Research on approaches for integrating academic and vocational education often suggest that academic and vocational teachers should collaborate because each brings different expertise to the curriculum development process--the academic teacher brings subject-matter expertise, while the vocational teacher contributes work-related knowledge and experience. Although this characterization is undoubtedly true at some level, it does not necessarily mean that academic or vocational teachers' past experience prepares them to create project-based curriculum that reflects authentic work practice. Even teachers with relevant work experience may need assistance in translating that experience to first identify authentic problems and then to transform those problems into a curriculum that meets a complex set of learning goals for students.
The workplace observation phase of the mini-sabbatical proved very successful in helping even experienced teachers think about the workplace as a source of information for designing curriculum projects that both engaged students and taught subject-specific knowledge. Our method was to train teachers as observers, just as if they were conducting research about work. At the worksite, teachers identified a job for study that was related to their proposed curriculum unit, then focused their attention on defining the social setting for the work and the frequent and critical tasks assigned to the job. They took fieldnotes, which mini-sabbatical staff read and provided feedback on, then used their fieldnotes and group discussions about work observations as input to curriculum design. This approach enabled teachers to learn about the social nature of work--for example, whether projects are carried out by groups or individuals, how teams are comprised and managed, how supervisors motivate staff--as well as the knowledge and skills that individuals need to carry out a particular job. Understanding the social aspect of work is important for classroom design under the CTW model because it helps reveal problems and projects that can be simulated in the classroom. As mentioned earlier, learning about these non-technical skill requirements may require vocational teachers to modify the usual way they look at work requirements.