The authority to sponsor an apprenticeship program in New York lies not with the Regents, but the Department of Labor. For example, the Industrial Commissioner of the NY DOL registered the NYC Electricians apprenticeship program in 1943.
this process of differentiation and specialization has taken place chaotically, without clear and precise principles, without a well thought out and consciously fixed plan.
, The Organization of Education and Culture
From the Wagner Laws, back to the guilds, the “mysteries of the trades” have been closely guarded secrets, chartered by the kings of England as monopolies in exchange for income to the Crown. See, e.g., ,
Sharing knowledge from one trade local to another has always been difficult for our learning community. Sharing curriculum with others not sworn to a labor union is next to impossible. Hence, we still teach in the classroom like it’s 1899.
When COVID hit, it became clear to me that we journeymen must figure out ways to bring our teaching methods into the 21st century, without losing our authenticity enframed within our communities of practice. Teaching an apprentice how to hammer a nail in a Zoom class simply doesn’t work.
What we need to do is simulate real life problems journeymen face on worksite, in a classroom setting. Microworld may be a solution to this problem. There is nothing “secret” about organizing pieces of a puzzle, so taisez vous need not apply. But constructionist principles will get students out of their chairs, and this kind of learning environment is closer to how learning really happens on a worksite.
