Wednesday, July 09, 2003
Check out this reading list on Situated Cognition
from the syllabus for the course.epsy418 at Uconn?
Peter Young has done extensive research on sit cog.
from the syllabus for the course.epsy418 at Uconn?
Peter Young has done extensive research on sit cog.
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Chapter 2 and References.References
Assiniboine Community College (). (2001, October 3). Assiniboine Community College Procedure Document: Creating/ Changing an Academic Program.
Association of Canadian Community Colleges (). (2000, August 19). Colleges call for a National Skills Agenda. Retrieved December 1, 2001, from http://www.accc.ca/english/Advocacy/skills_agenda.cfm
Bott, P. A. (1996). Testing and Assessment in Occupational and Technical Education. Needham Heights, MA 02194: Allyn and Bacon.
Caffarella, R. S. (1994). Planning Programs for Adult Learners. 350 Sansome Street, San Fransico, California 944104: Jose Bass Inc. Publishers.
Canadian Vocational Association, L. ().. Message posted to listproc@camosun.bc.ca electronic mailing list, archived at.
Charles, C., & Mertler, C. A. (2002). Introduction to Educational Research (4th ed.) Allyn and Bacon.
Conference Board of Canada, C.. Employability Skills Profile: What do Employers want? (chap.) Retrieved December 5, 2001, from http://www2.conferenceboard.ca/education/learning-tools/default.htm
Council on Post-Secondary Education (COPSE) (). (1998, January). Program Approval Process: Policies and Procedures. Retrieved November 10, 2001, from http://www.copse.mb.ca/en/documents/policies/ProgramApprovalProcess.doc
Council on Post-Secondary Education (COPSE) (). (2001, July 11). Program Costing Methodology for Manitoba's Post-Secondary Institutions. Retrieved November 10, 2001, from http://www.copse.mb.ca/en/documents/policies/Cost_meth_july01.doc
Davis, V. (Ed.), & Davis, V. (Task Force Chair). (1997, May 22). Apprenticeship "Made in Manitoba": Vol. . The Apprenticeship Task Force Final Report and Recommendations. (Available from Manitoba Education and Training)
Diamond, R. (1998). Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Ellis, F. (Ed.). (1999). The Ellis Compaarative Chart of Apprenticeship Training Programs. Constitution Square Building, 4th Floor, 350 Albert St, Ottawa, Ont: Public Works and Government Services Canada, Canadian Goverment Publishing Directorate.
Human Resources Partnerships Directorate(Authors), & Human Resources Partnerships Directorate (Analysts). (1997). Occupational Analyses Series: Vol. . Plumber. (Available from Standards, Planning and Analysis Division, Human Resources Parnetships, Human Resources Development Canada, Place du Portage, Phase IV, 5 th Floor, Hull, Quebec, K1A 0J9)
Kemp, J. E., & Cochern, G. W. (1994). Planning for Effective Technical Training. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications Inc.
Landry, G., & Ceplis, D. (2000). Distance Education Developer's Handbook [Brochure]. (Available from Assiniboine Community College, 1430 Victoria Ave. E.)
Lave,, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning Legitimate Peripheral Participation. 40 West 20th Street, New York , NY: Cambridge University press.
Lin, Z., Sweet, R., Anisef, P., & Schuetze, H. (2000, December). Consequences and Policy Implications for University Students who have chosen Liberal or Vocational Education, Labour Market Outcomes and Employability Skills. 165 Hotel-de-Ville St, Phase II, 7th Floor,Hull, Quebec: Publications Office, Applied Research Branch, Strategic Policy, Human Resources Development Canada.
Manitoba Education and Training. (2000, Spring). Apprenticeship Program Guide. (Available from Manitoba Education and Training, Room 1010 Norquay Building, 401 York Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3C 0P8)
Porter, S. (2001). S. Porter (Ed.), Writing Learning Outcomes Manual [Brochure]. (Original work published Manitoba Prior Learning AssessmentFrom Course Writers' Handbook; Policies, Procedures and Guidelines for Instructional Design,, by Manitoba Education and Training, Manitoba Education and Training, Distance Education and Technology Branch(Authors), & Manitoba Education and Training (), 1992, Available from Distance Education Developers Program Training Session, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Available from Assiniboine Community College, 1430 Victoria Ave. E. Brandon Manitoba)
Schofield, K.. Dinosaurs in a Brave New World; Apprenticeships and Traineeships in the Age of Lifelong Learning. Paper presented at National Conference of the Center for Economics of Education and Training.
Tessier, O.(Authors), & Tessier, O. (Statistician). (2000). [Provincial Summary of Totals of Apprentices] Unpublished raw data,. (Available from Manitoba Education and Training)
US Department of Education, N. (1983, April). A nation at risk: the imperative for educational reform. (chap.) Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/
Assiniboine Community College (). (2001, October 3). Assiniboine Community College Procedure Document: Creating/ Changing an Academic Program.
Association of Canadian Community Colleges (). (2000, August 19). Colleges call for a National Skills Agenda. Retrieved December 1, 2001, from http://www.accc.ca/english/Advocacy/skills_agenda.cfm
Bott, P. A. (1996). Testing and Assessment in Occupational and Technical Education. Needham Heights, MA 02194: Allyn and Bacon.
Caffarella, R. S. (1994). Planning Programs for Adult Learners. 350 Sansome Street, San Fransico, California 944104: Jose Bass Inc. Publishers.
Canadian Vocational Association, L. ().. Message posted to listproc@camosun.bc.ca electronic mailing list, archived at.
Charles, C., & Mertler, C. A. (2002). Introduction to Educational Research (4th ed.) Allyn and Bacon.
