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Work Based Learning e-Journal, Vol. 9, No.1, (2020)

132

TheroleofindustryinimplementingWork-based

LearningPedagogy

REVATINAMJOSHI1

MaharashtraKnowledgeCorporationLtd,Pune,India.

Work-based Learning (WBL) models being implemented across the globe highlight theimportanceoftheroleofindustryinmakingthework-environmentconducivetolearning.Thispaperdiscussesvariousparametersthatcontributetobuildafavorableecosystemforsuccessfulimplementation of WBL pedagogy. The findings are based on practices followed by criticalobservation of an integrated Work-based Learning model based on M.K.Gandhi’s Nai Talimprinciple of ‘Learning through Working’ (M.K.Gandhi 1968) implemented in the state ofMaharashtra,India.(MKCL2001)

In this system, the open universities in collaborationwith industries offerwork-based degreecourses to suit the nature and needs of the businesses (Sawant 2017) and admit the youthespecially from the economically weaker sections of the society at affordable fees. Thebusinesses/industriesofferpaidinternshipstothestudentsforperformingattheworkplace.

Theinternsbuildthetheorybasedontheworkperformed.TheseniorsintheindustryassisttheinternsinsynthesizingknowledgethroughdailyreflectionsessionsbyaccessingeLearningstudymaterials. The interns record their reflections through blogs and undertake evidence-basedcomprehensiveassessmentsessionsontheeLearningplatformontheworkcontentandrelatedcoursemodules.

The interns thusobtain two typesof credits viz.workcreditsgivenby the industryappraisersandknowledgecreditsearnedontheeLearningplatform leadingtotheawardofadegreeattheendofthreeyears.

It is in this context and in view of the crucial role of the industries offering real life work-environments,thekeyaspectsoftheWBLecosystemdesirableattheworkplacearediscussedandanalyzed.

Keywords:Work-basedLearning,Roleofindustry,Pedagogy,WBLEcosystem

1Email:[email protected]


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Introduction

Work-basedLearning(WBL)modelunderstudyattemptsconvergenceofworkingandlearning.

(Vinoba,955)IndustryisinvolvedintheacademicproceedingsofundergraduateWBLstudents,

withoutcompromisingonthebusinessobjectives,goalsandprocesseswithintheindustry

settings.

Fromthestudent’sperspectivetheWBLmodelunderstudyisasfollows:Figure1

Figure1:WBLmodel

(RevatiN2017)

WBLstudentsgainhands-onpracticalskillsinalocalcontextthroughexposuretoreallifework

experienceprovidedbyindustry.Theirconnectionwithglobalcontextandbestpracticesis

establishedthroughsituation-basedeLearningmodulesbeforeandafterofficehours.eLearning

contentcoverstheoreticalconceptsandeAssessmentslinkedtothecurriculumstipulatedby

theUniversity.Finally,thederivationoftheoryoutofpracticeatthework-labi.e.industry

workplaceisenabledthroughreflectionsessionsconductedbymentors(seniorprofessionals/

industryexperts)fromtheindustry.

• eLearning• ReflectionsessionswithMentor

• eLearning• IndustryWorkLab• Reallifeworkexperience

Practicalinlocalcontext

Situationbased

Learning-GlobalContext

TheoryConcepts

DerivingTheoryoutofPracticeatWorkLab

(Workplace)


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VariouscomponentscontributetotheWBLpedagogy.(Figure2)

Figure2:WBLAcademicprocessataglance

TheWBLecosystemincludingreal-lifeworkplace,peers,appraisers,mentorsandeLearning

environmentcontributestooffer‘LearningthroughWorking’experienceforWBLstudent.

Itisinthiscontext,theroleofindustryincreatingWBLecosystemwithintheworkplaceandits

keyparametersisdiscussed.

Methodology

ResearchliteratureprovidesexamplesofWBLpedagogies.JosephRaelininhisbook–Work-

basedLearning(Raelin,2008)conceptualizesamodelofWBLthatcombinesexplicitandtacit

formsofknowledgewiththeoryandpracticemodesoflearning.Thesignificanceofthe

students’ownreflectionsisemphasizedinthemodel,anditisconsideredimportantto

articulatethetacitknowledgethatmanyworkplacepracticesarebasedon.MichaelEraut

(Eraut,2004)providesananalyticalframeworkthatfocusesonfactorsthataffectlearning

intheworkplace.Heidentifiedboth-learningfactors(confidence,supportandchallenge)and

contextfactors(allocationofwork,relationshipsatworkandexpectationsofperformance).

