An overview of the whole transfer of innovation process (TOI) of good work-based learning (WBL) practices
In order to keep up with permanent change and to deliver high-quality services it is necessary for every organization to create conditions to become a learning organization. The basic rationale for such organizations is that, in situations of rapid change, only those that are flexible, adaptive and productive will excel. Organizations need to ‘discover how to tap people’s commitment and capacity to learn at all levels’. Organizations that are continually expanding their capacity to create their future require a fundamental mind shift among their members.
The incentive to change can come from many different stakeholders such as working life, educational policy makers or changes in norms etc. The organization will make some kind of self-analysis in order to ascertain what kind of change is needed. After this analysis, decisions will be taken either to make changes in WBL or to leave the situation as is. If they have decided to make changes, they will start looking for good WBL practices. The selected good WBL practice can be used as a whole concept or only in parts. It may also be the case that the practice will be evaluated to be no better than the earlier one already in use within the organization. Once the decision has been taken, it is possible to continue by applying the new practice or only parts of it. It is also possible to integrate some parts into the existing practice. Once the decision has been taken, planning for the transfer of good WBL practices can start.
The transfer of innovations requires within organization many cultural and operational changes, which take much time.
Change management and pedagogical leadership show the way and give support during the transfer process.
Figure 2 shows the path that an organization can use to progress the transfer of good WBL practices by making a plan. The figure only shows the planning phase according to the EQARF model (see Chapter 1, fig. 1). The next sub-chapters include a description of the process to transfer the chosen good WBL practice to the organization and this is explained in more detail.
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Figure 2. An overview of the transfer of good WBL practices. |
At school S the teachers have noticed that the school has no common plan for students’ tutoring before the work-based learning period. In order to improve their work-based learning, school S and enterprise E support students by counselling them in more detail and more effectively before their working period at the enterprise. The headmaster of the school decides to carry out an investigation involving school staff and students. The partner enterprises, school staff and students will also be asked how they find the situation relating to students’ tutoring for work-based learning periods. Based on the results of the investigation, the VET provider then decides to improve the planning of work-based learning. The headmaster of the school will invite some people to form a development team, which will start looking for good work-based learning practices. The team can use the criteria mentioned in this Manual (Identification of good practices) for analysing if the practices found are suitable for their school or not. After “cleaning” (i.e. after identification of common, contextindependent features) the practice, the group will recommend to the VET provider that the practice is suitable to be transferred to the school. Once the decision to implement the good practice has been taken, the development group starts to plan how the transfer could move forward. By planning to tutor better, students can follow this Manual and use the tools presented here. (see fig. 2) |