Innovation through evaluation and quality development of in-

company training and workplace learning

Ludger Deitmer & Lars Heinemann, ITB,

University of BremenSecond International Conference

on „Innovation in Training Practise“

9-10 November 2009www.trainersineurope.org

Overlook of our presentation • Changes within in-company training: short time resources, decrease in

full time trainers…..• Innovations needed to overcome difficulties: Tools to install mentoring

processes and qualify VET-students• Implementing learning tools for part time trainers, teachers,

trainees, VET-students/apprentices… 1. In-Company learning road map: Career Road Map2. Work and learning tasks: WLT3. Evaluation of work and learning tasks: SEVALAG4. Mentoring the evaluation tool during Student/Trainer workshops:

Group discussions and evaluation• Case Examples: Schierholz (SME); Steelworks (LME)• Conclusion

Training workshops closed down

• Trend: decentral learning within the work process• Example Bremen Steelworks: cutback of full time trai-

ners (30%) while apprenticeship figures remain stable• Part time trainers get in place• Question: How to support VET-students/apprentices?• Internal Learning network: 1. learning by work and learning tasks, 2. monitoring and guidance, as well as 3. evaluation and feed-back all based on specific tools and knowledge-based

information systems

Skills required for the training process

• Training skills: enable & encourage learning; enhance knowledge and skills by professional work and learning task

• Coaching skills: support personal learning strategies of VET-student/apprentice

• Guiding skills: guiding students' learning paths by in-company training plans

• Empowering skills: support self-direction, personal responsibility and reflective capacities by self-evaluation and qualitative examinations

Tools as Cornerstones

1. (Self-)assessment of competencies: VET-students' prior learning experiences

2. In-company training plan: based on key work and learning tasks (WLT).

3. Students' career road map: covers personal wishes (student perspective) and organisational requirements (the business or company perspective): synthesis is an in-house students' development programme

4. Formative evaluation and empowerment tools ( Mentoring Evaluation Tool and/or SEVALAG Tool)

Competence assessment

Practice based work

place learning

Career plan: road map c

are

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dvan

cem

en

tCompetence assessment

Practice based work

place learning

Career plan reflexion & revision

Competence assessment

TOOL 1: Career advancement through interactionbetween assessment of competencies and career plan

Competencies(selection)

Degree ofcompetency

(self & byothers)

Competencies were

1 2 3 4 5 newly acquired developed further not influenced

Ability to develop goalsfor the own life

X X

Ability to put goals intopractice.

X X

....

Stick to joint agreements. X X

Ability to act in difficultsituations.

X X

...

Assess theconsequences of own

action.X X

TOOL 1: Competence assessment sheet: Example for a competence profile

Tool 2: What are in-company work and learning tasks (WLT)?

What can be learned in a company?

• Combination of work tasks and learning processes

• Linking of business processes, work flow; work shapes the learning possibilities for Novices

• Core vocational tasks to be learned by a VET student for a specific occupational profile or job description

What can be learned by WLTs?

• By learning via meaningful tasks at the workplace, the VET student is better motivated

• By mastering certain new work activities, students' abilities are enhanced.

Company (Business processes, key competencies

work orders)

Corporate work tasks/ work orders

Corporate work tasks/ work orders suitable for training courses

Work and learning tasks

Identification

Verification

Implementation (Selection ,organisation, preparation, formulation)

three steps in developing work and learning task in a company

Criteria for investigating work tasks/business processes by trainers

• Kind of service (e.g.. hotel, travel agency, event management etc.).

• Business plan, company mission; corporate work tasks • Examples of typical key work and business processes (e.g.

reception, room service, care taking…)• Work processes and typical work methods to be applied (e.g.

telephoning, advising, explain, consulting, cleaning, preparing etc.)

• Requirements for employees (telephonist; receptionists; room service; technical house care)

• Applied equipment (e.g. event technology, aids, computer systems, machinery etc).

• Focal points during work tasks and work processes.

arcelorMittal Bremen GmbH

• Integrated steel mill• Flat steel production from furnace to

tailored blanks• 2007: ca. 3.500 Workers • Turnover: > 1,3 Mrd. Euro• 2006: 3,6 million • tons of steel

Example of a Work and learning task (WLT)

Ensuring and Enhancing safety on a metal cutter

Example: Learning task description

• Accident at metal cutter in one company; security problem identified by trainer

• Accident analysis: enhance safety: cutter should not work when in safety zone

• VET Students develop technical solution• Create ideas, test ideas and ask experts• teams of 3 to 4 VET students• cost benefit calculation: realisation plan• Develop and present solutions

