR)haveenjoyedstrongpoliticalendorsementinDenmarkandareusedbycitizenswithloworno
functionintheirarmsandhands.Itis,however,Iargue,difficulttousetheminpractice.Thishastodowithmanygoals
andcriteriacrossingeachotherandthefactthat it isdifficulttorecruitsuitablecitizensandestablishastableFAR-
bodyassembly.Bywayoftwoexamples,asuccess,whereself-relianceistheresult,andafailure,leadingtoindignity,I
elucidatedifferentmodesofengagement,inrelationtotheresearchquestion:Howdoesprofessionalandcitizenship
innovationtakeplacealongsidetechnologicalcareinnovation?Usingmaterialsemiotics(Mol,Moser&Pols,2010;Law,
2007,2004;Law&Moser,1999)asananalyticresource,Idiscusswhatknowledgeofthesensibleworldisinscriptedinto
theFARandhowcitizensandprofessionalsengagewithitwhenitenterstheirworkplaceandhome(Akrich,2000).The
papertellsthestoryofhowtheinitialpolitical-managerialenthusiasmwithregardtoFARhasbeenmobilisedandthen
crumbledinfiveyears.
MuchpointstothepossibilitythattheFAR-technicalityi.e.onebuttonforturningtheplateandanotherformakingthe
spoongoupanddownisnotsufficientlyknowledgeabletointeractattentivelywithcitizenswithlowornofunctionin
theirarmsandhands.TheFARisobviouslydesignedtofitintotheeverydaylifeofdisabledcitizens,yetitunavoidably
alsocreates,ordersandmediateseverydaylife.Thefoodneedstobepreparedincertainways,theFARmakesanoise
duringuse, it isfixedtoa tableandtakesupspace. In this sense, theFARpre-scripts theusagescenariosand lacks
sensibilityandcapabilityofadjustmenttotheenvironment.
Bywayofanemicanalysis(Kok,Leistikow&Bal,inpress),Iuntangledifferentkindsofengagementwithcareinnovation.
Thisleadsmetothreepointswithregardtoworkplacelearning:1.Professionalsandcitizenshavetoenterintorelations
withtechnology,butwecannotknowinadvancehowtheydoit.Itisforinstanceverydifficulttopredictwhichcitizens
are able touse FAR.Muchdependson theworking alliance that is establishedbetweenprofessionals, citizens and
technology.Caregiversneedto improvise.2)Usingassistiveroboticsassignsnewandintensifiedresponsibilitiesand
invisibleworktothecaregiversduetoanumberofemerginguncertainties.3)Despitesomesuccessesandobviousgreat
potential,theeatingtechnologystillappearsinsufficientlysophisticatedtointeractadequatelywithalargenumberof
disabledcitizens.
Keywords:
feedingassistiverobotics,disability,indignity,invisiblework,intensifiedresponsibility,materialsemiotics
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID071Paper AVAILABLE
Transgressions and Transformations at Work: Towards a Social Media Practice among Swedish Municipality Communicators
Norström, Livia; Ulrika Lundh Snis; Iréne Bernhard; Per Assmo (UniversityWest,SchoolofBusiness,
EconomicsandIT)
Thispaperdiscusseshowcommunicatorsatthemunicipality,intheirwork,negotiatethetensionbetweenatraditional
roleofan‘informativeadministrator’anda‘promoting,engagingsocialmediaprofile’.Theworkislearnedbycarefully
transgressing municipality social media and IT policy and by transforming social media practice from private and
commercialuseofFacebook,towardsanewpracticefoundedindemocraticvalues.
Socialmediahasbecomean importantstrategyformunicipalitiestodiscloseamassiveamountof informationwith
relativelylowcostandtocreateengagementwithcitizens.However,fosteringparticipationandcitizenengagement
on socialmediaplatforms is still agreat challenge formunicipalityadministrationaswell as for research.Despitea
widespreaddiffusionofplatformssuchasFacebook inmunicipalities, interaction level is relatively lowcomparedto
privateorganisations.Weknowfrompreviousresearchthatcitizens’engagementwithmunicipalitiesonFacebookis
relatedtothemunicipalities’traditionofopennessandtransparencyandtheirlocaladministrationstyle.Municipalities
withatraditionoftransparencyaretoagreaterextentusingfeatures inFacebookthatenablecitizenengagement.
Hencetheorganisationalcontextwheretheengagementtakesplaceisacrucialfactor.However,whatisoftenforgotten
whentryingtounderstandhowengagementemergesonmunicipalitysocialmediaplatformsistheintentionsofthe
platformprovidersandtheemergingsociallogicoftheplatformsinuse.AdigitalplatformsuchasFacebookcannot
beregardedasoneoveralltechnologychoice,butasaplatformproviderthatpromotesservicesandtoolsalongwitha
considerableamountofconditionsandregulations.Associalplatformsarebeingadoptedandmatured,thehugeamount
of data concerning user behaviour and interaction patterns has changed from being side business to core business for
theplatformproviders.Thisisapplied,forinstance,inthepossibilitytoharvestandselldata.Overtime,thelogicofsuch
platformshasbecomemoreadvancedanditsabilitytoshapeandtransformthecommunicationpatternshasgrown
strongerandbecomecritical.So,whatimplicationsdosuchaplatformlogichaveonmunicipalityadministrations’use
ofFacebook?Acontentanalysisofonline interactiononfourmunicipalities’Facebookpagesduringaperiodoftwo
yearswasconducted.Approximately6000postsandcommentswerecategorisedbycontent,mediatypeandtone.
Engagementsuchaslikes,sharesandcommentswerethenmeasuredforthedifferentcategories.
Empiricalfindingsindicatethatmunicipalitycommunicatorshaveproblemsbothtoreachoutwithinformationandto
createengagementonFacebook.Itisimportantforthecommunicatorstobepoliticallyneutral,correctandspeakwith
thevoiceofthewholemunicipality(i.e.nottoopersonal).Thiswayofbeing,however,doesnotworksowellonFacebook.
Theyreporthavinggraduallyadjustedtheirwork(content,tone,mediatypeandtiming)towhatisspreadable,sharable
andcommentableaccordingtoaFacebooklogic.Thecommunicatorssaytheyfeelforcedtopostpicturesofblossom
treesandcheck-insfromthelunchrestaurantinordertogetlikesandshares.Theyknowthatiftheydon’tdothisthey
willlosecitizens’attentionandtheywillnotreachoutwithmoreimportantposts.Theyareawarethatpoststhatare
interestingtoseeandreadarenotsufficient;postsalsoneedtotriggerpeopletolike,shareandcomment.Thesocial
mediaworkneedstobedesignedinaccordancewithauniqueFacebookplatformlogic.
ThispaperaimstocontributetothebodyofknowledgeonITandlearningatworkwithaspecialfocusonnewcompetence
inthepublicsector.Italsoextendsanexistingframeworkofe-governmenttransparencyandcitizenengagementby
takingintoaccounttheroleofFacebookasaplatformwithhighlystructuredstrategiesforhowtofosteraspecialkind
ofsocialityandengagement.Thepracticalcontributionimpliesnewknowledgeforstaffandmanagementinthepublic
sectortodevelopcompetencetomanagetransparencyandengagementthroughsocialmedia.
Keywords:
socialmediaplatform,workplacelearning,transformationofworkpractice,e-government,citizens,communicators
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ID072Paper AVAILABLE
Transforming Municipal Workers’ Knowledge-Sharing Practices to Improve Healthcare Waste Management: A Formative Intervention Case Study
Masilela, Priscilla Kgofelo; Lausanne Olvitt (RhodesUniversity)
This paper reports on research into a two-year expansive learning process initiated by an environmental health
practitionerworkinginasmallmetropolitanmunicipalityinSouthAfrica.Aseriesofinter-agencyworkshopsenabled
alearningprocessthatsoughttoimprovethemanagementofhealthcareriskwaste.Inordertoachievethisobjective,
awide rangeofpractitionersneeded to transform their knowledgeandknowledge-sharingpractices regarding the
management of healthcare risk waste in theMunicipality. Guided by Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and
expansivelearningtheory,thepractitioner-researcherfacilitatedaseriesofChangeLaboratoryworkshopswithselected
municipalemployeesandcommunityhealthworkersusingtheDevelopmentalWorkResearchmethodology.
Sincethe1990s,communityhome-basedcarefacilitiesinSouthAfricahavegrownexponentially,primarilyinresponseto
theHIV/AIDSpandemic.Thecommunityhealthworkersemployedbythesefacilitiesprovidebasichealthcareservicesin
thehomesofpeoplewhostruggletoaccessformalclinicsorhospitals.Theytypicallyprovidesupportinthemanagement
ofpain,treatmentof infectionsandthemanagementofchronicdiseases.Certainpracticesgeneratewhat isknown
as‘healthcareriskwaste’thatposesanenvironmentalandpublichealthriskduetoitspotentialtocontaminateland
andwater,spreadingdiseaseandinfection.Thisposesachallengeformunicipalities,inparticularenvironmentalhealth
practitioners,whoaremandatedtoensurecomplianceandtomonitorthemanagementofhealthcareriskwasteby
communityhome-basedcarefacilities.
The expansive learning process reported in this paper included practitioners from the metropolitan municipal
Environmental Health Services activity system and two community home-based care activity systems. The process
surfacedseveralsystemictensionsandcontradictionsthatwereaffectingnotonlywhatpractitionersknew about the
managementofhealthcareriskwasteincommunityhome-basedcarefacilities,butalsohowtheysharedthatknowledge
withothers.Thestudyfoundthatemployeesworking inmunicipalactivitysystemsknewvery littleabouttheforms
andfunctionsofcommunityhome-basedcarefacilitiesintheirmunicipality.Thiscompromisedtheirknowledge-sharing
practiceswhichwererestrictedandgenerallyunsystematic,andthisinturncontributedtounstandardised,sometimes
inappropriatehealthcarewastemanagementpracticesincommunityhome-basedcarefacilities.Knowledgewasshared
onlywhenand if itwasavailable,and itdidnotextendbeyond individualactivitysystems.Thisresulted inanarrow
knowledgefocus,specifictoonecontext.Thestudyfurtherfoundthattherewerenomechanismstoshareknowledge
effectivelyorexplicitlywithinandbetweenactivitysystems.Minuteswerepoorlydocumentedandwastemanagement
practicespoorlyreported,resultinginmanagementnotbeingabletoidentifywhatneededtobeaddressed.
Amidstthesechallenges,changelaboratoryworkshopsenabledboundarycrossingthatenabledalltheactivitysystems
involvedinhealthcareriskwastemanagementtosharetheircoreknowledgerelatingtotheir‘who’,‘how’,‘what’,‘why’
and‘when’practices,andtoidentifydifferencesbetweentheirpractices.Thestudyfoundthatimprovedknowledge
andknowledge-sharingpracticesareessentialforthedevelopmentofenvironmentalhealthpractitioners’appliedand
collectivecompetence–whichisurgentlyneededforeffectivehealthcareriskwastemanagementatthemunicipallevel
inSouthAfrica. InstitutionalisingboundarycrossingthroughChangeLaboratoryworkshopsprovidedamuch-needed
andimportantplatformtodiscussandinteractwithpractitionersinthesamefieldandalsoprovidedparticipantswith
representationaltoolstoanalysedisturbancesandtoconstructnewsolutions.
Keywords:
environmental health, healthcare waste management, knowledge-sharing practices, expansive learning, change
laboratory, boundary crossing
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ID073Processes and Lessons from Researching Co-Engaged Learning of ‘Water For Food’ in and across Multiple Agricultural Learning Workplaces in the Amanzi for Food project in the Amathole District, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Pesanayi, Tichaona; Tshandapiwa Tshuma; Heila Lotz-Sisitka; Chamunorwa Matambo (Rhodes
University,ImvothoBubomiLearningNetwork)
HouseholdfoodsecurityinSouthAfricaremainsanationalchallengemainlyduetowaterscarcity,resultingintheneed
toexploreapproachesandprocessesthatcanmediate learningaboutsustainablewaterfor foodsuchas rainwater
harvestingandconservationtofarmersinhouseholdandsmallholderworkplaces,andinTVET-orientatedCollegesof
Agriculture(nowknownasAgriculturalTrainingInstitutes).Thispapersharestheresultsofathree-yearresearchproject
thattookplacefrom2014to2016involvingdiverseagriculturalactorsmainlyagriculturalcollegelecturers,smallholder
farmers,extensionofficersandlocaleconomicdevelopmentfacilitatorsorganisedinalearningnetworknamedImvotho
Bubomi[WaterisLife]LearningNetworkunderthebanneroftheAmanzi[Water]forFoodproject(www.amanziforfood.
co.za).Withinthelearningnetwork,aseriesofcultural-historicalactivitytheoryinformedexpansivelearningprocesses
wereengagedwithoverthethree-yearperiod:1)identificationofneedstatewithlocalactorsacrossarangeofactivity
systemswhoorganisedthemselvesintoalearningnetwork,2)courseactivatedknowledgeengagementaroundnew
knowledgeofrainwaterharvestingandconservationpracticesintoappliedchangeprojects,3)changelaboratorieswith
multi-actorsinfield,4)collaborativedemonstrationsitedevelopment,and5)expansionofknowledgeengagementvia
useofsocialmediaandradio.
Theprojectsetouttoaddresstwo-foldmattersofconcern,namelyaWaterResearchCommissiongoaltodisseminate
andsharevaluablerainwaterharvestingandconservationknowledgeintoagriculturallearningsystems,andsecondly,
concernsamongstfarmers,localeconomicdevelopmentofficialsandcollegelecturerstoaddresscontextuallylocated
waterforfoodchallengesfacedbysmallholderfarmers.Theresearchadoptedaformativeinterventionistdevelopmental
workresearchapproach (Engeström&Sannino,2010) tofacilitatetheexpansive learningofsustainableagricultural
waterasobjectofactivityinthelearningnetwork.
Information on the fivemediated learning processes within an expansive learning cycle over the three years was
capturedviainterviews,observationsanddocumentanalysisandhasbeenthesubjectofspecificstudies(Weaver,2014;
Lupele,2017;Pesanayi,2017;Lotz-Sisitkaetal.,2016).Overall,thedataindicatesthatagriculturalwaterproblemswere
connected,complexandcontextual.Smallholderfarmers’waterproblemswerecontextualinthesensethattheywere
experiencedinthegardenandfieldsandinfluencedbyclimaticandotheragro-ecologicalandsocio-economicfactors
specifictotheirlocations.Theywerealsohistoricallyshapedbylocalhistoriesofpoorqualityeducation,andexclusions
undertheapartheidstateandoftenironiccontinuitiesoftheseinthepost-apartheidstate.Mostoftheseproblems
werecharacterisedascontradictionsbetweenthe farmers’aspirations togrowtheirownfoodversus lackofwater
provisioning,watersecurityandwaterscarcityfromdroughtinrain-fedcontexts.Thiscontradictioninfarmers’work
wasaggravatedwhenthefarmers’activity interactedwithagriculturalcollege lecturers’activity in learningnetwork
change-laboratoryworkshops.Thecontradictionwasaggravatedbecauseoftheinternalcontradictioninthecollege
lecturer’sactivity:despitebeingmandatedtoservesmallholder farmerneeds,collegestrainextensionworkersand
farmersmostlyonlargerscaleirrigationprinciplesandtechnologywhileomittingtheteachingoflow-costrainwater
harvestingandconservationtechnologyandmoreaffordablealternativessuitedtosmallholderfarmers.
Thispapertracestheexpansivelearningthattookplaceinthelearningnetworkoverthethreeyears,givingattention
tothefiveprocessesoutlinedabove.Itreflectsonhoweachoftheseprocessesstimulatedongoingexpansivelearning
in smallholder farmingworkplaces,and in theagricultural training institutecurriculumcontext (a formofboundary
crossinglearning).
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The paper concludes that the learning network approach to inter-sectoral organisation and co-engaged problem-
solvingovertime,conceptualisedwithinaCHAT-informedexpansive learningtrajectory,wasabletodealwithsome
important water challenges affecting both smallholder farmers and agricultural colleges in context. It resulted in
ongoingexpansivelearning,andknowledgeco-creationinsolvingagriculturalwaterproblemsforsmall-scalefarmers,
andseededcurriculuminnovation inagriculturalcolleges,especiallyviaactivationofnewknowledgeviathecourse,
andapplicationofthisviatheco-creationofproductiverainwaterharvestingdemonstrationplotswhichbecameakey
featureoftheprogramme.Thepaperalsoseekstocritically interrogatetheseprocesses,andtoraisequestionsfor
evaluative research, since the project forms part of a National Skills Development System III evaluation case study on
learningandpartnerships.
Keywords:
learningnetwork,demonstrationsites,agriculturallearningworkplaces,water-for-food
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID074 Navigating Transitions between Work and Further Study: The Inner Workings and Pedagogic Agency of RPL as Specialised Pedagogy
Ralphs, Alan; Linda Cooper (UniversityofCapeTown)
Muchresearchoneducation, labourmarketsandworkfocusesonthetransitionofyoungpeoplefromeducationto
work. Incontrast,thepracticeofRecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL)hascometoplayasmallbutsignificantrole in
navigatingthetransitionsbetweenworkandfurtherstudy,particularlyforthosewhoareunder-qualifiedeitherbecause
ofincreasinglevelsofspecialisation,greaterregulationofwork,and/orbecauseofpastdisadvantage.However,RPL
isfrequentlymisrepresentedasasetofassessment practicesforestablishingthecreditvalueofknowledgeandskills
acquiredoutsideoftheformalconventionsofacademicandvocationallearning.Participationinthesepracticesisalltoo
frequentlyreduced,asMichelson(2005)argues,toKolbianprocessesofreflection on experiencewhichclaimtoprovide
“unmediatedaccesstoreality”whilstneglecting“thecomplexcultural,discursive,andpsychologicalmatrixwithinwhich
experiencehappens”.
In this paperwe contest this over-simplification andprovide insight into threedifferent configurationsofRPL as a
specialisedformofpedagogyacrossfourdifferentsitesofpracticeinSouthAfrica:theWorkersCollegeinKZN,aprivate
FETprovider,andtwouniversitiesprovidingRPLforaccesstoundergraduateandpostgraduatestudy.Theresearchfor
thispaperwasconductedfrom2010to2014andincludedaspecificfocusonwhatwerefertoastheinner workings of
the RPL practices of these four sites, inclusive of a notion of pedagogic agency as manifest by facilitators and learners
inthesedifferentpractices.DrawingfromtheresearchandthebookpublishedinNovember2016,thepaperspeaks
tothetransgressions involved inaffordingepistemicauthoritytospecialisedformsofexperiential learning,thereby
contributingtoacriticalunderstandingofdifferentculturesofknowledgeandexpertiseinamoreinclusiveeducation
andtrainingsystem.
Keywords:
RecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL),transitions,experientiallearning,pedagogy
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ID075 An Expanded Methodological View on Learning Pathways: A Laminated Systems Perspective
Ramsarup, Presha; Eureta Rosenberg; Heila Lotz-Sisitka(WitsUniversity,RhodesUniversity)
Within the context of sustainable development and the emerging green economy, this paper highlights the need to
developmoresophisticatedunderstandingsoflearningpathways,andthewayinwhichwork,educationandtraining
systemsinterfacetosupportthetransitionsneededforparticularformsofworkandlearningintospecialisedgreenjobs.
