In such a context a new kind of curriculum is needed, one that links learning at school with learning at work and connects workplace knowledge with an understanding of the science underlying such knowledge. Unfortunately, curricula that help teachers and workplace supervisors to make connections between work practice and key science concepts are still uncommon and difficult to find. We call our project Working to Learn to emphasize that we aim to use workplace experience to promote effective learning, both at work and in school. Any one of these skills could qualify a high school graduate for an entry-level job. At the same time, however, we found that most supervisors do not introduce students to the theoretical basis upon which these work skills rest.
Most students are very motivated in a work setting because they are learning to work.
We wondered whether science teachers could use the world of work as a context for supporting science learning. To explore this issue, we prepared three curriculum units that begin with workplace experience but are, at the same time, standards-based. Our hospital-based unit, for example, introduces common diagnostic techniques for finding out if something is wrong with a patient's heart, lungs, or blood, but also provides students with a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system. The connection between school science and science as it is practiced in workplaces is not very obvious. Science in the workplace, on the other hand, deals with real, often immediate questions.