Innovative and Creative Skills in Norwegian Upper Secondary VET. A Case Study from Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School

Transcription

1 Innovative and Creative Skills in Norwegian Upper Secondary VET A Case Study from Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School 1

2 This article is based on a common structure defined by Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training). The content and the opinions expressed belong only to the authors. 2

3 1.0 Introduction This article deals with innovative and creative skills in Norwegian upper secondary vocational education and training (VET). The first part of the article provides the general background of the upper secondary education and training system, regulations and curricula. It describes the framework within which the County Authorities, the Norwegian VET schools and training establishments operate. It further points to elements in the system, regulations and the curricula that seek to foster innovative and creative skills amongst VET pupils and apprentices. The second part goes in-depth into how one Norwegian VET school provides education in innovation and new technology within the regulatory frames. The case is referred to as the Blakstad Model from Blakstad Upper Secondary School, now part of Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School. The school is located in the southern part of Norway in the county of Aust- Agder. 2.0 Norwegian Upper Secondary VET structure Central to the Norwegian upper secondary education and training system is the Education Act of 17 th of July 1998 no. 61, (the Education Act, Opplæringsloven, with the latest amendments in force as of 1 st August 2010). It covers primary, lower and upper secondary general education and VET, including apprenticeship training, for young people and adults, delivered by both public and private institutions. It states that the Ministry of Education and Research (Kunnskapsdepartementet) has overall responsibility for national policy development and administration of all levels of education and training. The Act delegates the responsibility for the provision of Upper Secondary Education and Training to the 19 County Authorities (fylkeskommuner). The county authorities have a high degree of autonomy, each with a locally elected decision-making body and an executive body. The counties receive block grants from the state and the county authorities must organise and distribute the grant to the upper secondary schools. People who finish compulsory lower secondary education in Norway have a statutory right to three years of upper secondary education. They can choose among three general study programmes and nine general VET programmes. Most upper secondary VET programmes lead to a trade or journeyman s certificate (fag- og svennebrev) at NQF level 4A and EQF level 4. Currently approximately 180 such certificates are available at this level of education. About 52 per cent of the pupils who started the first year of upper secondary education in 2014 selected one of the nine vocational programmes. The majority of pupils in upper secondary education are in the age group years. 3

4 2.1 The 2+2 Model Most upper secondary VET programmes follow a 2+2 model. This means that VET programmes are organised usually with the first two years of education and training in a VET school. This period is followed by two years of formalised apprenticeship training in an enterprise (see figure 1). The schools are responsible for the education and training the two first years, while the training enterprises are responsible for the two last years. However, the county authorities have an overarching responsibility for all aspects of public upper secondary education and training, including the apprenticeship training. Figure 1. The 2+2 Model with structure of subjects The curricula and the number of teaching hours per subject in the two years of school-based VET are laid down in national regulations and illustrated in figure 1. The VET schools are required to comply with these regulations. As figure 1 illustrates, the two-year period in school is divided into three categories of subjects. The first category is called the Common Core Subjects (fellesfag) which include the subjects Norwegian, English, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science and Social Science. These subjects are the same for all pupils in the nine VET programmes. The curricula is broad which gives VET schools and teachers an opportunity to make these common core subjects relevant to VET. The second category is the Common Programme Subject (programfag). These subjects include trade specific theory and practice. The first year, upper secondary level 1 (Vg1), these subjects consist of a general introduction to the vocational field. The broad entrance to the vocational area gives pupils time to mature and decide upon a trade/craft of their interest. The 4

5 pupils also get an understanding of other trades in the same sector. The second year, upper secondary level 2 (Vg2), these subjects become more trade specific as the learner chooses a more specific group of trades this year. The In-depth Study Project (prosjekt til fordypning) normally consists of hands-on training in workshops at schools and short work placements in enterprises. It aims to give pupils an opportunity to try out one or more aspects of relevant trades within the VET programme. The pupils gain experience with the content, tasks and working methods that characterise the different professions within the programme. For the pupils who get work placements, the alternation between school-based and work-based training gives the pupils valuable experiences at an early stage. They acquire social and behavioural skills as they communicate and participate in teamwork with professional staff in the enterprise. The subject further gives pupils insight into how it is to work in a given sector. Often pupils sign apprenticeship contracts with the enterprise where they had short work placements. 2.2 The two year apprenticeship After two years in school, two years of apprenticeship training in a training enterprise follows for most VET pupils. This period equals one year of work-based training, and one year of productive work in the training enterprise. The apprentice signs a legally binding apprenticeship contract with the training enterprise and a representative from the county authorities. By law, apprentices are employees of the enterprise and have the rights and duties as such. They are entitled to a salary that increases with the apprentice's productivity during the two-year apprenticeship period. It normally starts with 30 per cent and increases to 80 per cent of a skilled worker s salary. In the school year 2013/2014, there were registered apprentices in Norway. The two-year apprenticeship allows the apprentice to learn technical skills, specialist knowledge and expertise in the trade. Work-based learning gives the apprentice valuable competences such as trade specific problem solving skills. There is no statuary right to an apprenticeship placement in a training enterprise. However, people have a right to upper secondary education. As of December 2013, there were people who applied but did not get apprenticeship contract in a training enterprise. The county authorities are required to provide them with one year of practical school-based training (Vg3 opplæring i skole) as a substitute for an apprenticeship placement. Of the 5 750, 357 pupils nationwide attended such practical training in school in 2013 (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training 2014). The alternative is costly for the counties and VET schools, and Vg3 pupils often perform poorer in their trade and journeyman s examinations. 5

6 3.0 National Curricula The National Curriculum for Knowledge Promotion in Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Education and Training (Læreplanverket for Kunnskapsløftet) states the objectives of the learner through learning outcomes. The National Curricula consists of five parts: the Subject Curricula, Distribution of Teaching Hours per Subject, the Distribution of Education Programmes, the Core Curriculum and the Quality Framework. The Subject Curricula consists of the curricula for all subjects. It stipulates objectives, main subject areas and basic skills. The main subject areas describe what the pupil and apprentice should be able to do. The subject curricula also describes the principles for assessment. Decisions regarding the organisation, methods and work methods are left to the education and training institutions. The Distribution of Teaching Hours is set at the national level and provides an overview of how the total teaching hours shall be distributed for each subject, hence figure 1 above for upper secondary VET. The Distribution of Education Programmes for both primary and secondary education is set at a national level. At the upper secondary level, this includes the provision of programmes, subjects and crafts, and teaching hours at each level. The Core Curriculum deepens appreciation for basic values such as moral outlook, creative abilities, preparing for life at work and in society, general education, cooperation and ecological understanding. It highlights the importance of the creative human, and how creative skills in humans can develop and improve technology and society. The Core Curriculum states that education must show how inventiveness and creativity continuously has changed living conditions and society in the given historical context. The last part of the National Curriculum is the Quality Framework. It consists of the principles that clarify the school owners (municipalities and county authorities ) responsibility. Key competences are integrated into the Quality Framework, such as learning strategies, social competences, cultural competences, motivation to learn and pupil participation. The design of the National Curriculum allows for local adjustments and builds on the principle that learning outcomes can be achieved in different ways. It is the responsibility of school owners and schools to organise these processes and to see the different parts of the curricula in relation to the local context. 6