Despiteextensiveuseofthelearningpathwaysconceptinpolicy,bothlocallyandinternationally,itremainsametaphor
thatisimpreciseandoftenregardedastheoreticallyeclectic.Acentralmethodologicalconcernthatweuncoveredin
learningpathwaysresearchwasthedifficultiesofempiricallyresearchinglearningpathwaysinawaythatcrossedthe
micro-macrodivide,andthatcouldovercomethebifurcationoftheempiricalcareerstoryandthewidersystemstudy.
Thepaperuses twoconceptual schemas, toattempt toportrayenvironmental learningpathwaysascomplexsocial
phenomenon. The multi-level perspective of transitioning to sustainable development helped to illustrate the co-
evolutionary processes of systems during sustainability transitions. To reinforce this heuristic and strengthen the
ontologicalunder-labouring,thepaperusesthecriticalrealistnotionoflaminatedsystemsthatenabledpathwaystobe
studiedasanalyticallyseparatebutsystemicallywhole.
Through a focus on the environmental engineer, the paper illustrates the processes and outcomes of learning and
worktransitionsinanimportantoccupationincontemporaryprofessionalworkinSouthAfrica.Itusesin-depthcareer
storiesofnineenvironmentalengineersselectedonthebasisofdiversityofcontext;biographicalhistoryandlearning
pathwayprofiles.Theseweresubjectedtomulti-layeredanalysisalongsideasystemsanalysisofpathwaysprovisioning
forenvironmentalengineers.Thisenabledtheidentificationofvariouscausalmechanismsatdifferentlevelsandscales
ofreality(Nuneez,2014).Occupationaltransitionsare,asshowninthecaseoftheenvironmentalengineer,tobe‘non-
linear,variegated,complicated,anddeeplyinterwovenwiththenatureofworkandeconomy’(Sawchuk&Taylor,2010).
Thischallengesideasonlinearity,withimplicationsforqualificationsdesign,andforhowtostrengthenenvironmental
engineeringeducationandtraining(forascarceskilloccupation)withinanNQFsysteminvolvingthreesub-frameworks.
The paper raises the importance of understanding the enabling and constraining factors shaping transitions in learning
pathwaysresearchandprovidesimportantinsightsintohowpeoplegainaccessintospecialisedjobswithinestablished
professions.
Thepaperthusprovidesamoresubstantiveapproachforlearningpathwaysresearch,inwhichtheindividuallearners’
learningpathwayexperiencesandabsencesarenotneglectedorreifiedwithineitherafocusoncareerstories,orwider
(open) systemsbasedanalysisof learningpathways. It alsoprovidesadeeperunderstandingof the systemic issues
associatedwithlearningpathwaysconstruction,andoftransitioningprocessesthatoccuraspeople‘crossboundaries’in
learningpathwaysconstructionintospecialistenvironmentaljobs.
Finally,thepapersynthesisesamodelforlearningpathwaysresearch,whichoffersawayofsynthesisingeducationaland
occupationallearningpathwaysconceptualisedwithinalaminatedsystemframework.
Keywords:
learningpathways,laminatedsystems,environmentalengineer
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ID076 Community-Engaged Learning and Employability Skills
Taylor, Alison (UniversityofBritishColumbia); Milosh Raykov (UniversityofMalta)
TheemployabilityskillsofgraduateshavebecomeapolicyfocusinrecentyearsinCanadaandtheUS(McKean,Coburn
&MacLaine, 2016; Supiano, 2013). Reports of significant levels of unemployment and underemployment amongst
universitygraduateshavesparkedconcernsabouteducation-jobsmismatch (Grant2012).Within thiscontext,work-
integratedlearning(WIL)programmeshavebeentoutedasawayofimprovingstudents’employmentprospectsand
labour market outcomes (Council of Ontario Universities, 2014). Such programmes include cooperative education,
practicum, internship, and service learning. However, the aims and forms of work-integrated programmes like
cooperativeeducation,practicum, and internships canbequitedifferent from thoseof community service-learning
(CSL).Forexample,CSLprogrammesarecommonlyorganisedinnon-for-profitorganisationsandfocusonenhancing
students’senseofcivicengagementandsocialresponsibility(Saltmarsh&Hartley,2011),whileotherwork-integrated
programmes are usually focused on developing professional skills (Johnston, 2007). Curricular CSL is embedded in
universitycourses(studentsparticipateinunpaidcommunityprojectsorplacementsforapproximately20hoursover
thesemester),whileprogrammeslikecooperativeeducationusuallyinvolveasemesterofpaidfull-timeworkforalocal,
usuallyprivatesectoremployerinterspersedwithfull-timeuniversitystudies.
Given thesedifferences,onemightexpect studentoutcomes fromprogrammes tobequitedifferent. Inparticular,
becauseoftheirbroaderfocus,wewonderifCSLexperiencesaremorelikelytopromoteasociallycriticalvocationalism,
involvingacriticalawarenessofthesocietalandsocialpolicy issues influencingtheprofessionalrole inwork-related
andcommunitycontexts(Peach,2010).Servicelearningoutcomesareusuallydescribedintermsofstudents’personal,
social,andlearningoutcomes;careerdevelopment;andastrongerrelationshipwiththeirinstitutions(Chambers,2009;
Eyleretal.,2001).ButmanyCSLstudentsarealsopreoccupiedwithemployability;responsestooursurveyofuniversity
graduateswhohadparticipatedinservice-learningstudentsfoundthat49%oflocalservice-learning(CSL)and20%of
internationalservice-learning(ISL)studentsweremotivatedtoparticipateinservicelearningtodevelopemployability
skills.
Thispaperdrawsonourmixed-methodsstudyofgraduatesfromaneasternCanadianuniversitywhoparticipatedinlocal
andinternationalservicelearningtoexplorehowitimpactedtheiruniversityexperiences,self-reportedemployability,
andsubsequent learningandworkpathways.Ourdata include313completedsurveyswiththesegraduatesand22
interviews.Ouranalysisofsurveydatasuggeststhatservice learning influenced39%ofstudents’furthereducation
plansand51%ofstudents’careerplans.Interviewdatasuggestfurtherthatwhileservicelearningwastransformative
fora smallnumberof students in termsof shaping their careerpathways, foragreaternumber, theexperienceof
participatinginservicelearninghelpedthemlearnhowtomoveoutoftheircomfortzone,tobecomereflectiveabout
theirlearningandrelationshipswithothers,andmoresociallyaware.Whilethesekindsofimpactmaynotbeincludedin
listsofemployabilityskills,theyarearguablycriticalincontemporaryworkplaces.
Keywords:
work-integratedlearning,employability,universitystudents
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ID077Paper AVAILABLE
Relational Agency for Shared Understandings Towards an Integrated Education and Training System of Quality
Reddy, Julie; Heidi Bolton (SouthAfricanQualificationAuthority)
UnderapartheidSouthAfricansocietyincludingitswholesystemforeducation,training,developmentandwork,was
raciallysegregatedanduneven.Followingtheestablishmentofdemocracyin1994,thesystemwasintegrated.Some
17educationdepartmentsweremergedintoasingleschoolingsystem.Race-basedHigherEducationInstitutionswere
mergedwithinregionsinthecountry.AsinglesystemforqualificationsforTradesandOccupationswasdeveloped,that
isopentoall.TheSouthAfricanNationalQualificationsFramework(NQF)wasthemeansusedtointegratetheeducation
andtrainingsystem,tomakeitaccessibletoeveryone,andtoenableredress,qualificationsofquality,andtransparency.
TheapproachtostandardsettingandqualityassurancewasinitiallycentralisedundertheSouthAfricanQualifications
Authority(SAQA)Act;theNQFActlegislatesadifferentiatedapproach.Umalusi,theCouncilonHigherEducation(CHE),
andtheQualityCouncilforTradesandOccupations(QCTO)overseetheNQFSub-FrameworksforGeneralandFurther
EducationandTraining(GFETQSF),HigherEducation(HEQSF),andTradesandOccupations(OQSF).
ThethreeQualityCouncilseachdevelop,implementandmanageoneoftheNQFSub-Frameworks.SAQA’sroleisto
advance the objectives of the NQF, to oversee its implementation and further development, and to coordinate the
Sub-Frameworks. From thepromulgationof theNQFAct, SAQAhas sought to foster andenhance communication,
collaboration,andcoordinationnotonlybetweenthethreeQualityCouncils,butbetweenNQForganisationsinSouth
Africaingeneral.SAQA’scoordinatingrolethroughthedevelopmentandimplementationofinter alia the NQF Level
Descriptorsandpoliciesforregisteringqualificationsandpart-qualificationsontheNQF,recognisingprofessionalbodies
andregisteringprofessionaldesignations,forevaluatingforeignqualifications,verifyingnationalqualificationsandfor
recording and reportingmisrepresentedqualifications and for assessment,RecognitionofPrior Learning (RPL) and
CreditAccumulationandTransfer(CAT);andtheNationalLearners’RecordsDatabase(NLRD),hassoughttoenhance
theover-archingnationallydesiredcharacterofeducationandtraining.
TheNQFobjectivesof systemic integration,quality, accessand redress, learnermobility in the system,and lifelong
learningforpersonalandsocio-economicdevelopmentareaddressedcollaborativelybythemainNQFpartners.SAQA
playsaleadershiprole;guidelinesareprovidedbytheMinisterofHigherEducationandTraining.ThemainNQFpartners
areboundtocollaborateinlinewithNQF Implementation Framework and the System of Collaboration.
Relationship-building is central for the implementation and development of the NQF and under the NQF Act, SAQA
hassought todevelop ‘relationalagency’ (Edwards,2014) in thesystem.Four ideasarecentral to relationalagency
(ibid.).Thefirst idea is that relationalexpertise involvesadditionalknowledgeandskills,overandabovespecialised
coreexpertise.Second,relationalexpertiseinvolvesunderstandingandengagingwiththemotivesofothers.Itallows
theexpertise(resources)offeredbyotherstobesurfacedandused.Third,relationalexpertiseisusefulvertically(in
authorityhierarchies),but it isalsorelevantforhorizontalcollaborationacrosspracticesatsimilar levels inauthority
hierarchies.Lastly, relationalexpertiserespectshistory,but isfocussedonthecommonknowledgecreatedthrough
sharedunderstandingofthedifferentmotivesofthosecollaborating,andgoingforwardtogether.SAQAutilisesthese
principlesinthedevelopmentandimplementationoftheNQFpolicysuite.ThispaperusesEdwards’(2014)conceptof
relationalagencytoanalysetheextenttowhichrelationshipsarebeingbuiltandsustainedintheintegratedsystemfor
education,training,developmentandworkinSouthAfrica.
Keywords:
NQF, education and training system, relational agency, collaborative inter-institutional relationships
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID078Implementing Residential Learning Communities at a Liberal Arts College in Japan: A CHAT Analysis
Reid, James (AkitaInternationalUniversity)
This paper employs Cultural Historical Activity System Theory (CHAT) to qualitatively analyse the implementation of
residentiallearningcommunities,knownasThemedHouses,atanEnglishmediumofinstructionLiberalArtsCollegein
Japan.Thestudyexaminesthepracticeofimplementationfromthepointofviewofadministration,facultysupervisors
and the student residents. It identifies contradictions arising from the dynamic activity systems that mediate the
implementation of Themed Houses, examines how these contradictions have been or could be resolved, and then
developsgeneralisablefindingsthatcanbeusedbyothercollegesthatmaybeconsideringsimilarinitiatives.
ResearchbyLenningandEbbers(1999)documentsthebenefitsoflearningcommunitiesthatarelinkedbyacommon
theme.BrowerandDettinger(1998)contendthatlearningcommunitiesaredesignedtopromotegroupidentityandcreate
supportivelearningenvironmentsthatintegratesocialandacademicactivitiesandenhanceinterdisciplinaryconnections.
Residentiallearningcommunitiesareoftenimplementedonthebasisthatstudentswithsimilarinterestslivinginclose
proximityareenabledtohavemoreout-of-classinteractionsandsupplementary,experientialandreflectivelearning.It
is argued that active faculty members are able to mentor other faculty and students, and that student development can
bebothacademicandsociallymediated.Empiricalsupportforthepositiveeffectsonstudentparticipationinresidential
learningcommunitiesisprovidedbyFrazierandEighmy(2012)whoshowthatstudentshavereportedhighersatisfaction
levelswiththeir livingfacilitieswhenthethemethatunitestheir residence is relatedtotheirmajorandtheyreceive
intentionalfacultyinteraction.Otherresearch(St.Ongeetal.,2003;Tinto,1998)positivelycorrelatessuccessfulresidential
learningcommunitieswithstudentsatisfaction,translatingintohigherretentionrates(Levitzetal.,1999).Additionally,
retentionofmarginalisedstudentscanbeenhancedwhenresidentiallearningcommunitiesprovideaspaceforthese
groupstothriveoncampus,thoughthesehavebeencriticisedforimposingself-segregation(Lum,2008).
Cultural-HistoricalActivityTheory(CHAT)isapractice-basedresearchapproachusedtoanalyseprofessionalworkpractices
(Engeström,1987).Byincorporatingtherolesofmediatingartefacts(tools),culturalandhistoricalmotivesofcommunity
members, rules conventions and norms, the use and exchange value of actions and the psychological dimensions of
externalised and internalised operations, CHAT provides amulti-layered andmulti-voicedway of understanding how
communitiesworktowardanobjectiveandprovidesalensthroughwhichcommunitiescanreflectontheirpractice.In
CHAT,acontradictionisthetermgiventoaproblemorbreakdownthatoccurswhenamisfitoccurswithinthesystemas
awhole.CHATviewscontradictionsnotasproblemsthatneedmoneyorothertoolstobedealtwith,butasopportunities
forinnovationanddevelopment.BasedonananalysisofcontradictionsintheimplementationofThemedHouses,Iidentify
sevenfindingsthatcouldbegeneralisedtootherinstitutions:(1)Cultural Context–Anunderstandingoftheculture’s
need for residential learning communities is vital to improve retention, empowermarginalized groups, aid students’
social,spiritualandacademicgrowth,cultivatefuturecareersandpromoteinterculturalexchange;(2)Communication –
TherationaleforandbenefitsofresidentiallearningcommunitiesshouldbeclearlycommunicatedtotheCommunity of
Significant Others:students,faculty,staffandotherstakeholders.Withoutclearcommunication,satisfactionandmotivation
maydecline;(3)Tools–Appropriatemediatingartefactsareneeded.Ideally,athemedresidenceshouldbedesignedlike
a conventionalhouse toaid students’natural interaction; (4)Community identity – Residential learning communities
needtobeorganisedaroundcommonthemesofinterestforstudentsthatrequireregularinteractionandpractice;(5)
Motivation – an understanding of the Use Value and Exchange Valueofanactivityisrequired.Moneyandcreditsextrinsically
motivatefacultyandstudents;(6)Time constraints – Residential learning community activities must complement rather
thandetractfromacademiccommitmentsand/orclubactivities; (7)Rules – Rules, norms and conventions need to be
continuallyanalysedwithreferencetotheObject,andneedtoberespectedwhilesomemayneedtobereassessed.
Keywords:
residentiallearningcommunities,themedhouses,CulturalHistoricalActivityTheory
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Researching Green Work – An Opportunity to Rethink How We Determine Skills Demand
Rosenberg, Eureta; Daryl Mclean (RhodesUniversity)
Inthepastdecadetherehavebeenincreasingeffortsto‘green’nationaleconomies,openingupanewfieldofresearch
ongreenwork(seeCEDEFOP,2012;ILO,2011).Agreeneconomyis“onethatresultsinimprovedhumanwell-being
andsocialequity,whilesignificantlyreducingenvironmentalrisksandecologicalscarcities. It is lowcarbon,resource
efficient,andsociallyinclusive”(UNEP,2011).Greenworkcouldinvolvenewspecialisationswithinexistingoccupations,
forexampleenvironmentalengineers(Ramsarup,2016).Mostoften,itwouldinvolvesensitisationinexistingoccupations
tonewenvironmentalrequirements.Sometimesitcouldinvolvecompletelynewoccupations.And,itcouldresultinjobs
losses(ILO,2011).
There is widespread agreement that human activity within the dominant cultural-economic systems has exceeded
planetaryboundariesthroughthebuild-upofpollutionandthelossofnaturalresources(Rockströmetal.,2009).Atthe
sametime,Earth’scitizensdonotequallysharethebenefitsfromthisactivity,sowhileweareovershootingplanetary
boundaries,wealsohaveshortfalls(Raworth,2017)resultinginpovertyandinjustice.Forlongtime,adominantsocio-
politicaldiscoursehasbeenthatAfricainparticularcouldnotaffordtoaddressenvironmentalissues,becauseitwould
negativelyaffectdevelopmentandjobs.Now,thenotionofagreeneconomybringsthepromisethat,bytakingbetter
careofnature,wecancreatenewdevelopmentopportunitiesandnewjobs(seeMaiaetal.,2011).However,howtodo
thisisnotnecessarilyclear.
SouthAfricahasstruckagreeneconomyaccordbetweengovernment,businessandcivilsociety(DED,2011)andthe
NationalDevelopmentPlan(RSA,2011)notesitasakeydirection.Almosteverysectorandregioninthecountryhasa
greeneconomypolicy.However,areviewofthesepolicies(Rosenbergetal.,2016)indicatesthattheytendtobevague
onspecificsandattimescontradicteachother.Death(2014)arguedthatthereisalackofconsensusinSouthAfrica’s
greeneconomydiscourse,andthatsomeoftheprevalentdiscourses,ifputintopractice,maycreatemoreinequalityand
injustice.Greaterclarityisthereforeneededonthecontoursofthetransformationrequiredtoaddressenvironmental
issueswhileachievinginclusivedevelopmentopportunitiesandinvestinginworkforall.Whatwedoknowisthatgreen
workrequiresnewskills.Tobothinformthedebateonthetransformationrequired,andadviseeducationalplannerson
thekindsofskillsrequired,skillsdemandstudiesareneeded.CEDEFOP,ILOandothers(e.g.CEI,2011)haveproposed
methodologiesforgreenskillsstudies.Thispapercontributesbyproposingacriticalanalysisofthenotionof‘demand’
andassociatedconcepts,andtheuseofamulti-layeredmethodologyfordeterminingdemand.Itdoessobyreviewing
anumberof‘greenskillsdemand’studiesrecentlyundertakeninSouthAfrica(someofwhichhavebeenpublishedon
www.greenskills.co.za)againstacriticalrealistframingthattakeseconomicandenvironmentalinjusticesintoaccount.
During2015-2017,severaldemandstudieswereundertakenintheGreenSkillsprogramme,amulti-universityproject
supportedbytheDepartmentofEnvironmentalAffairs’GreenFund.Thesestudiesusedcontextualdriverandvaluechain
analysestoidentifyleveragepointsinthesystem,wheretheintroductionof‘green’skillscouldunlockecological,social
andeconomicbenefits.Thestudiesencompassedmining,agriculture,thechemical industry,motor industry,natural
resourcemanagementinpublicworksprogrammes,energyefficiencyandrenewableenergy,sustainabletransport,and
greenprocurementingovernment.Theyexploredthecompetenciesneededtodothiswork,theassociatedoccupations
and insomecases, thesupplyoftheseskills.A learningassessmentfundedbyUNITARtookan in-depth lookatthe
competenciesofindividualsandteamsdrivinggreeneconomyinitiatives.Thispaperwillpresentthemethodological
insightsgainedinthereviewofthesestudies,inrelationtoneweconomicstheoryandthedepthontologyofcritical
realismasunder-labourerformulti-layeredmethodstodeterminedemandinsystems.Anexampleofinsightsareas
follows.
