How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational ...

Bill Lucas, Ellen Spencer and Guy Claxton December 2012

How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational pedagogy

Bill Lucas, Ellen Spencer and Guy Claxton December 2012

How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational pedagogy

Organisation overview

City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development

The City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development (CSD) is a not-for-profit research and development body for vocational education and training. We work to influence and improve skills policy and practice worldwide through an evidence-based approach. We are part of the City & Guilds Group. The desire to integrate evidence into skills policy and practice sits at the heart of what we do. That's why we work closely with policy makers, teachers, trainers and researchers to:

Provide research that is relevant and practical to policy-makers, teachers, trainers and learners

Understand current challenges and find evidence-based solutions

Link research, policy and practice by sharing evidence and good practice

Deliver skills development projects to test research findings and create good practice models.

If you want to find out more about how we are influencing and improving vocational education and training worldwide, visit our website at skillsdevelopment. org, and follow us on Twitter @skillsdev

Centre for Real-World Learning, University of Winchester

Established in 2008, the Centre for Real-World Learning (CRL) has brought together two internationally acclaimed thought leaders ? Professor Guy Claxton and Professor Bill Lucas.

CRL's research focuses on two main areas:

the science of learnable intelligence and the implementation of expansive approaches to education

the field of embodied cognition and implications for practical learning and vocational education.

Selected CRL publications include:

Bodies of Knowledge; how the learning sciences could transform practical and vocational education (2010). London: Edge Foundation

Mind the Gap; Research and reality in practical and vocational education (2010). London: Edge Foundation

The Pedagogy of Work-based Learning: A brief overview commissioned by the DCSF 14-19 Expert Pedagogy Group (2010). London: DCSF

winchester.ac.uk/ realworldlearning



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How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational pedagogy

Contents

Glossary

6

Foreword

7

Acknowledgments

8

Executive summary

9

Section 1: Introduction

12

1.1 The need for a vocational pedagogy

13

1.2 Current interest in vocational pedagogy

14

Section 2: Our approach

17

2.1 Purpose of this chapter

17

2.2 Research methods

18

2.3 Scope of the review

20

2.4 A contextual note on the lack of a vocational pedagogy

22

2.4.1 A lack of clarity about the purposes of vocational education

25

2.4.2 The dual professional identity of vocational practitioners as teachers

25

2.4.3 Inadequate models of vocational education

26

2.4.4 Poor analogies for vocational education

28

2.4.5 The reluctance of vocational education teachers to use theory

29

2.5 The report at a glance

30

Section 3: The goal of vocational education in all its variety

32

3.1 Purpose of this chapter

32

3.2 The huge variety of vocational education

33

3.3 Working competence, expertise and being able to do skilful things

37

3.3.1 Working competence, but not a checklist of `competences' or skills

38

3.3.2 Competence that meets the real needs of employers

40

3.4 Vocational education as `education for work'

41

Section 4: The intended outcomes of vocational education

44

4.1 Purpose of this chapter

44

4.2 What are the generic outcomes for which vocational education ought to aim? 45

4.2.1 Routine expertise

48

4.2.2 Resourcefulness

49

4.2.3 Craftsmanship

51

4.2.4 Functional literacies

52

4.2.5 Business-like attitudes

53

4.2.6 Wider skills for growth

54

4.3 Mapping desired outcomes onto the three `kinds' of vocational education 55

Section 5: Learning and teaching methods that work

58

5.1 Purpose of this chapter

58

5.2 Effective learning and teaching methods in vocational education

59

5.2.1 Learning by watching

62

5.2.2 Learning by imitating

62

5.2.3 Learning by practising

63

5.2.4 Learning through feedback

66

5.2.5 Learning through conversation

67

How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational pedagogy

3

5.2.6 Learning by teaching and helping

70

5.2.7 Learning by real-world problem-solving

71

5.2.8 Learning through enquiry

72

5.2.9 Learning by critical thinking

74

5.2.10 Learning by listening, transcribing and remembering

75

5.2.11 Learning by drafting and sketching

76

5.2.12 Learning by reflecting

77

5.2.13 Learning on the fly

78

5.2.14 Learning by being coached

79

5.2.15 Learning by competing

81

5.2.16 Learning through virtual environments

82

5.2.17 Learning through simulation

83

5.2.18 Learning through playing games

84

5.3 Mapping methods against categories of vocational education and

desired outcomes

85

5.3.1 Categories of vocational education and learning methods

86

5.3.2 Vocational education outcomes and learning methods

87

Section 6: Vocational education contexts ? students,

teachers and settings

89

6.1 Purpose of this chapter

89

6.2 The importance of context in vocational education

90

6.3 Vocational education learners

91

6.3.1 The motivations of vocational learners

91

6.3.2 The preferences of vocational learners

94

6.4 Vocational education teachers

96

6.5 Vocational education settings

99

6.5.1 Physical space

100

6.5.2 Culture of learning

100

6.6 Learning transfer

101

Section 7: Designing a vocational pedagogy

104

7.1 Purpose of this chapter

104

7.2 What do we know about good vocational pedagogy design?

105

7.3 Taking good decisions about pedagogy

108

7.3.1 Ten dimensions of decision-making

108

7.3.2 Role of the teacher ? facilitative/didactic

110

7.3.3 Nature of activities ? authentic/contrived

110

7.3.4 Means of knowing ? practice/theory

110

7.3.5 Attitude to knowledge ? questioning/certain

111

7.3.6 Organisation of time ? extended/bell-bound

111

7.3.7 Organisation of space ? workshop/classroom

111

7.3.8 Approach to tasks ? group/individual

112

7.3.9 Visibility of processes ? high/hidden

112

7.3.10 Proximity to teacher ? virtual/face-to-face

113

7.3.11 Role of the learner ? self-managing/directed

113

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How to teach vocational education: A theory of vocational pedagogy

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