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Conceptualising the Learning of General Upper Secondary Students at Work

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Conceptualising the Learning of General Upper Secondary Students at Work
Authors: Krista Loogma, Birgit Peterson, Maret Aasa
Source: Social Sciences, Vol 13, Iss 12, p 686 (2024)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Social Sciences
Subject Terms: workplace learning, general upper secondary education, process-based model of workplace learning, Social Sciences
Description: The share of general upper secondary students working or having acquired work experience in an authentic work environment in parallel with learning in formal educational settings is expanding. It is therefore important to understand how learning in an authentic work environment and the interrelationships between work and school learning support the development of students. The main aim of this study is to understand and conceptualise the early work experience of students studying at general upper secondary schools. This study applies a phenomenological approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with students who have had work experience in authentic work environments. The main results of this study show that the variety of meaningful skills and competences developed in the work environment is rather great. Mostly, generic competences are learned at work. The incorporation of elements from one practice into the other (work to school or school to work) also occurs. Knowledge learned at school in traditional subjects and in elective courses is applied at work in a few cases. The positive impact of work experience on school studies, however, was reported—better time planning, increased motivation to learn, and increased career awareness.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2076-0760
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/12/686; https://doaj.org/toc/2076-0760
DOI: 10.3390/socsci13120686
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/13a33a636b8a4b3884876e85e515327c
Accession Number: edsdoj.13a33a636b8a4b3884876e85e515327c
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
Description
Abstract:The share of general upper secondary students working or having acquired work experience in an authentic work environment in parallel with learning in formal educational settings is expanding. It is therefore important to understand how learning in an authentic work environment and the interrelationships between work and school learning support the development of students. The main aim of this study is to understand and conceptualise the early work experience of students studying at general upper secondary schools. This study applies a phenomenological approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with students who have had work experience in authentic work environments. The main results of this study show that the variety of meaningful skills and competences developed in the work environment is rather great. Mostly, generic competences are learned at work. The incorporation of elements from one practice into the other (work to school or school to work) also occurs. Knowledge learned at school in traditional subjects and in elective courses is applied at work in a few cases. The positive impact of work experience on school studies, however, was reported—better time planning, increased motivation to learn, and increased career awareness.
ISSN:20760760
DOI:10.3390/socsci13120686