I have forecasted the future of apprenticeships, with a focus on the following aspects:
- Theoretical and practical knowledge
- Certification/assessments
Please view my assignment by clicking on the link below:
A3: The Future of Apprenticeships
8 responses to “A3: The Future of Apprenticeships”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Hello Vithu,
An excellently made A3. Apprenticeship is a metaphor for learning. Most university programs provide co-ops as workplace training, however there may be many restrictions.
There are many high school apprenticeship programs as well, and it might be difficult for students to travel to the workplace in these programs since they don’t drive yet.
Apprenticeships with VR sets, AR devices and extended reality can be an amazing learning experience but I also feel that hands on experience is always better than online experience as the amount of information we learn by touching the tools and using them with precaution is a skill. As much as I feel that apprenticeships with AR/Vr sets will be great experience but students will miss out on real world experience.
Hi Vithu,
I’m joining your fan base! This presentation is stunning. As soon as I looked at your website, I immediately googled Rise to see what it’s all about. This is by far one of the most fun things about the MET program, all the exposure to online platforms, mobile OER’s and technology that can be explored and utilised by students and educators.
I was intrigued by your introduction of XR (Extended Reality) as I have never heard of this all encompassing term before and I think its such a relevant and up and coming branch of educational technology (I included a Instant Immersive Translation AR Tool in my A3 tech forecast as well).
I believe that there are unlimited possibilities for XR in Education (as well as many other fields) and really look forward to being able to use various XR tech in future language learning classes. I just started teaching at the university level and have chanced to walk by classes that are filled with very bored looking students while their instructors are peering through ancient textbook while writing notes on the blackboard, and I can’t help but:
a. feel sorry for the students and fully appreciate why traditional language learning can be so frustrating and unsustainable
b. feel strongly inspired to provide engaging, technology-supplemented lessons and materials to keep students awake, present and enjoying themselves!
Thank you again for such a beautiful and important presentation 🙂
Dear Vithu,
It is projects like your A3 that make me really sad that we have reached the end of the course – I want ETEC 523 to continue! It is so cool in content, so free, bold, and daring.
I liked your predictions very much, but I have a doubt about a practical part – it’s not enough to see a mechanism to learn how to fix it. The real-life, manual, repetitive part of the apprenticeship is very important to raise a qualified specialist. I am sorry, but I don’t think it can be done in AR, or VR, or a mixed space.
Before retirement, my father was a mechanic in a coal mine, and he had to fix the machines underground, in very harsh working conditions, without proper light, space, or air. He often had to rely on his hands or better, his hands’ memory, to repair anything. I understand it is an extreme example, but I worry that augmented reality might distort the image of the real world for the apprentice. What are your thoughts on that?
Again, bravo, your project is thoughtful, detailed, easy to understand, and loved by its author for sure.
Hi Vithu,
What an interesting forecast! I teach at a program-based high school where many of the programs are apprenticeable. I love your idea and fully agree that XR has the potential to be an important emerging technology, especially for the trades. We all know the powerful learning opportunities that come from exposing students to places, events or training, but that is not always a reality (due to cost location etc). The technology applications you propose would enable students to be immersed in situations that otherwise would be difficult or too dangerous to simulate. For example, the electrical trades program at my school cannot allow students to complete practical work outside of the school due to liability reasons, with your forecast students could use the AR headsets and simulate wiring a garage without leaving the school (and without the risk of electrocution).
Hi Vithu, I think you’ve forecasted a very important idea that many organizations are considering as a means to keep costs down and provide hands on learning opportunities where there might not be otherwise (e.g. during COVID, lack of businesses willing to take on students, remote locations). As you indicated, the focus shifts from memorization to performance based assessments where learners can practice and demonstrate learning in authentic ways but in an environment that encourages trial and error.
Where I think this technology offers a bonus over real world apprenticeships is that it’s much easier to control scaffolded development of skills. Instructors can break tasks down in smaller increments or have students repeat certain tasks where performance metrics show areas of weakness, to develop more balanced skills.
Hi Vithu,
I sense a consensus (awkward wording) forming. Great job, and so topical! We have a bunch of apprenticeship programs here at our school, in conjunction with our local college. They all had to be shut down during COVID, and this VR/AR version would have been amazing to have during that time. You have explained both the problem and the possible solutions very well. Thank you!
Vithu, I was impressed by your concept and presentation. You have clearly identified a specific problem, and the developing technologies that can be leveraged to provide a solution to that problem. Two ideas that resonated with me were the potential for extended realities to provide “safe spaces” in which apprentices can obtain some realistic, hands-on experience prior to working on real equipment, and the potential to have apprentice assessments that would be a better evaluation of the skills acquired by the apprentices, rather than just their knowledge base. I see an extension of this solution to senior high school and higher-education science instruction, whereby lab skills can be evaluated realistically, at lower per-use cost perhaps, and in a safe environment. I’m encouraged that your organization is actively pursuing the development of this field, as the private sector might be more able to implement the proposed solution.
Hi Vithu, amazing job on your forecasting assignment! I like your website design, which is straightforward and elegant, and I learned a lot after exploring the website.
It was very thoughtful to provide explanations of apprenticeship and extended reality (AR, VR and MR) so that readers will start with a clear understanding of basic terms. After reading the current trend of the metaverse and AR devices, I totally agree that AR could be added to the safety equipment involved with specific trades.
I like your prediction of the future assessments in apprenticeships and the comparisons between the future certifications with traditional ones. Also, using VR-based virtual assessments to provide objective, data-driven predictions about students’ performance and future success sounds very achievable.
You talked about the ability for students to access manuals, videos, images and other resources on their AR devices can provide a less mentally taxing learning experience for apprentices. If the students don’t have to memorize the materials in the future, do you think they will depend too heavily on the devices so that they can’t do anything without the AR technologies?