7 4.0 The Case: The Blakstad Model Having provided a general background, the following section will present the Blakstad Model from Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School. The section will show how the school delivers education in new technology and innovation within the regulatory frames described above. 4.1 The Blakstad Model The Blakstad Model started as a pioneer project in June 2009 when VET pupils in the programme for Building and Construction built four energy effective houses, called passive houses. The project was part of the two first years of school-based training at Blakstad Upper Secondary School, now Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School. The houses are owed by the local Municipality of Froland who was the client in the project. The houses have a universal design suitable for disadvantaged people in the municipality. Today the houses are completed and people have moved into them. The Blakstad Model has moved into a second phase where VET pupils renovate houses from the 1970s into passive houses. These houses are owned by the Municipality of Arendal. The current project is an experiment to see if it is possible to rehabilitate such houses cost efficiently to achieve passive house standard. The essential characteristic of the Blakstad Model is that VET pupils build passive houses and learn about the technology and methods of building such houses as part of the school-based training. The first phase of the Blakstad Model was a partnership between Blakstad Upper Secondary School, the Norwegian State Housing Bank (Husbanken), Froland Municipality, the University of Agder, and an architect firm called BGM Architects AS. The project has been characterised as a win-win project as all partners benefited in different ways. The Norwegian State Housing Bank initiated the partnership and financed parts of the project. The Blakstad Upper Secondary School was the entrepreneur and cooperated with the other partners throughout the project. The project also involved students from the Agder University who studied passive house technology. In The Blakstad Model, an upper secondary VET school is in charge of a relatively large and complex building project. For the school the main aim is for VET pupils to learn skills, competences and new technology. Finishing the building is important too, however, for the Blakstad Model to work the customer must understand that the building process is mainly a means for VET pupils to learn. A passive house differs from regular houses in the sense that they have higher requirements to the structure s heat loss, sealing, insulation etc. The demand for energy for heating is significantly lower in passive houses. This is achieved by high requirements of insulation in 7

8 walls, floors, ceilings, windows and doors. It also entails that the house is built with minimal air leakage and heat leaks. The term passive reflects that the houses mainly use passive solutions with longevity. The advantage is generally low energy consumption and better comfort. The main rationale for the school to take part in the project was to equip their VET pupils with skills and knowledge that are required in the future building and construction sector. The environmental focus of the project coincided with the broader environmental ambitions of the Aust-Agder County Authorities. Today all schools in the county are certified as Eco Lighthouse, the most widely recognised certification scheme for environmental efforts. Thus, Sam Eyde has continued to incorporate environmental perspectives in the teaching of the Building and Construction programmes. Efforts were merged, and today Sam Eyde with the Blakstad model in Building and Construction is at the forefront of environmental housing technology and energy conservation projects. 4.2 Organising the training When the first phase of the Blakstad Model was about to start, VET teachers and the schooladministration had limited knowledge about passive house technology and pedagogics. The available teaching materials and theory books did not contain such information either. The building and construction sector in the region was not familiar with passive house technology. Thus, the first phase of the Blakstad Model is often referred to as a pedagogical experiment. Firstly, the VET teachers in the Building and Construction Programme had to go through technical training in passive house technology. Secondly, VET teachers together with the other partners had to develop pedagogical plans and methods in the process of teaching passive house technology. Thus, the Blakstad Model also became a development project for the entire school to increase the competence of the teachers and school staff. Due to the project, the school became a regional driver in technological development and innovation. This has continued into the present phase two in the Blakstad Model. Due to the limited knowledge about passive house technology and methods, the partners in the Blakstad Model project invited the building and construction sector in the region to regular breakfast meetings. The aim of the meetings was to make the sector aware of the competence the VET pupils in the Blakstad Model projects had. Another aim was for the sector to discuss the technology and methods with passive house professionals and architects. According to the national set programme structure, The Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School provides two courses at the second year (Vg2) of school-based training in the VET programme for Building and Construction (se figure 2 below). Pupils from both Vg2 courses are involved in the Blakstad project. Figure 2. below shows the Building and Construction education the 8

9 school offers, including the trades which the pupils can choose between at the third year (Vg3) when they start the apprenticeship training: Figure 2. Sam Eyde Building and Construction Programme Vg3 Concrete Work Vg2 Construction Techniques Vg3 Carpentry Vg3 Bricklaying Vg1 Building and Construction Vg3 Scaffolding Vg2 Climate, Energy and Environment Work Vg3 Plumbing Vg3 Roofing Vg3 Ventilation and Tinsmith work In the Blakstad Model, the Vg 1 pupils attend the first year of training at school and the teaching is organised in classrooms and school workshops. The first year is a general introduction to the vocational area. The second year, the training is more trade specific and the Vg2 pupils start their training at the building site of the passive houses. The school organises the training by using the Common Programme Subjects, in total 50 per cent of the time. Some of the time in the In-Depth Study Project is also used in the project. However, the In-Depth Study Project is mostly spent in short work placements in local enterprises. In addition, the pupils attend classroom training for the five Common Core Subjects. Even though the school includes a wide range of trades in the project, some relevant trades are not a part of the project. For instance in Painting and Landscaping, external enterprises are hired to do the job as the school lack VET teachers in these trades. In Electrical Trades the complexity of electrical installations, including demands for certification makes it too difficult to combine with training of VET pupils in the Blakstad Model projects. Thus, the school hired such services externally. 9