FromconceptualizationofboththesemodelsandtheWBLmodelunderstudy,itcanbe

derivedthattheroleofindustryofferingreal-lifeworkplaceforimplementingWBLiscrucial

anditcomprisesofroleofactorsinvolved,theprocessesandpoliciesadaptedbyindustry.


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Further,inordertoensureconfident,committedandperformingWBLstudents(SFIA:Levelsof

responsibility2003-2020)withasoundexposuretoformaltheoreticalknowledge,itis

necessarytoimplementenrichingacademicprocesseswithintheworkplace.

Focusofthispaper,therefore,istodocumenttheroleofindustryintermsofkeyparameters

essentialforsettingtheWBLenvironmentwithintheworkplace.

ProcessthatledtodocumentationofkeyparametersofWBLecosystemwithintheworkplace

andfurtheranalysiswasasfollows:

1. Mockinterviews:MockinterviewsofThirdYearstudentswereconducted.

a. Ratinganalysis:Analysisofratingswasdoneanditwasfoundthatthe

performanceofthestudentsvariedsignificantly.

b. WorkLab-wiseanalysisofratings:Thisledtofurtherstudyofdataanditwas

observedthatthestudentswhoperformedwellinthemockinterviewsand

thosewhodidnot,belongedtodifferentwork-labs.

2. IdentifyingWBLimplementationpracticesatawork-labwherestudentsperformed

betterinmockinterviews:Itwasdecidedtoidentify,observeandifnecessaryconduct

surveystodocumentthepracticesfollowedbycompanywithintheworkplaceasapart

ofWBLimplementation.Thisexercisewasplannedfortheorganizationwherestudents

performedwellinthemockinterviews.

3. KeyparametersofWBLEcosystem:Duringobservations,fewkeyparametersforminga

WBLenvironmentwithintheworkplacewereidentified.Thisyieldedinteresting

findings.Keyactors,processesandfunctionsortoolsoftheWBLenvironmentwithin

theworkplacearedocumentedbasedonthefindings.


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4. StudentSurvey:Further,asurveyofstudentswasconductedtounderstandifsimilar

practiceswerefollowedbyothercompanies,wherethestudentsdidnotperformwellin

themockinterviews.

5. ComparativeAnalysis:ComparativeanalysiswasdonetocheckifWBLenvironmentis

toberecommendedforreplication.

Mockinterviews

MockinterviewswerescheduledforthirdyearstudentspursuingWBLdegreeprogram.The

interviewswereconductedbyseniorprofessionals(seniorgeneralmanagersandgeneral

managers).

Primaryobjectivesofthisexercisewastogiveaclose-to-realkindofexperienceofinterviewto

thestudents.Researchesstatetheimportanceofconductingmockinterviewsandjob-search

seminarsforundergraduatestudents.(Reddan,2008)Studentsdevelopareasonablyhighlevel

ofconfidenceinpreparationfor“real-world”scenarios.

ThisisparticularlyfoundtobeessentialforWBLunderstudy,becauseWBLstudentscomplete

theirtenureofassociationwiththeindustry/organizationofferingwork-labastheyreceivethe

degree.Whiletheindustry/organizationhasachoicetoretainthestudentswhowouldhave

attainedthreeyearsofwork-experience,itisnotmandatoryforthemtocontinueanystudent.

Itisinthiscontextandinordertoensurethereadinessofstudentsforreal-lifeinterview

experience,mockinterviewswereconducted.

FindingsandOutcome

Analysisofratingsreceivedinthemock-interviewswasdone.

Ratingparameterswere:

• EnglishConversationAbilities

• EthicalValues

• ExposuretoSkills(NewSkills)


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• Interactionswiththementor

• SelfConfidence

• Theoreticalknowledge

IP:IndustryPartner(i.e.Work-Lab)

Figure3:Work-Labwiseaverageratingsofstudents


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IP:IndustryPartner(i.e.Work-Lab)

Figure4:Work-LabwiseAverageInterviewScoresforeachparameter

Qualitativefeedback

Qualitativefeedbackwasalsoreceivedfromtheinterviewpanelmembers.Fewstudentslacked

confidencewhileappearingfortheinterviewandwerenotabletoestablisheventheeye-

contactwiththeinterviewer.Fewofthemwereunabletoexplaintheworktheyaredoing.

Clarityaboutthejobroletheyarelookingforwasfoundtobemissinginsomecases.However,

someofthestudentswereextremelyclearabouttheircurrentjobrole,theirstrengthsand

theiraspirations.Theydidwellintheinterview.Theywereevenawareofthewaytheywere

learning.Theycouldmentionthattheircourseisbasedon‘WBLpedagogy’.However,though

werenotabletoexpressitinfurthertechnicalterms.