¡ ThestudiesonMining,PaintsandCatalyticconvertersshowedthatconventionalmarketbasedvaluechainsneed
tobeextendedto includeregulatory functions; this is supportedbyRaworth’s (2017)point that themarket
isonlypartoftheeconomy;therearealsohouseholdeconomies;stateeconomies;andtheeconomyofthe
commons.Ifthesearetakenintoaccount,latentdemandforgreenworkbecomesvisible.
ID079Paper AVAILABLE
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¡ Othercommonconceptstointerrogatearecost-effectiveness(challengedintheprocurementstudy)andthe
primacyofindustrialscaleprocesses(challengedinagricultureforemergingandorganicfarmers)aswellasthe
re-introductionofethicsintofoodproductionpractices.
¡ Triangulationofdatasourcesisimportantbutfindingsneedtobeanalysesnotonlyintermsoftheirconvergence,
butalsotheirdivergence;herethecriticalrealistontologyisusefulforinterpretingcontradictionsinthedata.
Itishopedthatadiscussionoftheseandotheremerginginsightswillfurtherinforminsightsonshiftingmainstream
economicdiscourseandassociatedpracticesincludingskillsdemanddetermination,towardsgreatersocial-ecological
sustainability and economic justice
Keywords:
green economy, green skills, skills demand
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Exploring Convergence and Differences in Theorising Learning in, for, and with Work
Olesen, Henning Salling (RoskildeUniversity); Helen Bound (IAL,Singapore); Yrjö Engeström (University
ofHelsinki); Peter Sawchuk (AkitaInternationalUniversity)
The symposiumwill include a presentation of and dialogue between a number of approaches to the theorising of
learningwhichbasetheirunderstandinginpeople’slifeexperienceinabroadsense.Muchmainstreamresearchinour
fieldisstillbasedineithertheideathatthelogicofworkprocessesandrequirementsseamlesslydefineandenable
learningprocesses,orreverselythatlearningisanindividualprocessofacquiringskillsandcompetenceswhichcanbe
didacticallyengineeredbyappropriateteachingand/ormanagement.Bothfailtograsptheholisticsubjectiveprocessof
workandlifeexperienceanditsstructuringoftheemotionalandcognitiveprocessoflearningasanaspectofmeaning
makingandworkidentification.Inordertoestablishamoretheoreticalunderstanding,itisnecessaryto“flipthelens”
(Bound)fromteachingtolearning,andlikewisetorealisethatworkisnotonlyatargetedtechnicalprocess,butalife
worldinitsownright.Peoplelearnwhilelivingforreasonsthatarenotdefinedbysetgoals.
Buttherearealsoanumberofapproacheswhichseektoestablishnewframeworks,notdefinedsimplybytheobjective
workprocessbutthesubjectivemeaningofit,andotherapproacheswhichstrivetounderstandtheindividualsubjectas
aresultofsocial,historicalandsituationalcircumstances.Arelativelybroadstreamofresearchdevelopmentshastaken
culturalpsychologyandactivitytheory(CHAT)asabroadframeworkemphasisingthehistoricalandculturalnatureof
workinandforwhichlearningmaytakeplace.Studyingworkinitsformasindependentandtransferredsocialpractices
–ordiscourses–thathavesetandalsoenabledthelearningofmastery,formanotherimportantorientation.Finallya
streamofresearchintothesubjectiveaspectsofreflectingindividualandcollectivelifeexperiences,formedbyclass,
gender and ethnicities for example, have studied the subjective aspects of particular careers, occupational orientations
andalsopoliticalengagements.Thesymposiumwillseektoilluminatesomeoftheseapproachesandfacilitateadialogue
betweendifferent traditionsof thought that seemtoconvergeoroverlap inmanyways, yetalsoexpressdifferent
perspectivesandpriorities.
Itisthepresumptionthatthisdialoguewillinvolve,amongothers,questionslike:
¡ Howdoeseachapproachrelatetowork–asworkprocess,asworkplace,asformofeconomicexchange,asa
formofsocio-economicstruggle,asculturalconstruction,andsoon?
¡ Howdoeseachapproachtheorisethesignificanceofworkinindividualsubjects?
¡ Howaretheconceptsofworkidentificationandorientationtreated?
¡ Howarehistoricalenvironmentsanddynamics–e.g.economic,sectoralortechnologicalchange–attendedtoin
eachapproach?
¡ Howaretherequirementsofworkonanindividuallevelaccountedforandwithwhichconcepts–e.g.knowledge,
skills,competences,attitudes,habitus,andsoon?
¡ Howareinter-culturaldiversitiesincultureandsocialisationandthechangesofglobalisationattendedtoineach
approach?
¡ Whichconceptsofcollectiveconsciousnessandcollectiveagencyareincluded?
¡ Whatistheroleoftraining,educationandinformalisedlearninginthedevelopmentofknowledges,skillsand
competences?
Thepresentersatthesymposiumwillcontributewithabackgroundpaperonsomeoftheseissues.Inthesymposium,
eachwillgiveanintroductiontotheirpaper(20minutes),andwewillstructurearealdialogicaldiscussionamongthem,
andbetweenthemandtheaudience.
Keywords:
learningtheory,work,culturalhistory,activity,lifehistory
ID080Paper AVAILABLE
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ID081Paper AVAILABLE
Liminal Ecologies of Learning: Perspectives on Learning and Agency
Savin-Baden, Maggi (UniversityofWorcester)
Attheheartofecologicallearningaretheconceptsofliminality,transition,transformation,andfluency.However,in
orderforstudentstoprogressthroughanecologicallearningjourneyengagementwiththeliminaltunnel,itisnecessary
inordertoshiftthroughliminallearningzonesandmoveintoastateoflearningfluency.Liminalzonesarenottobe
seenasdead,wastedorterriblestuckplacesbutinsteadasplacesofgrowth.Thereisoftenasensethatliminalspacesor
tunnels,inwhichtheseliminalzonesexist,areabandonedlotsorgraveyards.Itwillbearguedherethatliminalecologies
oflearningcanbemappedinwaysthathelplearnersandteacherstoview‘theliminal’as(a)space(s)toexaminenotonly
humanlearningrelationshipsbutalsoasvaluablesuspendedstateswherethepastisheldintransitionandnewmoves
towardlearningfluencycanbemade.
Thispaperpresentsandcritiquestheshiftintotheliminaltunnel,throughliminalzones,thesubsequentecologiesof
transformationandthetransitionsintodifferentformsoflearningfluency.Itdrawsonarangeofstudiesandliterature
acrosshighereducation,includingworkondigitalfluency,learneridentity,disjunctionandrecentworkonvirtualhumans.
Keywords:
liminal ecologies, learning, transformation
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Methodology Development for Researching Work and Learning: The Glow of Unwork? Issues of Portrayal of Qualitative Research
Savin-Baden, Maggi; Gemma Tombs (UniversityofWorcester)
Inthispaper,wesuggestthatportrayalofresearchisoftenundervaluedandseenas‘unwork’(Galloway,2012).Portrayal
isoftenseenasissuesthatarerelativelystraightforwardbyqualitativeresearchers,andinvariablyreferstoputtingthe
findingsofthestudytogetherwithexcerptsfromparticipantsandusually,butnotalways,someinterpretation.Ittends
tobeseenasthemeansbywhichtheresearcherhaschosentopositionpeopleandtheirperspectives,andisimbued
withasenseofnotonlypositioningbutalsoacontextualpaintingofapersoninaparticularway.Yetthereareanarrayof
issuesandchallengesaboutwhatportrayalcanormightmeanindigitalspaces.Inthispaperwearguethatresearching
education inadigital ageprovidesgreaterordifferentopportunities to representandportraydatadifferentlyand
suggestthatthesewaysareunderutilised.Forexample,formanyresearchers, legitimacycomesthroughtheuseof
participants’voicesintheformofquotations.However,wearguethatthisstancetowardsplausibilityandlegitimacyis
problematicandneedstobereconsideredintermsofunderstandingdifferencesintypesofportrayal,recognisinghow
researcherspositionthemselvesinrelationtoportrayal,andunderstandingdecision-makinginrelationtoportrayal.We
suggestthatthereneedtocreatenewperspectivesaboutportrayalandconcept,andideasareprovidedthatoffera
differentview.Threekeyrecommendationsaremade:
¡ Portrayal should be reconceptualised as four overlapping concepts: mustering, folding, cartography, and
portrayal.Adoptingsuchanapproachwillenableaudiences,researchersandotherstakeholderstocritiquethe
assumptionsthatresearchersontourbringtoportrayalandencouragereflexivity.
¡ Researchersontourshouldhighlightthetemporal,mutableandshiftingnatureofportrayedresearchfindings,
emphasisingtheneedforcontinuedandvariedresearchtoinformunderstanding.
¡ Thereisasignificantneedforgreaterinsightintotheinfluenceofportrayal,aswellasthedifferencebetween
representationandportrayal.Futurestudiesshouldprioritisethis,andensurethatportrayalisconsideredand
critiquedfromtheoutset.
Keywords:
portrayal,reflexivity,research,qualitativeresearch,representation
ID082Paper AVAILABLE
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ID083Paper AVAILABLE
Dialectical Materialist Methodologies for Researching Work, Learning, Change: Implications for Class Consciousness
Sawchuk, Peter H. (UniversityofToronto)
InthispaperIproposetoreviewanddiscusstheapplicationofdialecticalmaterialistmethodologiesforresearchonwork
andlearningwithspecialattentiononthenotionofclassconsciousness.Whilethebulkofmyattentioninthispaperis
devotedtooutliningthesemethodologies,theirnatureandtheiruses,thematterasawholewillbeframedbyaconcern
forarobustappreciationofworkplacelearningthroughoutitsfullrangeofvariation,and,ultimately,theroleofclass
conflictandtheemergenceofclassconsciousnessinthecontextoftheworkplace.
Specifically,Iwillbeginbypresentingandexplainingtwopremises.Thefirstpremiserevolvesaroundthebroaderclaimthat
theconcreterealityofwork,learningandchangemaybeseentodependupon—ontologicallyandepistemologically—
theinter-penetratingconnectionsofpartsandwholesummarisedbythedialecticalmaterialistmethodologicalnotion
ofa“philosophyofinternalrelations”(e.g.Ollman,1993).Thesecondpremiseinvolvesthesignificanceofgrantingthe
existenceofthinking,feeling,knowing,choice-makingandactinghumansubjectswhocananddoplayarole–withinand
beyondthemselvesvis-à-visaphilosophyofinternalrelations–inchange.Takentogether,Iwillarguethesetwomain
premisessuggestareasonforconsideringthevalueofdialecticalmaterialistmethodologiesinoureffortstocarryout
researchonthephenomenaofwork,learningandchange.
The bulk of the paper, however, is devoted to exploringwhat Bertell Ollman (1998) referred to as the dialectical
“HumptyDumptyproblem”(Ollman,1998):i.e.“Noonewilldeny,ofcourse,thateverythinginsocietyisrelatedinsome
wayandthatthewholeofthisischanging,againinsomewayandatsomepace.Yet,mostpeopletrytomakesense
ofwhat isgoingonbyviewingonepartof societyata time, isolatingandseparating it fromthe rest,andtreating
itasstatic.[…]Asaresult,lookingfortheseconnectionsandtheirhistorybecomesmuchmoredifficultythanithas
tobe.”(pp.339-340).InresponsetothisIwilllayoutthemeaningandusefulnessofvariousspecificmethodological
proceduresandconsiderations.Iwillarguetheseproceduresandconsiderationseachcontributetoexaminingcomplex
empirical realitiesthatconstitutework, learningandchangephenomena.Specifically, thisportionofthepaperswill
applyaphilosophyofinternalrelationsinadiscussionofthefollowing:(a)keyprocedures(involvingtherecognition
of“extension”,“levelofgenerality”,“standpoint”and“contradiction”)(Ollman,1993);(b)discussionofa“systematic-
categorial” approach to researchand conceptdevelopment; and, (c) the important caveats/considerationsprovided
byAdorno’sargumenton“negativedialectics”(1973).Illustration(s)fromtheauthor’sownpreviouslypublishedwork,
involvingpublicsectorworkersinCanada,willbediscussedinordertohelpdemonstratetheuseofsuchmethodological
proceduresandconsiderations,withattentiontopracticalconcernsofmethodsaswellasanalysis.
Theclosingsectionof thepapercommentsonhowvariousconceptsandtheoriesofhuman learningmayrelateto
dialecticalmaterialistmethodologieswithanemphasisontheexampleofwhathasbeentermedtheVygotskianProject
andCulturalHistoricalActivityTheory(Stetsenko,2009).Iwilladdressexamplesfromtheresearchliteraturethathave
soughttomakeanexplicitlinkbetweendialecticalmaterialistmethodologiesontheonehand,andlearning,workand
changeontheother(e.g.Langemeyer&Roth,2006;Engeström,1987;Roth,2007;Sawchuk,2003,2013;Stetsenko,
2016),whilesummarisingthechallengesandprospectsforunderstandingclassconsciousnessasavitaldimensionof
suchresearch.
Keywords:
dialectic,methodology,learning,CHAT,classconsciousness
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ID084Paper AVAILABLE
Transformation of the Professional Class Structure? Negotiating Power, Skill Use and Political Attitudes in Emergent “Knowledge Economies”
Livingstone, D.W.; Peter H. Sawchuk (UniversityofToronto); Tracey Adams (UniversityofWesternOntario)
Theeconomicclassstructureofadvancedcapitalisteconomieshasbeenshifting inrecentdecadeswiththedecline
of traditional working classes and growth of professional andmanagerial positions. Prior research on professional
occupationshasconflatedfourdistinctclasspositions:professionalemployers;self-employedprofessionals;professional
managers;andprofessionalemployees(seeLivingstone,2014).Thispaperfocusesonacomparativeanalysisofthesefour
professionalclassesandparticularlyonchangeandcontinuityintheirdifferentialnegotiatingpowerbasedonownership
andcontrolofrelationsofproduction,thedifferentialutilisationandrecognitionoftheirskillsandknowledge,andtheir
viewsontherightsofemployersandemployeesaswellaspreferredfutureorganisationofwork.Comparisonswillbe
madebetweenprofessionalclassesgenerally,aswellasamongengineersandnursesastwoofthemostprominent
professionaloccupations.Datasources includefivenationalsurveysof theentire labour force inCanadaconducted
during1982,1998,2004,2010and2016,aswellassub-samplesofengineersandnursesfromthe2004nationalsurvey
andsurveysandin-depthinterviewswithengineersandnursesinOntario,thelargestprovince,conductedin2016-17.
Aworkingassumptionisthatprofessionalemployeesareplayinganincreasinglypivotalroleinthelabourprocessof
advanced capitalism economies as their specialised knowledge is used to design, perform, review and adaptmore
information-based production activities. The “capture” of this specialised knowledge is seen as especially vital to
continuingproductivityandprofitabilitybyprivatecapital.Conversely, itcanbearguedthatprofessionalemployees
areamongthemosthighlyorganisedgroupsofhiredskilledlabourers,withsubstantialpotentialtoleadprogressive
labourmovementsearlyinthe21stcentury.Wecanpositthatprofessionalemployeeswithgreaternegotiatingpower
(as indicatedby their associationandunionmembership aswell asdelegatedworkplaceauthority)mayexperience
greaterskillrecognitionandreward,aswellasastrongersenseofemployeerightsandpreferenceforself-management.
Theserelationsamongprofessionalemployeeswillbeassessedforthoseinprivate,publicandnon-profitsectorsofthe
economy.Comparisonswillalsobemadewiththeserelationsamongprofessionalowners,self-employedprofessionals
andprofessionalmanagers.
In addition to these comparative trend analyses based on the data from the 1982-2016 national surveys for professional
owners, self-employed professionals, professional managers and professional employees, closer analyses of these
relations in thecurrentperiodwillbeconductedbasedon the large-scale surveysofengineers (N=585)andnurses
(N=1120).Inadditiontosurveysthatreplicatethesameinformationasthenationalsurveys,thesesurveysprobedother
issuesspecifictoengineersandnursesrespectivelyandwerefollowedbyin-depthinterviewsthataddressedrelevant
questionsinmoredetail.Selectedcomparisonswillalsobemadewithsimilardataonengineersandnursesfromthe
2004nationalsurvey.
Finally, comparisons between the national samples of these four professional classes and the 2016-17 samples of
engineersandnurseswillbemadetoassesssimilaritiesanddifferencesinrelationsbetweennegotiatingpower,skill
recognitionandpoliticalattitudesbetweenprofessionalclassesacrossthesegeneralandspecificoccupationalgroupings.
Thefindingssuggesttheneedtodistinguishbetweenthesefourprofessionalclassesinfutureresearchonprofessions.
Implicationsofthesefindingsforthetransformationofrelationsbetweenworkdemandsandtrainingrequirementsfor
professionaloccupations,forimprovingjobdesignanduseofspecialisedknowledge,andforthefutureofthelabour
movementaresuggested.
Keywords:
professionalclasses,workplacepower,professionaltraining,skilluse,politicalattitudes,knowledgeeconomies
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID085Paper AVAILABLE
Taking Care Seriously: Transforming Practices by Design
Islind, Anna Sigridur; Ulrika Lundh Snis; Thomas Lindroth; Per Assmo (UniversityWest.Schoolof
Business,EconomicsandIT,Sweden)
Theresearchonthedesignanduseofinformationsystemswithinhealthcaresettingshasoftenfocusedonelectronic
patientrecordsandtop-downimplementationoflarge-scaleinformationsystems.Whatthispaperexploresistwocases
ofbottom-updesignprocesseswithin small-scaledigitalisationprocesseswithinhealthcarewhere thedesignvision
hasbeentopreservethevaluesthatareessentialforcaringpractices.Thepapertakespointofdeparturefromthe
organizationofworkandlearningfromasocio-technicalperspective.
Learningtakesplaceeverywherefromwhenwearebornuntilwedie.Workisbeingfundamentallytransformeddue
totechnologydevelopmentsandnewdigitalservicesathand,notmerelybyautomatisationofexistingtasks,replacing
routinejobsandmakingworkmoreeffective,butalsobyleadingtocompletelynewtasksandcreatingnewonesas
well.Thus,thelearningconditionsandchallengesattheworkplacecallforredefininganddesigningcompetencesand
strategies for socio-technical environments that make the individuals, practitioners and professionals more prepared for
theiradoptionofandengagementinnewtechnologicaladvancements,i.e.learninginadigitalisedcontext.Learning
encompassesformal,informalandincidentallearningattheworkplaceincontext,takingintoaccountorganisational,
socialandtechnologicalaspectswhichinfluencehow,whenandwhythelearningtakesplace.
