School-based Simulated Internships to support dialogic collaboration and authentic links with the world of work: a design-based research study

ABSTRACT

Employers often complain that students leave school unequipped with the real-world skills needed, including problem-solving, teamwork and effective communication. Conversely, school-based education often suffers from limited perceived authenticity leading to low student engagement. Work experience is one solution, but it is labour-intensive and inequitably available. To address these challenges we undertook design-based research to explore a new relationship between enterprise and education: potentially scalable, curricular-integrated, simulated role-play experiences of the world of work. We developed a programme aligned to the English Key Stage 3 Computing and Design and Technology curricula (students aged 11–14). Student groups designed, modelled or built local solutions to global challenges, presented via videos from engineers in two international telecommunications companies. 326 students participated, led by eight teachers in four schools in areas of England traditionally associated with low social mobility. Findings identify structures, resources and approaches that authentically link to the world of work, whilst supporting students’ effective communication and shared group outcomes. We demonstrate proof of concept for an innovative education model made possible by the digital age. Using simulated real-world role-play scenarios, education across subjects could be made more authentic and many more students could experience working with leading-edge companies.

KEYWORDS:

• Design-based research
• collaboration
• educational dialogue
• educational technology
• education-enterprise links
• schools

Acknowledgements

We are hugely grateful to the schools, teachers and students who worked with us to refine the project model and resources. We also thank our industry colleagues at BT and Huawei who funded this work, supported project development, engaged critically, and recorded stimulating videos to increase programme authenticity. Thanks too to the project advisors who offered valuable feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by [BT] and [Huawei]. The reported work took place when all three authors were based at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.

Notes on contributors

A. Twiner

Dr. A. Twiner is a Research Associate at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge. Her research interests focus on meaning making, the different ways in which teachers and learners seek to support this, and the different ways researchers can explore such interactions. Such focus includes attention to the educational use of technology, and educational dialogue - including talk and other modes of communication.

L. Major

Dr. L. Major is Senior Lecturer in Digital Education at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on digital technology’s role in the future of education, in particular, how this can enable new models of education, address educational disadvantage, and support dialogue and communication.

R. Wegerif

Professor R. Wegerif is Professor of Education in the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. He has substantial research expertise regarding the benefits of a dialogic and collaborative approach to teaching and learning, and to the use of digital technologies in disrupting models of education. He is Director of the Digital Education Futures Initiative, based at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge.