WORK TRAINING: UNAMS CONTRIBUTION TO THE MEXICAN SOCIETY

LEN MARTNEZ Jorge, UNAM, TAPIA RANGEL Edith, UNAM, Mxico

Introduction
Globalization, which currently plays a crucial role in most organizations, compels public institutions to design and implement
policies that favor the development of competences among citizens so they can be better prepared to perform at a
professional level. Globalization also requires that organizations make an investment in their most valuable asset: human
resources.The ability to hire, develop, and retain qualified workers within the framework of a global economy (Spiegel,
2006) is essential to guarantee growth by offering high-quality products and services, which result in profits and benefits to
both workers and employers and society in general.

Theoretical Framework
Adult learning
According to Ludojoski (1972), andragogy is the use of all means and forms of personality formation at the service of all
adults with indistinctively, regardless of their formal education. Andragogy deals with educating a population in its entirety ,
considering the needs and possibilities of its individuals and providing all the support required for the improvement of their
personality within the area of their relationships. (LIdojoski, 1972). Ubaldo (2009) declares that learning in adulthood is
second-level learning based on skills and procedures, among which learning to learn and choosing to learn are the two most
important. Ubaldo also points out that the aspects of adult learning which are deemed fundamental by androgogy are the
following: the specific condition and relevance of learning, acceptance of adults ability to learning, adults confidence in their
own ability to learn, activity and learning, motivation for learning, learning and organizing information, experience as a source
of learning and knowledge, learning through problems, times for learning, dialogic learning and self-learning. Tynjl and Pavi
points that adult learning is based on or at least resorts to learners experience. It involves the learner in a reective
process and in social processes. It is problem-oriented and aims to benet both personal development and organisational
learning processes, and it is organized in exible ways .(Tynjl & Pavi, 2005).
Higher Education Institutions and work training
Taking into account the trends in higher education, the way in which the means of production and changing around the world
(and therefore the requirements of the job market and the ways of learning in a globalized world, it is evident that citizens have
new educational demands. Nowadays, they are required to develop new skills and acquire knowledge in order to perform
satisfactorily in their work life. Those demands require a new model of training and education. Such a model should be based
on lifelong training which incorporate formal learning (in schools, universities and training institutions that issue degrees and
diplomas), non-formal learning (which consists in structured training generally associated to the workplace) and informal
learning (skills learnt from family members or people in the community). This model allows people to gain access to learning
opportunities as these are necessary instead of getting them once a defined age has been reached (ANUIES, 2010). As an
institutional response to this need, UNAM implements a number of actions towards updating and training Mexicans by means
of different strategies that range from the production of a robust and continuous educational offer to the creation of online freeaccess spaces for informal learning.
Workplace learning
Tynjl and Pavi (2005) argue that learning at work includes both formal and informal aspects weighted differently, that it is
not a single unied phenomenon; and that it may take place in different ways and itake different forms depending on the
individuals position at the workplace and on many other contextual factors related to the workplace environment.
The authors distinguished three basic modes of workplace learning: Incidental and informal learning which takes place as a
side effect of work; Intentional non-formal learning activities related to work (such as mentoring, intentional practice of certain
skills or the use of particular tools); and formal on-the-job and off-the-job training. While discussing formal on-the-job and offthe-job training, the authors state that this kind of workplace learning is necessary because informal learning may result in

undesirable outcomes (such as bad habits or dysfunctional practices). It is also necessary because new work-life knowledge
is being produced at so rapidly that informal learning cannot guarantee that the knowledge and skills of organizations and
people will keep up with it. Finally, it is necessary because formal education and planned learning situations make it possible
to exploit informal learning effectively, to turn tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge and to integrate conceptual knowledge
and practical experience, the foundation for the development of expertise (Tynjl and Pavi, 2005).
eLearning for work
Tynjl and Pavi (2005) point out that, in order to enhance both individual and organizational learning and development, elearning solutions should include the following features: Support of both individual reflection and collaborative knowledge
building or epistemic social practices; integration of theoretical knowledge and participants practical experience; learning tasks
that lead learners to examine their work under the light of the provided conceptual tools; learning tasks that help learners
conceptualize their practical experiences; support for the invention and use of boundary objects; support for the explication of
implicit knowledge; encouragement of collaboration and knowledge exchange between different groups of people (for
instance: different professional groups, people from different areas, experts and novices); real dialogue; a progressive
problem-solving orientation; integration of different forms of representation and different forms of learning activities (reading,
writing, discussing, using metaphors, audio, visual, etc); structured support and guidance for learning in all phases of the
learning process; and integration of e-learning with face-to-face situations whenever possible. (Tynjl and Pavi, 2005).