Adultlearningtakesthepointofdeparturefromanincreasinglydigitalisedworkplace.Itnolongermakessensetouse
thedivisionbetweenschooling,asaplaceforlearning,andtherestoflife,asaplaceforapplyingwhathasbeenlearned
(Fischer,2000).Theblurringofboundariesbetweenworklifeandprivatelife,betweenpublicandsocietymeansthat
weneedtostudysomethingasamovingtarget,i.e.changes.Studyingongoingchangesofdigitalinfrastructuresatthe
boundarieswillcontributetotheunderstandingofhowindustryandbusinessescanfacilitatefortheirprofessionsand
workforcetokeepupthepacewiththeadvancementsofdigitalinfrastructuresandalsototheunderstandingofthe
blurredboundariesbetweenprivatelifeandworkinglife.
Boundaries come from having different backgrounds and diverse ways of communication (Wenger, 2000). Within
communitiesofpractice,boundarybridgingisdescribedasaboundaryrelation,whichconsistsoftwointertwinedparts:
boundaryobjects(artifacts,willbeelaboratedonbelow)andbrokering(activitiesandsituations)(Wenger,1998;Wenger,
McDermott,&Snyder,2002).Understandingboundariesanddifferencesbetweengroupsiscrucialwhenconsidering
“sociallearningsystems”,accordingtoWenger(2000).
Theempiricaldataisbasedonatwo-caseanalysis,wheretwoactionresearchprojectsarethegroundsfortheempirical
data.Inbothcases,thefocushasbeenondesigningdigitalartifactsincaresettingsandbothempiricalcasesweretwo
years long,witharangeofactionresearch interventionswhichwillbefurtherdiscussed inthepaper.Theempirical
dataconsistsofobservations, interviews, focusgroupsandworkshops.Thepaperdiscussesvaluesanddesigningat
theboundariesalongsideworkplacelearningissuesasabasisforconceptualisingdeeperknowledgeofhowadigital
artifactcanfacilitatethesechanges.Thepaper focusesonthecaregiversandhowbeingapartofadesignprocess
canalsobeaworkplacelearningprocess.Thelearningaspectsareanalysedfromaboundarylearningperspective.The
formationofboundarypracticeswherethecaregiversandthepatientsmeet, isalsoexploredanddiscussedfroma
learningperspective.Theresearchquestionthatthispaperexploresis:How can the digitalisation of caring situations and
learning in design be understood from a boundary perspective?
Keywords:
design,workplacelearning,learningattheboundaries,boundarypractice,informationsystems
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Transition at Work: Introducing Video-mediated Consultation to Cancer Rehabilitation
Islind, Anna Sigridur; Thomas Lindroth; Johan Lundin; Gunnar Steineck; Ulrika Lundh Snis; Per Assmo (UniversityWest.SchoolofBusiness,EconomicsandIT,Sweden)
Theresearchonvirtualisationofworkandeducationisinitsinfancy.Eventhoughvideo-technologyhasbeeninplace
inmanyclassroomsettingsaswellasinmanybusinessareas,virtualisationoftheworkplacehasnotbeenexploredto
thefullextent.Forteachers,virtualisationisconcernedwithmuchmorethanhowdigitaltechnologycanbeusedfor
learninginclassroomsorbeusedtosupportandchangeadministrativeandcommunicationtasks;itisalsoconcerned
withtheessenceofeducation;thatofwhatkindofknowledge,competenciesandskills,studentsneedtobeprepared
for livingandacting inadigitalised society. Similarly, fornurses ina caringwork context virtualisation is concerned
withtheessenceofcaring–whatkindofknowledgepatientsneedtohandleforlivingandactingfortheirqualityof
life.Thereby,learningatworkisdifferentfromlearninginschoolasatwork,learningisrarelytheprimarytaskbutis
concurrentwithordinaryworktasks.However,inthiscase,apartofthenurses’workistoeducatethepatientssothat
thepatientsbecomemoreskilledandempoweredinself-care,whichmeansthatinthisparticularcase,learningatwork
isanarticulatedandintegratedpartoftheclinicalpractice.Further,thelearnersareadultswhoalreadyhavedeveloped
professionalskillsandidentitiesincludinghabitualwaysofworkinginspecificcontextswithinspecificcommunities.
In this paper we explore the question of whether virtualisation may have impact on the co-creation of caring conversation
and what learning aspects can be derived from using such virtual clinic.Thepaperisbasedonastudyofvideoconsultations
when caring for patients that have radiotherapy induced damage to their pelvic area after cancer treatment. The
empiricaldataconsistsofobservationsofthevideoconsultationsandinterviewswiththepatientsandthenurses.The
empiricaldataisalsobasedonobservationsofface-to-faceconsultationsattheclinic,attheSwedishhospitalwhere
thisstudyhasbeenconducted.Thepatientshaveproblemswithurgency;forinstancenotbeingabletocontroltheir
bowelmovementorurinationor,dealingwithconstantpain,thisparticulargroupofpatientshadproblemsgettingout
ofthehousetovisittheclinicalpractice.Thenursesandpatientshavebeenusingavideo-consultationtoolasameans
toconducttheircaringconversations.Patientsareabletostayintheprivacyoftheirownhomes,duetothevirtualclinic.
Thenurseswerequitenervousaboutthispartoftheproject;theyhadlowexpectationsonthisworkingandactually
thoughtthatthepatientswouldfeeltheneedtotidyuptheirhomesorputonmake-up.Whatwehaveseenfromthis
ongoingstudyisthatthepatientsdonotdothis;instead,theyinvitethenurseintotheirkitchenswiththeirdirtydishes
andruntothetoiletduringanongoingvideoconsultationwhichtheydonotdoattheclinicwhentheyhaveregular
consultations.Patientsalsopointtowardsthepainareasmeaningthattheyusethefullpotentialofthetechnology.
However,physicalcontactisnotpossibleandsomepatientsmissedbeingabletohugthenurseduringaconsultation.
Onepatientthathadbeenapartoftheclinicalpracticeforyearsopeneduptremendously,statingafterwardsthatshe
wassocomfortablethat“somethingjusthappened”andshetoldthenurseeverything.Thiswasinformationthatshe
hadbeenwithholdingforyearsandthatwasmostdefinitelythedeeplyburiedsourceofproblemsthatwasaffectingher
progress.Thisimpliesthat,thoughthestudyisongoingandtheresultsarepreliminary,thevirtual-nessandthenotion
ofstayinghome,hasmostdefinitelyhadinfluence.
Thelearningaspectsforboththenursesandthepatientsareexploredandtheso-called“goldenstandard”thatisknown
fromthemedicalliterature,wheretheface-to-faceconsultationisthekeyelementincareisdiscussedasapartofour
findingswhereweseetheneedforanew,digitalised“goldenstandard”.Thisstandardisneededinamoredigitalised
societywhere,insomecases,suchasthisone,patientsappeartobemorecomfortableinthevirtualclinicthanintheface-
to-faceconsultations.Whatthispapertherebyexploresisthelearningaspectsofconductingsuchvirtualconsultationas
analternativewayofthegoldenstandardandaimstoexplorehowavirtualcliniccanbeunderstood.
Keywords:
cancerrehabilitation,virtualclinic,workplacelearning,informationsystems
ID086Paper AVAILABLE
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ID087Work Integrated Learning for Educators: The Case of the Fundisa for Change Teacher Education Programme
Songqwaru, Zintle (RhodesUniversity)
TheSouthAfricanpolicyontheminimumrequirementsforteachereducationqualificationsspecifiesrequirementsfor
thedevelopmentoflearningprogrammes.Oneofthekeyunderpinningprinciplesthathasbeenidentifiediscompetent
learning.Competentlearningisframedasa‘mixtureofthetheoreticalandthepractical;thepureandtheapplied;the
extrinsicandtheextrinsic;andthepotentialandtheactual’ (DHET,2015:10).Thepolicyalsoprovidesguidelineson
practicalandwork-integratedlearning(WIL).Thepolicydescribesfivetypesoflearningandknowledgethatshouldbe
selectedandmixedbasedonthepurposeofthelearningprogramme.
In2011, theCouncil forHigherEducation,which is theQualityCouncil forHigherEducation, responsible forquality
assurance and promotion produced aWork-Integrated LearningGuide forHigher Education Institutions. The guide
wasintendedtopromptprogrammeandcurriculumdeveloperstoconsidertheeducationalpurposeandroleofwork-
integratedlearninginteachingandlearning(CHE,2011).
Fundisa for Change is a South African national teacher education programme that aims to enhance transformative
environmentallearningthroughteachereducation.Theprogrammeispredominantlyofferedtoin-serviceeducators.
The programme has been established as a collaborative partnership initiative aimed at combining sector (state,
parastatals,NGOs)effortstostrengthensystemicimpact.Thecoreobjectiveoftheprogrammeistostrengthenthe
teachingandlearningofenvironmentalandsustainabilitycontentknowledgeandconceptsinschools.
ThefocusofthispaperistoexaminetheFundisaforChangeprogramme’spracticeinwork-integratedlearninginrelation
to(i)conceptualframeworkforWIL,(ii)curriculumdesignanddevelopmentforWIL,(iii)teachingandlearningforWIL,
(iv)assessmentfor/ofWIL,(v)partnershipsforWIL,and(vi)themanagementofWILintheprogramme.
Keywords:
professionaldevelopment,transformativelearning,environmentallearning,work-integratedlearning
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Mobilising Freirean Pedagogical Practices in South Africa and Canada during Facilitator Training
Steer, Ashleigh (UniversityofCapeTown)
Popular education: “it’s aboutmaking the invisible, visible” or “denaturalizing thenatural” so that both learner and
teachercanbeempoweredinanexchangeofknowledge.Thispapersetsouttodiscussfindingsfromacomparative
studyoffourPopularEducatorsusingFreireanpedagogicalpractices inCanadaandSouthAfricaanddiscusseshow
differentcountry’ssocial,culturalandhistoricalcontextsaffecttheirpedagogies.
Thisstudyexploreshowcriticalpedagogyaddressesthemobilisationoftheoryanditsapplicationintopractice.Itadds
totheliteratureonhowpedagogiesarecontextualisedandthefactorsthatinfluencethiscontextualisation.Arationale
forthisstudywasthatincreasinglythroughglobalisation,communitiesarecontinuingtochange,expandandflourish;
becauseofthis,ithasbecomeincreasinglyevidentthatthefieldofeducationwouldgreatlybenefitfromtheaddition
ofknowledgeregardinghowdifferentsocial,historicalandculturalcontextsinfluenceandaffectpedagogicalpractices.
TheresearchtookplaceinbothCapeTown,SouthAfricaandToronto,Canadaandutilisedthreeformsofqualitativedata
collectiontools:interviews,observationsanddocumentanalysis.Theresearcherobservedtwodaysofworkshopsfor
eachorganisationinordertoobservetheinteractionsamongparticipantsaswellasbetweenfacilitatorandparticipants,
andtoexaminethepedagogicalpracticesofthefacilitators.Throughthefourdaysofobservation,detailedfieldnotes
weregenerated.Theresearcheralsoconductedinterviewswithtwofacilitatorsfromeachprogrammetogainabetter
understandingofthepersonalexperiencesandresultingpersonalperspectives,aswellasthetheoreticalperspectives
thathaveinfluencedtheirpedagogicalpractices.
Interviews were also conducted with two participants from each organisation. The sample of the population was
determined based on pre-selected criteria that would allow for the representation of the diversity amongst the
participants from each organisation. Document analysis was conducted using annual reports and organisation
informationpamphletsfromeachorganisationtoacquireamoreholisticunderstandingofsomeoftheothercontextual
factorsthatcouldaffectthefacilitators’pedagogicalpractices.
Asaresultofconductingthesedifferentformsofqualitativedatacollection,theresearcherfoundthatthedifferent
forms,suchasobservationsandinterviews,oftenresultedincontradictionswithinthedataandthususedresultsfrom
thedocumentanalysistoexplainsomeofthepotentialcontributingfactorstothesecontradictions.
Preliminaryfindingssuggestthatit isnotonlythecountry’ssocial,culturalandhistoricalcontextsthatinfluencethe
facilitator’spedagogicalpracticesbutalsotheirindividualexperiencesthroughouttheirlifetimes,suchasexperiences
involvingracialandgenderdiscrimination.Anotherfactoraffectingthefacilitator’semploymentofFreire’spedagogical
modelwithintheirpedagogicalpracticesistheindividualorganisation’scontexts,includingfactorssuchasstakeholders,
organisationalfundingandpre-determinedprogrammeoutcomes.
Thesepreliminaryfindings indicatethatfurtherresearch intowhatandhowcontextual factors influenceandaffect
pedagogical practices, is imperative in order for a more holistic understanding of how to construct and mobilise
contextuallyappropriatepedagogies.
Keywords:
context,pedagogy,Freire,conscientisation,powerdynamics,indigenousknowledge
ID088Paper AVAILABLE
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ID089Paper AVAILABLE
Exploring a Conceptual Framework for Understanding Workplace Knowledge: The Case of RPL (APEL)
Tennison, Colette (UniversityofCapeTown)
Historically,RecognitionofPriorLearningglobally “wasproposedasanassessment-ledpractice forestablishing the
validity of equivalence claims without risking the integrity of academic standards or the public confidence in the
institutionsofferingsuchqualifications”(Cooper&Ralphs,2016:2).RPL,orPriorLearningAssessment(PLA)intheUSA
andAssessmentofPriorExperientialLearning(APEL)intheUK,elicitsvariousconnotationsdependingonthecountry
and ideological focus.AsHarrispointedout,RPL is ‘bothaphilosophyandamethod’ (Harris&Andersson,2006:8).
Internationally,RPLfitswithinthecontextofboththediscourseoflifelonglearningandtheprovisionoflabourmarket
opportunities(Cooper&Ralphs,2016).AlthoughthisistruefortheSouthAfricancontextaswell,withinSouthAfrica
thereisafurther,morespecific,focusandcontextforRPL.ThisisevidentinboththeSAQAandQCTOpoliciesthat
governtheimplementationofRPLintheSouthAfricanoccupationalsector(SAQA,2013;QCTO,2016),aswellasthe
WhitePaperforPost-SchoolEducationandTraining(DHET,2013).
InSouthAfrica,theaimofRPLisnotmerelytopromotelabourmobilityorlifelonglearning;ratheritisseenasatool
fortransformationandredress(DHET,2013).ThisfocusisstillisseenassocriticalintheSouthAfricancontextthatthe
DepartmentofHigherEducationandTraining (DHET) inSouthAfricahas implementedanewnationalCoordination
ofRecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL)Policy(March2016)toensurethatRPLremainsattheforefrontofthenational
agendaforthePostSchoolEducationSystem.Itintendstobe“astrategicpolicywhichplacesRPLfirmlyonthenational
education and training agenda, and holds SAQA and the QCs accountable to perform their roles in relation to RPL as
statedintheNQFAct”(DHET,2016).TheuseofRPLasatoolforequityandtransformationlinkstothedefinitionof
RPLinthe2013SAQARPLPolicyas“aprocessthroughwhichnon-formallearningandinformallearningaremeasured,
mediatedforrecognitionacrossdifferentcontextsandcertifiedagainsttherequirementsforcredit,access,inclusionor
advancementintheformaleducationandtrainingsystem,orworkplace”(SAQA,2013:5).Thisprovidesfortheuseof
RPLasatooltoalignthepriorlearningandworkplaceknowledgeofcandidatestoarelevantoccupationalqualification.
Thispapersetsouttoexplorethefirststagesoftheapplicationofaconceptualframeworktoidentifydifferentkindsof
knowledgeanditscomponentsintheworkplace.ItisbasedonresearchintoaRecognitionofPriorLearning(RPL)pilot
project,whichisaimedatdrawingouttheknowledgeofmachineoperatorswhooperateahigh-speedpackagingline
inCapeTown,SouthAfrica.Thepilotprojectisfocusedonaligningandaccreditingthatknowledgetoanappropriate
occupationalqualificationinordertoassisttheoperatorsinachievingthequalificationbasedontheirpriorworkplace
knowledge.
ThepaperwillfirstcontextualiseanddiscussthesignificanceofRPLintheSouthAfricancontext,andthenaddressthe
questionofhowknowledgewithintheworkplacehasbeen identifiedduringthe implementationoftheconceptual
framework.Questionsaroundwhat,andwho,definesknowledgeinthiscontext,requirecriticalevaluation.Whilethe
officialoccupationalqualificationsprovidea specified framework for thekindsof knowledge required fordifferent
occupations,itisnotalwayspossibletolinkthiscodifiedknowledgetothemoretacit‘priorknowledge’ofcandidates
in the RPL process. The discussion in this paper draws on thework of both Gamble (2016) andWinch (2012) and
explorestheimplementationofaconceptualframeworktodetermineitscapabilitytoidentifythedifferenttypesof
knowledgethatwereencountered,andtooperationalisetheseconceptualcategoriesastheyrelatetotheempirical
datagatheredduringtheRPLpilotproject.Workingfromthecontextoftheworkplace,the implementationofthis
conceptualframeworkattemptstoextrapolate,usingtheconceptualcategories,fromtheworkplaceknowledgeback
totheoccupationalqualification,insteadofdrawingonthequalificationtodeterminetheworkplaceknowledge.
Keywords:
vocationalknowledge,RPL,APEL,occupations,workplaceknowledge
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ID090Paper AVAILABLE
Datafication of Professional Practices: A Posthuman Exploration of New Accountabilities and Fluencies
Thompson, Terrie Lynn (UniversityofStirling)
Thegrowingdataficationofprofessionalworkisevidentinresponsibilities,activities,anddecision-makingincreasingly
distributedacrosscrowdsourceddata,predictiveanalyticsandmachinelearning;thetracesofonlineactivitiespopulating
globaldatabases;botsthatautomateonlinetasks;andnewregimesofaccountabilityandsurveillanceimplicitinmany
digitalinteractions.Mostdays,mostworkerswillgenerate,interactwith,andinterpretsomekindofdigitally-rendered
data:someknowableandaccessiblebyworkersandmuchthatchurnsquietlyinthebackground.
Gray (2016) describes the processes of datafication as “ways of seeing and engagingwith theworld bymeans of
digitaldata”(para3).Asworkprocessesandprofessionalworkandlearningpracticesareincreasinglyoutsourcedto
digitalactorsitseemsthedigital–andparticularlydigitaldata–evokesmorecomplexwaystoengagewiththeworld.
Datafication,digitalisation,andautomationarepartofthenewdiscourse inworkand learningpracticesnowtaking
onanewintensity.Transformationsandtransgressionsabound.Thispaperexaminesonethreadofthisdebate:how
professionalpracticesandaccountabilitiesarebeingreconfiguredasnewassemblagesofdigitaldatastirupamyriadof
tensions.Alongsidethisarequestionsofhowdatafieldworkandwork-learningcanbebetterresearched.
Someoftheenthusiasmdrivingthescaleofdigitisationandcomputerisedanalysesseentodayisthewayissuescanbe
madesimpleranddifferentthingsmadevisible.Butthisvisibilitybringsnewpredicaments.Sylvester(2013)suggests
thatdataficationturnsprocesses,previouslyinvisible,intodatathatcanthenbe“tracked,monitored,andoptimized”
(para6).Marsden(2015)warnsthattheoutsourcingofthemanagementofdatatoalgorithmshascreatedasignificant
shiftinresponsibilityandcontrol.Yetamidstthesetroublingdevelopments,EdwardsandFenwick(2016)pointtothe
presenceofapowerfuldiscoursethatencouragesprofessionalstoviewdigitaltechnologiesasa“naturalandnaturalised
partoftheirwork”(p.215).
