Kate Fannon

Learning everywhere, all at once

Changing context of vocational education and training - the new "worker-learner". Reality is changing for everyone, not just the Gen X and Y. Orientation to opportunities not jobs.

Solomon distinguished between the worker-learner and the learner-worker. But Kate would argue about this binary view - there is a greater mesh of choices and multiple, parallel sites for learning rather than a primary site of learning - closer to Billett, and the notion of the workplace as a place of social practice.

Aim of research (get from abstract)
21st century capacity building:
Drew on research and policy [ANTA Shaping our future, Wagner & Kozma about literacy, ACCI on employability skills, Mitchell in Emerging Futures, Schofield on Flexible learning futures in VET]

Construction of the worker-learner
need to have considered pathways for the disenfranschised or disengaged into VET because they may not know how to engage or feel invited to engage.
Students recognised benefit to a class where some people working in the field, although the teachers did not necessarily exploit this as much as they could. Students saw that they would be constantly learning through their lives, but there was still a level of disconnect between their learning and their lives.
Kate used a couple of examples of learners she had interviewed who demonstrated Billett's concept of learning taking place as social engagement in a wide range of locations. The student quotes demonstrated an awareness of the employability skills that are valued by employers but not always tied to accredited training well (or perhaps not made explicit by teachers in VET). Do VET teachers need to open the dialogue more with learners about where the learning can take place.

Locations for learning
in the workplace
formal
in a community group
online resource or group
informal
f2f social network

growing awareness in younger generation of the need for social over technical skills.