This book gathers work from over a decade of study, and seeks to better understand and support how learners become tradespeople. The research programme applies recent concepts from neuroscience, educational psychology and technology-enhanced learning to explain and help overcome the challenges of learning in trades-learning contexts. Due to the complex and multifarious nature of the work characterising trade occupations, learning how to become a tradesperson requires a significant commitment in terms of time, along with physical and cognitive effort. All modalities (visual, aural, haptic etc.) and literacies (text, numerical, spatial etc.) are required when undertaking trade work. Manual dexterity and strength, coupled with the technical and tacit knowledge required for complex problem solving, not to mention suitable dispositional approaches, must all be learnt and focused on becoming a tradesperson.
However, there is a substantial gap in the literature on 'how people learn a trade' and 'how to teach a trade'. In this book, contemporary teaching and learning approaches and strategies, as derived through practice-based participatory research, are used to highlight and discuss pragmatic solutions to facilitate the learning and teaching of trade skills, knowledge and dispositions. The approaches and strategies discussed include the implementation of technology-enhanced learning; project-based inquiry/problem-based learning; and recommendations to ensure learners are prepared for the future of work.
This book gathers work from over a decade of study, and seeks to better understand and support how learners become tradespeople. The research programme applies recent concepts from neuroscience, educational psychology and technology-enhanced learning to explain and help overcome the challenges of learning in trades-learning contexts. Due to the complex and multifarious nature of the work characterising trade occupations, learning how to become a tradesperson requires a significant commitment in terms of time, along with physical and cognitive effort. All modalities (visual, aural, haptic etc.) and literacies (text, numerical, spatial etc.) are required when undertaking trade work. Manual dexterity and strength, coupled with the technical and tacit knowledge required for complex problem solving, not to mention suitable dispositional approaches, must all be learnt and focused on becoming a tradesperson.
However, there is a substantial gap in the literature on 'how people learn a trade' and 'how to teach a trade'. In this book, contemporary teaching and learning approaches and strategies, as derived through practice-based participatory research, are used to highlight and discuss pragmatic solutions to facilitate the learning and teaching of trade skills, knowledge and dispositions. The approaches and strategies discussed include the implementation of technology-enhanced learning; project-based inquiry/problem-based learning; and recommendations to ensure learners are prepared for the future of work.
Draws on recent studies on apprenticeship, trades learning and technology-enhanced vocational education learning Shares contemporary understandings of under-theorized and under-researched aspects of the complex process of learning a trade and forming an occupational identity Uses evidence-based and practice-based participatory research to co-construct solutions with learner and teacher perspectives Promotes the sustainability of trade occupations with recommendations for curriculum augmentation to ensure trade workers are prepared for the ‘future of work’
Selena Chan
apprenticeship and trades learning apprenticeship in New Zealand workplace learning occupational identity vocational education and learning technology-enhanced learning digital literacy learning for trade learners multimodality and learning multiliteracies and learning assessments for learning e-assessments for learning trades teachers and trade learners learning analytics scholarship of teaching and learning