Good Practice in Use

Guidelines for Good Practice in Workplace Education

Introduction

With a new workplace literacy strategy introduced in Ontario in 2001, it is an appropriate time to revisit good practice in workplace education. (1) Good practice, also referred to as best practice or successful practice, is composed of key elements that account for quality, effectiveness and satisfaction for all the partners in workplace education. Changes in national and provincial economies, political maps and educational policies also affect workplace practice. What impacts have the rapid and significant changes in all these areas over the last decade had on good practice in workplace education? In most cases, statements of principles or guidelines are offered by educational organizations or responsible government agencies. During the 1990s, educators in many jurisdictions in Canada, the United States, Britain and Australia reflected on practices that were successful in promoting, planning and delivering workplace education. In that decade certain practices became standard in quality programs: the promotion of working partnerships, joint committees or planning/evaluation teams, organizational or workplace needs assessments, contextualized individual assessments and curriculum, and evaluation procedures involving all interest groups.