Description

In response to concerns that Canada's educational system - from public schools through colleges, universities and apprenticeship programmes - cannot adequately prepare students for work in the new economy, this book proposes alternation - a hybrid form of learning that, by combining experiential and cognitive learning skills, allows individuals to develop the relevant skills and intellectual capabilities to address and solve complex problems encountered in the workplace. Alternation involves not only a curricular balance between the theoretical and the practical but also two distinct venues for learning - the classroom and the workplace. The authors discuss cognitive and social learning, its implementation in a variety of settings, its role in smoothing the school/work transition process, and its potential to contribute to the knowledge and skills needed by the workforce. They bring a range of disciplinary perspectives to bear in their analyses of the principles and practices of alternation, providing historical, theoretical and practical insights. Their analysis contributes to and extends the debate and discussion surrounding necessary changes in education and training practices.