{"id":5864,"date":"2016-08-16T14:29:42","date_gmt":"2016-08-16T13:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/?p=5864"},"modified":"2016-08-16T14:29:42","modified_gmt":"2016-08-16T13:29:42","slug":"facebook-pedagogy-and-education-in-apprenticeships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2016\/08\/facebook-pedagogy-and-education-in-apprenticeships\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook Pedagogy and Education in Apprenticeships"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

This article describes how social media pedagogies create meaningful provision and an opportunity space for the emergence of ‘apprentice as subject’.<\/p>\n

Bruner (1960) advocated meaningful curricula, asserting that if prior learning was going to make subsequent learning easier, then it had to provide students with a general picture of the ways in which different subject matter relate to one another and unless detail is placed into a structured pattern, it is rapidly forgotten. My study found that classroom plumbing teaching rarely related to what students did in the practical sessions or at work, meaning it was diminishing classroom motivation. I also found that apprentices were more engaged and productive in the workplace than in college, suggesting the plumbing curriculum was more meaningful to apprentices in workplaces, where knowledge was \u2018presented\u2019 first-hand. Most students regard theory lessons as a means of passing tests, and few see classroom theory as important to job performance or productivity.<\/p>\n

Facebook Pedagogy harnesses mobile technologies as networks of apprentices and college staff, including training-provider officers, assessors, plumbing tutors, managers and college directors. It relates apprentices\u2019 work experiences to the classroom as compatible with e-portfolios. Apprentices respond to the initiative posting pictures and experiences of practical work, and of poorly installed plumbing systems, which are often impossible to replicate in classroom contexts:<\/p>\n

\"vermin<\/a>
Pipe damaged by vermin (Picture courtesy of Mark Cokayne)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A growing library of real-life plumbing scenarios helps contextualise the curriculum with real case studies that assist students in identifying and understanding the technical plumbing components, systems and occupational processes and principles involved. Some systems shared by apprentices are old-fashioned and corroded, often very different to the new types of systems taught in college. Photos show unpredictable boiler problems, stimulating discussion between apprentices in class and improving technical knowledge and problem-solving approaches.<\/p>\n

While simple faults can be simulated in college, it is impossible to predict specific boiler faults and plumbing problems in the uncertain context of the workplace.<\/p>\n

\"Rob<\/a>
Unpredictable boiler fault (Picture courtesy of Rob Davis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

When a boiler fault that is difficult to diagnose occurs, and the apprentice investigates and shares pictures on Facebook, the space of the possible is enlarged. Facebook Pedagogy creates a type of knowledge in real time, which is \u2018emergentist\u2019 and different to the prescribed \u2018represented epistemology\u2019 found in most types of college learning. Facebook Pedagogy enables apprentices\u2019 to participate in technical discussions and present ongoing elements of their work, not normally covered in the college curriculum.<\/p>\n

The Venn diagram below shows how Facebook can explain the socialising of an apprentice (object) into a professional plumber, while distinguishing this from educating an apprentice by creating a space for their emergence as a subject human being.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"facebook<\/a>
Facebook Pedagogy located in Biesta\u2019s (1990) Three Functions of Education Biesta (2009; 2009a); (Osberg et al, 2008); (Reddy, 2014)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Biesta\u2019s first function of education is \u2018qualification\u2019, which is about the complex and rich experience of becoming qualified to do things that involve knowledge, action (skills and attitude) and judgement (values). However, some skills and knowledge taught in the college context may simply be \u2018representative\u2019 of the real world compared with knowledge \u2018presented\u2019 first-hand at work (Osberg et al, 2008).<\/p>\n

The second function of education is described by Biesta (2009) as \u2018socialisation\u2019, or the way in which \u2018object\u2019 individuals are socialised into existing ways of being. Apprentices are legitimised on the peripheries of practice by other workers, and their apprenticeship journeys are directed towards the centre of practice. Thus, apprentices are being socialised as \u2018objects\u2019 into a \u2018professional identity\u2019, or an existing way of being (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Biesta, 2009). Although socialisation is certainly an appropriate aim of technical education, education is not just about producing unquestioning \u2018objects\u2019. Therefore, Biesta (2009: 356) argues that education must mean something other than socialisation:<\/p>\n

It is not about the insertion of \u2018newcomers\u2019 into existing orders, but about ways of being that hint at independence from such orders<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Finally, subjectification involves the emergence of the \u2018subject\u2019 apprentice, who has the space to respond by taking pictures at work, posting pictures on Facebook and asking questions in college, while engaged in industry, promoting real-world motivation, collaboration and problem-solving.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr Simon Reddy is a master plumber, plumbing teacher, researcher and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering @reddyplumbing <\/p>\n

If you enjoyed reading this article we invite you to join the Association for Learning Technology (ALT)<\/a> as an individual member, and to encourage your own organisation to join ALT as an organisational or sponsoring member<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

References:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Biesta, G.J.J. (2009) \u2018On the weakness of education\u2019, Philosophy of Education Yearbook<\/em>, pp. 354-362.<\/p>\n

Bruner, J. (1960) The process of education<\/em>, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.<\/p>\n

Osberg, D., Biesta, G. and Cilliers, P. (2008) \u2018From representation to Emergence: Complexity\u2019s challenge to the epistemology of schooling\u2019, Educational Philosophy and Theory<\/em>, vol. 40, no.1, pp. 213-227.<\/p>\n

