A NEED FOR ASSESSMENT CHANGE IN THE APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM TO STIMULATE “DEEPER” LEARNING AND TO PROVIDE A MORE VALID INDICATOR OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

The Dublin Institute of Technology is one of the largest multi-level higher education providers in Ireland, catering for over 22000 students annually. Under the 1999 Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, DIT became an awarding body in its own right. Programme provision covers apprenticeships, short continuous professional development courses, taught undergraduate and postgraduate, research MPhil and PhDs. The Institute’s traditional mission has always been focused on teaching and learning in the field of advanced technical vocational education and training (TVET), and one of its current agendas is to foster and encourage changes in teaching practice and methodology in order to enhance a student centred learning approach.

We have carried out a research project involving staff and students in the Carpentry and Joinery trade apprenticeship. In undertaking this project we examined established learning theory and analysed the current teaching practice with a view to changing and improving the current assessment format in the written theory examination. We also want to highlight the larger problems associated with the assessment of apprentices and to try to come up with a viable alternative method of assessment. We wish the alternative method to be a fair reflection of the student’s ability, not only to encourage students to learn, but to assist them in the workplace and promote lifelong learning.

Our aim was to examine some alternative assessment methods and see if the learning experience improved for the student. We felt that a broader, deeper assessment type was required to promote learning and higher order thinking skills. We conducted a research project and examined assessment alternatives to see if they could bring about this change.

We are aware that in any assessment system there will be flaws, which is why we are looking at alternatives for when a curriculum and assessment change takes place. The current curriculum is written by an external authority, for which we are providers. Through our research we hope to be able to highlight our concerns to the relevant authority and help bring about a change in Apprentice Education system that will open the current pedagogy from its current closed state.