Conference Board of Canada, C.. Employability Skills Profile: What do Employers want? (chap.) Retrieved December 5, 2001, from http://www2.conferenceboard.ca/education/learning-tools/default.htm
Council on Post-Secondary Education (COPSE) (). (1998, January). Program Approval Process: Policies and Procedures. Retrieved November 10, 2001, from http://www.copse.mb.ca/en/documents/policies/ProgramApprovalProcess.doc
Council on Post-Secondary Education (COPSE) (). (2001, July 11). Program Costing Methodology for Manitoba's Post-Secondary Institutions. Retrieved November 10, 2001, from http://www.copse.mb.ca/en/documents/policies/Cost_meth_july01.doc
Davis, V. (Ed.), & Davis, V. (Task Force Chair). (1997, May 22). Apprenticeship "Made in Manitoba": Vol. . The Apprenticeship Task Force Final Report and Recommendations. (Available from Manitoba Education and Training)
Diamond, R. (1998). Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Ellis, F. (Ed.). (1999). The Ellis Compaarative Chart of Apprenticeship Training Programs. Constitution Square Building, 4th Floor, 350 Albert St, Ottawa, Ont: Public Works and Government Services Canada, Canadian Goverment Publishing Directorate.
Human Resources Partnerships Directorate(Authors), & Human Resources Partnerships Directorate (Analysts). (1997). Occupational Analyses Series: Vol. . Plumber. (Available from Standards, Planning and Analysis Division, Human Resources Parnetships, Human Resources Development Canada, Place du Portage, Phase IV, 5 th Floor, Hull, Quebec, K1A 0J9)
Kemp, J. E., & Cochern, G. W. (1994). Planning for Effective Technical Training. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications Inc.
Landry, G., & Ceplis, D. (2000). Distance Education Developer's Handbook [Brochure]. (Available from Assiniboine Community College, 1430 Victoria Ave. E.)
Lave,, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning Legitimate Peripheral Participation. 40 West 20th Street, New York , NY: Cambridge University press.
Lin, Z., Sweet, R., Anisef, P., & Schuetze, H. (2000, December). Consequences and Policy Implications for University Students who have chosen Liberal or Vocational Education, Labour Market Outcomes and Employability Skills. 165 Hotel-de-Ville St, Phase II, 7th Floor,Hull, Quebec: Publications Office, Applied Research Branch, Strategic Policy, Human Resources Development Canada.
Manitoba Education and Training. (2000, Spring). Apprenticeship Program Guide. (Available from Manitoba Education and Training, Room 1010 Norquay Building, 401 York Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3C 0P8)
Porter, S. (2001). S. Porter (Ed.), Writing Learning Outcomes Manual [Brochure]. (Original work published Manitoba Prior Learning AssessmentFrom Course Writers' Handbook; Policies, Procedures and Guidelines for Instructional Design,, by Manitoba Education and Training, Manitoba Education and Training, Distance Education and Technology Branch(Authors), & Manitoba Education and Training (), 1992, Available from Distance Education Developers Program Training Session, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Available from Assiniboine Community College, 1430 Victoria Ave. E. Brandon Manitoba)
Schofield, K.. Dinosaurs in a Brave New World; Apprenticeships and Traineeships in the Age of Lifelong Learning. Paper presented at National Conference of the Center for Economics of Education and Training.
Tessier, O.(Authors), & Tessier, O. (Statistician). (2000). [Provincial Summary of Totals of Apprentices] Unpublished raw data,. (Available from Manitoba Education and Training)
US Department of Education, N. (1983, April). A nation at risk: the imperative for educational reform. (chap.) Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/
ED 660 Methods of Educational Research
Glen Gatin for Dr. Paul Terry
Dec. 23, 2001
Proposal for Capstone Project
This proposal describes a Program Development topology where a new program will be incorporated into an existing Post-Secondary institution.
1. Introduction
· statement of Problem
· Literature Review
· Statement of Hypothesis
2. Methods
· subjects
· instruments
· design
3. Procedures
· data analysis
· time schedule
Problem Statement/ research question:
The Government of the Province of Manitoba recently announced its intention to rationalize the delivery of Post-Secondary education, including apprenticeship, in rural Manitoba. As part of this initiative, Assiniboine Community College will now incorporate the delivery of Apprenticeship Plumbing training in its trades department.
The questions to be addressed by this paper are:
· Can a detailed plan for the delivery of Plumbing apprenticeship at Assiniboine Community College be put in place in a timely and rational fashion? (Program will start Sept, 2002)
· Will the design and development of the plan be functional? (Adequate resources, support from local industry, support from local student population base)
· Can this program be designed to accommodate new approaches to the delivery of this type of training? ( Distance ed. ,technology mediated, different target populations , non-traditional participants in plumbing apprenticeship training i.e. women aboriginals
This paper will outline a detailed and functional plan for the design and development of this program.
(Possible alternate research question: Can the construction industry’s need for skilled plumbers be met by the introduction of an Apprenticeship Plumbing program in Brandon?)
Topics addressed in this Program Design will include:
I. Program and Setting
II. Need assessment
III. Objectives
IV. Target Population
V. Design Specifications
VI. Sources of Required Resources
VII. Program Costs and Benefits
VIII. Financial Feasibility
IX. Political Feasibility
X. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
I. Program and Setting
The program in question is the Plumbing apprenticeship program. Apprenticeship is a traditional method for the replication of the skills and knowledge of a community of practice. Modern practice of apprenticeship entails a set schedule that alternates work experience with classroom training. Apprenticeship training and Journeyperson certification are managed by the Provincial Government through the Department of Education and Training, Apprenticeship Branch. The classroom training for most apprenticeship training in Canada is offered in by public institutions; technical institutes, community colleges or SEGEPs. In some trades the classroom training is optional but in trades where there is significant risk to public health and safety the classroom portion is mandatory. Plumbing is designated as a mandatory trade, and, as such, requires that apprentices attend a training program for a specified period throughout their term of indenture. Apprentices must register 10,000 hours working under the supervision of a journeyperson and must attend four levels of training usually six to eight weeks at a time. To date in Manitoba, Plumbing apprenticeship has been offered at Red River College (RRC) in Winnipeg. Recently the government announced that Plumbing apprenticeship would be offered at Assiniboine Community College.