Toexaminechangesindigitally-mediatedprofessionalpractices–specifically,datafication–Ireportonthefindingsofa
researchprojectofa16-weekonlinepostgraduatecourse(43students)thatexaminedhowtheuseoflearninganalytics,
alongsidesocialnetworkanalysisandvisualisationsoftware,informedandinfluencedbothresearchandonlineteaching
practices(seealsoWilsonetal., inpress).Thegrowingswathsoftraceandarchivaldataonlinehaveopenedupnew
waystoscrape,analyze,andvisualisedata;datathatoftentheninformsprofessionaldecisions.Idrawonposthumanist
heuristics(Adams&Thompson,2016)toreframenotionsofdataandtheensuingcollateraleffectsofdatafication.
Issuingfundamentalchallengestohowweenvisionhumansandtheirrelationalsurroundings,posthumanismasksusto
attendtotheeverydaythingsofourworld.Posthumanismisnotaboutlettinggoofourhumanityandmachinestaking
over(Adams&Thompson,2016).Rather, itseekstocorrecthumanistassumptionsthat“weareautonomousbeings
whoareunambiguouslyseparatedfromour…earthlysurround”(p.2).Posthumanismtakesanemphaticturntowards
nonhumans.Called intoquestion isthegivennessofthedifferentialcategoriesof“human”and“nonhuman”(Barad,
2003:808).
Attuningtothematerialforcesandrelationsofdigitaldatainthisstudyaffordsinsightsintohowworkers’waysofworking
andknowingareincreasingdistributedacrossanarrayofdigitalthings.Giventhatour“intimateandoftenubiquitous
relationships”withdigitalthingsmustbereckonedwith(Adams&Thompson,2016:2),thereisaneedtounderstand
andcriticallyquestionchangesto,andimplicationsofthesechanges,acrossarangeofprofessionalpractices.Looking
morecloselyathowsuchworkisperformedhelpstoquestionwho-whatisdoingthiswork.Intheswirlofdatafication
practices,who-whatisbeingdatafied?Attheveryleast,thoseresearchingandworkingindigitalspacesarelookingata
re-distributionoflabourbetweenhumanactorsandtheirdigitalcounterparts.
However,Gray(2016)drawsattentiontoasymmetriesofresourcesandcapacitiestoparticipateindigitaldata-related
processes. Such asymmetries highlight the need to consider a range of new digital fluencies required not only to
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manage day-to-daywork but also to inviteworkers to critically question the implications of increasing datafication
onthemandtheirworkamidst largerglobaldevelopments.Gray(2016)highlightsthe importanceoftheorisingthe
politicalinterventionsneededto“reshapeprocessesofdatafication”andoffer“newvocabulariesof‘dataspeak’and
newrepertoiresof ‘datawork’toensurethatdifferentpublicshavetherequiredliteraciesandcapacities”(para16).
I concludebyconsidering thefindingsof this study in lightof capabilities requiredbyprofessionalsas theyengage
innewformsof “data speak”and “datawork” to reckonwith,and interrupt,de-up/skillingofprofessionalwork.To
reconceptualisehumanbeingsinrelationtotheother-than-humanworldalsomeansre-thinkingresearchpractices.This
papercreatesopeningstoexplorenewwayswegoaboutresearchingthesekindsofquestions.
Keywords:
posthumanism,datafication,digitalresearchmethods,digitalwork,digitalliteracies,learninganalytics
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The Workplace in Transition: Exploring Emerging Challenges and Demands for New Competence
Hult, Helena Vallo (UniversityWest,NUHospitalGroup); Katrina Byström (DepartmentofArchivistics,
LibraryandInformationScience,OsloandAkershusUniversityCollegeofAppliedSciences,Norway)
Digitalisationof societyand theworkplace is transforming thewaysweworkand learn.Notmerelybyautomating
existingtasks,replacingroutinejobsandmakingworkmoreeffective,butalsocreatingnewtasksaswellredefining
competence,challengingandreshapingtheprofessions.Therehasbeenrenewedattentionontheinterplaybetween
thesocialandthetechnologicalincontextofdigitalisationandrecenttrendstowardself-serviceandITconsumerisation,
i.e.blendingconsumerandenterprisetechnologiesatwork.Roomisgiventoemployeesandcustomersratherthan
ITdepartmentsasleadersinthedigitaltransformation,andresearchtopicshaveevolvedfromcomputer-aidedwork
towardsreflectionsofthetechnologicaldevelopmentanddigitalisationingeneral.Whilethereisnocommondefinition
ofthedigitalworkplace,onedefinitionthatemphasisesthesocial,insteadofthetechnologicalchangeisthatdigital
workplacesoccurwhenpeoplecollectivelyperformtheirworkindigital,ratherthanphysicalworkspaces,wherethe
transitiontowards“peoplelessofficesandofficelesspeople”bringsnewopportunitiesandchallenges.
Inthispaper,wearguethatthere isasevereneedforabroaderconceptualisationofthedigitalworkplace,beyond
focusingonspecificITapplicationsortools.Thepapershedslightonemergingchallengesrelatedtothedigitalisationof
workplaces,aimingforanunderstandingofthechangingprerequisitesforworkpracticesandcompetence.Theresearch
questionis:What kinds of changes are emerging and how do they challenge the (digital) workplace?
Thispaper reportsonpreliminaryfindings fromanR&Dproject inSwedishhealthcareanda follow-up focusgroup
interviewonthedigitalworkplace.Theresearchapproachisqualitativeandaction-researchoriented,withanaimto
gainknowledgethroughcollaborationandinterventioninrealsettings.Preliminaryissuesonemergingchangesand
challengesrelatedtothedigitalworkplacearelistedbelow.
¡ Flexibility,performanceandworkplacelearning
¡ Transformationofworkpractices
¡ Security and integrity issues
¡ Leadership and issues of responsibility
This paper has addressed challenges related to emergingdigitalworkplaces. Clearly, as digitalisation increases, the
conditionsforworkandworkplacelearningchanges.Digitaltoolsarealreadyanintegratedpartofeverydaywork.Along
withthisintegration,workpracticeshavechangedandnewworkplacenorms,attitudesandcultureshaveemerged.The
flexibilityandsimplicitythatcomeswithconstantaccesstoinformationandsupportforcollaborationandknowledge
alsodemandleadership,teamworkandnewcompetences.
Thebroadimplicationsofdigitalisationillustratedinthispaperpointtothetendencytofocusontechnology(e.g.how
touseaparticularsystem)asoutdated.Theneedforasocio-technicalperspectivethatalsointroducesnewwaysof
workinganddevelopmentofworkpracticesisnowunavoidable.Wearguethatinthedevelopmentofdigitalworkplaces,
asolefocusoninformationsystems,alongwithtrainingandeducationfromthesystems’perspectiveisinsufficient.An
understandingofworkanditsgoalsratherthansystemsoughttobecentral.Thus,morefocusisrequiredongenerating
ajointpurposeandthebiggerpicture,wherethesystemsareone part of development, not thedevelopment.
Keywords:
digitalisation,digitalworkplaces,workplacelearning,informationsystems,change
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ID092The ‘Jobless Generation’: The Role of Internships in Addressing Unemployment among Graduates
Vass, Jocelyn (DepartmentofTrade&Industry&WitsREALCentre)
Youthunemploymentisaglobalconcernandthenotionofthe‘joblessgeneration’ isnowmorepervasivegiventhe
negativeconsequences for youth, following the2009global recession.For thefirst time in recenthistory, youth in
selectedEuropeancountriesnowhaveunemploymentratesof20%andhigher,matchingthoseofcountrieswithawell-
documentedyouthunemploymentcrisis,suchasSouthAfrica.
Thetransitionfromeducationtoworktakesplacewithinthecontextoflowemploymentgrowth,newtypesofjobs
givendigitalisationandautomationandoftenaskillsmismatch.Evenuniversitygraduatesno longerhaveasmooth
transitionintotheworldofworkorfindingtheirfirstjob.Mostemployersrequirerelevantworkexperienceforentry-
level jobs.However, youngpeoplearecaught inaviciouscycle,as theyare facedwitha labourmarketwith lowor
non-existent employment growth, and thus limited opportunities for relevant work experience; equally, without
relevantworkexperiencetheyhavereducedchancesofsuccessfullysecuringanentry-leveljob.Inthiscontext,active
labourmarket(ALM)programmes,includinginternshipsforgraduatesmaybeamechanismtobridgethegapbetween
educationandwork.
This paper reflects on the evaluation of Itukise, an internship programme for unemployed graduates, run by the
DepartmentofTradeandIndustryin2015-2016.ItukiseisaSothoword,andmeans“prepareyourself”,inthiscase,forthe
labourmarket.Theinternshipprogrammeprovidedoneyearofworkexperienceto1455internsinselectedcompanies,
withstipendspaidbygovernment.Thekeyissuesforevaluationincluded:firstly,thecapabilitiesofcompaniestohost
interns;secondly,theimpactoftheinternshipontheinterns’perceptionsoftheirwork-readinessandwork-relatedskills;
thirdly,theimpactonthechancesofinternstofindemployment.
Firstly, company size did not matter, as two-thirds of participating companies (66.3%) employed between 5 -50
employees,thusrelativelysmallcompanies.Thus,companysizemaynotbeareliablepredictoroftheabilitytohost
interns,averypositivefindinggiventheprevalenceofsmallercompaniesintheeconomy.
Mostcompanieshadlittleexperienceinconductinginternships,as69%hadneverparticipatedinagraduaterecruitment
programme.Also,onlyathirdofcompanieshadanin-housetrainingcentre(36%).Bothfindingspointtothepoorstate
ofreadiness(trainingcapabilityandexperienceofrunninginternships)ofcompaniestohostgraduateinterns.Further,
49.2%ofassignedmentorshadexperienceinmentoring,while50.8%hadnosuchexperience.Thelackofmentorship
capabilityisamajorfactorincompanyreadiness,asitdeterminesmuchofthesuccessofanyinternshipprogramme.At
least30%ofmentorsfeltthattheyneededa‘manualandinformation’onhowtoimplementtheinternship.Ofthose
whohadmentoredpreviously,47%haddonesofor1-5years,andanother25%for6-10years.Thus,experienceof
mentoringisveryuneven.
Arelatedfindingindicatedthat41.4%ofinternshadaperformanceagreementwiththeirmentor.Theabsenceofan
agreedoutlineoftasksandfunctionsmayhinderthequalityoftheinternship,andmayreflecttherelativeinexperience
ofmentors.About50.9%ofinternsreceivedon-the-jobtraining,withtheremainderreceivingformaltraining,whether
insideoroutsidethecompany.Therelativeprevalenceofformaltrainingmaypointtowardsdeficienciesinthestandard
andqualityoftrainingpossessedbytheinterns.Overall,thecultureofinternshipsamongcompaniesisnotwidespread,
but,asshowninthenextsection,thismaynotbeahindrancetosuccessfuloutcomes.
Thesecondareaofevaluationrelatedtotheperceptionofinternsregardingtheimpactofworkplacelearningontheir
skills and expertise, before and after the Itukise.Mostinternsreportedthattheyimprovedtheirskillsincomputerand
technical literacy,criticalthinking,positiveattitudeandadaptabilityfrom60%tocloseto100%pre-andpost-Itukise.
Further,skillsininterpersonalrelations,timemanagementanddecision-makingimprovedfrombelow50%tomorethan
85%pre-andpost-Itukise.Thesewereperception-basedresponses,buttheytranslateinmajorboostsinconfidenceas
84.7%feltmoreemployable.
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Asignificantproportionofinterns(68.4%)foundemploymentimmediatelyaftertheinternship.Mentorsalsohadavery
positiveattitudetowardspost-internshipemployment,as60.7%indicatedthattheywouldrecommendemployment.
Morethan70%ofhostemployers indicatedthattheyhadofferedemploymentto interns.Ofthese,52.5%offered
employmenttoatleastoneinternand21%toatleasttwointerns.Theoverallemploymenteffectwasverypositive,
bothintermsofthosewhotookupemploymentandoffersofemployment.
Interestingly,one-fifth(20%)ofinternsseekingemploymenthadqualificationsinengineering,and14.1%ininformation
technology(IT).Thissuggeststhatqualificationtypeisnottheonlysuccessindicatorinfindingemploymentorwork
experience.Overall,thestudysuggeststhatthereareverycomplexdynamicsatplayinthetransitionfromeducationto
workandthepotentialofinternshipsasanintermediarymechanism.
Keywords:
graduateunemployment,internships,transitiontowork,youthunemployment
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ID093Paper AVAILABLE
A Skills Intervention Analysis
Wall, Kevin; Adrienne Vienings (UniversityofPretoria,WaterConcepts)
TheDepartmentofWaterAffairs(DWA)ofSouthAfricaappointedtheWaterResearchCommission(WRC)tomanage
thedevelopmentofthemethodologyofa“skillsinterventionmap”,basedonasectorskillsgapanalysis,forthepublic
infrastructuresector.Itsapplicationthusfarhas,aswastheintention,beeninthewaterandsanitationsector.
ThemotivationforthisinitiativelayinaperceptionbyDWAthat:
¡ Therewasnostandardised/uniformapproachandmethodologyofconductingskillsauditsinthesector;
¡ HRdepartmentsinwatersectororganisationsrecognisedtheneedforskillsauditinterventionsonlytoalimited
extent(anddidnotgenerallyconductskillsaudits);
¡ TheSouthAfricanwaterandsanitationsectorlackedacoordinationpointforsectorskillsdevelopment(audit,
planning,funding,implementation,monitoringandevaluation);and
¡ Thereexistedlimitedalignmentbetweenaudits,ontheonehand,and,ontheotherhand,currentplansforthe
waterandsanitationsectorskillsdevelopment.
Thelong-termplanofDWAandWRCisto:
¡ Attractandretainskilledstaffinthepublicwatersectorinstitutions;
¡ Monitorandproactivelyrespondtoemergingmarketforcesandsectorskillsneeds(sectorintelligence);
¡ Addressexistingtechnicalskillsgaps;
¡ Improveplanninganddesignofwatersectorskillsatalllevels(schooltopost-school);
¡ Alignsectorskillsdevelopmentstrategywithsectorstrategy(i.e. theNationalWaterResourceStrategy)and
countrystrategy(i.e.theNationalDevelopmentPlan)bymeansofauditseveryfiveyears;and
¡ Documentlessonsandsharebestpractice.
Theinitialapplicationinvestigatedthreedozenwatersectorinstitutionsofdifferentfunctionaltypes–alsoofdifferent
sizesanddifferentlevelsofcompetence–torepresenttheentirepublicwaterservicessectorinSouthAfrica.Foreach
of these institutions, it then determined the suitable organograms, the number of posts per job title, and the percentage
ofthesepoststhatwerefilledandvacant.Itthen,usingasampleoffiverepresentativepublicservicewaterinstitutions,
determined the gaps between the skills required for technical posts as per job titles and the inherent skills of the
incumbentsintheposts.Threeinnovativeaspectsofthemethodologyhavebeen:
¡ The development of aWater Sector Competency Framework (this is a structured table of over 2 500 skills
requiredinthesector).
¡ Amethod,basedontechnicalcriteriaofthenatureofworkandtheextentoftheresponsibility(e.g.thequantum
ofinfrastructure,anditsnatureandtypeandcomplexity),todeterminethenumberofstaffperjobtitlerequired
in four types of organisations, namely, Catchment Management Agencies, Water User Associations, Water
BoardsandWaterServicesAuthorities.
¡ An online qualitative skills audit questionnaire for individuals to rate themselves against the skills in the
CompetencyFramework.
¡ Other features have includedguidelineson skills shortfalls of particular individuals – that is, on the specific
differencesbetweentheircurrentskillsandtheskillsrequiredforthepoststowhichtheyhavebeenappointed.
Itwasnotedthatthemethodshouldneverbeimplementedwithoutconcurrentlyassessingandaddressingtheabilities
ofHRstafftowritejobprofiles,doHRplanning,manageskillsaudits(andanalyseresults),andmatchtrainingtostaff
needs.
Keywords:
competencyframework,skillsgap,skillsself-assessment,skillsinterventionmap,waterinfrastructure
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The ‘New Skills for New Jobs’ Skills Development Initiative for Infrastructure Delivery
Wall, Kevin (UniversityofPretoria)
In 2012 the South African government adopted a National Infrastructure Plan to transform the nation’s economic
landscapewhilesimultaneouslystrengtheningthedeliveryofbasicservicesandcreatingsignificantnumbersofnewjobs.
ThisPlansetsoutthechallengesandenablerstowhichSouthAfricaneedstorespondindevelopinginfrastructurewhich
fosterseconomicgrowthandpovertyalleviation.Itwasimmediatelyrecognisedthatskillsshortfallsandmismatches
wouldinhibitimplementationofthePlan.However,itwasalsorecognisedthatitsimplementationwouldprovidemany
opportunities for improving skills. The (national government)DepartmentofHigher Education andTraining (DHET)
accordinglydevelopedan“InfrastructureSkillsPlanFramework”,thepurposeofwhichistoensurethattheskillswill
be in place to meet infrastructure requirements and also that the infrastructure projects will themselves provide
workplacelearningopportunitiestosupportindividuals’lifelonglearningandpathways.Implementationofthisrequires
considerableforesight,asinforexampleidentifyingtheskillsneedswayinadvance,andensuringinteralia:recruitment
ofsuitabletrainees;theprovisionoftrainingfacilitiesandtrainingstaff;theadequacyoftrainingandmentorshipsupport
(includingworkplaceskillstransfer);qualificationsframeworksandmechanisms(includingRecognitionofPriorLearning
(RPL));andtheaccreditationofqualifications.
TheEuropeanUnion(EU)DelegationtoSouthAfrica,veryawareoftheinitiativesdescribedabove,drewtheattention
ofDHETtoaplanningmethodologydevelopedinEuropewithinthecontextofaten-yearstrategyforadvancementof
theeconomyoftheEU,butwhichcouldbeharnessedtosupportlifelonglearninginaSouthAfricancontext.Knownas
the“NewSkillsforNewJobs”methodology(abbreviatedNSNJ),itspurposeisto:
¡ Promote better anticipation of future infrastructure skills needs
¡ Developbettermatchingbetweeneducation,skills,labourmarketandindustry
¡ Bridgethegapbetweentheworldsofeducationandwork.
In 2013 the EU agreed to fund a limited three-year SA version of NSNJ, with a focus on understanding European
experiencewhichcouldbeofvaluetoSAskillsplanning,fortwoselectedsectors,inthefaceofsignificantchangesin
technologyandworkorganisation.ThethreeSApartnersintheprojecthavebeenDHET,theCouncilforScientificand
IndustrialResearch(theCSIR)andthePassengerRailAuthorityofSouthAfrica(PRASA).
¡ TheDHETbecameapartnerbecauseitisresponsibleforPost-SchoolEducationandTrainingacrossSA.