Fewinterviewswereconductedoverphoneandmixedobservationswerereceivedfromthe

interviewersonthesimilarlinesofface-to-faceinterviews.

Thisfeedbackandtheanalysisofratingsofmock-interviewledtoinvestigateifthestudents

whodidwellandwhodidnot,belongtodifferentwork-labs.SincetheeLearninginputwas


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sameforall,itwashypothesizedthatdifferenceinperformancecouldberelatedtoworkplace

environment.

ItledtofurtherinquiryofWBLecosystemattheworkplacesofthestudentswhoperformed

wellinthemockinterviews.

ThefindingsofthisinquirymayleadtoaprobablehypothesisthatincaseofavailabilityofWBL

ecosystemattheworkplacewithcertainkeyparameters,theperformanceofthestudentsas

expectedbytheindustryforrecruitmentisassuredafterthreeyears.

Whilesuchahypothesisneedstobecloselyinspectedandvalidatedbyastructuredresearch,

thecurrentanalysiscreatesaworthwhilebaseforestablishingsuchacorrelation.

KeypracticesimplementedatWork-Lab

Work-reporting

Aformatforreportingevery-dayworkissharedwiththeWBLstudents.Itisobservedthat

studentsperformthetaskssatisfactorilyhoweverarenotabletoformcompleteandprecise

sentencesforreportingthetaskinEnglishlanguage.Hence,initialformatofwork-reportisin

formof‘fillintheblanks’.Thisisonthebasisofthescaffoldingtechniquesoastohelpstudents

reportfactsaboutthetasks,theirindividualrolesincompletingthetasksetc.Graduallythe

studentsaregivensheetwithopenendedquestionsandareaskedtofilluptheworkreport

underbroadheadingssuchas:Tasksallotted,Roleperformed,Skillsattained,Timetaken,Steps

followed,Challengesfacedetc.(TheWritingProcess:AScaffoldingApproach,2015)

Theobjectiveofusingthisformatwithleadingquestionsatabroadlevelistoassessifthe

studentsareabletoexplainthetaskscompletedinaprofessionalandtheoreticallanguage.

Qualitativeanalysisofthework-reportsonfollowingparameterswasdone.

1. Specificityinexplainingthetask

2. Clarityaboutthemethod

3. Clarityaboutexpectedoutput

4. Clarityaboutpurpose

5. Clarityaboutchallenges


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6. Specificityinexplainingthesolution

7. Istheskillmentionedbythestudentrelatedtotheworkortask

8. MeaningfulExpression

Everydayreflection

Seniormembersofwork-labconductreflectionsessionswiththestudentseveryday.The

attendancetothesessionsismandatoryforallstudents.

Reflectingonwork-reports–Peerexercise

Apeerexerciseintheformofquestions&answersisconductedduringeverydayreflection

session.(Rivers,2017)

Theobjectiveoftheexerciseistocheckif:

- Studentscanaskmeaningfulquestions

- Studentscananswerquestionsreasonablywell

- Studentscanunderstandtheworkdonebyothers

Theworkreportssubmittedbythepeersarecirculated.Everystudentisgivenaccesstotwo

work-reports.Minimumtwoquestionsaretobeaskedbyeachstudentaftergoingthroughthe

reportindetail.Fact-basedandobviousquestionssuchas–‘howmuchtimedidittaketo

completethetask’or‘whatwasyourrole’arediscouragedanddiscarded.Studentsare

expectedtoaskquestionssoastolearnnewthings.

Initiallythestudentsarerequiredtobeprompted.However,afterfollowingthepracticefor

morethan1month,meaningfulquestionsareaskedbypeersForex.-Inwhatwayyourworkis

linkedtothebusinessofthecompany?Whichstepinthisprocesscouldhavebeenavoided?

Enrichmentactivities

SpecialactivitiesinordertoofferajoyfulenvironmenttoWBLstudentsareconducted.These

include:

• Readingsessions

• SpokenEnglishsessions


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• Involvingstudentsinorganizationalevents

• Fitnessactivities

• Sportscompetitions

• Presentationcompetitions

• Givingresponsibilitytoconductfewactivitiesforemployeesoftheorganization

WBLEnvironmentwithintheworkplace:Actors,ProcessesandFunctions

Afteranalyzingfindingsofallthekeypracticesimplementedwithinawork-labwherestudents

performedbetterinmockinterviews,itisobservedthatWBLecosystemisaninterplayof

actors,processesandfunctions&toolswithintheworkplace.