Assiniboine Community College (ACC) is situated in Brandon, Manitoba, 200 kilometers west of Winnipeg. Brandon is a city of 43,000, and is a major trading center for the western half of the province. ACC offers a wide variety of occupational and technical training programs, including Apprenticeship programs for Cooking, Electrical, Carpentry, Automotive Mechanic, Heavy Duty Mechanic, and Farm Equipment Mechanic. ACC did offer apprenticeship plumbing at one time, but industry slowdowns resulted in enrolments that were considered too low to justify the continuation of the program. ACC retained a Pre-employment Piping Trades program, which has a capacity of 15 students in a 10 month program. ACC was accredited by the Department of Labour, Mechanical and Engineering Branch to deliver the Gasfitter B licensing training which is essentially the third level of the Plumbing apprenticeship program, as it has been traditionally delivered in Manitoba. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in construction in Brandon and environs, and there has been a marked shortage of trained journeyperson Plumbers with Gas fitting Credentials.
Sending apprentices from rural Manitoba to the Winnipeg program has created hardships because of the distances traveled, and the costs incurred to maintain a second residence in Winnipeg. Winnipeg is the largest population center and with 1,000,000 people it has half the population of the province. Winnipeg also has historical, climatic and geological characteristics which require a different approach to Plumbing code interpretation and plumbing practices in general
I. Needs Assessment
A number of factors can be considered in the needs assessment for this program.
A major campaign promise by the governing political party was to double enrollments in Post-Secondary institutions. While the initiative discussed in this paper represents the simple relocation of training there is the possibility that a greater number of individuals from rural Manitoba will choose a career in plumbing if the training is more accessable.
Recent events involving public health problems as a result of water quality have lead to an increased sensitivity to level of training of individuals charged with installing and maintaining vital infrastructure. Walkerton, Ontario is a small Canadian city that experienced severe e-coli contamination of the water supply where seven people died and many hundreds were made very ill. The one of the contributing factors was the poor maintenance of the water treatment equipment as a result of the inadequate training of the staff of the treatment plant. The subsequent public investigation was exhaustive and was the focus of intense national media attention. Consequently, people have come to realize that safe water supplies cannot be taken for granted and the equipment necessary must be set up, operated and maintained by conscientious and qualified individuals. Waste water management and environmental issues have been gaining momentum at the same time as groundwater sources have been contaminated and depleted. Plumbers are often denigrated but actually serve a critical public health function that is most noticeable when the job isn’t done properly. There is a growing public awareness of the need for skills training.
In the U. S. the Nation at Risk Document that resulted in the re-examination of the American Education system.(US Dept of Education,1983) Canada has embarked on similar initiatives with various organizations playing lead roles. The Association of Canadian Community College has called for a National Skills Agenda. New and old technology skills are identified as critical to the economic success of the country.
Canada is not just a society of computer users, programmers and analysts - it takes all types of applied knowledge to drive a flourishing economy. Workers may have the high-tech skills to design a car or a virtual home renovation or a high-speed telecommunications link - but what will we do if no-one can fix that car, build a foundation or repair computer hardware?… Knowledge in the technical trades, apprenticeship-based and service-sector occupations is diminishing faster than it can be replaced. (ACCC 2000)
A recent study indicates that students who chose a vocational education path are further ahead than students educated in Liberal Arts. (Lin, Sweet, Anisef and Schuetze 2000) particularly in the area of employability skills. Vocational training has, traditionally, been highly sensitive to the needs of employers. There has been a recognition that the workforce in general requires employability skills and efforts have been made to foster these values. (Conference Board of Canada, 2001)
A 1997 National Pipe Trades Human Resources Survey found market conditions that highlighted the need for the revitalization of Piping Trades training programs.
In Manitoba, an Inventory of High Demand Occupations was prepared by the Manitoba government, and included Plumbing and Gas-fitting as high demand.
In 2000, the Apprenticeship Coordinator for the Brandon area reviewed the apprenticeship contracts and suggested, on the basis of the number of indentured apprentices in the area, that there would be strong justification for the development of a local training program. The program in Winnipeg had geared up and offered additional intakes of apprentices, but the demand still was not being met. In Western Manitoba there was a particular shortage of Plumbers with gas-fitting credentials when the natural gas utilities expanded their service in rural areas. The Department of labour Certified Assiniboine Community College to deliver the Gas-fitter licensing training and one intake of students were graduated. Gasfitter training is essentially the third level of Plumbing apprenticeship training and established the bonifides of ACC with respect to the delivery of this training.
Politically, the Western Manitoba region, and in fact, anyone outside of the perimeter of Winnipeg, was perceived to get short shrift on many social benefits, including education and training. Construction in Manitoba is very seasonal, and the preferential time to attend the in school portion of apprenticeship training is in the late winter and early spring. There is a perception that the calls to school for Western Manitoba apprentices are second choice, and never at appropriate times for employers or apprentices.
Brandon enjoys steady growth and the occasional period of accelerated construction activity. Recent studies showed a short fall in residential housing in Brandon of 2000 units. One of the critical factors in addressing this short fall is the availability of skilled residential construction trades persons including plumbers.
Probably the most powerful reason for the introduction of the Plumbing Apprenticeship program was not based directly on the need for plumbers but on the need to balance the books in terms of apprenticeship programs at the various colleges. Each of the colleges are mandated to deliver specific training and ACC had the mandate to deliver the Truck Transport training program, among other apprenticeship programs. The majority of apprentices in this program, however were from Winnipeg and there was a prolonged and concerted lobby effort by the industry to have the program relocated to Winnipeg. This was done and as a quid pro quo a number of programs including plumbing were transferred to ACC.
II. Objectives
To deliver the four levels of the in-school portion of the Plumbing apprenticeship program leading to journeyman status, in Brandon.
Deliver training that is more demographically and geographically specific.
Investigate the potential for alternative training delivery mechanisms.
To ensure gender and ethnic equity in trades school placement and employment opportunities.
