This book, the first to address issues of reflection in the context of work, is an accessible entry point into the theory and practice of work reflection for students and practitioners. It consists of contributions from a diverse range of international authorities in the areas of management, education, organizational psychology and sociology.
While there has been previous work on reflection in educational settings and reflective practice in the context of the work of individual professionals, none of these deals with the challenges faced by reflection in organizations and in a variety of work groups. A key innovation of this book is its focus on the social collective aspects of reflection--people reflecting together in the workplace.
Crossing the boundaries of different disciplines, this book draws together different views of reflection delivering a secure grounding in academic thinking and working practice. Topical and timely, with international appeal and world-renowned contributors, this well-written text engages both students and practitioners and will be a valuable asset to those in the fields of HRM, organizational behavior and education.

First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Across the western world, there is a growing awareness of the importance of workplace learning, seen at the level of national and international policy, as well as in the developing practices of employers, training providers and Trades Unions. This key text is the first on workplace learning in a new series published in partnership with the Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP). Authoritative, accessible, and appealing, it presents key findings on work-based learning, bringing together conclusions from five different projects, and investigating a variety of workplace contexts. An extensive practical treatment, the included research has a unique combination of breadth of coverage and depth of understanding which significantly advances the understanding of workplace learning. This exceptional volume, grounded in rich and detailed empirical studies, challenges conventional thinking. It shows how workplace learning can be improved if close attention is paid to the relationship between organizational context, individual worker biographies, and regulatory frameworks. broad perspective on workplace learning as in, for, and through the workplace. A unique and broad-ranging text, Evans, Hodkinson, Rainbird and Unwin bring together social and individual perspectives to give an accessible overview of the key debates and explain the uneven impact of workplace learning policies. Practitioners, policy makers, students and academics with an interest in learning at work will find this an invaluable addition to their bookshelves.

This work analyzes the context of post-compulsory education and training through the stories of ten young people entering the world of youth training in Britain. In their re-examination of the ways in which young people make career decisions, the stories are grounded in policies emphasizing individual responsibility for education and training in a market built around neutral careers guidance. The book aims to show that current debates about education and training are often based on false assumptions about how people behave and interact with each other, and to help the reader understand the actions and perceptions of the young people in their care, as well as to reflect on his/her own professional practice.

This book is an edited collection addressing competence and professionalism in Vocational Education and Training. Its prime focus is the caring professions of teaching, youth work, social work and community care. Contributors examine critically the design and operation of competence-based approaches in the contemporary British context. They explore the advantages and limitations of the dominant National Council for Vocational Qualifications model, both at a theoretical level and through analysis of practical experience in the caring professions. The book argues that this model is located firmly within technically reational, managerial approaches and, despite good intentions and some useful ideas, is fundamentally flawed. The authors consider alternative approaches to competence, drawn from principles of professionalism, and conclude with some clear pointers to ways in which professional development in the caring professions should be advanced. Phil Hodkinson is Principal Lecturer in Education at the Crewe and Alsager Faculty of Manchester Metropolitan University.Mary Issis is a Senior Lecturer in Youth and Community Work at the Crewe and Alsager Faculty of Manchester Metropolitan University.

Throughout the world, teacher education is once more in the spotlight. This book focuses on recent trends and experiences in England and Wales, where external pressures have caused tension between the technician model of teacher education, in which teachers learn primarily on the job alongside colleagues, and traditional forms of teacher education based in higher education institutions. This tension superficially replicates an old dichotomy between practice and theory. The contributors to this volume reflect on ideas and attempts to integrate theory and practice. Key questions and themes recur: the balance and relationship between work done in school on the job and work away from the workplace, such as in universities; teacher education as a partnership activity; and the need to critically examine the institutional, cultural, and historical context in which they work.

Throughout the world, teacher education is once more in the spotlight. This book focuses on recent trends and experiences in England and Wales, where external pressures have caused tension between the technician model of teacher education, in which teachers learn primarily on the job alongside colleagues, and traditional forms of teacher education based in higher education institutions. This tension superficially replicates an old dichotomy between practice and theory. The contributors to this volume reflect on ideas and attempts to integrate theory and practice. Key questions and themes recur: the balance and relationship between work done in school on the job and work away from the workplace, such as in universities; teacher education as a partnership activity; and the need to critically examine the institutional, cultural, and historical context in which they work.