Real World Learning and Teacher Externships – Empowering Employer Engagement | #EdgyThinking Livestream 2

Employer engagement is essential to ensure students gain real world, authentic experiences both inside and outside of the classroom that link to the work place.

At the Edge Foundation we believe Real World Learning (RWL) involves bringing the curriculum to life as teachers, lecturers and students have opportunities to expand their knowledge and understanding of subjects through employer engagement, in turn understanding how subjects are used and applied in the ‘real-world’.

Core to RWL is connecting subject knowledge to real world learning experiences and problem solving in order to develop deeper understanding and hone essential skills.

Real World Learning involves intentionally designing the curriculum so it is relevant, contextualised and includes authenticity, making learning meaningful.

RWL can take many forms, students may complete internships and work placements, while teachers and lecturers take part in a teacher externship.

School 21 in London have an innovative real world learning programme.

Real world learning at School 21 gives students the chance to do meaningful projects each week with an employer.

They learn to apply knowledge, develop skills and learn self-confidence.

Empowering teachers to embed real world learning into their curriculum is one aspect of a teacher externship.

It also provides an opportunity to build deep and sustained relationships with employers, to develop richly scaffolded careers guidance within schools and help achieve Gatsby benchmark 4, which states:

“All teachers should link curriculum learning to careers.” It also provides an opportunity to build teacher’s confidence to talk about career pathways and skills and behaviours required in the work place.

As part of the externship experience, teachers interact with a local employer, observe how their subject is used in business, and discuss different career pathways relevant to their subject. Teachers then return to school and plan a project linked to the curriculum, or develop curriculum-based resources, using the business they have visited as the context and setting. Their students complete the work or project within school, effectively enhancing their understanding of the relevance of the curriculum, developing their employability skills, and ultimately preparing them to make informed career choices and thrive in the workplace. To find out more and access training visit the Edge Foundation .

Now more than ever it is important that we support students to make informed choices as they move through education and into the work place. Helping them, not only to understand the ever changing landscape of employment, but also the essential skills and behaviours they need to be successful. Empowering both employers and teachers to engage effective to offer intentional experiences to students is key to the successful implementation of real world learning.