To deliver upgrading and continuing education to journeypersons after program completion.
II. Target population
Plumbing and Heating Contractors, Journey-persons Plumbers and Apprentices indentured in the Plumbing Trade in the South Western Region of Manitoba will be the primary target group for this program. Likely the greatest number will be from Brandon and immediate area, with a smaller number from rural communities.
First nations communities through out Western and Northern Manitoba are in need of skilled tradespersons for residential housing on and off the reserves. It is a longstanding irony that there is extremely high un-employment on reserves but off reserve contractors make considerable amounts of money constructing housing on the same reserves. There are a number of reserves with in the catchment area for this program and there have been some prior initiatives that might feed apprentices to a program based at ACC. There have been preliminary discussions regarding the establishment of an Aboriginal Technical Institute. This program would likely be a broker steering native students to ACC established programs.
Aspiring female tradespersons are another potential target group for this program.. Women have always done the dirty work so there is no reason why they should be excluded from this comparatively well paid profession. There is an interesting sexual stereotyping in the career pathing for females. Plumbing is regarded as a filthy job that females avoid in favor of nursing. Nursing is potentially many times filthier than plumbing and paid about the same. Nursing generally involves shift work while plumbing is mostly days.
The contract for the delivery of this program will be between the Provincial Department of Education and Training, Apprenticeship branch and Assiniboine Community College.
III. Design Specifications
Human Resources Canada, The Occupational Analyses Series: Plumber. This document identifies and groups the tasks performed by skilled workers in the plumbing trade and also supplies employers and employees, their associations, industries, training institutions and governments with analyses of the tasks performed in particular occupations
Manitoba Education and Training also publishes a Program Guide giving specific and detailed information about the tasks and knowledge to be acquired in the course of Provincial apprenticeship training. This guide outlines the time breakdown chart for each level of training and the length of time spent on each task, theoretical or practical.
The Apprenticeship and Trades Qualification Act defines a plumber, and specifies the prerequisites and the term of training required for certification.
Apprenticeship is an ancient traditional teaching method and some argue from a sociological view point that it is the default method that the human race uses to replicate communities of practice. (Lave and Wenger, 1991) There have been extensive discussions of the efficacy of the apprenticeship model and some difficulties have been observed the most notable being the reluctance of industry to commit resources to training. (Scholfield 2000)
The 1997 Manitoba Apprenticeship Task Force recommended that although the “…existing model should be maintained …we should also start to explore on a limited basis, where viable, delivery options such as
i. distance education
ii. computer aided instruction
iii. day and evening release programs
iv. workplace based delivery
v. community based delivery.”
This Program Design will review the literature and incorporate methods by which alternate delivery systems can be implemented and evaluated. A great deal of information on this topic area was gathered through the participation of the members of a Canadian Vocational Association electronic discussion group moderated by Camosun College in British Columbia.
Assiniboine Community College Policy and Procedure for the implementation of New College programs will be consulted and followed in the implementation of this program. (ACC 2001) ACC has an Information Technology division that includes the Distance Education and New Instructional Media (DENIM) center that provides support for College programs incorporating new technologies, especially those that are Computer mediated, for program delivery.(Landry and Ceplis, 2001) The Plumbing Apprenticeship will attempt to incorporate as many new technologies as are practical. The program will also make an effort to employ current learner centered approaches to instruction. (Porter, 2001)
One possibility for an alternative method of delivery is the day release option for apprenticeship. Traditionally, apprenticeship in Canada has been delivered in the block release where apprentices were “released” to the school for blocks of time typically two months at time. This has created some difficulties especially for employers who have to arrange for replacements for this period and maintain the apprentices on the books if not on the payroll. Often the option chosen was to lay the apprentice off and entitle him to collect unemployment benefits. This system actually became institutionalized in practice until the Federal government changed the rules to correct a perceived unfair advantage of apprenticeship programs over university programs. University students were required to fund a larger portion of their own training and were not eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. Currently, apprentices are required to fund a larger portion of their tuition and books but are eligible for Federal Government assistance in the form of Student Loans. This method is not feasible for a number of apprentices and is considered to be one of the deterrents to young worker choosing apprenticeship programs. Some institutions have entertained the option of facilitating apprenticeships on a day release basis, where an apprentice could take training one day of the week or at a time of his and his employers convenience.
The plumbing and heating industry is continually changing ; new business practices are developed, new products are introduced, codes are revised and updated, and new techniques and procedures are developed. ACC has an opportunity to perform a service to the industry by providing upgrading and Continuing Education for plumbers and gas-fitters. This function would also ensure the currency and credibility of the ACC programs by maintaining an ongoing relationship with the industry..
Some certifications within the plumbing trade must be renewed and upgraded at regular intervals. ACC would be in a position to monitor certifications, proctor certification exams and provide remediation training.
IV. Sources of Required Resources
Existing resources from the ACC pre-employment Pipe Trades Program. Major consideration will be given in this paper to the arrangements for sharing classroom and laboratory areas between the pre-employment Piping Trades and the Apprenticeship Program. The two other construction trades programs delivered at ACC, Electrical and Carpentry, have a similar shared arrangement, and the requisite skills for the construction of timetable and logistics have been developed over time.
Existing ancillary services such as: library, administrative support, bookkeeping and accounting, admissions and registration at ACC are more than adequate for the needs of this new program, and staff in these areas are familiar with apprenticeship programs
Additional resources to be purchased as capital expenditures from vendors of industry specific tools, equipment and materials. Higher level skills delivered in advanced apprenticeship levels require very specific tools and equipment. An example is the section where fourth level Plumbers are trained in the installation and maintenance of health care facility equipment like Medical Gas piping systems, surgical and autopsy suites and dental equipment.
Personnel requirements include an instructor with Inter-provincial Red Seal Journeyman qualifications and Gas license with some teaching experience. Also required is an instructor of related subjects including welding, science, math, blueprint reading, drafting, communications and computers, and possibly a multi-tasking instructor of related subjects. There must be careful consideration of the Union Collective agreement when selecting and hiring staff.
