Educational Theory of Apprenticeship - Goals of Apprenticeship

Goals of Apprenticeship

There are three main goals of apprenticeship learning according to Brandt et al. (1993).

• The first goal is for the adult learner to discover what works. This does not mean for the learner to use problem solving learning and figure out the situation on their own. There is guidance provided. The learner uses skills learned from the expert in order to successfully solve a problem.

• Secondly, the learner recognizes tasks, problems or situations and knows how to handle them. The learner learns the appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge. Learners are not learning this knowledge in isolation from other students. Students are working in a social setting with lifelike scenarios in order to learn a specific task.

• Finally, the learner is able to perform at an acceptable level. The learner is not learning basic skills at a novice level but working with an expert in order to perform at an acceptable level. Students are not learning skills at a basic level but rather at a level that is accepted in the specific industry.

These three goals have been accomplished based on published literature, learners feel apprenticeship "learning experience expands their awareness of the factors that should be considered' helps them organize and pay attention to their thought processes while handling difficult tasks, problems, and problematic situations; and emphasizes the importance of particular aspects of such tasks, problems, and problematic situations previously ignored or regarded as unimportant" (Brandt et al., 1993). Clearly the three goals of apprenticeship learning have been accomplished. Learners have been able to discover what works in situations, and knows how to handles problems and finally the learner can perform at a satisfactory level.