10 A few Vg3 pupils in school-based learning have also participated in the Blakstad Model projects. As work-based training as an apprentice is preferred, the school works actively to find apprenticeships for the Vg3 pupils while they are in school-based training. However, according to one of the teachers, these Vg3 pupils received high quality training, since they were on a proper building site and not in a school workshop. The VET teachers further gave the Vg3 pupils the responsibility to renovate the entire plumbing system. Vg1 pupils are not directly involved in the Blakstad Model projects in the sense that they do not get practical experience from the passive house building sites. The main focus for these pupils is to get a broad year of introduction to the sector and the different trades. However, the knowledge about the technology in passive house and building and construction in an environmental perspective is transferred to Vg1 pupils too. They know about the project and are eager to start the second year to work and learn more about the project. Sam Eyde is also planning to include the passive house technology into the teaching and in the construction of the smaller houses in-doors for Vg1 pupils soon. 4.3 Challenges, results and lessons learnt The main aim of the Blakstad Model for the school is to increase motivation and educate skilled VET pupils. To achieve these goals, the VET teachers and the school in general had to develop competence and expertise in energy effectiveness and passive house technology. Digital learning platforms were used as the traditional books did not deal with such topics. The school became a driver of technological development, and the projects inspired the local building and construction sector, and other VET schools to follow suit. However, the Blakstad Model is also experiencing obstacles. Firstly, the school has similar challenges as other VET schools in Norway, such as higher dropout rates from VET programmes than in the general study programmes. VET teachers from Sam Eyde also said that many pupils lack foundational skills in mathematics when they start upper secondary education. Like other schools, Sam Eyde also has social challenges among pupils. Such challenges are common and affect schools and teaching processes, including the projects in the Blakstad Model. Mixing pedagogics with a complex building project that must be completed within a given timeframe is a challenging task. Thus, the staff at Sam Eyde highlighted that it is important that all partners in the project understand that it is not only about finishing the structure in time, but also about pedagogics and the follow up of pupils. From their experience, it was therefore preferable to have public institutions to cooperate with, rather than private. A lesson from the first phase of the Blakstad Model is that not enough resources were allocated to management of the project. 10

11 A more specific and recurring challenge with Blakstad Model projects is that they last more than one school year. Such projects make planning and implementation difficult as there will be different VET pupils on the projects each year, which affect how the project progresses. Thus, it is important for the partners to understand that construction of the house is not the only aim when VET pupils build the house. The VET teachers need to take care of the pedagogical aspects and make sure pupils learn while building the house. The staffs at Sam Eyde involved in Blakstad Model projects therefore stress that for similar projects to work it is critical that all partners are familiar with the pedagogical aims of VET pupils. Demand for innovative skills The local building and construction sector had limited knowledge about energy efficiency and passive house technology. Therefore, the innovative knowledge and skills the VET pupils from the first phase of the Blakstad Model had was demanded in the labour market. According to staff from Sam Eyde, the VET pupil s part of the first phase were very attractive on the labour market. A reason for this could be that the enterprises demanded the knowledge the VET pupils had about passive house technology. Some enterprises became interested in taking in apprentices due to the Blakstad project. Other enterprises, that hosted Vg2 (upper secondary level 2) pupils in work placements as part of the In-Depth Study Project, were surprised about the knowledge the pupils had and wanted to hire them as apprentices. A VET teacher reported that some enterprises wanted the pupils to spend more time in the Blakstad Model project, to learn more about the technology before they commenced on their apprenticeship period. Increased motivation The hope with the Blakstad Model is that providing interesting projects with new technology and methods will motivate pupils. A director at Sam Eyde Upper Secondary School claimed that school projects where pupils build passive houses increases the professional pride of VET pupils. Pupils text friends saying, I am at work when they in fact are in school-based training in a Blakstad Model project. They also talk about the projects they participate in to their friends and family. For instance, the school administration observed in parent meetings to pupils that many of the parents knew about the Blakstad Model projects, and passive house technology. The VET teachers at Sam Eyde observe that the pupils involved in the Blakstad Model projects are generally motivated and professional in their work. An important reason for this is believed to be that projects give the pupils practical and relevant training, and that the houses will be in use afterwards. The school administration have also observed that the general pupil 11

