Exploration of Vocational Training

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• Exploration of Vocational Training
• Day 1

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The Animators

• Cheryl Pratt
• Responsable de programmes MELS
• Personal Orientation Project
• Exploration of Vocational Training
• cpratt_at_lbpsb.qc.ca
• Rob Buttars
• Centre Director
• New Frontiers School Board
• Pilot centre MELS Field Testing Group
• rbuttars_at_csnewfrontiers.qc.ca
• Mike Helm
• Principal
• Howard S. Billings Regional High School
• New Frontiers School Board
• Pilot school MELS Field Testing Group
• mhelm_at_csnewfrontiers.qc.ca

• Sasha Geukjian
• Teacher
• Chateauguay Regional High School
• New Frontiers School Board
• Pilot school
• sgeukjian_at_csnewfrontiers.qc.ca
• Desmond Byrne
• Teacher
• Howard S. Billings Regional High School
• New Frontiers School Board
• Pilot school
• dbyrne1_at_csnewfrontiers.qc.ca
• Workshop Participants

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Explos uniqueness

• Program that
• could be 50 or 100 hours
• is structured in very different ways depending
  upon the milieu
• addresses a diverse student clientele
• necessitates a partnership between the teacher
  and the collaborators.
• is teacher driven, whereas POP is student driven.
• Teachers
• of all disciplines might be notified of this
  assigned course at the last moment.

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Pedagogical Intentions

• Question
• What learning situations can I offer to my
  students in order that they may discover the
  world of vocational training and contemplate
  their place in it?
• Activities in the workshop to address this
  question
• creating some leads in the work force to ensure
  successful implementation
• establishing a plan for the first 10 classes
• considerations for yearly planning
• initial work on developing an LES

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Today - Day 1

• Morning
• Welcome
• Why Explo?
• Myths and prejudices associated with vocational
  training
• Presentation of the program
• Afternoon
• Presentation of the program (continued)
• Implementation planning and budget rules

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Tomorrow - Day 2

• Morning
• Panel of teachers piloting Explo
• Collaboration for success
• Group work in order to plan the first 10 classes
• An example of the first 10 classes
• Afternoon
• Yearly planning
• Evidence for evaluation
• Whats next?

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Putting it into context

• Activity 1 The trades and vocational training
  programs
• How to check if trades or programs are part of
  vocational training?
• Reference resources
• Different documents on vocational training
• Different Web sites
• http//www.inforoutefpt.org/
• http//www.headingforsuccess.com/en/
• http//www.clickvoc.qc.ca/
• http//repertoireppo.qc.ca/en

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Programs available in the English sector

• The 9 English school boards are one region.
• Collaboration between youth and adult sectors.
• Programs are shared throughout this one region.
• The map of authorizations.
• Available French school board programs.
• Private institutions and industry.

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Myths and prejudices associated with vocational
training

• Does vocational training enjoy the same
  reputation as technical training and university
  education? Students, parents, and other
  professionals often have preconceived ideas and
  prejudices about vocational training.

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What Explo aims for.and what it does not aim for

• Exploration of Vocational Training is a course
  that encourages students to explore vocational
  training in a broad sense.
• It is not the objective of Exploration of
  Vocational Training to drive students into
  vocational training.

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Why Explo?

• Recommendations of the Conseil supérieur de
  léducation
• Opinion of the Comité-conseil on programs
• Ministerial Strategic Plan
• Government policy for equality between women and
  men
• Chapeau les filles

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Portrait of an Explo teacher

• A professional who
• is comfortable with students assuming an active
  role and guiding them (but teacher directed)
• is willing to use and learn new technologies
• is interested in the personal and professional
  path of students
• is conscious of the importance of using a variety
  of teaching strategies
• is able to manage a class that frequently
  accesses the Internet and researches
  documentation
• encourages the development of student autonomy
• is aware of what vocational training has to offer
• is willing to collaborate with colleagues in the
  vocational training centres, community, etc.