Variants on problem solving to ensure safety while working with the machine

Evaluation of work and learning task

• SEVALAG as a self-evaluation instrument for teams of teachers and trainers

• Evaluation of usability of the developed learning task for the VET students and for the qualification process

• Evaluation of the potential and realisation of the learning task for the VET school curriculum and VET courses

• Consequences for the improvement of the learning task

• Improving the design of future learning tasks

Each main criteria is broken down by sub criteria

1. Learning potential

of the WLT

1.1 Development of professional knowledge

1.2 Development of adequate working methods

1.3 Balance between pedagogical freedom and guidance

1.4 Addressing general educational goals

Second criterium is broken down by sub criteria

2. Competencies addressed by the WLT: Looks onto the degree of realisation of the work and learning task (WLT)

2.1 Professional competencies

2.2 Adequate working methods

2.3 Working independently

2.4 General educational goals

The third criteria addresses the potential of the WLT in terms of developing shaping skills

3. Shaping potential of the WLT

3.1 Typical of vocational task

3.2 Work and business process orientation

3.3 Addressing shaping skills

3.4 Deepening co-operation between school and enterprise

Fourth criteria looks at the degree of realisation of the shaping criteria

4. Shaping competencies of the WLT

4.1 Developing professional self-awareness

4.2 Enabling development from novice to expert

4.3 Learning to shape work and technology

4.4 Relating theoretical and practical knowledge

Case example:Schierholz GmbH company, Bremen

• Idea: Combining technical training (Initial Technical Training for young school leavers) with mentoring activities: coaching & guidance

• Result: a VET student „roadmap“ for his work-based learning at different work places

company Schierholz GmbH

material flow solutions Customers:car industry

Company Schierholz GmbH

• medium sized enterprize • international markets• Do initial vocational education and training

(IVET) for occupational profiles like the mechanic and mechatronic

• 12 apprentices (four women); young school leavers

• Closing in-house training center when Trainers went on retirement; just one Trainer responsible (part time!)

Mechanic & mechatronic occupations

Problematic Starting situation:

• clear learning plan for VET students missing• VET students hardly overlook company's

business flow and order processing structure• training outcomes (examination results) were

weak • Answer: Combination of technical training and

mentoring programme by decentral learning at the workplaces throughout the company and based on a learning road map

Trainers set up a new learning infrastructure for the students:

• Linking business processes, work processes and learning possibilities.

• By mastering certain new work activities learning is enhanced.

• Through work-based learning the student becomes better motivated

• Targeting at students' personal career & organisation's business goals.

Developing an in-company training plan

• Work place analysis of each of the departments and each work place– Trainer asks the employees via checklist– Trainer verifies work tasks which are suitable for the

student and its learning potential

• interviewing all students about their experiences at the work place– Student: Where? How long? Under which work

situation did he learn most and best?– Trainer: What can be learned at the work place? What

are the requirements and entry conditions needed to fulfil the work task?

2005 2006

Sept Okt Nov Dez Jan Feb Mär Apr Mai Juni Juli Aug Sept Okt Nov Dez Jan Feb Mär Apr

Jan Tore

Walter

Przemy

Jörg

Martin

Sebastian

Qualitäts-sicherung

Mechanische Fertigung I

Mechanische Fertigung I

Fertigung div. P&F-

Baugruppen I

Fertigung div. P&F-

Baugruppen II

Endm. P&F-

Ketten

Endmontage P&F-

Baugruppen

Manuelle Schienen-fertigung

Endm. P&F-

KettenLackiererei

Mechanische Fertigung II

Fertigung div. P&F-

Baugruppen I

Fertigung div. P&F-

Baugruppen I

Fertigung div. P&F-

Baugruppen II

Mechanische Fertigung I

Mechanische Fertigung II

LehrwerkstattVersand/

Warenannahme Lager

Mechanische Fertigung I

Students' „roadmap“ for work-based learning at different work

Statement and some remarks: What does this training tool innovation allow

for?

• (Part time) trainers are good professional experts in their specific trade but in many cases they lack pedagogical & learning management skills such as coaching, tutoring and empowerment!

• Based on „easy to handle“, but efficient training tools, the part time trainer can develop in-company training plans based on key work and learning tasks

• In this respect, the tools should help the users to create common pools of knowledge and make them transparent for other desired users. Altogether, the use of different tools and facilities should help the trainers and learners to make better use of existing learning resources and to share knowledge on ongoing teaching-learning activities and of achieved results.

• SEVALAG can help to identify problems and pitfalls from the curriculum solutions: learning function, decision function and decision making supporting function but not control function

• Instead intensifying control, SEVALAG can help to monitor development processes!