¡ TheCSIR became a partner because of its role in developing and/or testing new technologies andbuilding
methods, in infrastructureassetmanagement, and in improved infrastructure sustainability (including topics
suchasenergyefficiency).
¡ PRASAhascommencedamassive(10billionUS$)20-yearmodernisationprogrammeoftractionandsignaling
systems,requiringextensivetraining(andretraining)ofexistingstaffandofstafftoberecruited.Thusitbecame
apartnerbecause it foresawhowtheNSNJ initiativecouldcomplement themajoreffortwhich it isalready
makingtoensurethatithastherightskillsonboardtoboth:£ optimallyoperate–andmaintain–itsnewinfrastructureasthisisprogressivelycommissionedoverthe
next20years;whilesimultaneously£ operatingandmaintainingthatofitsexistinginfrastructure,someofitofsignificantlydifferenttechnology
tothatbeingacquired,whichisexpectedtoremaininserviceformanyyearstocome.
Theproject,whichwascompletedmid-2016,hasparticularlysoughtEuropeanexperience/ information/ research/
benchmarkingforSouthAfricanusewhichis:
¡ effectivelyimplemented,withclearbenefitssustainedintothelong-term;
¡ relevanttotheskillsplanningneedsofDHET,especiallywithregardto implementingeducationand lifelong
learningforsustainabledevelopment;and
¡ relevanttotheinfrastructureneedsofDHET,CSIRandPRASA.
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Inrespectofthelastofthese:themainareaofconcernisthelifelonglearningpathwayofcurrentandto-be-recruited
employeesofallthreeinstitutions(DHET,CSIRandPRASA)manyofwhomarealreadybeingcalledupon,orwillbecalled
upon,tooperateandmaintain:
¡ theexistinginfrastructurewhichwillremaininserviceforyearstocome,
¡ theexistinginfrastructurewhichisbeingupgradedtousenewtechnologies,and
¡ thenew infrastructurewithnewtechnologieswhichwillbecommissionedprogressivelyoverthenext20or
moreyears.
Finally:whereasDHEThasbroadresponsibilitiesforPost-SchoolEducationandTrainingacrossthenation, theNSNJ
initiativehassuggestedprinciples,andspecificapproaches,whichtheDHETisconsideringforapplicationbeyondthe
infrastructuresector.
TosumupthewayforwardfortheNSNJproject:
¡ in the built environment infrastructure sector generally, CSIR and DHET (and in the rail sector, PRASA and
Transnet)haveresponsibilityforimplementing,andtakingmuchfurther,thelessonsoftheproject;
¡ DHEThasthebroadresponsibility,acrossallsectors,forapplyingthelessonsoftheproject.
These initiatives have considerable potential to support the lifelong learningof individuals.However it can also be
arguedthattheyareessentialforthesocio-economicdevelopmentofthecountry.
Keywords:
identificationofskillsneeds,workplacelearningopportunities,railinfrastructure,infrastructuresustainability
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A Social Exchange Model: Implementing Education and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development
Wall, Kevin; Oliver Ive (UniversityofPretoria,Amanz’abantuServices)
Employmentisvitaltothesocial,economicandpoliticaldevelopmentofSouthAfrica(SA); it isakeymechanismfor
addressingwidespreadpoverty.HowevermillionsofSouthAfricansareunemployed–SA’seconomicparticipationrate
isfarbelowtheaverageforemergingeconomies.Buttheeducationandtrainingsystemisproducingyoungpeoplewho
finditdifficulttogetjobs.Giventhatsomanypeopleinthecountryhavelowskilllevels,SAneedsmorejobsofatype
whichpeoplecando–andwhichwillenabletheirlifelonglearningwhileworking.Furthermore,jobshavethepotential
togenerateasenseofaccomplishment,dignityandparticipationincitizenship.Manyofthesoftskillsneededtoimprove
aperson’semployability–suchaspunctuality,self-discipline,theabilitytoworkinateam,andtheabilitytobeproactive
–aredevelopedonthejob.Theworkplaceisapreferredsitefortheacquisitionofthesesoftskills–aswellasforthe
acquisition,orimprovement,oftaskskills.
Engineering infrastructure (reservoirs, pipes, treatmentworks, bridges, roads, rail, harbours, electricity distribution,
etc.)supportsqualityoflifeandtheeconomyifitdeliversaccessibleandreliableservices.Clearly,inordertoachieve
itspurpose, infrastructuremustbeoperatedandmaintained correctly, year after year.However there isno lackof
evidenceofwidespreadpoormaintenanceofinfrastructureinSA.Itsfailureisinsomeareasnegatingtheimpactofthe
developmentundertakentodate,withseriousconsequencesforhumandevelopment,povertyalleviationandeconomic
growth.Thus:
¡ Muchmoremaintenanceneedstobedonethaniscarriedoutatpresent.
¡ Muchmaintenancecanonlybedone,orcanbestbedone,bylabour-intensivemethods,and/orbypeoplewho
onlyneedentry-levelskills.
¡ Maintenanceworkprovidesopportunitiestolearnatwork.
¡ Itmakesgoodsensethereforetofindwaystocreate,andmanage,infrastructuremaintenancejobs.
Addressingmaintenance backlogswould generate extensive opportunities for job creation and skills development.
However,while there isconsiderable jobcreationpotential inmaintenance, (theCouncil forScientificand Industrial
Research(CSIR)estimateshalfamillionjobs),substantialeffortmustgointomanagingtheprocess,andtocontrolling
quality–bynomeanseasytodo.Wayshavetobefoundtomakethiswork.
Thispaperdescribesaninnovativemodelforskillsexchangeandjobcreation,whichutilisesconceptsformulatedby
theCSIR,anddevelopedbytheCSIRincollaborationwiththeWaterResearchCommission(WRC).Themodelinvolves
creatingpartnerships for skillsdevelopmentand jobcreationon thebasisofexchangeprinciples relating toquality
controlandmutualincentives.
Proven in two extensive pilots in the Eastern Cape province of SA (one pilot at schools and one for households –
bothofwhicharedescribedinthepaper),andsincerollingoutonafinanciallyself-sustainingbasis,thisinitiativehas
simultaneouslybroughtaboutboth:
¡ Maintenanceofselectedinfrastructure,andreturningittoservice,and
¡ Microbusinessdevelopmentandnurturing,jobcreation,andskillsdevelopmentof(mostly)ruralpeoplewhohad
neverbeforereceivedtrainingwhichenablesthemtodowage-earningjobs.
In brief, the concept, as it is being implemented, provides appropriate training, a qualitymanagement system and
procedures,andthebackupofthedevelopmentpartner.Itisimportanttonotealsothatthesocialexchangepartnerships
forservicesoperationandmaintenanceconceptaddressestherequirementsofmanyofSA’snationalgoals,particularly:
¡ development of skills in the workplace;
¡ job creationatthelowesteconomiclevelswhereunemploymentishighestandworkplaceskillsverylimited;
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¡ microbusiness creation and nurturing; and
¡ infrastructure and service delivery,throughinfrastructuremaintenanceactivitiesthatincreasethequalityand
reliabilityofservices.
Inparticular,thesocialexchangemodelhasalready:
¡ helpedtoaddressthestateofschools’waterandsanitationfacilities,aneglected infrastructuralelementof
theeducationsystemwhichhastoooftendeprived learners,especiallygirl learners,ofregularaccesstothe
classroom(thisisdescribedinthepaper);and
¡ providedpeopleoutside theeducation/trainingandwork systemwithopportunities toobtain skills suitable
foremploymentandopportunitiesforlifelonglearning–and,iftheyhavesufficiententerpriseanddrive,the
furtheropportunitytobecomemicro-entrepreneursintheirownright.
Thispioneeringworkhasbeenundertaken,andownershiptaken,bytheCSIRandWRC(bothgovernmentagencies),
withamid-sizeprivatesectorpartnerand localemergentmicro-enterprises–all theseentitiesaccountablethrough
creatinglearningenvironmentsandskillsdevelopmentinthecommunities.
Finally,itshouldbenotedthatsocialexchangepartnershipsarelocallyledanddeliverserviceslocally.Thatis,itiswithin
thecommunitiesservedthattheycreatejobs,enabletransferofworkplaceskills,andretainincome.
Keywords:
socialexchangepartnerships,workplaceskillsacquisition,waterandsanitationinfrastructure,operationandmaintenance
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Popular Education at/as Work
Walters, Shirley; Astrid von Kotze (UniversityofWesternCape); Jane Burt (EnvironmentalMonitoring
Group); Anna James (RhodesUniversity)
February2017,BudgetDay,membersandrepresentativesofsome15civilsocietyorganisationsandsocialmovements
havecometogetheroutsidetheHousesofParliamentinCapeTown,SouthAfrica,todemonstratetheiranger.Banners
andpostersproclaimoppositionto‘asecrettrillionrandnucleardeal’;theydemandastoptothedeal;theydetailhow
suchfundswouldpreventtheconstructionofmillionsofhousesandbettereducationandhealth…Passers-byhoot
approval–oraverttheireyes,asthecallsof ‘phantsi (down)trillionrandnucleardeal,phantsi!’get louder.Aman in
aSouthAfricanflag-T-shirtwithadifferentposter thatasks for the removalof thepresidenthaspickedupa loud-
hailerand,usingcall-and-response,invitestheprotesterstojoininthesloganof‘DownwiththePresident’!Oneofhis
supportersresponds.Anorganiserfromoneofthehostingorganisationsgoesacrossandrequeststhe‘comrade’tostep
aside.Quietly,sheinviteshimtodesistfromhiscall:thisdemonstrationhasaclearfocusandpurposeandwhileheand
hisorganisationaremostwelcometojoinin,thisisnottheforumforanti-party-politicalsloganeering.Theyarejoined
byothersandadialogueensues.Theorganiserexplainsthestrategicimportanceofstayingfocused;shecontextualises
theprotestandreiteratestheinvitationtojoinin–butinsiststheydonotattempttotakeover.Thiswouldbeinbreach
ofthecollectivepurposeunderlyingthisprotest.Alittlewhilelater,theypart,laughingtogether,andhehandsoverthe
loud-hailerandresumeshisplacebehindthebanner.
EyermanandJamisonstatethat,“Socialmovementsarenotmerelysocialdramas;theyarethesocialactionfromwhere
newknowledgeincludingworldviews,ideologies,religions,andscientifictheoriesoriginate”(Eyerman&Jamison,1991:
14).Thiswasasuperbmomentofpoliticaleducationandstrategiclearningonthepicket-line,alessonintheartofpublic
protestandtacticalaction. Itwasademonstrationofparticularknowledgeandskillthatwasgrownandnurturedin
activistexperience,politicsinitspurestform.Asobserverswesawhowswiftandconvincingpoliticaleducationonthe
picketlinecanbewhenofferedbyaskilledandexperiencedactivistintheroleofbothorganiserandeducator.Wewould
argue,thiswaspopulareducationat/aswork:rootedintheexperienceandinterestsofordinarypeople,highlycharged
politicallyanddeeplydemocraticinprocess,arisingoutofatensiondefinedbythedynamicsoftimeandplaceandaimed
atactionthatwouldfurtheroppositiontoaparticularissue.
Thesymposiumhasitsgenesisinathree-yearresearchprojecton‘Re-memberingTraditionsofPopularEducation’based
atUniversityofWesternCape,whichledtothepublicationofabookin2017,Forging solidarity: Popular Education at
Work.Eachof thepresentershasparticipated intheresearchprojectand intheproductionof thebook,and inthe
symposiumwewillbedrawingontheseconcreteexperiencesandanalyses,aswecollectivelyanimatethesymposium
using‘transgressive’participatoryprocessestopush,prod,pokeandplaywithideasofpopulareducationas/atwork,
highlightingtootheparticipatoryresearchapproachwhichhasbeenthehallmarkofthethree-yearproject.
Keywords:
populareducation,work,socialmovementlearning
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ID097Aligning Policy, Strategy and Skills for Sustainability: An Occupationally Directed Study into Green Supply Chain Management in the Public Sector in South Africa
Ward, Mike (CreatingSustainableValue); Nicola Jenkin (PinpointSustainability); Eureta Rosenberg (RhodesUniversity); Presha Ramsarup (WitsUniversity)
As one of the global targets, the Sustainable Development Goals set the promotion of public procurement practices
thataresustainableinaccordancewithnationalpoliciesandpriorities.InSouthAfrica,theNationalDevelopmentPlan
makes a commitment to ensuring that environmental impacts of public sector investment and spending are fully costed
topromotetheprinciplesoffull-costaccounting.Theseandnumerousother internationalandnationalpoliciesand
strategies recognise that shifting to a green economy is vital for the achievement of more sustainable development
paths.Thisrequiresthatgovernment,business,labourandcivilsocietydevelopnewwaysofdoingbusinessandthus
newoccupations,newskillsandnewformsofinstitutionalcollaboration. It is inthiscontextthatNationalTreasury’s
commitment to use the R500 billion annual expenditure on goods and services by the public sector to support
government’s strategic priorities, could make a significant contribution to sustainable development. However, as
theNationalDevelopmentPlanacknowledges,there isarealriskthatSouthAfrica’sdevelopmentagendacouldfail
because the state is incapable of implementing it. In response, theNationalDevelopment Plan calls for a ‘capable
state’ underpinned by effectively coordinated state institutionswith skilled public servants who are committed to
deliveringhighqualityserviceswhilstprioritisingnationaldevelopmentobjectives.Thispresentationwillreportonan
occupationallydirectedstudyintothepolicy,skillsandinstitutionalalignmentthatisrequiredtodrivegreensupplychain
managementintheSouthAfricanpublicsector.Itprovidesinsightsintoframeworks,researchmethodsandtoolsthat
support anticipatory approaches to skills development in the context of emergent environmental, social and economic
challengesandopportunitieslinkedtosustainabilityandinparticular,thegreeneconomy.
In a proactive initiative aimed at identifying and developing the requisite occupations and related skills to support
greenSupplyChainManagement(SCM)inthepublicsector,thePublicSectorEducationandTrainingAuthority(PSETA)
commissionedtheGreenSkillsProgrammetoexplorethreeinterrelatedquestions.Thesewere:
1. WhatskillsarerequiredtoeffectivelyimplementgreenSCMinthepublicsector?
2. WhichoccupationsareinvolvedandhowshouldtheybereflectedintheOrganisingFrameworkforOccupations
(OFO)?
3. Whatattendantorganisationaldevelopmentandpolicyguidelinesmaybenecessary?
Twoliteraturereviews,focusingoninternationalandnationalpoliciesandpractices,wereconductedtodevelopinsights
into thedifferentmeanings ascribed to key terms and the contradictions, absences and innovations evidentwithin
supplychainmanagementintheSouthAfricanpublicsector.Usingspecificcommoditiesandvaluechainanalysis,two
casestudieswereconductedthatfocusedonprocurementwithinanationaldepartmentandaprovincialdepartment
ofgovernment.Usingvaluechainanalysisatboththelevelofspecificcommoditiesthatgovernmentprocuresandthe
procurement process itself, enabled a clear mapping of key processes, the environmental impacts and considerations
acrossthefulllifecycleofproductsandsupplychainmanagement,andthedifferentactorsandmultiplerelationships
withinagivenvaluechain.This inturnenabledthedevelopmentofacomprehensiveframeworkfor identifyingthe
differentoccupationswithinandrelatedtothesupplychainmanagementvaluechainatmultiplelevelswithinnational
andprovincialgovernment.
The research revealed a number ofmismatcheswithin the public supply chainmanagement in relation to building
a green economy. These include a lack of policy alignment between global commitments, national policy and
departmentalprocesses;poorunderstandingofemergingenvironmentalchallengesandopportunities;aninabilityto
developprocurementspecificationsthatincludeenvironmentalcriteria;outdatedcostingmodelsbasedonpricerather
thanvalue;andnarrowmonitoringandaccountabilityframeworks.Foreachofthesemismatches,strategic leverage
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pointswereidentified.Associatedwiththeseleveragepoints,anumberofrecommendationsweremaderelatedtothe
relevantpoliciesandtheneedforpolicyalignment;theneedtoalignpolicyandsupplychainmanagementstrategy,
theoccupationsassociatedwiththispolicyalignmentandimplementation;theemergingskillsrequiredwithinthese
occupations;andfinally, the institutionalcooperationrequiredtoalignpolicy,developappropriateskills, implement
greenSCMandevaluateitseffectiveness.
Inadditiontosharingthefindingsandrecommendationsoutlinedabove,thispresentationwillprovideaninsightinto
thetoolsandresearchmethodsbeingdevelopedwithintheGreenSkillsProgrammeforassessingandanticipatingthe
occupations,skillsandlearningrequiredtodriveamoresustainableeconomy.
Keywords:
green supply chain management, sustainability, policy, research methods, tools, skills
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID098Sustainable Value Creation, Concept Formation and Expansive Learning: Exploring the Need, Potential and Mechanisms for Changing Business Models
Ward, Mike; Heila Lotz-Sisitka (RhodesUniversity)
Theagendaoffindingsafeandjustpathwaysofdevelopmentisgaininginternationalsupport,inthecontextofecological
andsocial limits, thetransgressionofwhichmaythreatenbiophysicalsystemsandhumandevelopment imperatives
associatedwithpovertyeradicationandequity.TheSustainableDevelopmentGoalsareanarticulationofthisagenda
andtogetherwiththeParisClimateAccordsetanambitiousinternationalcommitmentforchangethatwasnegotiated
andendorsedbygovernments,businessandcivilsociety.Thesecommitmentswillrequirefundamentalchangesinthe
waythatbusinessesoperateincludingashiftawayfromthemaximisationofgrowthandprofitthatunderpinscurrent
capitalistapproachestobusiness.Emergingconceptsandpracticesincludingcorporatesocialresponsibility,thecreation
ofsustainablevalueandthecreationofsharedvaluehavebeensuggestedandcritiquedbymanyauthors.Lesswell
developedintheliterature isanarticulationofthelearningprocessesthatwillberequiredto initiateandsupporta
reflexiveengagementwiththesenewapproachesinbusinesses.
Thispaperpresentationdrawsontwostudiesattheinterfacebetweenbusinessmodels,environmentalsustainability
and social justice. The first study, conducted by one of the presenters, focused on amultinational pulp and paper
company,theMondiGroup,withaparticularfocusonitsSouthAfricandivision.Thesecondstudyformspartofacurrent
PhDthatseekstotakeforwardsomeofthefindingsoftheinitialstudy.Morespecifically,thePhDstudyseekstoanswer
thequestion:“Cancriticallyengageddialecticalexpansivelearningprocesses,focusingontheobjectofsustainablevalue
creation,potentiallysupporttransformationstomoresustainablebusinessmodels,andifsohowdoesthisoccur?”
Development,sustainability,shareholderreturnsandstakeholdervaluecouldeachbedescribedas“runawayobjects”.