Physical plant must be large enough to accommodate a laboratory for shop tools and benches to provide practical training. An adjacent classroom will be equipped with modern teaching resources including audio-visual, computer hardware and Internet. In the present Pipe Trades Program the classroom and shop are adjacent. When the shop is being used there is insufficient sound attenuation to comfortably use the classroom. Two groups should be able to share the space, but the classroom will have to either be relocated or soundproofed.
V. Program Costs and Benefits
The draft M.O.U. between Assiniboine Community College and the Province of Manitoba commits the province to pay the… “full cost of training”.
COPSE has a Guideline for Program costing outlining accounting principles and mechanisms for direct, indirect and overhead costs. http://www.copse.mb.ca/en/documents/policies/Cost_meth_july01.doc
Some initial capital expenditure will be required to set up the program. There are a number of possible sources for this funding including , Manitoba Apprenticeship, COPSE, and the Canadian Federal Governments , Western Diversification fund. According to Earl Davey, Academic Vice President or Assiniboine Community College, the proportions each of these organizations would contribute has yet to be negotiated.
When the plumbing apprenticeship program is established in two locations in Manitoba there will be an excellent opportunity to perform Cost benefit analyses.
Where alternative approaches to training are employed there will also be opportunities for comparisons on other dimensions.
Social benefit of having a highly skilled work force in this vital area of public health.
VI. Financial Feasibility
· Each apprenticeship seat is charged out by the institution on a per diem basis.
· In addition to per diem there will be one time start up costs.
· operating grants will continue.
· Post- Secondary Education Indicators being developed by COPSE will include information about feasibility.
· There are possibilities for additional direct revenues as a result of Continuing Education and Certification activities.
XI. Political Feasibility
· The most recent election had the government campaigning on a platform of doubling enrollments in Post-Secondary institutions.
· Very popular amongst apprentices and employers in Western Manitoba.
· Bittersweet popularity at ACC, due to the loss of truck transport program.
· Bitterness at RRC in Winnipeg because of loss of exclusive authority and influence.
XII. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
· Program development will be guided by COPSE Program Approval Process.
· M.O.U. states that the Province will provide the College with its program standards, including course outlines, time frames, objectives and evaluation criteria. The College will be responsible for developing detailed outlines, examinations and teaching materials based on the provided standards.
· M.O.U states that the program will be reviewed according to the accreditation standards set by the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualification Board.
· Formative and Summative Evaluation procedures will be developed an applied
Glen Gatin for Dr. Paul Terry
Dec. 23, 2001
Proposal for Capstone Project
This proposal describes a Program Development topology where a new program will be incorporated into an existing Post-Secondary institution.
1. Introduction
· statement of Problem
· Literature Review
· Statement of Hypothesis
2. Methods
· subjects
· instruments
· design
3. Procedures
· data analysis
· time schedule
Problem Statement/ research question:
The Government of the Province of Manitoba recently announced its intention to rationalize the delivery of Post-Secondary education, including apprenticeship, in rural Manitoba. As part of this initiative, Assiniboine Community College will now incorporate the delivery of Apprenticeship Plumbing training in its trades department.
The questions to be addressed by this paper are:
· Can a detailed plan for the delivery of Plumbing apprenticeship at Assiniboine Community College be put in place in a timely and rational fashion? (Program will start Sept, 2002)
· Will the design and development of the plan be functional? (Adequate resources, support from local industry, support from local student population base)
· Can this program be designed to accommodate new approaches to the delivery of this type of training? ( Distance ed. ,technology mediated, different target populations , non-traditional participants in plumbing apprenticeship training i.e. women aboriginals
This paper will outline a detailed and functional plan for the design and development of this program.
(Possible alternate research question: Can the construction industry’s need for skilled plumbers be met by the introduction of an Apprenticeship Plumbing program in Brandon?)
Topics addressed in this Program Design will include:
I. Program and Setting
II. Need assessment
III. Objectives
IV. Target Population
V. Design Specifications
VI. Sources of Required Resources
VII. Program Costs and Benefits
VIII. Financial Feasibility
IX. Political Feasibility
X. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
I. Program and Setting
The program in question is the Plumbing apprenticeship program. Apprenticeship is a traditional method for the replication of the skills and knowledge of a community of practice. Modern practice of apprenticeship entails a set schedule that alternates work experience with classroom training. Apprenticeship training and Journeyperson certification are managed by the Provincial Government through the Department of Education and Training, Apprenticeship Branch. The classroom training for most apprenticeship training in Canada is offered in by public institutions; technical institutes, community colleges or SEGEPs. In some trades the classroom training is optional but in trades where there is significant risk to public health and safety the classroom portion is mandatory. Plumbing is designated as a mandatory trade, and, as such, requires that apprentices attend a training program for a specified period throughout their term of indenture. Apprentices must register 10,000 hours working under the supervision of a journeyperson and must attend four levels of training usually six to eight weeks at a time. To date in Manitoba, Plumbing apprenticeship has been offered at Red River College (RRC) in Winnipeg. Recently the government announced that Plumbing apprenticeship would be offered at Assiniboine Community College.
Assiniboine Community College (ACC) is situated in Brandon, Manitoba, 200 kilometers west of Winnipeg. Brandon is a city of 43,000, and is a major trading center for the western half of the province. ACC offers a wide variety of occupational and technical training programs, including Apprenticeship programs for Cooking, Electrical, Carpentry, Automotive Mechanic, Heavy Duty Mechanic, and Farm Equipment Mechanic. ACC did offer apprenticeship plumbing at one time, but industry slowdowns resulted in enrolments that were considered too low to justify the continuation of the program. ACC retained a Pre-employment Piping Trades program, which has a capacity of 15 students in a 10 month program. ACC was accredited by the Department of Labour, Mechanical and Engineering Branch to deliver the Gasfitter B licensing training which is essentially the third level of the Plumbing apprenticeship program, as it has been traditionally delivered in Manitoba. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in construction in Brandon and environs, and there has been a marked shortage of trained journeyperson Plumbers with Gas fitting Credentials.