Reddy, S. (2014) \u2018A study of tutors’ and students’ perceptions and experiences of full-time College Courses and apprenticeships in plumbing\u2019, University of Exeter PhD thesis, [Online], Available: https:\/\/ore.exeter.ac.uk\/repository\/handle\/10871\/15728<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"  This article describes how social media pedagogies create meaningful provision and an opportunity space for the emergence of ‘apprentice as subject’. Bruner (1960) advocated meaningful curricula, asserting that if prior learning was going to make subsequent learning easier, then it had to provide students with a general picture of the ways in which different […]","protected":false},"author":480,"featured_media":5867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,1062],"tags":[834,840,881,961,1000,1122],"class_list":["post-5864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-case-studies","category-learning-technology-research","tag-feltag","tag-further-education","tag-jisc","tag-pedagogy","tag-social-media","tag-vocational-education"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2016\/08\/facebook-pedagogy.jpg?fit=768%2C575&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7796,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2019\/04\/book-review-conceptualising-the-digital-university-the-intersection-of-policy-pedagogy-and-practice\/","url_meta":{"origin":5864,"position":0},"title":"Book review: \u2018Conceptualising The Digital University \u2013 The intersection of policy, pedagogy and practice\u2019","author":"rowellc","date":"17 April 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a timely book because it is really asking some big questions about what is the whole point of higher education and how does the digital university fit in to the current HE landscape. It really puts the evolution of the digital university in the context of the changes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Book reviews","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/reviews\/book-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2019\/04\/digiuni2.jpg?fit=694%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2019\/04\/digiuni2.jpg?fit=694%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2019\/04\/digiuni2.jpg?fit=694%2C420&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11115,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2023\/06\/anti-oppressive-pedagogies-in-online-learning-with-maria-migueliz-valcarlos-notes-from-arlt-sig-march-meeting\/","url_meta":{"origin":5864,"position":1},"title":"Notes from ARLT SIG 9th March 2023 webinar –\u00a0Anti-oppressive Pedagogies in Online Learning with Mar\u00eda Migu\u00e9liz Valcarlos","author":"ALT","date":"1 June 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This blog was originally posted on 23 April 2023 on Dr Teeroumanee Nadan's blog teeroumaneenadan.com. The \u201cAnti-oppressive pedagogies in online learning: a critical review\u201d (https:\/\/bit.ly\/3KwiAO9) paper had been the subject of discussion in a few previous ARLT SIG events and email exchanges in the past, and it was with much\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Anti-Racism and Learning Technology SIG"","block_context":{"text":"Anti-Racism and Learning Technology SIG","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/anti-racism-sig\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/06\/MMV_march23.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/06\/MMV_march23.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/06\/MMV_march23.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/06\/MMV_march23.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":775,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2022\/05\/775\/","url_meta":{"origin":5864,"position":2},"title":"An intersectional approach to learning technology","author":"ALT","date":"6 May 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The field of learning technology, also known as e-learning, educational technology and digital education,\u00a0 has been defined as the broad range of communication, information and related technologies that are used to support learning, teaching and assessment (Association for Learning Technology, 2021). \u00a0 Collins and Bilge (2020) define\u00a0 intersectionality as a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Announcements"","block_context":{"text":"Announcements","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/announcements\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9826,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2021\/11\/engaging-children-online-at-the-study-buddy-club-a-novel-case-study\/","url_meta":{"origin":5864,"position":3},"title":"Engaging Children Online at The Study Buddy Club: A Novel Case Study","author":"Christina Vines","date":"18 November 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Introduction\u00a0 This case study outlines a project run by a UK university during the third Covid-19 lockdown (February-March 2021). Responding to the challenges faced by working parents homeschooling their children, university students in need of work experience, and the detrimental impacts of children missing school, the \u2018Study Buddy Club\u2019 showcases\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Case studies"","block_context":{"text":"Case studies","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/case-studies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Remote Working","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/11\/remote-working-g9989a196b_640.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/11\/remote-working-g9989a196b_640.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2021\/11\/remote-working-g9989a196b_640.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11412,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2023\/08\/dancing-pedagogy-reflections-on-my-learning-design-journey\/","url_meta":{"origin":5864,"position":4},"title":"Dancing pedagogy: Reflections on my learning design journey","author":"ALT","date":"18 August 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"My first experience of academic conferences was when I was an educational designer in Australia and attended and subsequently presented at the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) annual conference.\u00a0 My recollections of these conferences were positive where there was a good mix of listening, reflecting,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "altc23"","block_context":{"text":"altc23","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/events\/altc23\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/08\/IMG_4884.jpg?fit=525%2C394&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/08\/IMG_4884.jpg?fit=525%2C394&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2023\/08\/IMG_4884.jpg?fit=525%2C394&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5253,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2015\/11\/padlet-digital-walls-for-sharing-learning-and-teaching\/","url_meta":{"origin":5864,"position":5},"title":"Padlet – digital walls for sharing, learning and teaching.","author":"annehole","date":"12 November 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Several staff at the University of Sussex are using the free Padlet tool in their teaching. This post focuses on two examples. Padlet is an online board or \u2018wall\u2019 where multiple users can post text, documents, images, videos, music, and weblinks in one of several visually appealing formats. You can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "App review"","block_context":{"text":"App review","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/app-review\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Padlet wall created by students for DIY Digital","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2015\/10\/cc-5001.png?fit=500%2C358&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6CxU9-1wA","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/480"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5864"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5871,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5864\/revisions\/5871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}