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Pathways
Work-Based Learning: For Educators
Gain a deeper understanding of work-based learning and access to numerous resources.
Partner Interaction
Students have ongoing interactions with industry professionals in workplace settings through a variety of experiences.
Outcomes-Driven
Students discover careers of interest, make a plan to achieve their goals, develop professional skills, receive feedback on skills development, monitor their growth, and make meaningful connections with professionals.
Preparation and Reflection
Students prepare for each experience with guidance from their teacher and actively reflect on experiences, skills, and connections building an understanding of their progress toward mastery of Future Ready Skills and overall postsecondary and career readiness.
Classroom-Connected
Students connect subject matter content with career aspirations and skills through interaction taking place in classroom-connected work-based learning opportunities provided by educators and partners.
Awareness
Students are introduced to careers and pathways through short work-based learning engagements where they can interact with industry professionals in small to larger groups. Career Awareness activities are appropriate for all levels of students. Examples:
Guest Speaker
Career Fair
Worksite Tour
Exploration
Students continue to hone their career interests while building Future Ready Skills in one-to-one or smaller group settings with industry professionals. Students receive feedback on their skill development from industry professionals and make connections to begin their professional network. Examples:
Informational Interview
Job Shadow
Resume Coaching/Review Session
Mock Interview
Mentorship
Skills Workshop
Partner Engagement Project
Preparation
Students apply their learning through immersive industry-based experiences. Career Preparation activities allow students to establish connections and build a professional network. Industry partners are more directly involved in students development and provide feedback on applied skills in an industry-based setting. Career Preparation activities are designed for junior and senior students as they build upon their knowledge and learning in earlier work-based learning activities. Examples:
Internships
Clinical Experiences
Mentored Industry Projects
Apprenticeship/Youth Apprenticeship
NAF utilizes an outcomes-driven approach to work-based learning, with a student-centered focus on goal setting and aspirations, transferable work skills, and meaningful professional relationships. As a result of this approach, students will be more confident and better prepared to navigate their professional journey after high school. These students will be able to identify their careers of interest, map a plan to reach their goals, master skills they need to be successful, and make connections with employer partners who can help them navigate their path forward.
Outcome 1: Each student will have defined and mapped a plan for at least one career path.
Outcome 2: Each student will have worked to develop the six Future Ready skills, received continuous feedback from industry partners, Advisory Board members, and/or local community professionals, and be able to articulate their strengths.
Outcome 3: Each student will develop at least three professional connections.
Encourages the ideas, opinions, and contributions of others, leveraging individual strengths
Provides feedback in a manner that is sensitive to others’ situation and feelings
Clarifies areas of disagreement/conflict that need to be addressed to achieve a common goal
Seeks to obtain resolution of disagreements/conflicts to achieve a common goal
Also referred to as: accountability, cooperation, helpfulness, leadership, participation, conflict resolution, teamwork
Organizes information that serves the purpose of the message, context, and audience
Uses and adjusts communication strategies as needed based on the purpose of the message, context, and audience
Signals listening according to the rules/norms of the context and audience
Seeks input to gauge others’ understanding of the message
Asks questions to deepen and/or clarify one’s understanding when listening to others
Also referred to as: listening, negotiation, persuasion, presentation, verbal communication, written communication
Defines problems by considering all potential parts and related causes
Gathers and organizes relevant information about a problem from multiple sources
Generates potential solutions to a problem, seeking and leveraging diverse perspectives
Identifies alternative ideas/processes that are more effective than the ones previously used/suggested
Evaluates the advantages and disadvantages associated with each potential solution identified for a problem
Selects and implements the best solution based on evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of each potential solution
Also referred to as: creative, critical thinking, decision making, innovative, process-oriented, strategic
Demonstrates awareness of own abilities and performance
Seeks knowledge and information proactively to build understanding and anticipate what is needed
Needs minimal supervision to complete tasks
Attempts to complete tasks independently before asking for help
Follows rules/directions as required by the task/situation
Maintains focus on tasks despite internal and/or external distractions
Strives to overcome barriers or setbacks, seeking assistance when needed
Adapts approach in response to new conditions or others’ actions
Also referred to as: adaptable, agile, dedicated, focus, grit, motivated, optimism, perseverance, persistent, project management, self-discipline, work ethic
Demonstrates integrity and situational ethics
Recognizes the consequences of one's actions
Balances own needs with the needs of others
Takes into consideration others' situation/feelings
Develops and implements strategies for navigating in different cultures/contexts
Also referred to as: appreciation, empathy, emotional intelligence, ethics, fit, global awareness, perceptive, responsibility, social intelligence, social skills
General WBL Resources
Future Ready Skills Resources
The outcomes-driven approach to work-based learning focuses on 3 measures of student success:
Aspirations - Each student will have defined and mapped a plan for at least one career path.
Skills - Each student will have worked to develop the six Future Ready skills, received continuous feedback from industry partners, Advisory Board members, and/or local community professionals, and be able to articulate their strengths.
Connections - Each student will develop at least three professional connections.
Increased focus on student voice and feedback
Specific, defined outcomes vs. general WBL activities
Impact by design, not default
Cycle of continuous improvement informed by data
This approach is the result of several years of work that included:
Research & exemplar review
Interviews with NAF Network (Educators, Administrators, and Partners)
Internal Cross Functional Conversations (Network Development & Implementation, Curriculum & Instruction, Research & Tech, and several other teams)