Thesignificanceoftheseobjectsisthattheyprovidethemotivationforactionandastheygrowinmotivationalforce,
theseobjectsshapeanddirecttheactivityofsubjectswithinactivitysystems.However,althoughactivitytheoryhasbeen
describedasatheoryofobject-drivenactivity,theobjectremainspartial,anhorizonthatisneverfullyreached.Theactivity
systemasitismotivatedandgivenmeaningbytheobjectofactivitysimultaneouslygeneratesactionsthroughwhichthe
objectofactivityisenactedandreconstructed.Theobjectofdevelopmentandtheobjectofsustainabilitywouldthus
motivateandcreatemeaningforverydifferentactivitysystems.Keytothecreationofnewand/orexpandedobjectsand
patternsofactivityorientedtotheseobjectsisexpansivelearning.Learningisexpansiveinsofarasitenableslearnersto
learn“somethingthatisnotyetthere”andinsodoing“toconstructanewobjectandconceptfortheircollectiveactivity”
(Engeström,2016:37).Thisprocessofnewobjectandconceptformationisachievedthroughadialecticalmethodof
ascendingfromtheabstracttotheconcrete.Fromthecontradictionswithinandbetweenobjects,“newtheoreticalideas
orconceptsareinitiallyproducedintheformofanabstract,simpleexplanatoryrelationship,a‘germcell’”(Engeström,
2016:42).Throughexpansivelearning,thisinitialconceptistransformedintoacomplex,concreteobject.Thesequence
of learningactionscontainedwithintheexpansive learningprocessdevelopedbyEngeströmisdesignedtosupport
theascendanceoftheabstracttotheconcrete.Thispaperseeksto,throughreferencetotwocasestudies,explorethis
processofconceptformation.
Keywords:
expansive learning, social justice, sustainability
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ID099 W(h)ither TVET?
Wedekind, Volker (UniversityofNottingham)
Therelationshipbetweeneducationalprocessesandpreparationforworkhasbeendeeplyentwinedsincetheearliest
humansocialgroupingsemerged.However,theemergenceofTechnicalVocationalEducationandTraining(TVET)asa
distinctcategoryofeducationemergedmorerecentlyduringtheindustrialrevolution(s)andgainedprominenceasa
vehicleforindividual,national,andsocialdevelopmentbythecontributionofHumanCapitalTheory(HCT)toeconomic
thinking. Despite some periods in the 20th Century when TVET was viewed as of secondary importance to basic
education,therehasbeenarecentresurgenceininterestinthepotentialforTVETtoaddressarangeofsocialconcerns,
andincreasingpolicyattentionandresourcesareaimedatTVETandTVETinstitutions.TherecentlyadoptedSustainable
DevelopmentGoals(SDGs)forthefirsttimeincludeTVETasanaspectoftherighttoeducation,thenewContinental
EducationStrategyforAfrica(CESA)encouragesmemberstatestoexpandTVET,anddevelopedcountriesliketheUK
anddevelopingcountrieslikeSouthAfricaplacerenewedemphasisonTVETintheirnationalstrategies.TVETseemsto
beinastrongposition.
However,anumberoffactorssuggestthatthisfocusonTVETneedstobeviewedwithcaution.TheHCTthatunderpinsthe
ideathatinvestmentinskillswillleadtogrowthandprogressisincreasinglyviewedasoutdatedandevenfundamentally
flawed.Investmentinmass-basedTVETdoesnotinitselfcreatethejobsthatareneededtokeeppeopleoccupiedand
inmanyinstancesTVETprogrammesactsimplyasaformofwarehousing.Atamorefundamentallevel,theverynotion
ofgrowthunderpinningdevelopmentisitselfbeingincreasinglyquestionedasarealisticeconomicpremise(Fioramonti,
2017;Raworth,2017).Evenwherethereisgrowth,thechangesintechnologythatareassociatedwiththe4th Industrial
Revolutionarehollowingoutthejobmarketbymechanisingmanyaspectsofthemiddlelevelskilledoccupationsaswell
ashigherleveloccupationsandprofessions.Andtheareaswherenewworkisbeingcreatedarechangingsorapidlythat
itisalmostimpossibleforatrainingcurriculumtokeeppace.
Giventhesewidersocial,technological,andeconomictransformations,whatistheroleofTVET?HowcouldTVETplay
aconstructiveroleinthisperiodofrapidchange?OrisTVETdestinedtowitherawayasaviableeducationalformand
whatwillreplaceit?Thesearethequestionsthispaperattemptstoaddressbyexploringtheimplicationsofsomeof
thecurrentcritiquesofcontemporaryeconomics,exploringtheimplicationsofenvironmentalchangeandotherfuture
orientedprojections,andbyexaminingthedebatesaboutknowledgerelatedtowork.ThepapersuggeststhatTVETin
itscurrentformisnotlikelytosurvive,butthatawiderdebateabouttheroleofvocationaleducationinrelationtoall
levels(schooling,intermediateandhigher)ofthesystemisurgentlyneeded.Keytothisisthedevelopmentofstrong
institutionsthatareabletoequippeoplewithawidesetofskillsthatwillenablethemtoadapttothechallengesofthe
newperiod.
Keywords:
TechnicalVocationalEducationandTraining(TVET),transformations
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ID100Collaborative Partnerships between Research and Practice: A Nordic Perspective on Open Science
Wegener, Charlotte (AalborgUniversity); Marie Undheim; Elisabeth Willumsen (DepartmentofHealthStudies,Norway)
The ambition to open up the processes and results of publicly-funded research has led to the emergence of a broad
OpenSciencemovement.Thegoal is radical: tomakeresearchaccessible toeveryonesoas toenhance impactand
innovationinsociety.Notonlygovernmentsandfundingagencies,butalsouniversitiesacrosstheNordiccountriessee
OpenScienceasatoppriority.Discussionsaboutopenaccessandopendatahavedominatedtheagenda;however,how
toactuallymakeresearchdemocraticinallphasesisakeyconcernaswell.
The aim of this paper is to report on, and discuss the strengths and challenges of, an ongoing collaborative partnership
inwhichresearchersandpractitionersworktogether,notonlytosolvebutalsotoarticulateproblemsandframethe
researchprojectfromtheveryoutset–asacaseofanOpenSciencepractice.
Thecollaborativepartnershipwasestablishedbetweenresearchinstitutionsandelderlycarefacilitiestostudysocial
innovationasaphenomenonin institution-basedelderlycare.WereceivedinitialfundingfromtheResearchCouncil
ofNorwaytoworkcloselytogetheronthemainproposal,whichwassubsequentlyfunded.Fiveresearchinstitutions
(fourNorwegianandoneDanish)andfiveelderlycarefacilitiesandtheirleadersareinvolved.Inaddition,users(patient
organisations and professional organisations) were included when designing the study, in accordance with official
policiesforOpenSciencepractice.
A sequentialmixedmethoddesign is applied, includingqualitative approaches such asfieldwork and interviews. In
addition,asurveyquestionnairehasbeendevelopedcontainingapsychometricevaluationrepresentingthequantitative
approach.
Themaingoalsoftheprojectare:
1) to identify innovation indailypractices inelderlycareandtofindcharacteristics relatedtohowhigh-quality
elderlycareinstitutionsaredevelopedthrougheverydaymanagementandwork,and
2) tomakerecommendationsastowhatisneededinthefuture,basedonperspectivesofhealthcarepersonnel,
patients, relatives and researchers in various fields (nursing, psychology, social work, health, sociology and
anthropology).
Thispaperreportsontheinitiationofthecollaborativepartnership.First,weshowhowtheleadersintheelderlycare
institutions,patientorganisationsandprofessionalorganisationswereinvolvedinco-creatingtheresearchquestions,
describingtheresearchdesignandarticulatingthemainthemesandmethodologyofthestudy.Second,weanalyse
whatwehave learned fromtheseprocesses so far: that is,whatweas researchers cando to takeco-creationwith
practitionersseriously,andwhattheadvantagesandpitfallsofthiskindofcollaborativepartnershipmaybe.Finally,
welinkourexperiencestoabroaderOpenScienceagendaanddiscussthepotentialimpactofresearchcarriedoutin
researchpartnershipsacrossdomainsanddisciplines.
Keywords:
innovation, elderly care, open science, research partnership, impact
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ID101 Providing a Bridge from University to Industry
Wicomb, Samuel; James Garraway (CapePeninsulaUniversityofTechnology)
Theaimofthisstudywastouncover ifauthenticworkpracticeatuniversity(graphicdesign,CPUT)couldserveasa
developmental space for expansive learning and thus potentially assist graduates in making an easier transition to the
worldofwork.Theshiftfromtheclassroomtotheworkplaceisnotwithoutitscomplexities,asverifiedbynumerous
studies.Thetwosystems(universityandwork)aresociallydistinctandservedifferentpurposesandoutcomes.This
studyusedActivityTheoryasatheoreticalframeworktounderpintheanalysisinthisqualitativestudy.Questionnaires,
videofootageandparticipantjournalswereusedasinstrumentsandindividualinterviewsasaresearchmethod.The
analysed data revealed participants do struggle in certain areas but overall, they learn and develop and this is aided by
thecollective,collaborativeandpurposeful–gettingthejobdone–natureoftheworkplace.Transitioningbetween
activitysystemsisnotsimplyadifficultybutalsooffersstudentsopportunitiesforlearningastheyenterintoaZoneof
ProximalDevelopment(ZPD).Knowingwhatthemainnodesoflearninganddevelopmentare,mayhelpstudentstobe
betterabletomakethistransition,forexamplethroughdoingmorepurposeful,authenticandcollectiveprojectswithin
theuniversity.
Keywords:
authenticworkpractice,developmentalspace,transition,ZoneofProximalDevelopment
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ID102A Society in Flux and the Purpose and Power of Professional Work: A Perspective from the South
Wildschut, Angelique; Bongiwe Mcwango; Tamlynne Meyer (HumanSciencesResearchCouncil)
The South African labour market, like many others across the globe, have over the past 20 years been characterised by
atrendawayfromadominantmanufacturingsector,towardsaservicesectoreconomy.Changetotheoccupational
structureoftheeconomyisalsoevident,withincreasingemploymentin,andeconomicreturnsto,high-skilloccupations,
withoccupationsrequiringintermediatelevelskillsseeingadeclineinproportionalshareofemployment.Atthesame
time,aquarterofthelabourforceisnotabletofindajob,and51%ofthelaboursupplydoesnothaveaGrade12
qualification.Onbothpoliticalandeconomicfronts,thecountryisfacedwithdeepandcomplexquestionsaroundhow
toshiftitseconomicstructuretobecomemoreinclusive,withlessfocusonthedemandsofaformal,veryunequaland
unsustainablelabourmarketregime.
Complexlabourmarketquestionsalsoremainunanswered:whydowehavegrowinggenderinequalitiesincertaintypes
ofemployment,why is thereagrowingproportionofunemployed thatdonotwant to takeup jobs,why theever
expandingproportionof in-workpoverty?There isalsothenotionofdecentwork,precariousness,growingconcern
aroundunder-employmentandeverexpandingproportionofthoseinlongtermunemploymenttoconsider.
Thesesocialandeconomicriskfactorshaveseentheriseofprotestactionaroundfairwages,tensionswithintrade
unions, questions around whether there is adequate representation of the needs of the working poor, concerns
aboutbasicconditionsofemployment,politicaldebatesanddemandsforalivingwage,aswellasaccesstoskillsand
education.Therecentuniversityprotestsandunrestpointtoasocietyatbreakingpointduetoyearsofunresolved
issues of social justice that speak directly to the urgency for South African sociologists to re-appraise the current and
changingrelationshipbetweenwork,thestateandsociety,andtoinformwhatthisrelationshipshouldlooklikeinthe
futuredrawingfromabiggerbodyofempiricalwork.
Itisclearthatnotonlyisthisalabourmarketwithgravecontradictions,itisoneinwhichthereisgreatappealinhigh
skillandprofessionalwork,especiallyforthosewhohavebeenmarginalisedunderthepreviouslysegregationistpolitical
system.Theemancipatoryidealsthatunderliethistrendshouldnotbeunderestimatedasasocialforce.Notonlydoes
thisraisequestionsthatrequireSouthAfricanscholarsofworktore-appraisethiscontinuingappealtoprofessions,but
alsopointstotheimportanceofunderstandingsocialattitudesandhowtheyimpactonlabourmarketexperienceand
behaviour.Onboththeseaspects,SouthAfricanliteraturehasbeenlacking.
Historically,sociologistsofworkdidnotextensivelyconsidertheroleofprofessionsandprofessionalwork inSouth
African society because of the extent ofmore pressing political and economic concerns. Furthermore, the country
doesnothaveaninstitutionalisednationalsurveythatroutinelygathersinformationonthepublic’s(workingandnon-
working)subjectiveassessmentofthelabourmarketandqualitativeexperienceofwork.
Inanattempttoaddress thesegaps, thispaperwilldrawfromanemergingbodyofnational surveydata (2012/13
and 2016/17) on the SouthAfrican public’s attitudes towork andoccupations, aswell as a reviewof literature on
professionsintheSouthAfricancontext.Inthemain,thisevidenceismarshalledtoarguefor:1)strengtheningsuchan
internationallycomparativesurveytooltosupporttheexpansionofsociologicalscholarshiparoundworkandinequality
intheSouthAfricancontext;and2)returningtosociologicalanalysisofacontinuingappealtoprofessionalworkand
howthisinterfaceswithprocessesofsocialclosureintheSouthAfricancontext.
Keywords:
professionalwork,professions,attitudestowork,socialclosure
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Workplace-based Learning Programmes and the Transition to the Labour Market
Wildschut, Angelique; Glenda Kruss (HumanSciencesResearchCouncil)
In South Africa there is increasing recognition of the need for the post-school education and training system to expand
andbecapacitated,tooffermoremeaningfulopportunitiesformoreyoungpeople–particularlythelargecohortwho
donotprogresstograde12,andthosewhopassmatric,butdonotqualifyforhighereducation.Notallyoungpeople
willhavetheaptitude,interestorabilitytofollowahighereducationpathway,andnorcanthesystemaccommodateall.
ThewidespreadaspirationanddesireforuniversitycredentialsandupwardmobilitymeanthatthestatusofTechnical
andVocationalEducationandTraining(TVET)qualificationsandoccupationsattheintermediatelevelisextremelylow,
andtypically,notviewedasafirstchoiceoption.However,artisanalandtechnicalskillsattheintermediatelevelare
criticalforgrowthanddevelopmentinSouthAfrica,sothereisheighteneddemandfromemployersforyoungpeople
whoseskillscanbedeveloped.Onepathwaytosuchjobsisthroughaqualificationfromtheexpandingpublicorprivate
TVETcollegesystems.
Amoreneglectedpathwayisthatofworkplacebasedlearning(WPBL)programmes.Traditionally,thesetooktheform
ofapprenticeships,wherean individualacquiredskillsonthe jobalongsideamasterartisanoveranumberofyears,
supplementedbyformaltheoreticalcoursesatacollege,andculminatinginatradetest.After1994inSouthAfrica,in
linewithglobaltrends,anew,‘modernised’andmoreinclusivesystemoflearnershipswasdesignedandimplementedby
thenewlycreatedSectoralEducationandTrainingAuthorities(SETAs),aimedbothatofferingextendedopportunitiesto
youngpeopleleavingschoolandenteringthelabourmarket,andtoprovideskillsupgradingforthoseintheworkplace
withouttherequisitequalifications,ortokeepupwithchangestothenatureofworkandtechnology.Morerecently,
workplace-based learning in the formof internshipshasbeenpromoted, as ameansof strengthening the linkages
betweenformalqualificationsandworkplacedemands,andthusfacilitatingtransitionsintothelabourmarket(Blom,
2015).
Inaformallabourmarketsystemthatoftenattributesmismatchesbetweenlabourmarketdemandandskillssupply
toalackofworkexperience,expansionandbettercapacitationofsuchprogrammeshasclearadvantages.Thesehave
been recognised by government,which has recently prioritised funding programmes to promoteworkplace based
programmes (internships, learnerships, apprenticeships and skills programmes) (DHET, 2015). However, we know
very little aboutwhether theworkplace based learning system is actually functioning in theway expected. Should
policymakers be providing greater resources to strengthen and further expand WPBL programmes as a component
oftheSouthAfricanPSETsystem,andifso,howandwhere?Toengagewiththepolicyissue,weneedtoraisecritical
questions:First,dotheseprogrammesservetoincludeandskillalargerandmorerepresentativeproportionoftheSA
youth?Second,whatarethedifferencesinthewayinwhichtheseprogrammesprovideopportunitiesforskilling?Third,
dotheseprogrammesskillcitizensinwaysthatwillincreasetheiropportunitiesforemployment?
Tointerrogatethesequestions,thispaperdrawsontwosourcesofevidence.First,weuseadministrativedatamanaged
bySETAstocreatepopulationdatasetsonlearnerships,apprenticeshipsandinternships.Weanalysethisdataovertwo
timeperiods,inordertoanalyseshiftsinthescaleandpatternsofinclusivenessofprovision.Second,weanalyseanoriginal
datasetcreatedfromatracerstudyusingapathwaysapproach,ofthosewhocompletedlearnershipsandapprenticeships
in2009/10(Krussetal.,2012;Wildschutetal.,2012).Thisallowsthepapertocontributemethodologicallyaswellby
illustratingthatanalysisofacombinationofadministrativeandsurveydataprovidesforaverypowerfulassessment
ofimpact.WeconcludebyarguingthatWPBLoffersasetofvaluableandviablepathwaysenablingtransitionintothe
SouthAfricanlabourmarket,andthatthecurrentpolicyfocusshouldcontinueandbedeepened.
Keywords:
apprenticeship,learnership,internship,transitionintoeducation,transitiontowork,pathways
ID103
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ID104Paper AVAILABLE
Transitions, Transformations and Transgressions: Reconceptualising Teaching Portfolios as Knowledge Objects in Professional Learning Systems
Winberg, Christine (CapePeninsulaUniversityofTechnology)
Teaching portfolios are commonly used to demonstrate evidence of growth, competency or the attainment of
excellence–andarealsoameanstowardslinkingtheory(orresearch)andpracticeinprofessionaleducation.Several
SouthAfricanandmanyinternationaluniversitiesrequireacademicstafftopresentteachingportfolioswhenapplying
for tenure, promotion or teaching excellence awards. Teaching portfolios are thus important artefacts that have
cometosymbolisetransitionsinanacademiccareer,inparticularthetransformationofteachingpractice.Despitethe
commonuseofteachingportfolios,littleattentionhasbeenpaidtounderstandingthe‘genreecology’(Spinuzzi,2002)
ofteachingportfoliosasknowledgeobjectswithinaprofessionallearningsystem.Theparticularfocusofthispaperis
a re-conceptualisation of teaching portfolios, arguing their role in professional identity formation and as self-regulating
devicesinprofessionalpractice.
Dataforthestudywasobtainedfromteachingportfoliossubmittedfortenure,promotionandawards.Theresearch
design draws on the research tradition around technologically-mediated communication inworkplace settings (e.g.
Kaptelinin&Nardi,2006;Leonardi,Nardi&Kallinikos,2012).Amodellingmethodologyforvisualisingandrepresenting
knowledgeworkacrosstheeportfolios,inspiredbythemodellingprocessesofSpinuzzi,Hart-DavidsonandZachry(2004),
wasdevelopedfortheanalysisofportfoliodata.Thisapproachunderstandsportfoliobuildingaschainsofcoordinated
communicationevents thatareorganised intoa ‘genreecology’ (Spinuzzi,2002).Theseeventsbecometheprimary
unit of analysis in creating representations of portfolios and their related tasks, decision points, actors, documents, or
combinationsofthese.
