An Active Learning Project with Deliberate Practice in Vocational Training for Environmental Energy Engineers

Abstract

Vocational trainees should graduate with the capability to perform their jobs. Along with advances in science and technology, the abilities provided in vocational training have changed from sensory work to related knowledge work. However, vocational training has not adequately responded to the advancement and broadening of such technical abilities. In this paper, we describe an active learning project to train environmental energy engineers through deliberate practice. As a final goal, the project aims for trainees to complete jobs by thinking like environmental energy engineers. It integrates conventional lectures and practical training. First, in a pre-training orientation, the overall contents of the training and its evaluation criteria are explained. Then, trainees learn job operations through practical training with equivalent and actual equipment used by energy engineers. Finally, job operation knowledge and related knowledge are connected. In evaluating and verifying this project, we identified significant improvement in training effects compared to conventional training.