UNIT 1: LEARNING TO LEARN (35 HOURS)
This unit covers the fundamentals of a learning cycle. It is also founded on the principle of researching and pursuing a vocation in a real world context. Learners explore their own skills, attributes and work values to find clarity about their future work options.
Overview of the Learning Cycle
- The learning plan
- internship placement
- learning through internship
- planning and organising
- the exhibition
- reflection and assessment.
Learning to Learn
Key concepts:
- factors that affect self-concept and self confidence
- preferred learning styles, Multiple Intelligences, Metacognition, Blooms Taxonomy, the Learning Pyramid
- inquiry based learning
- learner agency
- realising personal potential (Renzulli)
- question matrix
- novice to expert model of skills acquisition (Dreyfus and Dreyfus)
- lifelong learning
- elements of the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) (e.g. mapping learner’s journey, learning goals, progression routes, learning targets, negotiate and plan, outcomes, timeframes, markers of success, resources, guidance and reflection)
- benefits of the PLP cycle in review prior to the Exhibition.
Thinking about thinking (metacognition)
Key concepts:
- habits of mind
- thinking strategies (e.g. brainstorming, mind maps, Plus-Minus-Interesting (PMI); Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT); Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate and Reverse (SCAMPER), chunking, 5 whys, reverse brainstorming, trial and error, hypothesis)
- executive functions
- locus of control
- memorisation
- reflection
- visualisation
- decision making
- goal setting
- backwards planning
- perspective taking
- divergent thinking
- problem solving
- imagining (synthesis).
Organisational skills
-
commence a personal reflection (e.g. assess skills: audit and describe strengths and weaknesses)
- establish learning goals
- describe personal organisational skills
- define models for decision making
- use a template, checklist or rubric to construct a project proposal and guide the reflection
- investigate pathways into further education, training and/or employment
- make a plan for transition into further education, training and/or employment
- refine career values: review previous career assessment results and examine the relationship to the internship choice
- map internship choices to previous careers assessments
- appraise changes in internship selection
- reflect on previous plans and refine the goals of the PLP with reference to personal qualities and prior learning.
Reflections and assessment
-
access the learning requirements for living and career building
- reflect on the requirements for a ‘happy and ‘fulfilled’ life, in the context of career building, community engagement and living a whole life
- construct the conditions of effective learning
- reflect on personal achievements including realistic self-appraisal
- seek, understand and apply feedback
- establish personal narrative on educational experiences
UNIT 2: INTERNSHIPS AND PROJECTS (80 HOURS)
Researching and engaging in an internship provides an authentic and powerful learning experience for learners to deeply develop skills, understandings and knowledge that will significantly improve their planning capability and likelihood of transitioning into successful futures beyond school.
In this unit learners refine their choices of internships and formalise a relationship with a mentor who will provide guidance and support on the internship. Learners investigate the internship, with a specific focus on pursuing their passion, and are exploring a negotiated area of interest. Learners develop a project with a mentor/workplace that addresses a key issue or area of interest in the internship. The agreed projects should reflect the learner’s goals and have mutual benefit to the learner and the supporting organisation, enabling authenticity and rigorous learning to be achieved.
An internship is an ongoing experience where the learner engages with professional mentors and organisations outside of the school context. They create authentic experiences by developing projects based on the learner’s interests and learning goals. Learners will engage in a minimum of 10 days of Learning through Internships (LTI) experience. Teachers visit learners and internship mentors and will interview mentors to gain insight and evidence for feedback to the learners.
As a minimum learners will:
- prepare and conduct three informational interviews for the purpose of locating a potential internship host organisation
- organise and participate in one shadow day experience
- learners will engage in an internship with a host organisation supported by a mentor for a minimum of the equivalent of ten days.
Note: The equivalent of ten days may include one block of ten consecutive days, two blocks of five days or be one or two days a week over consecutive weeks. Occasionally for - legitimate reasons - internships may be terminated prior to the full ten days. In the event of an internship terminating early learners will negotiate an alternative organisation to fulfil the requirement of attending an internship placement for the equivalent of ten days.
