Article Gold Open Access 2023

Survey of New Jersey K-12 Professionals on Work-Based Learning During COVID-19: A Preliminary Study and Future Implications

Journal of School Health
Journal · Vol. 93 · Issue 2 · pp. 123-127
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The New Jersey Safe Schools Program (NJSS) offers an online professional development certification course, titled “Designing and Implementing Student Training Plans,” for NJ high school (HS) teachers developing secondary school student work-based learning (WBL) programs. WBL provides students opportunities to engage in career-related field tasks, aligned to curricular instruction. METHODS: In January-July 2021, during 7 cohorts of trainings, questions in the training's assignment gauged teacher and student concerns regarding worksite placements during the COVID-19 pandemic, learning delivery format preferences, and alternative activities for WBL credit. RESULTS: In January-July 2021, 68 of 134 HS teachers (51%) were concerned placing students in WBL and indicated “no” and “I don't know” (37% and 31%, respectively) about employer willingness to offer virtual mentorship during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study presents insights of newly credentialed WBL supervisory HS teachers regarding impacts of COVID-19 on student health and workplace safety, preferred WBL formats, and potential implementation of COVID-19 safety trainings. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of School Health published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American School Health Association.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Teacher training Adolescents occupational safety Young workers school health

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, United States
Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, United States
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
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