WLP Course - Presentation of the Learning Areas and learning tasks

This document presents below the four Learning Areas of the WLP Course. The purpose of this document is to provide an outline of different levels of learning and to present characteristic learning tasks of each level.

From the practical point of view it is worthwhile to link the levels of basic orientation and contextualisation to each other as the basic levels of learning. In a similar way it is appropriate to link strategic learning and expansive learning to each other as the advanced levels of learning.

Learning Area 1: Partnership creation and use of basic analyses

A. The basic levels

1) Basic orientation

Task a: Explore the basic presentations on the WLP project and select examples and statements on ‘workplace learning’, ‘partnerships’ and ‘networked learning’ that seem relevant for you.

Task b: Try to relate the concepts to problem situations, cooperation possibilities and practical cooperation arrangements in the context of workplace learning. Present your reasons for choosing these exemplary situations and working perspectives.

2) Contextualisation

Task a: Use the sections Country information (National reports, Case stories) and the section WLP Reports (Comparative report) to get information on different approaches to partnership cooperation. Select one case for further discussion and give your view why this case is most interesting for you.

Task b: Explore the workshop facilitators’ tools and select one problem that seems particularly relevant for you and for the case you want to discuss. Altarnatively, present an example that you know by your own experience.

B. The advanced levels

3) Strategic learning

Task a: Explore the materials on the LPA tool and on the analyses of the learning potential at different workplaces. Compare the analyses with the information on partnership development in national reports.

Task b: Consider the different starting positions for partnership development in the participating countries (as presented in the Comparative report). Consider what kind of support such analyses can give in different circumstances and for diverse partnership agendas.

4) Expansive learning

Task a: Compare the LPA tool with the parallel tools that have been developed for reviewing learning provisions (LPR-tool) and reviewing learning achievements (LAR-tool). Consider what kind of a set of tools would help you to develop workplace learning and related cooperation.

Task b: Try to link your considerations on problems and possible working perspectives and develop a strategic map. Consider in the light of the WLP case stories what kind of partnership relations and workplace learning arrangements you would consider as strategic initiatives in your context?

Learning Area 2: Planning of partnership-based learning arrangements

A. The basic levels

1) Basic orientation

Task a: Explore the model of planning cycle and give examples what kind of specific steps can be taken in the analysing, developing, implementing and reviewing phases.

Task b: Consider what of these phases can be cut very short in the day-to-day practice of workplace learning. Give examples of other circumstances in which these phases may have special importance. (You may think of specific challenges, diverse learners or different obstacles to learning.)

2) Contextualisation

Task a: Explore the WLP tutorial tools on planning the supporting individual learning and taking organisational measures. Consider the planning activities in the light of a partnership case and in the light of the problems that are addressed in the workshop tools.

Task b: Present your views what kind of support for individual learning and what kind of organisational arrangements you would emphasise to improve workplace learning.

B. The advanced levels

3) Strategic learning

Task a: Explore the WLP tutorial tools that discuss the customisation of workplace learning processes and on the role of integrative working and learning tasks. Consider the examples on workplace learning that have been presented in the case stories and in the multimedia presentations.

Task b: Present your views on integrative working and learning tasks or on connective learning arrangements. Consider the problems that have been addressed in the workshop tools.

4) Expansive learning

Task a: Try to develop a strategic map that presents sets of integrative working and learning tasks for domain-specific learning, for organisational learning and for learning to use web resources.

Task b: Consider the prospects for developing partnership-based learning arrangements in the light of the strategic map. Consider the factors that make such arrangements feasible and the possibilities to overcome obstacles to such cooperation.

Learning Area 3: Support for partnership-based learning activities

A. The basic levels

1) Basic orientation

Task a: Explore the tutorial materials on ‘portfolios’, ‘personal learning environments’ ‘collaborative learning arrangements’. Select examples and approaches that seem relevant for you.

Task b: Present your arguments for choosing these examples and approaches. If you have don’t find such examples or statements, present your own starting point for discussing these issues.

2) Contextualisation

Task a: Explore the recommended external web links and web-based commentaries on portfolios, personal learning environments and collaborative learning arrangements. Select one example that is relevant for a closer examination.

Task b: Consider the differences between the context from which the example is taken and your earlier choices as examples for workplace learning. Consider what can be lessons can be learned to improve workplace learning in the light of the parallel example.

B. The advanced levels

3) Strategic learning

Task a: Explore the WLP case stories on the cases in which there is great intensity of partnership dynamic and effort to promote networked arrangements for workplace learning (i.e. the trans-national cooperation programme and the Italian case for developing an industrial learning community).

Task b: Consider the relevance of portfolio applications and infrastructures for collaborative learning for these cases. Consider the transferability of the above mentioned project experiences to these development contexts.

4) Expansive learning

Task a: Explore the newer discussion on workplace learning, personal learning environments and collaborative learning arrangements. Consider what kind of features they bring to the picture regarding the relations of individual and organisational learning.

Task b: Explore some additional contributions on the relations between portfolios, personal learning environments and community-based learning. Consider how these contributions are related to the above mentioned discussion on workplace learning.

Learning Area 4: Making use of web services and web platforms

A. The basic levels

1) Basic orientation

Task a: Explore the recommended web pages that present web services like ‘del.icio.us and Wikis. or web platforms like Moodle and ELGG. Select examples and approaches that seem relevant for you.

Task b: Present your arguments for choosing these examples and approaches. If you don’t find such examples or statements, present your own questions to which you would expect to get support via web services and web platforms.

2) Contextualisation

Task a: Consider the ‘case stories’ and the multimedia products of the WLP project. Present your views what you would want to learn more of these cases. If you have similar cases in your mind, describe them.

Task b: Consider how you could use google, del.icio.us or Wiki as a media to expand your knowledge on the topic. Consider how deeper learning could be supported by a web platform Moodle or ELGG. (In the latter case you may consider yourself as a part of group or community that wants to use this knowledge.)

B. The advanced levels

3) Strategic learning

Task a: Make your own trial to develop a del.icio.us resource base or a Wiki resource base. Make your own trial to use the web platforms for a case of your choice.

Task b: Consider on the basis of these trials what kind of advantages the said web services or the said web platforms can provide for your cases.

4) Expansive learning

Task a: Explore the possibilities to expand your trials with the web services towards broader knowledge sharing. Explore the discussions on the community pages of Moodle and ELGG.

Task b: Consider on the basis of your trials what kind of advantages these possibilities can offer for the future development of workplace learning, partnership cooperation and networked learning.