Threepurposivecasestudieswereselectedforthispaper.Thefirststudy,ateachingeportfoliopresentedfortenure,
mapshowanoviceteachertriesoutarangeofrepertoiresandpracticesinsupportofanemergingacademicidentity.
Thesecondeportfoliocaseillustratesthecomplexprofessional‘ecosystem’thatanacademicnavigatesinrevealing(and
concealing)aspectsofateachingidentity,whilethethirdeportfoliostudyfollowsdistributedknowledgeworkacross
widernetworksandtheartefactsthatareassociatedwithamoreexpertteachingidentity.
Teachingportfolioshavebeenunderstoodtohavethedualfunctionofbothshowcasingteachingaccomplishments
aswellascreatingopportunitiesforfurthergrowthanddevelopmentthroughreflectingonpractice.Whilemuch is
knownabout the roleof reflectivepractice inprofessionaldevelopmenttowardsenhancingteaching, less isknown
abouttheportfolioasanartefactinaprofessionallearningsystem.Thestudyprovidesaconceptualframeworktowards
reconceptualisingteachingportfoliosasknowledgeobjects,andofferssuggestionstoassisteducationaldevelopersand
those involved in professional learning to identify career trajectories through a study of the genre ecology of teaching
portfolios.Teachingportfolioscanalsobetransgressiveinthattheymaychallengeacceptedwaysof‘being’anacademic.
Keywords:
professional learning systems, teaching portfolios
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Assembling the Educator: Transforming Teaching for Professional Postgraduate Learning
Winberg, Simon (UniversityofCapeTown)
The landscape of postgraduate education is changing – one of its features being the increased diversity of educational
models and the growth of professional higher degrees in new fields. Professional postgraduate education is not
focusedonpreparingcandidatesexclusivelyforalifeinacademia;ratheritisexpectedtosupportstudentsinavariety
ofpositionsinbothindustryanduniversities.Amajorchangehasbeentheincreaseddemandfortaughtdoctoraland
Mastersprogrammestoprovidespecialisedskillsandtrainingforprofessionals,toexpandtheirknowledgeofstate-
of-the-artpractices, toolsand technologies related to theirfield.Thispaper investigatesone suchcourse,namelya
SoftwareDefinedRadio(SDR)Master’sdegreecourseinwhichparticipantslearnhowtousetechnologiesforthedesign
anddevelopmentofSDRsystems.ASDRradiosystemisoneinwhichpartsoftheradiosystemthataretraditionally
implementedinhardware,areinsteadimplementedinsoftware.Thispaperinvestigatesthecomplexdependenciesof
tools,artefactsandothersocio-materialaspectsofthecoursethatwereinstrumentalinsharingandbuildingknowledge.
TheconceptualframeworkforthispapercombinesActivityTheory(AT)(Engeström,1999)and‘genreecology’models
(Spinuzzi,2002).ATwasusedtoreasonaboutthelearningandinteractionsthatoccurredinthecourseandgenreecology
wasusedtomodelthebuildingandsharingoftechnicalknowledgerelatedtousingtoolstosolvedesignproblems.Data
wereobtainedforthisstudyfrommeetingswithstudentsandlecturers,logsmadeduringlaboratorypracticals,project
reports,andcourseevaluations.
Thefindingsshowhowthecourse,whichwasinitiallyteacher-dominated,metamorphosedintoahighlytool-dominant
andpeer-learningstructurethatsupportedthedevelopmentandsharingoftechnicaltool-basedknowledgethatthe
participantssought.Whileacademicstaffcouldaddresssomegapsintheparticipants’fundamentalknowledgeofradio
systems,theparticipantsbroughtwiththemextensivespecialisedknowledgeandtoolexperience;alltheparticipants
hadgainedexperienceinspecificnicheareasofradiosystems,andsomewereexperts inparticulartechniques.This
createdacomplicateddynamictointeractionsintheclass.Thecourseinvolvedextensiveengagementswithtechnology
artefacts,suchascomputersystems,peripheralsandprogrammecodefromwhichknowledgewasbuilt.Thecourse
wasthustoalargeextentcharacterisedbyarichnessof‘epistemicobjects’,whichistosayobjectsthathadknowledge-
generatingqualities(Nerland,2008).Asignificantportionofthecoursecurriculumhadtobeadapted,andthelearning
methodschangedtoaccommodatenewlearningactivitiesandtheunexpectedneedsoftheparticipants.
Thispaperexplains theMasters course in termsof conflicts and innovations in its activity systemandhybridgenre
ecologytoshowhowthestructuringandresourcedependenceofthecoursetransformedfromitsinitial‘traditional’
structuretoamoreentangledstructureovertime.Itishopedthatinsightsfromthispapermaybenefitothereducators
involvedinthedesignandteachingofsimilartypesofspecialisedpostgraduatetaughtprogrammes.
Keywords:
postgraduate, activity theory, technology
ID105Paper AVAILABLE
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ID106Before & After Higher Education: Code Clashing and Misrecognition
Wolff, Karin (CapePeninsulaUniversityofTechnology)
AgreatdealofliteraturehasbeendevotedtoaddressingthearticulationgapintoHigherEducation(HE)inSouthAfrica,
andmeasurestoenablemoreeffectivesystemic(CHE,2013),affectiveand‘epistemologicalaccess’(Morrow,2009)and
support.Paralleltothesechallengesarethefindingsofnumerousgraduateandemployabilitysurveyshighlightingthe
inabilityofgraduatesto‘applytheory’(Griesel&Parker,2009)ordemonstratetherequiredtechnicalskills.Engineering
(thefocusofthispaper)presentsaparticularlychallengingareaforeducation,giventherapidevolutionoftechnologies
andthe inabilityofcurrentcurricula toaccommodatetheneedsofachangingpracticeenvironment (Felder,2012).
LowretentionandgraduationratessuggestHEisnotadequatelypreparingstudentsfortheincreasingcomplexityof
aprofessionlocatedinthescience-technology-nature-societynexus(UNESCO,2010).Thispaperpresentsatheoretical
andempiricalargumentdemonstratingthatourfailureisaresultofthemisrecognitionofbothwhatstudentsbringinto
theHEspace,aswellaswhattheprofessionvalues.
Usingtheoreticalandanalyticaltoolsfromthesociologyofeducation,aPhD(andsubsequentpost-doctoralresearch
project)soughttobetterunderstandtherelationshipbetweenengineeringpracticeandthecurriculumfromadisciplinary
perspective.TheLegitimationCodeTheory(LCT)dimensionofSpecialisation(Maton,2014)offersaknowledge-focused
instrument – the epistemic plane–whichisusefulfortheanalysisoftherelationshipbetweenthe‘what’and‘how’ofa
knowledgepractice.SetastwocontinuaonaCartesianplane,theverticalaxis(what)referstothe‘boundedness’ofa
phenomenon–where‘strong’meansaphenomenonisrecognisedbythefieldashavingaparticularnature,andweak
meansitisambiguousorcontested.Thehorizontalaxisrepresentsafixedtomultipleapproachescontinuum.Thefour
quadrantsmanifestasdifferent insights (waysofthinking).Thistoolwasappliedto18 industrycasestudiestomap
howmultidisciplinaryengineeringpractitionerssolvetechnicalproblems,whiledrawingonexplicitorimplicitformsof
science,mathematicsandlogic-basedthinking.
For the purpose of this paper, the same analytical tool has been applied to the textual analysis of engineering graduate
attributes,aswellastwocasestudies:a2016cohortofGrade12learnersattendinganengineeringworkshopandthe
2008cohortoffirst-yearstudentsataUniversityofTechnology.Dataforthesecasestudiesaredrawnfromanonymised
scholarSWOT(strength,weakness,opportunityandthreat)exercisesandstudentmotivationessaysrespectively.Findings
from the original industrial case studies demonstrate that successful engineering practitioners recognise and code shift
comfortablybetweenthedifferentinsights.However,theresearchrevealsthatthegreatestchallengeforunsuccessful
problem solvers is shifting to open-ended approaches or complex knower-orientatedcontexts.Thesequadrants(located
on the left of the epistemic plane) representnotonly thekindof thinkingvaluedby industry,butarealsoexplicitly
capturedasrequiredoutcomesintheengineeringGraduateAttributestatements(IEA,2013).Secondly,thecasestudy
analysisoflearnerswantingtostudyengineeringrevealstheparticipantsperceivetheirstrengthsascreative,confident
andcurious,andtheirweaknessesorthreatsassocially-orientated.Thefirst-yearstudentsinthesecondcasestudywere
predominantlymotivatedtostudyengineeringbyadesiretocontributetosocietyandtocreativelysolveproblems.
BothcasestudiesdemonstratethatstudentsenteringtheHEsystemhaveastrongorientationontheleft-handsideof
the epistemic plane.
However,formalengineeringqualificationcurricula,accessandprogressionaredeterminedbythe‘fixed’phenomena
and approaches of the right-hand side of the epistemic plane. The paper argues that the focus on science-based
fundamentals and technical ormethodological procedures in HE engineering pedagogy is amisrecognition of the
synergisticrelationshipbetweendifferentdisciplinarycodesinenablingeffectiveproblemsolving,andthatentering
students’naturalpredispositions towardsopen-endednessandcomplexsocial relationsareawastedopportunity in
supportingthedevelopmentofgraduatesequippedforcomplex21stcenturyworkcontexts.
Keywords:
misrecognition, higher education, technology
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ID107Paper AVAILABLE
Comparative Analysis of Intercultural Competence and Interdisciplinary Competence in the Organisational Context: An Exploratory Study
Zeeshan, Muhammad; Dane Lukic; Saud Al Taj; Rona Beattie (GlasgowCaledonianUniversity)
Theconceptof interculturaland interdisciplinarycompetencehasbeenused inthe literatureandpracticeforquite
sometime(Chen,2014;Singh,2016;Wagner,2010).Thisemphasishasledtosignificantdevelopmentsinbothareas.For
instance,technologicalinnovationsinthefieldsofmedicine,engineeringanddesignhavecombinedtoproducecutting
edge equipment. Similarly, large-scale globalmigration has led to increasinglymulticultural organisations investing
vastamountsofcapitalandtimeontrainingtheirstaffandmanagerstoworkwitheachothereffectively indiverse
culturalcontexts.Literatureshowsthatoftenbothinterdisciplinaryandinterculturalcompetencesarepresentatthe
sametimeinorganisations(Bennet,1998;Duus&Cooray,2014;Nancarrowetal.,2013).Elementslikecommunication,
teamworkandleadershipareimportanttobothareas,anditisimportanttotesttheminpractice.Moreover,dealing
withinterculturalandinterdisciplinaryenvironmentsmighttriggersimilarabilitiesinindividualswhodealwithdiverse
settingsconceptualisedas ‘culturesofknowledge’ (Lukic,Yarosh&Martins,2011).Numerous studiesconductedon
interdisciplinaryandinterculturalcompetenceseparatelyidentifyandhighlightdifferentcompetencesthatarerequired
to be successful in each setting. However, no study has been conducted specifically on both interdisciplinary and
interculturalcompetenceinrelationtoeachother.
Throughaliteraturereviewandasmall-scaleempiricalexploratorystudyasaformofproofofconcept,therelationship
betweeninterculturalandinterdisciplinarycompetenceisexploredinthepresentpaper,andtheirinteractionwitheach
otherexamined.Thepaperalsohighlightsotherelementsthatarenotidentifiedintheliteraturebutareofimportance
tobothinterculturalandinterdisciplinaryprojects/organisations.Thestudy’scaseistheKNEEMOprojectwhichisan
InitialTrainingNetwork(ITN)forkneeosteoarthritisresearchfundedthroughtheEuropeanCommission’sFramework7
Programme.Theprojectisinterdisciplinaryandinterculturalwithresearcherscomingfromdifferentbackgroundsboth
academicallyandculturally.Thiswillprovideanopportunityforanin-depthanalysisintothecompetencesappliedinboth
interculturalandinterdisciplinarycontexts.Thestudyusesapragmatistresearchphilosophy.Theprimereasonforusing
thisapproachisthatitfocusesonpracticalissuesexperiencedbypeople,researchquestionspositedandthenstudiesof
theconsequencesofactions.Additionally,apragmatistapproachsupportsaresearchertobesensitivetothepolitical,
socialandhistoricalcontextfromwhichtheinvestigationstartsandconsidersmorality,ethics,andissuesofsocialjustice
tobe importantthroughouttheresearchprocess (Creswell,2014).Themethodologyfollowsaqualitativeapproach
basedonsemi-structuredinterviewswithkeypractitioners.Thesampleisbasedonstratifiedsamplingwhereemphasis
isgiventoselectingparticipantsbasedontheirresearchandgeographicalbackground.Furthermore,theparticipants
aredivided into two layers i.e.managementand researchers.This isdeemed importantas ithelps incollectingand
analysingdatafrombothperspectivesi.e.managementandresearcher/employee.
The exploratory study provides a proof of concept and investigates the similarity of intercultural competence and
interdisciplinary competence in organisations. The study is a first phase of a larger project exploring competence
elementsthatcouldbepotentiallyapplied inboth interdisciplinaryand interculturalenvironments.Additionally, this
study could help managers by providing recommendations regarding policies and practices that a leader can implement
when dealing with both intercultural and interdisciplinary projects. This is important as research highlights that
leadership has an integral role in the success or failure of any organisation, so it is essential for organisations to have a
setofguidelinesandtrainingwhichareprovidedtoleaderstomanageinterculturalandinterdisciplinaryprojectsinan
effectiveway.
Keywords:
intercultural, interdisciplinary, competences, comparative analysis
T R A N S I T I O N S , T R A N S F O R M A T I O N S A N D T R A N S G R E S S I O N S I N W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G & W O R K A N D L E A R N I N G R E S E A R C H
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ID108Paper AVAILABLE
Educating in the Anthropocene
Hugo, Wayne (UniversityofKwaZulu-Natal)
What education is ofmostworth for a generation inheriting an environment directly compromised by the human
species, a global economy characterizedbymassive increases in inequality levels, and a technologicalworld rapidly
outdatingsomeformsofhumanlabour?Thispaperexploresthreecurrentanswerstothisquestion.Firstlyitdiscusses
contemporary attempts to develop education for catastrophe in countries like Japan that have experienced such
devastation.Secondly itsetsoutthe latesttechnological innovations ineducationthatholdpromise indealingwith
thequestion.Specifically,developmentsinBlockchaintechnology,artificial intelligence,bigdata,anddigitizationare
discussed.Thirdlyitopensoutradicalcritiquesofourcurrentconditionthatsuggestnewwaysofdoingeducationfor
catastrophictimes.Specifically,theworkofradicaltheoristswhocombineissuesofmoderncapitalistexploitation,the
Anthropocene,andtechnologicalinnovationarediscussedinrelationtocurrentdevelopmentsineducation.Thepaper
arguesthatnewforcesofproductionwithintheeducationapparatushavequalitativelychangedthewayeducationis
done,andthatwehavetoradicallythinkthroughwhattheimplicationsareforourcurrentpractices.
Keywords:
Anthropocene, education for catastrophe, innovation
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ID109 ‘Sustainability Starts with Teachers’: Mediating Change-oriented Professional Learning to Enhance Reflexive Praxis and Agency in Teacher Education
Mandikonza, Caleb (UniversityoftheWitwatersrand); Heila Lotz-Sisitka (RhodesUniversity)
OneofthemajorfindingsemergingfromtenyearsofEducationforSustainableDevelopmentintheUnitedNations
DecadeonEducationforSustainableDevelopment(2005-2014)wasthatnotenoughisbeingdonetosupportteachers’
professionallearningforsustainability.Sustainabilityconcernsarecomplexandinvolveanepistemologythatextends
beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries to include wider ecologies of knowledge and praxis processes that are
orientedtowardstransformativelearning,andchangeinsocialandsocial-ecologicalsystems.In2004,andagainin2016,
UNESCOreportedthatwhileenvironmentandsustainabilityeducation(ESE)wasoneofthefastestgrowingcurriculum
areasintheworld,thisshiftinepistemicframingwasnotreflectedinteachereducation.
Thispaperconsidersthis issuecriticallyandseekstooutlineareflexive,courseactivatedmodelforchangeoriented
professionallearningofteachersinenvironmentandsustainabilityeducation.Themodelisbasedonresearchundertaken
in theSouthernAfricanDevelopmentCommunity’s (SADC)RegionalEnvironmentalEducationProgramme’s teacher
educationnetwork,wherein-depthqualitativeresearchinvolvingteachereducatorsintwocountrieswasundertaken
over a five-year period, tracking themediation processes involved in supporting teachers’ professional learning for
changeinbothon-courseprofessionaldevelopmentandinworkplaces(Mandikonza,2016;Mandikonza&Lotz-Sisitka,
2016).Ofinterestisthewayinwhichthefocusona‘changeproject’,designedasacentral,expansivelearningmediation
tool in thecourses,wascarried intoworkplaceswithvarious structural (SEPs), cultural (CEPs)andpeopleemergent
properties (PEPs) (Archer,1995)shapingtheongoingemergenceofreflexivitydrivenchange inpracticeandagency
aroundadevelopingchangeproject.Wefoundthatpracticeexistsinandemergesoutofpracticearchitecturesthat
appearaspracticearrangementsthatreflecttheSEPs,CEPsandPEPs.
Archer’s(1995)morphogenictheoryhelpedustoshowthatcapacityformainstreamingenvironmentandsustainability
education can be facilitated through a praxis-located course mediated process. Here we found that the reflexive
processesthatfocusedonthemainstreamingofenvironmentandsustainabilityasalearningprocess(alsotheobjectof
expansionoflearningexperiences)werestructuredandwovenaroundthechangeprojectastheorganisingframework.
Tothisend,asillustratedinthispaper,thechangeprojectwasanimportantmediatingtoolthatwasusedtochallenge
normalisedpracticesandcreateopportunitiesfortransformedteachereducationpracticetowardsenvironmentand
sustainabilityeducationinteachereducationcontexts.Weunderstoodpracticeasmanifestinginmentallysituatedand
technicalforms,alsoknownas‘habitus’(Bourdieu,1998);italsoincludedKemmis’s(2009)perspectiveofdoings, sayings
and relatings, as well as enhanced sustainability competences and capabilities formainstreaming environment and
sustainabilityeducation.Transformedteachereducationpracticestowardsenvironmentandsustainabilityeducation
constitutedaspectsoftheexpandedzoneofproximaldevelopmentoftheteachereducators inthesocialrealityof
institutionalpractice.
Sincethisresearch,wehavebeenworkingontheexpansionofthemodel’sapplicationintoanewroundofteacher
professionaldevelopmentinvolving60teachereducationinstitutionsintheSADCregionwherethedevelopmentof
changeprojectsisbeingseededviaaprofessionaldevelopmentprogramme(SustainabilityStartswithTeachers).Weare
aimingtofurthertestthemediatingtoolthroughmonitoringon-coursesessionsandin-situworkexperiences.
Keywords:
teachereducationforsustainability,changeprojects,Archer’smorphogenictheory
This publication was funded by BANK SETA
BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
10th International Conference onResearching Work & LearningTransitions, Transformations and Transgressions in Work and Learning & Work and Learning Research
6–8 December 2017 Rhodes UniversityGrahamstown South Africa