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Explo program

• The pedagogical context

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4 broad categories of activities (ORIE)
O Observation The student observes work
functions. He/she is a participating
observer. The teacher is a guide.
I Information-gathering The student obtains
information about various aspects of vocational
training. He/she is the researcher. The teachers
is a facilitator, guide.
R Reflection The student analyzes his/her
experience with significant adults and
classmates. He/she is an agent of reflection. The
teacher is a facilitator, guide and coach.
E Experiential activities The student performs
tasks or functions related to vocational training
in a real or virtual environment. He/she plays
an active role. The teachers is a guide,
mediator.
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Learning situation 1

• In the context of broadening our exploration
  (knowledge), today we will explore four programs
  that are not well known.
• Assignment
• In groups of 4
• Provide a portrait of a program
• Give a presentation to another group
• Reflect on the programs explored

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Learning situation 1

• Task 1 Portrait of a program
• Each group will be assigned one of the following
  programs
• RV Maintenance
• Telecommunications Equipment Installation and
  Repair
• Interior Decoration and Display
• Butchery

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Learning situation 1

• Task 1 Portrait of a program
• For each exploration, you must
• Name the vocational training sector this program
  belongs to.
• Name a few other programs from the same sector.
• Name some possible trades and occupations
  associated with the program
• Describe the tasks someone who has completed the
  program is capable of accomplishing.  
• Describe some personality traits of a person
  working in a trade associated with this program.
• List the program prerequisites.
• List prior knowledge and ability that would
  benefit a student entering the program.
• Check that your information is valid.
• Use at least three exploration strategies.

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Learning situation 1

• Task 2 Share the portrait with another group
  (for this workshop, please present three
  interesting pieces of information to the whole
  group)
• Be prepared to give a 6-minute presentation on
  the training program.
• Use different formats to support your
  presentation be creative.
• Participate by asking questions.
• Use at least two communication strategies.
• Organize the sharing of information so that it is
  interesting.
• Task 3 Personal profile (individually, homework)
• Formulate a summary of what you have learned.
• Are there links between the interests and skills
  required for the program and those that you
  possess?
• Use two metacognitive strategies.

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What resources you could use

• Pamphlets
• Internet sites

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4 broad categories of activities (ORIE)
O Observation The student observes work
functions. He/she is a participating
observer. The teacher is a guide.
Visits to the skills competition
Salons
means
Student for a day
Virtual visits
Etc.
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4 broad categories of activities (ORIE)
Summary of reflections
Concept mapping
ePEARL
Portfolio or webfolio
Etc.
means
R Reflection The student analyzes his/her
experience with significant adults and
classmates. He/she is an agent of reflection. The
teacher is a facilitator, guide and coach.
Sharing
Log book
Evaluation of learning
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4 broad categories of activities (ORIE)
I Information-gathering The student obtains
information about various aspects of vocational
training. He/she is the researcher. The teachers
is a facilitator, guide.
Activities offered by vocational training centres
Sessions with trades people and vocational
training students
means
Interviews, mentors
Presentations
Personal Accounts
Salons, career day
Meetings with guidance counsellors and other
career professionals
Documents, books, pamphlets
Internet sites
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4 broad categories of activities (ORIE)
Workshops and activities in a vocational training
centre
Experiential job shadowing activities at a
workplace
POP tool kits
Experiential job shadowing activities in a
vocational training centre
means
E Experiential activities The student performs
tasks or functions related to vocational training
in a real or virtual environment. He/she plays
an active role. The teachers is a guide,
Mediator.
Virtual job simulations
Etc.
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Explo program

• The content

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Program content
Attitudes Responsibility for the
exploration Open-mindedness Introspection
Strategies Exploration strategies
Information gathering experiential activities
observation Metacognitive strategies Career-planni
ng strategies Communication strategies Socioeconom
ic and Cultural references
Competencies Explores vocational
training Contemplates his/her suitability for
vocational training
Tools Experiential tools for exploration Observati
on tools and methods Information-gathering and
documentary research tools and methods Reflective
and follow-up tools Methodological tools
Concepts Concepts related to vocational
training Concepts related to the job
market Concepts related to the career guidance
process
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Explo program

• The competencies

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Competency 1
Learns about different trades and occupations ?
Performs tasks associated with selected trades
and occupations ? Considers the specific
requirements of these trades and occupations ?
Recognizes the advantages and disadvantages of
practising these trades and occupations ?
Considers the career prospects associated with
these trades and occupations ? Participates in
one or more experiential job shadowing
activity(ies)

• Consults different sources of academic and career
  information
• Becomes familiar with the classification of
  programs by sector
• Uses various documentary resources
• Visits training centres and workplaces
• ? Meets workers or vocational training teachers
  or vocational training students
• ? Makes connections between elements of
  information gathered

Explores vocational training
Takes stock of his/her discoveries ? Makes
connections between these trades and occupations
and the related programs ? Identifies the
particular features of vocational training ?
Adjusts his/her perceptions of trades and
occupations explored and of vocational training ?
Writes a report on his/her experiential job
shadowing activity(ies)

• Evaluation Criteria
• ? Diversity of explorations  
• ? Diversity of exploration strategies
• Validation of information gathered
• Accurate analysis of his/her discoveries  

