Co-construction of Knowledge between University and Kindergarten What lessons can be learned from case studies of practice in Work Based Learning in England and Norway ? Work in progress Lucy Currie, Anne Furu, Kay Heslop, Karen Marie Eid Kaarby, Inger Marie Lindboe and Liz Atkins Oslo and Akershus University College, Norway and Northumbria University, England

International Community of Practice since 2012 Sharing good practice through academic and student exchange visits Conferences Research partnership Joint publications (aspiring) Developed an interest in work based projects – during visits

Northumbria Programme Work Based Learning Programme - Professional Practice Awards A mode of learning for employed people to extend their skills, capability and individual effectiveness at work Places the workplace at centre of the learning. Focuses on professional development needs of individuals and organisation Built around Employer’s own provision, designed for specific need, reducing time away from workplace Available from levels 4 to 7 (UG and PG) BA (Hons) Early Years Practice is one route available One of the popular modules is the Work Based Project

HiOA programme Work based learning programme designed for part-time employees in kindergartens Bachelor degree early years teacher, Combines the workplace and campus as centres of learning Focuses on professional development needs of individuals and organisation Built around a fixed national curriculum, 4 years, 90 days a year set aside for studies. Studies in Norway are free and / or all students are entitled to financial support. In the fourth year an in-depth study about managing pedagogical work with staff in kindergarten.

Research aim To identify how work-based projects facilitate learning in work-based contexts. The research question: How do students describe their learning processes, outcomes and impact?

Methodology Analysis of different programmes Gathering of qualitative data (based on a questionnaire focusing on students’ learning outcomes and learning processes) to generate student narratives to explore the impact of work based learning for practitioners in Norway and England. Two selected students from each institution, Criteria: high grading, variety of topics Thematic analysis

Student Narrative 1 (England) Nursery Deputy Manager Why Work Based Learning Work Based Project learning and impact Researched outdoor learning underpinned by theory Incorporated skills of enquiry and critical reflection Developed confidence, project management skills Championing change in the setting with practitioners and parents Change sustained Positive outcomes for children Flexible Accessible Enticed by Accreditation of Prior experiential learning (APEL) More relevant to development than traditional routes

Student Narrative 2 (England) Senior Early Years Teacher Why Work Based Learning Work Based Project: learning and impact Introduced by manager Included Early Years Professional Status (now known as Early Years Teacher Status) Identified the need for change relating to new employees Developed induction process Personal and professional development in relation to leadership Benefits to children

Student Narrative 3 (Norway) Part-time assistant in early years setting / Early Years Teacher Why Work Based Learning Professionalism Opportunity to gain degree while working to support the family Work Based Project: learning and impact ‘Earthworm’ science project Building upon children’s interests Learning by leading co-workers to engage with children Learning through exploration of earthworm Learning about how children learn Reflections with Children Spurt i siste studieår.

Student Narrative 4 (Norway) Pedagogical leader on exemption in early years setting Work Based Project: learning and impact Desire to improve her staff’s engagement with children outdoors and to develop theoretical knowledge Established structured learning situations in the forest Exploration of theory behind the concept of the ‘third pedagogue’ Reflection on activities Change agent within setting Reinforcement of professional self-confidence Benefits for children Why Work Based Learning Encouraged by co-workers arose from prior experience in early years and being a pedagogical leader on exemption

Analysis – Colley et al.(2003) Formality and informality With the context being work-based learning we found this framework to be the most appropriate for analysis. Formality and Informality in Learning provided the opportunity for a focused analysis of differences and similarities between the two contexts and therefore the particular strengths of each context. Process Location and Setting Content Purpose

Process Differences Similarities Aspects of formality and informality Designed for employed people Lead to academic qualifications up to Masters Grounded in students’ own practice Oslo has structured study groups Formal Supervised placement in different nurseries Oslo take examinations according to national curriculum standards Northumbria follows a negotiated scheme of work

Location and setting Similarities: Differences Learning takes place at work, at home, at the university, on-line- individually and collectively Differences In Oslo there are regular visits to different nurseries and placements in different nurseries. At Northumbria they generally stay at their workplace unless they require specific experience with an age group

Purposes Similarities Differences to facilitate students from a widening participation cohort to gain an academic award. To offer Early years teacher education to employees in nurseries / kindergartens, To increase competence at the workplaces and to develop a pedagogy in close collaboration with the professional field. Enhancing career opportunities Study has potential to readily translate to positive outcomes for children and the organisation. Differences Oslo is based on a specific contract with the municipalities. Northumbria provision has more flexibility

Content Differences Similarities In Oslo the formal content is equal in all three programmes ( full time, part time and work-based). At Northumbria there is more flexibility The Oslo programme consists of different fixed academic modules. Pedagogy of the work-based programme distinguishes it from the traditional programmes, focussing on the special combination of regular switching between different learning locations and engaging with different stakeholders. Similarities Formal aspect of the programme focusses on drawing clear relationships between expert knowledge/research and practice. As such, the content from the university could be argued to complement practice.

Findings Aim was: To identify how work-based projects facilitate learning in work- based contexts. The research question: How do students describe their learning processes, outcomes and impact? TIME- students learned how to manage a project over an extended period of time. CHOICE MOTIVATED FINDING SOLUTIONS TO IDENTIFIED NEEDS ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION OF CHILDREN - stimulating ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION OF CO-WORKERS – COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE CHANGE USE OF CRITICAL REFLECTION

Findings Findings suggest that despite the significant differences in culture and curricular approach, both programmes appear to enhance the practice of practitioners in early years.

Findings and discussion The most striking finding is the similarities in students’ statements concerning their professional learning and self-efficacy as well as their projects impact on children and staff in their kindergartens. This contrasts with the differences both in curricula and structures of educational programmes. Another finding is the influence exerted by the students’ projects on the kindergarten as a community of practice (Lave & Wenger 2001). Individual learning processes seem to have great impact on children and staff in kindergarten: Individual learning may promote and support collective learning.

Questions?

References Atkins, L. and Tummons, J. (2017, in press) Professionalism in Vocational Education: International Perspectives Research in Post-compulsory Education Billett, S. (2010) The Practices of Learning through occupation. In Learning Through Practice. Professional and Practice based Learning: models, traditions, orientations and approaches (S.Billett ed. ). Dordrecht: Springer. Colley, H; Hodkinson, P. and Malcolm, J. (2003) Understanding Informality and Formality in Learning – a report for the Learning and Skills Research Centre. London: Learning and Skills Research Centre Kaarby, K. M. E. & Lindboe, I. M. (2016). The workplace as learning environment in early childhood teacher education: an investigation of work-based education. Higher Education Pedagogies, 01/2016, Vol.1(1), pp.106-120. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Contact Details Inger Marie Lindboe IngerMarie.Lindboe@hioa.no Anne Furu - Anne.Furu@hioa.no Karen Marie Eid Kaarby - KarenMarieEid.Kaarby@hioa.no Lucy Currie – lucy.currie@northumbria.ac.uk Liz Atkins - liz.atkins@northumbria.ac.uk Kay Heslop - kay.heslop@northumbria.ac.uk