In a short while this page will contain the third part of the National Report of Slovenia.

The second part will contain

Analyses on piloting with regional partnership development and related learning arrangements on the basis of the following sections

SECTION 3.1. SHAPING OF INTEGRATIVE WORKING AND LEARNING TASKS: THE CASE OF CAR MECHATRONICS

The first section characterises the basic measures to develop integrative working and learning tasks. The selected example (teaching pneumatics in the context of car repair work) has been used as a case for analysing how different learning – school, training workshop and enterprise – can be linked to each other. In this context it is worthwhile that the analyses have been used to produce a local educational video to support integrated learning processes and related pedagogies.

The SCV sought to demonstrate integrative working and learning tasks with a characteristic case. The case should highlight the continuity between school-based, workshop-related and workplace-based learning. In this respect the SCV chose to focus on the example of

1. School-based learning on the theme ‘pneumatics’,
2. Mentoring of work-related learning with the theme ‘changing the tires’ and
3. Performance of real work tasks by the trainees in the presence of clients.

The specific point of the SCV team was to involve all parties (teachers, trainers and trainees) in the analysis of the working and learning tasks. The aim was to make transparent the connectivity between different learning elements. From this perspective the SCV team decided to produce an educational video. The video shots focus on the complementary relations between the three learning venues (school, training workshop and real work situation) and the related learning experiences.

The above discussed case was deliberately chosen as a very basic example of integrative working and learning tasks. It is also relate to the very beginning phase of initial VET. With this case the SCV team seeks to prepare the ground for similar analyses and uses of multimedia on the context of more complex cases and in more advanced stages of learning. Regarding the use of multimedia resources, the video raises the question how to make such material usable for teaching-learning purposes and for the education of vocational teachers and trainers.

SECTION 3.2. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROJECT WEEK

Teachers teaching in the programme discuss the topics of project weeks for each year. The title of a particular project week and its contents in accordance with the basic objective are determined. We try hard to involve as many real-life situations as possible. The contents are linked up and presented from various points of view, so that our students get similar information based on different situations. We also provide sports activities. Students have to analyse information and make a presentation. The presentation at one of the primary schools proved to be a very good solution. Presenting their work to primary school children, our students make more effort and work much more seriously. Each project week is then analysed by teachers and students. The teachers suggest marks for individual students. The mark is then taken into consideration within the theme to which the contents of the work is most linked.

Students should acquire knowledge and skills in working with bodywork in a real environment. Within this week the students should: get familiar with the basic tools, learn how to estimate the damage on a car, learn about the basic steps of a car repair procedure, get familiar with the steps of particular carparts repair, get familiar with anticorrosion protection of cars, get familiar with the procedure of preparing a car for paintwork.

Implementation of the project week:

1. Teachers determined the aims of the project week.
2. We acquainted employers with our intention in a letter with an invitation for the collaboration.
3. Students were acquainted thoroughly with the purpose, aims and implementation of the project week.
4. Students were given our questionnaires for the monitoring of their work in writing.
5. Employers were given our questionnaires for the monitoring of their work in writing.
6. After the project week the analysis of the week was made by teachers and employers.
7. The acquired mark (proposed by the employer) was the final mark of the theme bodywork

Within the group of teachers teaching in car-mechatronic programme the aims of the project week were set on the basis of the knowledege catalogue. We invited the employers to collaborate with us in a letter describing the purpose, aims and implementation of the project week. After considerable feedback our students were acquainted with the purpose, aims and implementation of the project week. We took into consideration the students' choices of certain enterprises. We prepared two questionnaires for the monitoring of students' work – one for employers and one for our students themselves.

The questions included enable the evaluation of work by the employers and the students themselves. The employers purposed the final mark for each student's work. Each individual student was also given a teacher-mentor from the school. His task was to monitor the student's work at the employer. Each mentor had to visit the student at least once in the project week and thus established a personal contact with the employer. After the implementation of the project week we invited the employers to a meeting to comment upon the collaboration of this kind – to comment the advantages and disadvantages of working and collaborating in this way.

Section 3.3. THE DEVELOPMENT PANEL

Background

The renewing of vocational education in Slovenia is based on a closer link-up between schools and social partnesr. Local economy has the opportunity to participate in the formation of 20% of open curriculum. Practical education is carried out as practice at school and as practical training in enterprises (workplace learning) which demands a connection and collaboration between mentor sat school and trainers in enterprises.

Purpose of the Panel

The Panel connects schools with experts from enterprises. It consists of regional experts. With their work in the Panel they contribute to a partnership betwee school and enterprises in a region. They act as an advisory body for the developmental activities of a particular school. They also influence the creation of educational issues (20% of open curriculum) and workplace learning.

Composition of the Panel

It consists of a chairman and 7 members appointed by the manager/the headmaster of the educational institution. The members are nominated by Chamber of Crafts and Chamber of Commerce, representative trade unions and the board/college of the educational institution. The members of the Panel are to be the experts in the field of the subject under discussion. Therefore they are nominated in each case with regard to the subject matter. In September 2006 we established the Panel within PAPI project (Partnership of the active in practical education) The current composition is adapted to mechatronics and car-mechatronics.

Tasks and competences of the Panel

The Panel shall meet four times a year. At its meetings it shall: 1) make decisions on the issues of the open curriculum, 2) take the initiative in workplace learning, 3) take the initiative in determining of vocational standards and updating the existing ones, 4) make decisions on the issues of training programmes, 5) take the initiatives to promote jobs in the collaboration with the institution responsible, 6) take the initiative for the vision and the developmental strategy of the institution with regard to particular technical field, 7) monitor the employability of the the graduates 8) discuss the compliance of educational programmes with regional developmental programmes and take the initiative for introducing changes.