Processes

FunctionsandTools

Actors


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Outcomesandimpactofimplementingaforementionedprocesses

Actorsperformvariousfunctionsandusetoolstoexecuteprocessesleadingtosuccessful

implementationofWBL.

Mentionedbelow(Table1)theinter-linksalongwithfewexamplesoffunctionsperformed

and/ortoolsusedandtheirimpact.

Table1:Theinter-linksalongwithfewexamplesoffunctionsperformedand/ortoolsusedand

theirimpact.

Actors:

Keypersononnelinimplementationof

WBL

• HRDepartment/HRManager• Appraiser• Mentor

Processes:

LearningthroughWorking

• Taskallocation• Performancemonitoringwithcorrectivefeedbak• Reflecting• eLearning

FunctionsandTools

• SpecialHRpolicies• Workreport• Performancemonitoringcriteria• Reflectionsessions• eLearningframework• Enrichmentactivities


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Actor: HRDepartment/HRManager

ProcessExample(1): SpecialcadreforWBLStudents/Interns

Function/Tool Outcome/Impact

• SpecialHRpolicies

(Ex.PF,Holidays,Specialtimings

foreLearning)

• Students(undergraduate,betweentheagegroup

18–20),getablendedenvironmentoflearningand

working.Manymaysufferfromhomesickness

becauseofmigration.Suchreliefpolicieshelpin

buildingtheircommitmenttowardslearningand

working

• ImportanceofWBLimplementationatorganization

levelgetshighlighted

• Uniforms • PolicieslikeUniformsbenefitstudentscomingfrom

differentbackgrounds,mostlyfromunderprivileged

sectionsofthesociety.Suchpoliciesalsogive

organization-widerecognitiontoWBLprogram

• Specialeventssuchassports,

Culturalevents,Picnicsetc.

includingEnrichmentActivities)

• Specialeventshelpstudentsshowcasetheirtalents.

Thisisnecessarybecausethestudentsdonotgeta

traditionalcollegeenvironment.

ProcessExample(2): Taskallocation

• Rotationwithinteams • Studentsgetanexposuretovariousdepartments/

functionsoftheorganization

• Studentsgetdiversifiedworkexperienceduringthe

threeyearsofinternship


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Actor: Appraiser

ProcessExample(3): PerformanceMonitoringwithcorrectivefeedback


• WorkReports • Everydayinteractions

• Personalmentoringandguidance

• Friendlyandcaringrelationship

• Specialprojectassignments

• Posingchallenges

• Involvementinthestudent’slearning

• Encouragingreflections

Actor: Mentor

ProcessExample(4): Reflection


• ReflectionSessions • Helpingstudentsderivetheoryoutofpracticeatthe

workplace

Conclusions

Thereisascopefordeterminingapositiveeffectontheperformanceandoveralldevelopment

ofthestudents,providedtheyaregivenaWBLecosystemwithintheworkplacethatensures

‘LearningthroughWorking’.Appropriateuseofwork-basedlearningmanagementsystemcan

helpinreplicatingthekeypracticesforimplementingWBLeffectively.Thekeychallengehereis

toensuremotivationandcommitmentofactorsinvolved.Continuoustraining,retraining,

orientationofappraisersandtheirinputsinordertofurtherstreamlinetheWBLprocessesin

theorganizationiscrucialforthesuccessfulimplementationofWBL.


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Notesoncontributors:

(1) Dr.RevatiNamjoshi

Dr.RevatileadsEducationalTransformationProgramofMKCL-agovernmentpromoted,public

limitedcompanyestablishedasafasttrackenablerforbringingintransformationsinthefieldof

education,governanceandempowerment.Herresearchinterestsincludework-basedlearning

pedagogies,technologyenabledlearning,teachereducation.

References

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Raelin,J.(2008).Work-basedLearning:BringingKnowledgeAndActionInTheWorkplace.San

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Asking and Answering Questions: Partners, Peer Learning, and Participation. International


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19).Mumbai:JaicoPublishingHouse.

SFIA.(n.d.). SFIA: Levels of responsibility. Retrieved from https://www.sfia-

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Vernon,L.(2001).UpdatedbySulzberger,LeeAnne.(2015)‘TheWritingProcess:AScaffolding

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Figure1:WBLmodel.................................................................................................................133

Figure2:WBLAcademicprocessataglance............................................................................134

Figure3:Work-Labwiseaverageratingsofstudents...............................................................137

Figure4:Work-LabwiseAverageInterviewScoresforeachparameter..................................138

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