Sending apprentices from rural Manitoba to the Winnipeg program has created hardships because of the distances traveled, and the costs incurred to maintain a second residence in Winnipeg. Winnipeg is the largest population center and with 1,000,000 people it has half the population of the province. Winnipeg also has historical, climatic and geological characteristics which require a different approach to Plumbing code interpretation and plumbing practices in general
I. Needs Assessment
A number of factors can be considered in the needs assessment for this program.
A major campaign promise by the governing political party was to double enrollments in Post-Secondary institutions. While the initiative discussed in this paper represents the simple relocation of training there is the possibility that a greater number of individuals from rural Manitoba will choose a career in plumbing if the training is more accessable.
Recent events involving public health problems as a result of water quality have lead to an increased sensitivity to level of training of individuals charged with installing and maintaining vital infrastructure. Walkerton, Ontario is a small Canadian city that experienced severe e-coli contamination of the water supply where seven people died and many hundreds were made very ill. The one of the contributing factors was the poor maintenance of the water treatment equipment as a result of the inadequate training of the staff of the treatment plant. The subsequent public investigation was exhaustive and was the focus of intense national media attention. Consequently, people have come to realize that safe water supplies cannot be taken for granted and the equipment necessary must be set up, operated and maintained by conscientious and qualified individuals. Waste water management and environmental issues have been gaining momentum at the same time as groundwater sources have been contaminated and depleted. Plumbers are often denigrated but actually serve a critical public health function that is most noticeable when the job isn’t done properly. There is a growing public awareness of the need for skills training.
In the U. S. the Nation at Risk Document that resulted in the re-examination of the American Education system.(US Dept of Education,1983) Canada has embarked on similar initiatives with various organizations playing lead roles. The Association of Canadian Community College has called for a National Skills Agenda. New and old technology skills are identified as critical to the economic success of the country.
Canada is not just a society of computer users, programmers and analysts - it takes all types of applied knowledge to drive a flourishing economy. Workers may have the high-tech skills to design a car or a virtual home renovation or a high-speed telecommunications link - but what will we do if no-one can fix that car, build a foundation or repair computer hardware?… Knowledge in the technical trades, apprenticeship-based and service-sector occupations is diminishing faster than it can be replaced. (ACCC 2000)
A recent study indicates that students who chose a vocational education path are further ahead than students educated in Liberal Arts. (Lin, Sweet, Anisef and Schuetze 2000) particularly in the area of employability skills. Vocational training has, traditionally, been highly sensitive to the needs of employers. There has been a recognition that the workforce in general requires employability skills and efforts have been made to foster these values. (Conference Board of Canada, 2001)
A 1997 National Pipe Trades Human Resources Survey found market conditions that highlighted the need for the revitalization of Piping Trades training programs.
In Manitoba, an Inventory of High Demand Occupations was prepared by the Manitoba government, and included Plumbing and Gas-fitting as high demand.
In 2000, the Apprenticeship Coordinator for the Brandon area reviewed the apprenticeship contracts and suggested, on the basis of the number of indentured apprentices in the area, that there would be strong justification for the development of a local training program. The program in Winnipeg had geared up and offered additional intakes of apprentices, but the demand still was not being met. In Western Manitoba there was a particular shortage of Plumbers with gas-fitting credentials when the natural gas utilities expanded their service in rural areas. The Department of labour Certified Assiniboine Community College to deliver the Gas-fitter licensing training and one intake of students were graduated. Gasfitter training is essentially the third level of Plumbing apprenticeship training and established the bonifides of ACC with respect to the delivery of this training.
Politically, the Western Manitoba region, and in fact, anyone outside of the perimeter of Winnipeg, was perceived to get short shrift on many social benefits, including education and training. Construction in Manitoba is very seasonal, and the preferential time to attend the in school portion of apprenticeship training is in the late winter and early spring. There is a perception that the calls to school for Western Manitoba apprentices are second choice, and never at appropriate times for employers or apprentices.
Brandon enjoys steady growth and the occasional period of accelerated construction activity. Recent studies showed a short fall in residential housing in Brandon of 2000 units. One of the critical factors in addressing this short fall is the availability of skilled residential construction trades persons including plumbers.
Probably the most powerful reason for the introduction of the Plumbing Apprenticeship program was not based directly on the need for plumbers but on the need to balance the books in terms of apprenticeship programs at the various colleges. Each of the colleges are mandated to deliver specific training and ACC had the mandate to deliver the Truck Transport training program, among other apprenticeship programs. The majority of apprentices in this program, however were from Winnipeg and there was a prolonged and concerted lobby effort by the industry to have the program relocated to Winnipeg. This was done and as a quid pro quo a number of programs including plumbing were transferred to ACC.
II. Objectives
To deliver the four levels of the in-school portion of the Plumbing apprenticeship program leading to journeyman status, in Brandon.
Deliver training that is more demographically and geographically specific.
Investigate the potential for alternative training delivery mechanisms.
To ensure gender and ethnic equity in trades school placement and employment opportunities.
To deliver upgrading and continuing education to journeypersons after program completion.
II. Target population
Plumbing and Heating Contractors, Journey-persons Plumbers and Apprentices indentured in the Plumbing Trade in the South Western Region of Manitoba will be the primary target group for this program. Likely the greatest number will be from Brandon and immediate area, with a smaller number from rural communities.
First nations communities through out Western and Northern Manitoba are in need of skilled tradespersons for residential housing on and off the reserves. It is a longstanding irony that there is extremely high un-employment on reserves but off reserve contractors make considerable amounts of money constructing housing on the same reserves. There are a number of reserves with in the catchment area for this program and there have been some prior initiatives that might feed apprentices to a program based at ACC. There have been preliminary discussions regarding the establishment of an Aboriginal Technical Institute. This program would likely be a broker steering native students to ACC established programs.
