The contribution of older workers’ issue
to innovate
apprenticeship from the perspective of
the Cultural
Historical Activity Theory
Maria Cristina Migliore
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
1
Aims of the presentation
• Reflecting on working practices of old-timers
(older workers) in an industrial shop floor: the
role of experience in complex tasks.
• How older workers see newcomers.
• Differently from Lave and Wenger (1991),
highlighting the relation between practical
knowledge and theoretical knowledge in the
production and reproduction of the shop floor.
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
2
Theoretical framework
• Cultural historical activity theory (CHAT): a
materialistic approach developed by Vygotsky,
Leontiev, Engestrom, Stetsenko
• The centrality of the object-oriented activity in our
relation with the world: every activity finds its origin
in a motive/object and it is directed by this
• Learning is a cultural and social process of mastering
material artefacts and internalizing/externalizing
symbolic artefacts, in carrying out activities with
other individuals, to become a full participant in the
community of practice (Lave &Wenger 1991).
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
3
Complex tasks in the shop floor: when
experience is important
The flexible specialized production: broad skills and
collaboration with the designers to solve
problems.
Labour processes are dotted with mishaps:
• Variation in conditions of work: different
materials, problems with tools
• Risk of buckling
• Design not available or not adequate
• Stressful situation: dealing with emotions
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
4
Practice and Theory
• Older workers say that theory – a general
understanding – is important. “It is useful theory,
because if one starts from scratch, that is, she/he can
learn nothing, theory is useful …”.
• However they can develop a conceptual
understanding at work too, through experiencing
different jobs (the case of Mr B).
• In other cases, working practices prompt need and
motive to do vocational education (the case of Mr
N).
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
5
Old-timers and newcomers
• Symmetric relations, not didactic: saying and
explaining only if requested. Not teaching. As in Lave
and Wenger 1991.
• Pointing out that there are different ways of doing
the same thing and there is always room to improve
the practice
• The importance of meeting the ‘right people’ who
like sharing the tricks with you.
• Newcomers can also learn theory from some older
workers.
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
6
Educated young workers are supposed
to be able to work
• Mr G notices that young workers arrive in the
workplaces later, after school, and they are
supposed to be able to work (Mr G, Par. 160;
00:04:02-00:04:44). This is different from what
was his experience of entering the world of work
in the beginning of the 80s: he was asked to do
things as cleaning, keeping in order the
workplace and gradually learned from the older
workers and made his own experience. He adds
that this was the typical way of starting working
at that time.
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
7
Young engineers are supposed to
know what is needed
• Mr D brings the issue of young colleagues who are
educated and work as engineers in another department
of the company (‘Tecnologie’) where they prepare the
programs of the tool machines.
• Adopting a tone of voice as a way of showing regret,
disappointment, but also pity for them, he tells that they
have a theoretical preparation, but “ … they do not know
because they have never seen practically (…) and
therefore they do not know what it is possible to do [and
what it is not possible to do] (…) because if one knows
how it is produced, then he can think “it is needed this
and this and this” (…) sometimes things go wrong
because maybe they [the young engineers] do not ask”.
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
8
Practical and theoretical knowledge
• Practical knowledge develops through social
practices and manifests its self in practice.
Conceptual understanding refers to
theoretical knowledge which has the
distinctive characteristic of conceiving
alternatives and making connections
(elaboration on Young 2004).
• What is the connection between practical and
theoretical knowledge?
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
9
Learning as becoming a full participant able to
connect practice and theory
• The reproduction of the shop floor is not only about
transmitting practical knowledge, it is also about learning
how combining it with the theoretical understanding (Guile
2006).
• The present older workers in flexible specialization may
have developed how to combine theory and practice.
• How much the apprenticeship systems are aware of the
role of the different object-oriented activities, their related
work organizations and management strategies in favouring
exchanges among workers about theory and practice?
• Being a full participant is also about who and how asking
for help (knowing the ‘right people’).
• It is also about dealing with emotions.
University of London, Institute of Education
Ires Piemonte, Institute for Economic and
Social Research of Piedmont
10