Digital dialog som redskap för utveckling av yrkeskunnande - en studie vid APL på gymnasieskolans vård- och omsorgsprogram

Sammanfattning: Berg Christoffersson, Gunilla (2015). Digital dialog som redskap för utveckling av yrkeskunnande - en studie vid APL på gymnasieskolans vård- och omsorgsprogram. (Digital dialogue as a tool for development of vocational knowing – A study during workplace-based learning in a Health and Social Care Program in Upper Secondary School) Stockholm University. Graduate school in the Pedagogy of Vocational Subjects. Written in Swedish with an English summary. Students vocational knowing is the focus of this study conducted in a Health and Social Care program in an Upper Secondary school. The empirical material for the study is drawn from a digital dialogue where students, teachers and professional supervisors described, reflected and gave feedback upon the vocational knowing that students take part of in their workplace-based learning (APL). Reflection on the practical part of the training usually takes place in the school environment because it is difficult to provide time and space for reflection at workplaces. The theoretical framework is based on a sociocultural perspective on learning (Säljö (2000). In this study the digital platform and the written dialogue, was used as a tool for communication and learning. The written digital dialogue was analyzed according to qualitative content analysis (Krippendorff, 2004; Graneheim & Lundman, 2004). Five categories emerged in the analysis of the data collection: relational knowing, knowledge of the care-recipients situation, knowing how to execute a task, emotion-related knowing and knowledge of the work environment. The result shows that it was the unexpected situations, students reflected most upon. In the analysis of the result these situations could be related to the affective knowledge according to Ellström (1992). These occasions would then show the ability to adapt, assess and identify unforeseen situations (cf. Lindberg, 2003). The feedback received in the dialogue is mostly in line with findings from earlier studies but differs in the way that the encouraging feedback, especially from other students, motivates students to develop their writing. This study contributes to existing research and emphasizes the importance of giving the students an opportunity to reflect in direct connection to workplace-based learning. The current study also shows that a digital dialogue is suitable to use as a tool for developing vocational knowing. The interaction between students, teachers and supervisors that is presented in this study also shows the possibilities to increase collaboration between school and workplace. KeywordsVocational knowing, reflection, digital dialogue, feedback, workplace-based learning