Aspiring female tradespersons are another potential target group for this program.. Women have always done the dirty work so there is no reason why they should be excluded from this comparatively well paid profession. There is an interesting sexual stereotyping in the career pathing for females. Plumbing is regarded as a filthy job that females avoid in favor of nursing. Nursing is potentially many times filthier than plumbing and paid about the same. Nursing generally involves shift work while plumbing is mostly days.
The contract for the delivery of this program will be between the Provincial Department of Education and Training, Apprenticeship branch and Assiniboine Community College.
III. Design Specifications
Human Resources Canada, The Occupational Analyses Series: Plumber. This document identifies and groups the tasks performed by skilled workers in the plumbing trade and also supplies employers and employees, their associations, industries, training institutions and governments with analyses of the tasks performed in particular occupations
Manitoba Education and Training also publishes a Program Guide giving specific and detailed information about the tasks and knowledge to be acquired in the course of Provincial apprenticeship training. This guide outlines the time breakdown chart for each level of training and the length of time spent on each task, theoretical or practical.
The Apprenticeship and Trades Qualification Act defines a plumber, and specifies the prerequisites and the term of training required for certification.
Apprenticeship is an ancient traditional teaching method and some argue from a sociological view point that it is the default method that the human race uses to replicate communities of practice. (Lave and Wenger, 1991) There have been extensive discussions of the efficacy of the apprenticeship model and some difficulties have been observed the most notable being the reluctance of industry to commit resources to training. (Scholfield 2000)
The 1997 Manitoba Apprenticeship Task Force recommended that although the “…existing model should be maintained …we should also start to explore on a limited basis, where viable, delivery options such as
i. distance education
ii. computer aided instruction
iii. day and evening release programs
iv. workplace based delivery
v. community based delivery.”
This Program Design will review the literature and incorporate methods by which alternate delivery systems can be implemented and evaluated. A great deal of information on this topic area was gathered through the participation of the members of a Canadian Vocational Association electronic discussion group moderated by Camosun College in British Columbia.
Assiniboine Community College Policy and Procedure for the implementation of New College programs will be consulted and followed in the implementation of this program. (ACC 2001) ACC has an Information Technology division that includes the Distance Education and New Instructional Media (DENIM) center that provides support for College programs incorporating new technologies, especially those that are Computer mediated, for program delivery.(Landry and Ceplis, 2001) The Plumbing Apprenticeship will attempt to incorporate as many new technologies as are practical. The program will also make an effort to employ current learner centered approaches to instruction. (Porter, 2001)
One possibility for an alternative method of delivery is the day release option for apprenticeship. Traditionally, apprenticeship in Canada has been delivered in the block release where apprentices were “released” to the school for blocks of time typically two months at time. This has created some difficulties especially for employers who have to arrange for replacements for this period and maintain the apprentices on the books if not on the payroll. Often the option chosen was to lay the apprentice off and entitle him to collect unemployment benefits. This system actually became institutionalized in practice until the Federal government changed the rules to correct a perceived unfair advantage of apprenticeship programs over university programs. University students were required to fund a larger portion of their own training and were not eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. Currently, apprentices are required to fund a larger portion of their tuition and books but are eligible for Federal Government assistance in the form of Student Loans. This method is not feasible for a number of apprentices and is considered to be one of the deterrents to young worker choosing apprenticeship programs. Some institutions have entertained the option of facilitating apprenticeships on a day release basis, where an apprentice could take training one day of the week or at a time of his and his employers convenience.
The plumbing and heating industry is continually changing ; new business practices are developed, new products are introduced, codes are revised and updated, and new techniques and procedures are developed. ACC has an opportunity to perform a service to the industry by providing upgrading and Continuing Education for plumbers and gas-fitters. This function would also ensure the currency and credibility of the ACC programs by maintaining an ongoing relationship with the industry..
Some certifications within the plumbing trade must be renewed and upgraded at regular intervals. ACC would be in a position to monitor certifications, proctor certification exams and provide remediation training.
IV. Sources of Required Resources
Existing resources from the ACC pre-employment Pipe Trades Program. Major consideration will be given in this paper to the arrangements for sharing classroom and laboratory areas between the pre-employment Piping Trades and the Apprenticeship Program. The two other construction trades programs delivered at ACC, Electrical and Carpentry, have a similar shared arrangement, and the requisite skills for the construction of timetable and logistics have been developed over time.
Existing ancillary services such as: library, administrative support, bookkeeping and accounting, admissions and registration at ACC are more than adequate for the needs of this new program, and staff in these areas are familiar with apprenticeship programs
Additional resources to be purchased as capital expenditures from vendors of industry specific tools, equipment and materials. Higher level skills delivered in advanced apprenticeship levels require very specific tools and equipment. An example is the section where fourth level Plumbers are trained in the installation and maintenance of health care facility equipment like Medical Gas piping systems, surgical and autopsy suites and dental equipment.
Personnel requirements include an instructor with Inter-provincial Red Seal Journeyman qualifications and Gas license with some teaching experience. Also required is an instructor of related subjects including welding, science, math, blueprint reading, drafting, communications and computers, and possibly a multi-tasking instructor of related subjects. There must be careful consideration of the Union Collective agreement when selecting and hiring staff.
Physical plant must be large enough to accommodate a laboratory for shop tools and benches to provide practical training. An adjacent classroom will be equipped with modern teaching resources including audio-visual, computer hardware and Internet. In the present Pipe Trades Program the classroom and shop are adjacent. When the shop is being used there is insufficient sound attenuation to comfortably use the classroom. Two groups should be able to share the space, but the classroom will have to either be relocated or soundproofed.
V. Program Costs and Benefits
The draft M.O.U. between Assiniboine Community College and the Province of Manitoba commits the province to pay the… “full cost of training”.
