Abstract:
Learning beyond the classroom in community and industry contexts is frequently regarded as a key element for the successful re-engagement of young people in alternative education settings. The development and maintenance of educational partnerships is highly reliant on personal connections. My doctoral research is based on fieldwork in a non-school provider of senior secondary education in Victoria and is focused on the learning experiences and outcomes of the students. Although a wide range of factors impact these experiences and outcomes, the students placed high value on opportunities afforded by the partnership between the provider/school/program and industry. This suggests the hard work of partnership collaboration is worthwhile. Drawing on interviews with students, program staff, and industry staff and organisational documentation this paper explores several elements of the work associated with establishing and maintaining this partnership.
Trust was an essential ingredient, partly due to the high status of the industry organisation. This was reflected in the establishment of the partnership, through the work of senior staff in the provider/school/program. On an ongoing basis, teaching staff were very aware of the need to maintain trust, placing responsibilities not only on their own interactions with industry staff, but also on the ways in which they ensured student behaviours protected this trust. Second, the benefit of the partnership for student learning and engagement lay in the authenticity, relevance and appeal of the opportunities provided through the industry organisation. Teaching staff worked collaboratively with industry staff to keep the focus of activities on student learning, although mutual benefit often flowed from this.
In this case study teachers are seen to undertake important boundary work, negotiating the imperatives of the stakeholder including students, community and industry. These teachers are passionate advocates of the community and industry learning experiences, but to make partnerships sustainable their enthusiasm must be backed up with professional development and suitable organisational structures.
Trust was an essential ingredient, partly due to the high status of the industry organisation. This was reflected in the establishment of the partnership, through the work of senior staff in the provider/school/program. On an ongoing basis, teaching staff were very aware of the need to maintain trust, placing responsibilities not only on their own interactions with industry staff, but also on the ways in which they ensured student behaviours protected this trust. Second, the benefit of the partnership for student learning and engagement lay in the authenticity, relevance and appeal of the opportunities provided through the industry organisation. Teaching staff worked collaboratively with industry staff to keep the focus of activities on student learning, although mutual benefit often flowed from this.
In this case study teachers are seen to undertake important boundary work, negotiating the imperatives of the stakeholder including students, community and industry. These teachers are passionate advocates of the community and industry learning experiences, but to make partnerships sustainable their enthusiasm must be backed up with professional development and suitable organisational structures.