Client work in audiovisual competence area of Finnish vocational schools
Niemelä, Mikko (2022)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022121530333
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022121530333
Tiivistelmä
Client work is a common learning environment in vocational schools. It has many benefits over formal classroom teaching, especially for students in creative field. Nevertheless, it is mostly absent from vocational education legislation. This survey charts the pervasiveness and implementation of client work in audiovisual competence area of Finnish vocational schools.
Every vocational school participating in the study carried out client work. The amount of client work carried out varied greatly between schools. Some schools might have just a couple cases per year, whereas some schools carry out all their teaching through client work. Teachers are not obliged to organize client work. Nevertheless, all teachers do, as they see client work as a pivotal teaching method. Contacting and organizing client work spells voluntary extra work for teachers. Often school’s curriculum and time needed for client work have trouble aligning themselves.
Client work, where the teacher accompanies students to verify the quality of work, is a safe first contact to working in a creative field and with clients. Students get to form production teams and practice creative decision making. Work done for real clients also act as a valid setting for competence demonstrations.
The schools partake in very little advertising of their client work, neither inhouse or to outside clients. New clients come by schools’ services largely by word-of-mouth. Schools are reluctant towards marketing, as they do not want to compete with local media companies for client work. This is a misfortune from the students’ perspective, as they are lacking in marketing skills for creative field.
Every vocational school participating in the study carried out client work. The amount of client work carried out varied greatly between schools. Some schools might have just a couple cases per year, whereas some schools carry out all their teaching through client work. Teachers are not obliged to organize client work. Nevertheless, all teachers do, as they see client work as a pivotal teaching method. Contacting and organizing client work spells voluntary extra work for teachers. Often school’s curriculum and time needed for client work have trouble aligning themselves.
Client work, where the teacher accompanies students to verify the quality of work, is a safe first contact to working in a creative field and with clients. Students get to form production teams and practice creative decision making. Work done for real clients also act as a valid setting for competence demonstrations.
The schools partake in very little advertising of their client work, neither inhouse or to outside clients. New clients come by schools’ services largely by word-of-mouth. Schools are reluctant towards marketing, as they do not want to compete with local media companies for client work. This is a misfortune from the students’ perspective, as they are lacking in marketing skills for creative field.