COPSE has a Guideline for Program costing outlining accounting principles and mechanisms for direct, indirect and overhead costs. http://www.copse.mb.ca/en/documents/policies/Cost_meth_july01.doc
Some initial capital expenditure will be required to set up the program. There are a number of possible sources for this funding including , Manitoba Apprenticeship, COPSE, and the Canadian Federal Governments , Western Diversification fund. According to Earl Davey, Academic Vice President or Assiniboine Community College, the proportions each of these organizations would contribute has yet to be negotiated.
When the plumbing apprenticeship program is established in two locations in Manitoba there will be an excellent opportunity to perform Cost benefit analyses.
Where alternative approaches to training are employed there will also be opportunities for comparisons on other dimensions.
Social benefit of having a highly skilled work force in this vital area of public health.
VI. Financial Feasibility
· Each apprenticeship seat is charged out by the institution on a per diem basis.
· In addition to per diem there will be one time start up costs.
· operating grants will continue.
· Post- Secondary Education Indicators being developed by COPSE will include information about feasibility.
· There are possibilities for additional direct revenues as a result of Continuing Education and Certification activities.
XI. Political Feasibility
· The most recent election had the government campaigning on a platform of doubling enrollments in Post-Secondary institutions.
· Very popular amongst apprentices and employers in Western Manitoba.
· Bittersweet popularity at ACC, due to the loss of truck transport program.
· Bitterness at RRC in Winnipeg because of loss of exclusive authority and influence.
XII. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
· Program development will be guided by COPSE Program Approval Process.
· M.O.U. states that the Province will provide the College with its program standards, including course outlines, time frames, objectives and evaluation criteria. The College will be responsible for developing detailed outlines, examinations and teaching materials based on the provided standards.
· M.O.U states that the program will be reviewed according to the accreditation standards set by the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualification Board.
· Formative and Summative Evaluation procedures will be developed an applied
SED 670 Capstone Project
Central Michigan University
Place Red River Community College (Winnipeg, Canada)
Date July 21-22, 2003
Meeting 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Instructor Dr. Paul M. Terry
Email pterry4303@aol.com
Phone 863.644.5446
Course Description:
This course will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop a proposal for their individual Capstone Project. The instructor will continue to work with students following the course to refine the proposal, obtain IRB approval, and successfully complete the implementation of the Capstone Project.
Course Goal:
· Develop a proposal for the Capstone Project. This will be an ongoing process continuing after the class through the completion and implementation of the project.
Course Objectives & Methodology:
· Development, implementation and completion of a Capstone Project.
· Problem solving and research techniques will be reviewed.
· Incorporate discussion, in-class feedback, individual meetings/feedback from instructor.
· Complete appropriate Internal Review Board (IRB) forms
Course Assignment:
· Develop (and implement) by the end of the course, a scholarly proposal for individual Capstone Project.
· Class Participation – this is an integral part of this course, as a collaborative approach to learning will be utilized.
Textbook/Instructional Materials
· Students are responsible for reviewing the Capstone Project Handbook prior to the course.
· Students are responsible for reviewing the SED 660 Research textbook prior to class.
Grades:
Attendance/Participation 50 points
Individual Presentation 50 points
Development/Refinement of
Capstone Project Proposal 200 points
Copies of Materials:
Attention CMU students: It is your responsibility to retain a copy of any materials that you submit to your instructor.
TENTATIVE Timeline for Chapter Revisions
August 1 – Chapter 1 and IRB complete
September 1 – Chapter 2 and references complete
October 1 – Chapter 3 complete
November 1 – Chapter 4 complete
December 1 – Chapter 5 complete
Headings for SED 670 Capstone Project Proposal
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM DEFINED
Background Statement
Problem Statement
Purpose of Study
Definitions of Terms
Limitations of Study
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIW
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
Population/Sample
Data Collection Method (s)
Data Analysis Method (s)
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations
REFERENCES
APPENDICE (if used)
IRB forms needed: Coversheet, abstract (written in future tense – 150 words), and permission letter form institution (where you are collecting data)
Central Michigan University
Place Red River Community College (Winnipeg, Canada)
Date July 21-22, 2003
Meeting 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Instructor Dr. Paul M. Terry
Email pterry4303@aol.com
Phone 863.644.5446
Course Description:
This course will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop a proposal for their individual Capstone Project. The instructor will continue to work with students following the course to refine the proposal, obtain IRB approval, and successfully complete the implementation of the Capstone Project.
Course Goal:
· Develop a proposal for the Capstone Project. This will be an ongoing process continuing after the class through the completion and implementation of the project.
Course Objectives & Methodology:
· Development, implementation and completion of a Capstone Project.
· Problem solving and research techniques will be reviewed.
· Incorporate discussion, in-class feedback, individual meetings/feedback from instructor.
· Complete appropriate Internal Review Board (IRB) forms
Course Assignment:
· Develop (and implement) by the end of the course, a scholarly proposal for individual Capstone Project.
· Class Participation – this is an integral part of this course, as a collaborative approach to learning will be utilized.
Textbook/Instructional Materials
· Students are responsible for reviewing the Capstone Project Handbook prior to the course.
· Students are responsible for reviewing the SED 660 Research textbook prior to class.
Grades:
Attendance/Participation 50 points
Individual Presentation 50 points
Development/Refinement of
Capstone Project Proposal 200 points
Copies of Materials:
Attention CMU students: It is your responsibility to retain a copy of any materials that you submit to your instructor.
TENTATIVE Timeline for Chapter Revisions
August 1 – Chapter 1 and IRB complete
September 1 – Chapter 2 and references complete
October 1 – Chapter 3 complete
November 1 – Chapter 4 complete
December 1 – Chapter 5 complete
Headings for SED 670 Capstone Project Proposal
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM DEFINED
Background Statement
Problem Statement
Purpose of Study
Definitions of Terms
Limitations of Study
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIW
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
Population/Sample
Data Collection Method (s)
Data Analysis Method (s)
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations
REFERENCES
APPENDICE (if used)
IRB forms needed: Coversheet, abstract (written in future tense – 150 words), and permission letter form institution (where you are collecting data)
