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"Work-based learning (WBL) is an educational strategy that provides students with real-life
work experiences where they can apply academic and technical skills and develop their
employability."[1] It is a series of educational courses which integrate the school or university
curriculum with the workplace to create a different learning paradigm. "Work-based learning
deliberately merges theory with practice and acknowledges the intersection of explicit and tacit
forms of knowing."[2]

Most WBL programs are generally university accredited courses, aiming at a win-win situation
where the learner's needs and the industry requirement for skilled and talented employees
both are met. WBL programs are targeted to bridge the gap between the learning and the
doing. "Work-based learning strategies provide career awareness, career exploration
opportunities, career planning activities and help students attain competencies such as positive
work attitudes and other employable skills."[1]

Work-based learning encompasses a diversity of formal, nonformal and informal arrangements

including apprenticeships, work placement and informal learning on the job. The key driver is
the need for active policies to secure learning that meets the need of the workplace. [3]

Classification

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Work-based learning is classified in three ways based on the:

 Duration of assignment: The work-based learning experience maybe of a duration of a

few hours to 2/4 years

 Relation to course work: Work-based learning is generally related to a specific subject

taught at school or university

 Stipend: WBL assignments may be paid or unpaid

WBL learning strategies

[edit]

Work-based learning strategies include the following:[4]

 Apprenticeship or internship or mentorship: An apprenticeship involves the student

working for an employer where he or she is taught and supervised by an experienced
employee of the chosen organization. The student is periodically evaluated for progress
as per the skills and knowledge acquired, and maybe granted wages accordingly. At the
end of the course, the student receives a certificate of service. The student learns in a
realistic environment and gets the opportunity to apply his or her knowledge in real-
world scenarios.

 Job shadowing: Job Shadowing is a short term opportunity that introduces the student
to a particular job or career by pairing the student with an employee of the workplace.
By following or 'shadowing' the employee, the student gets familiar with the duties and
responsibilities associates with that job.

 Business/industry field trip: Field trips offer the students an insight in the latest
technical advancements and business strategies of an enterprise. Students also gain
awareness of the various career opportunities available and understand the driving
forces of the community's economy.

 Entrepreneurial experience: This includes setting up of specific business, right from the
planning, organizing and managing stage to the risk control and management aspects of
a business.

 Cooperative education: In cooperative education, the work experience is planned in

conjunction with the technical classroom instruction. This method is used by universities
that do not have access to state-of-art equipment required to transact the technical
course practically.

 School-based enterprise: A school-based enterprise is a simulated or actual business run

by the school. It offers students a learning experience by letting them manage the
various aspects of a business

 Service learning:This strategy combines community service with career, where students
provide volunteer service to public and non-profit agencies, civic and government offices
etc.

Key persons

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  Student: The student is central to the WBL process. The student engages in a WBL
program and completes all requirements of the program, maintains high degree of
professionalism and acquires necessary competencies for which the WBL program was
designed.

 Business Mentor: A business mentor sets realistic goals for the student to acquire,
engages and supervises them to complete their tasks and is a role model for the student
to emulate.

 Teacher Coordinator: A teacher coordinator is a certified educator who manages the

WBL program and checks on the student progress and supports whenever required to
ensure successful completion of the WBL program

 School Administrator: The school administrator is key in introducing WBL programs

within the curriculum after identifying the appropriate courses that can be learnt
through the program.

 Parents: Parental support enables successful completion of the WBL program as offer
suitable guidance, support and motivation to their wards and approve the WBL program
that would be most suitable for meeting their ward's learning needs and career
aspirations.

Merits

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 Application of classroom learning in real-world setting

 Establishment of connection between school and work [5]

 Improvement in critical thinking, analytical reasoning and logical abilities

 Expansion of curriculum and learning facilities

 Meeting the diverse needs of the learner

 Creating a talented and skilled pool of future employees

 Reduces pre-service training time and cost [6]

 Improvement of student awareness of career opportunities

 Making education relevant and valuable to the social context

 Community building exercise for productive economy [7]

Disadvantages
[edit]

 Time-consuming activity to identify key courses that can be taught via WBL programs

 Needs careful consideration and planning when introducing WBL strategies within the
existing curriculum

 Certain WBL programs may not be in sync with the formal education timelines and
pattern

 It is unclear what key elements of this learning may be and that readily available
indicators which equate with academic learning outcomes are not necessarily evoking it
accuracy.[8]

 Needs effective coordination between all key persons involved in the WBL program

 Effective evaluation strategy needs to be developed for assessing student performance.

This should encompass both formative and summative feedback.

Sources

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This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
(license statement/permission). Text taken from Level-setting and recognition of learning
outcomes: The use of level descriptors in the twenty-first century, 115, Keevey, James; Chakroun,
Borhene, UNESCO. UNESCO.

See also