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Competency 2
Considers the possibility of enrolling in
vocational training ? Compares his/her goals and
aspirations with vocational training program
requirements ? Envisions a few steps in his/her
learning path ? Exams his/her desire to pursue
vocational training

• Updates his/her personal profile
• ? Re-examines his/her personal qualities
• Makes connections between his/her personal
  profile and the trades and occupations
  explored
• Makes connections between his/her personal
  profile and vocational training program
  requirements
• Takes into account the limitations or
  obligations of the trades and occupations explored

Contemplates his/her suitability for vocational
training
Shares his/her reflections ? Discusses the
results of his/her explorations with classmates ?
Talks with parents or other trusted people he/she
trusts ? Draws on these discussions to broaden
his/her reflections

• Evaluation Criteria
• Relevance of the elements of reflection on
  his/her personal profile
• Relevance of the elements of reflection on
  his/her choice of path
• Effectiveness of communication   

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Explo program

• ORIE in my milieu

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Using resources in your milieu

• Resources in school and school board services
• Material and human resources in the vocational
  training centres
• Material belonging to the POP class
• Material developed locally
• Community resources
• Workers and parents
• Businesses
• Sector councils, etc.

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Brainstorming session
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Resources available to your students

• Prepare a list of resources available to your
  students according to the vocational training
  sectors and the categories of activities (ORIE).

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Resources available to your students

• Focus on possible experiential activities

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Budget rules

• Classroom setup monies already received
  POP-style classrooms
• Youth Sector section 2.2 pages 20 21
• 80 per student in 2-credit course
• 200 per student in 4-credit course
• Access funds at the end of the year when
  declaring the results for the students
  (pass/fail, even if student leaves in first term)
  
• Vocational Training Sector Mesure 30280
• 7 million for the promotion of VT programs. A
  portion of the monies is targeted to youth under
  20 years old in order to expose them to
  exploratory VT activities.

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Wrap up day 1

• Any parting comments?
• Any questions?
• Any questions or comments for the Parking Lot?

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• Exploration of Vocational Training
• Day 2

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Day 2

• Morning
• Panel of teachers piloting Explo
• Collaboration for success
• Group work in order to plan the first 10 classes
• An example of the first 10 classes
• Afternoon
• Yearly planning
• Evidence for evaluation
• Whats next?

38
Panel of teachers piloting Explo

• Sasha Geukjian, teacher, Chateauguay Valley
  Regional High School, New Frontiers School Board
• Desmond Byrne, teacher, Howard S. Billings
  Regional High School, New Frontiers School Board

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Collaboration for success

• Staffing
• Locale
• Timetabling
• Disparities between sectors
• Safety
• Unexpected

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Where to start? First 10 classes

• The classroom environment
• The role of vocational training programs
• Knowledge of oneself and links with vocational
  training programs
• Myths and prejudices
• Vocational training sectors
• Visits in order to explore the sectors

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My first 10 classes2 or 4 credits

• Class 1
• Class 2
• Class 3
• Class 4
• Class 5

• Class 6
• Class 7
• Class 8
• Class 9
• Class 10

• Download the document from the LEARN Web site
  www.learnquebec.ca
• Save the plan of your groups first 10 classes on
  the computer desktop. Send a copy to Nancy
  Kerec, nkerec_at_learnquebec.ca, who will post them
  at the same location.

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Examples of the first 10 classes
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Considerations for yearly planning

• The gradual increased complexity of the
  exploration and development of the competencies
• Availability of resources
• Dates of scheduled events (career fairs)
• Registration dates of scheduled events
• Interests and needs of the students
• Consider that some programs are more exciting
  than others

• Different school calendars for different programs
  in the vocational training centres
• The nuances of each program and centre
• Programs with a waiting list
• How exploration activities relate to the
  realities of youth (BAL, summer employment)

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Learning situation

• An open class environment that encourages sharing
  between classmates.
• All 21 sectors covered
• Accommodate the interests of your students
• Categories of activities - ORIE
• Observation
• Reflection
• Information-gathering
• Experiential activities

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Keeping track of evidence for evaluation

• Exploration booklet
• Journal
• Student interviews
• Other evaluation tools
• Different evidence of competency development
• Other ideas?

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Wrap up
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Support your implementation

• Exploration of Vocational Training
• www.learnquebec.ca
• Explo Forum (coming soon)
• www.learnquebec.ca
• Teacher training on line
• Coming soon
• Ministerial Team
• Working to meet your needs
• POP/Explo Network
• Sharing and developing together