While participating and engaging in an internship with a host organisation and mentor, learners will:
- document their observations of the functions and interactions of members and clients of the host organisations.
The internship placement will provide a rich environment and experience to develop a deeper understanding and capability for the skills and dispositions of workers (volunteer and or paid) within organisations. As the internship progresses learners will seek opportunities to complete tasks to support the mentor and organisation in its functions and services. While developing their own understanding and skills, the learners will make a contribution to the work of the mentor and or organisation. Throughout the internship the learner will negotiate with the mentor an opportunity to engage in a project that is of mutual benefit to the learner and organisation.
Identifying (exploring and researching interests and aspirations)
- create a plan with timeline targets and deadlines on a calendar or equivalent
- establish a research folio that assists in defining internship choices, pathways to the chosen career and tracks societal factors that may affect that career
- identify pathways for internship (e.g. volunteer organisation, artistic endeavour, workplaces, recreation services and facilities).
Observing (Engaging in shadow days)
- understand the internship process (e.g. setting goals, types of internships, internship programs, selecting an internship, application and interviews):
- the value of an internship
- the role and responsibilities of a mentor
- process for communicating with a mentor.
Investigating (Conducting informational interviews)
- using informational interviews, clarify potential internships and construct a communication strategy to secure an internship partnership
- refine the internship goals and assess the potential to establish and maintain a long term connection with a mentor.
Preparing (Negotiating an internship placement)
- identify communication strategies with a mentor, which encourage the development of skills to review data, establish a proposal, enact a project and evaluate its efficacy
- exercise skills in using e-mail, digital conferencing tools, electronic spreadsheets and other databases to clarify the project goals.
Participating (Commencing an Internship, developing a project, monitoring progress of the project)
- commence a formal Learning through Internship (LTI) partnership
- undertake an LTI project in liaison with a workplace mentor
- seek progressive feedback from mentor(s) throughout the internship .
Reflecting (learning and growth)
-
develop samples of work that could be viewed in a formal interview
- reflect on quality of the work undertaken
- reflect on own progress and achievements
- review challenges and opportunities and actions taken
- seek and consider feedback from others.
UNIT 3: EXHIBITIONS (35 HOURS)
Learners make a presentation* to a panel demonstrating how they have worked towards achieving their PLP and their Learning Goals, managed their projects and the learning process and engaged in their internship. Learners will be required to demonstrate evidence of learning within each of their identified goals.
*see Work Requirements below.
Communication
- utilise various methods of communication (e.g. verbal and non-verbal, formal and informal)
- communicating using new technologies (e.g. Skype, Adobe Connect, social networking platforms, Vodcast, multimedia)
- adaption of communication for different audiences and contexts
- organising participants for an exhibition panel
- investigating effective interpersonal skills
- developing and using personal support networks (e.g. mentors, parents, teachers, institutions)
- utilise problem solving techniques including cause and effect, pros and cons, thinking processes
- draft and edit personal narratives to include reflections on the contents of both the research and personal folios
- present portfolio during exhibition
- develop goals for post-school options from the understanding gained on internship.
Preparation
- refine communication strategies and develop use of digital presentation tools
- practice recording the exhibition using digital technologies
- refine the exhibition process to include alternative technologies as appropriate that could include trialling a “virtual” Exhibition, utilising a video conferencing platform and other web based applications
- prepare the research project evaluation, a portfolio of work samples, testimonials and evaluation from mentors and parents and use these at the Exhibition.
Exhibition
- apply communication skills by delivering a final exhibition that explores the topic -“Reflection and plan for the future”
- record and publish the final exhibition as a presentation incorporating digital tools
- edit and finalise all previous learning narratives to publish these as a detailed reflective journal
- collect program evaluation and testimonials from parent/carer and mentors and add these to the portfolio space.
Reflection and Evaluation
- identify and appraise three career options that relate closely to their internship and investigate pathways between those careers. In the research folio, investigate training and further education options to gain entry to these careers
- jointly publish a completed project evaluation with the mentor and have it ready for exhibition participants to evaluate prior to the Exhibition.