12 satisfaction in surveys have increased over time. In the case of pupils in the Building and Construction Programme, a reason for this trend is believed to be the Blakstad Model projects. Another element that may explain the high motivation amongst the pupils in the Building and Construction Programme is that most of them had this option as their first choice when applying for upper secondary education. According to Norwegian law, pupils are entitled to admission to one out of three preferred upper secondary programmes. The share of pupils that quit during Vg2 in the Building and Construction Programme at Sam Eyde is similar to the national average. However, in the last two years the share of Vg2 pupils that quit during the school year is a bit lower at Sam Eyde than the national average. Curiosity and critical questioning The partnership with the University of Agder in the Blakstad Model projects illustrates for both the university students and the VET pupils the breadth of the building and construction sector. University bachelor students in Engineering conducted the necessary pressure tests with computers and technical equipment, to assess if the structure satisfied passive house standards. The presence of computers and technical equipment on the building site visualised for the VET pupils how the modern building and construction sector is. Sam Eyde VET teachers report that VET pupils are curious about the methods behind and the results from the tests. Due to the high interest, VET teachers spent time from Common Programme Subjects to teach mathematical calculations in passive house formulas to upper secondary VET pupils. The Continuation of the Blakstad Model The Norwegian State Housing Bank published a booklet with experiences and lessons learnt from the first phase of the Blakstad Model. It explains in detail how the project was planned, projected and implemented. It describes challenges and comes with suggestions to implementation. The aim with the booklet is to provide information for municipalities and upper secondary VET schools to start up and implement similar projects other places in the country. Inspired by the first phase of the Blakstad Model similar projects for VET pupils in the building and construction programme have spread to other places in Norway. Mandal Upper Secondary School in Vest-Agder started such a project in 2010 with the construction of ten passive houses for Mandal Municipality. Similar projects are also registered at Åfjord Upper Secondary School in South-Trøndelag and Kuben Upper Secondary School in Oslo (Norwegian State Housing Bank 2013). Most of the projects are partnership between a VET school, the local municipality and the Norwegian State Housing Bank. Staff from Sam Eyde have inspired and been asked to hold seminars about their experiences. 12

13 5.0 Conclusions This article started by providing a general background of the upper secondary education and training system, regulations and curricula in Norway. It provided the framework in which County Authorities, the VET schools and training establishments operate. The Blakstad Model case has shown how the broad outcome-based competence aims in the curricula facilitates local adjustments. It has further shown how a school has arranged for innovative and creative practice within the national framework. Despite challenges on the way, the Blakstad Model has been a pioneer project in the VET programme Building and Construction. It has used new technology, established complex partnerships and managed building projects, and incorporated VET pedagogics for pupils. VET pupils acquired technical skills and knowledge about technology that was not widely known in the private sector locally in the first phase of the Blakstad Model. The passive house standards will become a requirement for all new houses in the near future in Norway. The projects in the model stimulate the pupil s curiosity about technology and innovation, in combination with traditional building and construction methods. VET pupils from Blakstad Model projects are in general attractive on the job market as they have skills, competence and knowledge in demand in the building and construction sector. Moreover, the project increased the competence levels among the VET teachers and the school in general in this technology. References: The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (2014): Hva gjør de som ikke fikk læreplass? Statistikknotat Available at URL: guage=no The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (2014). Statistics provided by the Directorates internal Department for Statistics. The Norwegian State Housing Bank (2013). The Norwegian State Housing Bank (2013). 13