ProBase Project

Problem-based learning in vocational science - designing activities that develop the skills used by scientists in the workplace for integration into vocational science courses (PROBASE)

Purpose
Science technicians (e.g. those working for organisations such as industrial laboratories, government or municipality sponsored institutes, universities or other research centres) need many professional skills and competencies as well as subject knowledge. Science courses dealing with vocational education and training (VET) often pay little attention to the systematic development of these skills. This problem occurs all over Europe.

The purpose of this project was to provide a rationale, methodology and exemplar materials for the development of professional skills essential for laboratory technicians to be effective in the workplace.

The outcome is a web-based resource consisting of problem-based activities that may be integrated into a range of school and college vocational science courses for students aged sixteen and above. The activities are set in the context of the main science employment sectors.

The skills
From surveys asking practising scientists (researchers and their co-worker technicians) what their jobs entailed and employers what range of skills and related competencies are required for the everyday work of technicians working in scientific laboratories, it has been shown that these employees:

• use knowledge and understanding to tackle scientific problems;
• observe, measure, analyse and evaluate scientific data;
• manage time and workloads;
• manage physical resources such as materials and equipment;
• work with others and manage relationships with people;
• communicate to a range of audiences both verbally and in writing, and using ICT.

The actions

• Ideas for 32 complex problem-based activities were collected by consulting with scientific researchers working in industry, at universities or research institutes. Authenticity of the activities was ensured by collaboration with relevant organisations.
• Teachers in schools and other experts dealing with vocational science education and training planned and wrote the activities.
• External and internal experts checked the quality of the activities. The corrected versions are collected on a website called ProBase, with all the necessary additional information.
• Each problem-based activity was piloted by students in two different partner countries and the partners shared their experiences. The outcome of this process, as well as the results of the quality check, were built into the final versions of the activities before putting them on the website.

The results

• A website in English (called ProBase, see: www.pro-base.eu) was built containing the 32 complex activities, mentioned above. These rich learning tasks represent tasks the would-be employees' may encounter later, once they reach the workplace. Teachers and students are able to choose which tasks to complete.
• 16 activities were translated into Hungarian and 16 activities were translated into Slovenian to help the piloting process in these two countries. These translations may be downloaded from the database.
• The website also contains additional features to help teachers and students, e.g. background information, ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and e-mail links.

The Partners agreed that all products of this project are free of charge to all users (including access to the ProBase database). Copyright permissions are granted.