Publisher's Synopsis
This journal aspires to contribute to work-based learning scholarship and highlights two dimensions important in contemporary educational settings: global perspectives and profound pedagogy. The first of these is increasingly important in the context of the relentless internationalisation and globalisation of education. According to the latest OECD reports, the number of students 'enrolled outside their country of citizenship' doubled to 4.5 million between 2000 and 2012, 'despite' the global recession, and predictions indicate that this is set to reach 7.2 million by 2025. This trend is reflected within vocational higher education more specifically. Globally, the OECD inform us that 29% of the 450 educational policy reforms examined by the OECD between 2008-2014 target vocationally/work-based-oriented education as well as internationalisation. At the same time, however, scholarship into education practices with learners studying across borders is very rarely situated within work-based learning settings. This journal also questions how we can facilitate deep, significant learning in work-based learning contexts, under contemporary economic conditions. Education, not just limited to work based or vocationally oriented forms, has been subject to the pressures of marketisation for some time now. This may have had benefits such as enabling greater consistency and flexibility for people in work to access and engage in higher education. Yet there are other consequences, such as how we engage with education as a product to be individually consumed in order to create economic utility and practical outcome. This may well be a central thrust of work based or vocationally oriented forms, but how does this play out when we are trying to engender deeper learning and change, and impact wider communities beyond the individual? This journal includes many innovative pedagogical practices, featuring all continents and multiple educational settings that aim to inculcate deep, significant and/or high-impact learning. This may suggest a latent interest in this sphere of activity, but it also suggests that there is developing practice and scholarship which is worth sharing. Papers include a mix of case studies, research reports and literature reviews. They are informative and some fundamentally challenge current pedagogical approaches pertinent to practitioners and researchers across the field.
