Imagine that you are about to choose a new doctor. You can choose one who earned A’s in biology, organic chemistry, and anatomy, but has no practical experience. Or you can choose one who has both academic training and practical experience. No contest? When we want someone to be an effective practitioner—that is, to put knowledge to use—we do not question the need for appropriate experience.

-- Thomas Bailey and Donna Merritt            
Institute for Education and the Economy
Teachers College, Columbia University   

What is Community / Work-Based Learning?
Elements of Quality Worksite Learning
Continuum of Community / Work-Based Learning Opportunities
Implementing Community / Work-Based Learning
Tools for Implementing Community / Work-Based Learning

What is Community-Based and Work-Based Learning?

Community-based and work-based learning experiences are those that engage the community and worksite as extensions of the classroom—to test, validate, expand upon, supplement and enrich classroom learning. They provide structured career exploration and learning experiences for students through exposure to a range of occupations. Students learn by observing and/or doing real work. Learning in the community and workplace is connected to and supports learning in the classroom. Work-based and community-based learning activities promote the development of broad, transferable skills.

The principle underlying work-based learning is that some things are best learned in school and others are better learned at the work site or in the community. Through exposure to both environments, students can most effectively and efficiently acquire knowledge, build skills, and develop useful attitudes. Research has shown that students in such programs also demonstrate increased motivation, creativity and effort in all their endeavors.

For decades, relatively small numbers of students have been going into the workplace, sometimes as unpaid “assistants”, sometimes as paid part- or full-time workers, and in still fewer cases, as trainees in school/business articulated programs. In contrast, schools and communities are now beginning to explore ways of making it possible for the majority of the student population to have a community-based experience, and for this experience to articulate with in-school learning.

Similarly, educators have always taken students on field trips to enrich classroom learning. Work-based and community-based learning is an extension of this concept. It encourages individual or small groups of students to use “field” locations as real laboratories for in depth observation and learning that is connected to their personal interests.

Work-based learning is a key element of a rigorous and relevant education for students. Properly developed and supported, work-based learning provides a practical context for school subject matter that helps students understand the purpose of their schoolwork. It enables students to acquire the attitudes, skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s workplace. Work-based learning also helps students achieve established academic standards.

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