Work-based learning (WBL) thoughts...

Sunday 10th March 2013

As researched and studied in module 1, the idea of WBL is key to our learning on the BAPP course. This learning is becoming stronger and now feels a natural way to be working... at first,( and I don't think I'm alone), the thought of studying a course purely over social networking etc seemed impossible. How wrong I was! Using WBL for module 2 is essential. Without it we would not have been able to set up our SIGs, keep up to date with one other through our blogs, on Facebook, Google+ etc and our surveys would have been much harder to complete!

Mark Smith 'Informal Learning' quotes:

"Learning involves the whole person; it implies not only a relation to specific activities, but a relation to social communities – it implies becoming a full participant, a member, a kind of person. In this view, learning only partly – and often incidentally – implies becoming able to be involved in new activities, to perform new tasks and functions, to master new understandings. Activities, tasks, functions, and understandings do not exist in isolation; they are part of broader systems of relations in which they have meaning. 
(Lave and Wenger 1991: 53)"

This is true for us all. We are inputting individually yet are all 'on the same page' and aiming towards the same goal, only, we are each taking a slightly different path (inquiry topic) to reach it. Our 'social communities' are our SIGs etc where similar minded people/topics come together and discuss thoughts and opinions. Without such activity taking place, we would all be isolated learners with no support or help from others.

"Novices enter at the edge – their participation is on the periphery. Gradually their engagement deepens and becomes more complex. They become full participants, and will often take on organizing or facilitative roles. (Tennant 1997: 77)"

Personally, I would say that we (BAPP students) are now all 'full participants' as we have become increasingly more involved in one another's work since the start of module 1 and have now taken on the responsibilities of setting up SIGs and beginning discussion topics.

This particular quote links to my inquiry:

"Too much schooling kills off a desire to learn.... Schools and universities should become more like hubs of learning, within the community, capable of extending into the community... (Leadbeater 2000: 111-112)"

As I have previously discussed, the constant strains, pressures and only being around and supported by others going through exactly the same motions can often cause people to lose the passion for the subject in which they are training for. For myself, it happened with dance. The intensity of my education and training took away my desire to have a career in it. However, this experience has enabled me to consider the path I am now passionate about taking. Still involved in dance, just from a different angle... everything happens for a reason!

I shall leave you with another quote from Leadbeater which I think describes our BAPP studies and the students well:

"The point of education should not be to inculcate a body of knowledge, but to develop capabilities: the basic ones of literacy and numeracy as well as the capability to act responsibly towards others, to take initiative and to work creatively and collaboratively. (Leadbeater 2000: 111-112)"

Smith, Mark K. (1999, 2008) 'Informal learning', the encyclopaedia of informal education. (www.infed.org/biblio/inf-lrn.htm)