Development
UNAM process for developing work-oriented training programs
UNAMs training programs to develop skills for work are generated follow a development methodology established in the
Coordination of Open University and Distance Education (Coordinacin de Universidad Abierta y Educacin a Distancia
CUAED). This methodology establishes the following stages in development: project profile definition, content analysis,
pedagogical consultation and copy editing, Visual communication and integration and Implementation, evaluation and
updating. During the project profile definition stage we define two aspects of the program: first the administrative aspect which
defines the project data, the participants and the scheduling, and, secondly, the educational model that will support the
proposal as well as the navigation diagram (navigation levels). These are the two main elements to define the instructional
script, which is the basic tool for this methodology. Also at this stage begins we begin to draft the script with the general
information and components for the program. In the Content Analysis, participants provide the content to be presented.The
Pedagogical advice and style correction stage comprises two major activities: pedagogical advice consisting in the
development of learning and assessment activities and the proposals general organization; style correction consisting both
checking spelling and uniformity of what is wrote in the instructional script and consulting doubts about the wording or some
terms used. At the Visual communication and integration stage, images are plotted, activities are included in the platform,
contents are integrated, templates for presenting contents and activities are modified, custom resources are created, etc.
Finally, in the Implementation, evaluation and updating stage piloting, the proposal is piloted in order to evaluate and make
obvious problem that will be resolved by updating.
Training proposals for work developed at UNAM
Following the methodology described, the UNAM have developed the following proposals:
UNAM RETo Portal (Recursos Educativos para Todos - Educational Resources for All)
According to the National Autonomous University of Mexico 2011-2015 Development Plan, one of the objectives of the
Teaching Program is to expand and diversify its educational offer, by means of both vocational training programs and
continuing education fields, professional update and work training by promoting and implementing online and distance
education. In response to this, it was proposed to create a website called UNAM RETo (Educative Resources for Everyone),
the target of which is everyone interested in updating their knowledge in their preferred area by means of information
technologies. The site features different areas to explore and allows to browse the resources by either subject or discipline. It
also includes a space for news and tips as well as instructions on how to use it.

Seminar on Budget based on results

This program in a joint effort between two institutions: the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit and UNAM. Its goal is to
support the implementation of a model of management for Results in the Federal Public Administration, using the tools of a
Budget based on results with Result indicators which could be measured in defined periods of time with a Logical Frame
methodology, and which improve the assignment and reassignment of expenditures by the means of the Performance
Evaluation System (which evaluates the indicators and execution of public expenditure). The program is directed to people
who hold public office in the area of budget management at all government levels (federal, state, and municipal). It is
organized in six modules which are to be concluded within a six-month period. The seminar is taken on line with the
assistance of a counselor, who is an expert in the subject, throughout the course. The structure of the seminar withih the
Virtual Classroom is divided into two main sections: Home and Units. In the Home section, students can find the overview of
the course (Introduction, Objective, Counselors, Content scheduling, Bibliography and External links). In the Units section,
they can find the subjects included in each module, within which there is a small explanation that will guide them through the
mandatory reading. They can also find the following sections: Objective, Introduction, Subjects, Activities, Bibliography.
Health Promotion and Addictive Behavior Prevention Specialty
This program is an inter-institutional effort between UNAMs Faculty of Psychology and the Gonzalo Rio Arronte Foundation,
and its objective is the training of the health professional to assist and prevent the setting and development of the addictive
behavior through the management of scientific methodology and avant-garde prevention techniques for the early detection of
population in risk of developing addictive behavior patterns (check the programs website). The program is intended for health
professionals in the areas of psychology, medicine and social work. Its scheduled for 816 hours that are divided in 12 subjects
contained in 3 semesters. When entering the program one can distinguish the following elements: Welcoming, Objective,
Students Guide, Working Methodology, Academic Activities and Academic History. Its in the Academic Activities section where
one can access to the main subject sections, which are organized according to semester and topic. Topic wise, one can
observe elements such as Introduction, General Objective, Units, Working Path, Accreditation Criteria and Bibliography. The
next level corresponds to a Unit, where one can find an Introduction, Objectives and Topics. Finally, the topics are developed
by means of HTML pages where the topics particular objective is presented, as well as the topics content, the learning
activities, the self-evaluation and the sources of information. This program has been given in 3 occasions, forming a total of
2,700 health professionals as a result.
Training program for the Energy Control National Center
This program took place at the request of the Energy Control National Center (CENACE) (institution in charge of making sure
the energy demand is covered considering the established parameters of voltage and frequency, providing real time
information about the generation, frequency and specific parameters in generator factories), organization that is dependent on
the Electricity Federal Commission (a non-profit decentralized public organization which aims to organize and direct a national
system of generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy, based on technical and economical principles and with
the objective of obtaining the best possible performance at a minimum cost for the general interest). The programs objective is
the permanent training of its staff so they are in conditions to give a safe, continuous, qualitative and economical energy
service to the Mexican public, taking into account that the organization ought to be prepared to keep its staff well-trained
despite mobility, retirement, reassignment, etc. In order to allow the participants take the course without overlooking their work
environment, the program was planned to be online. When entering the program one can observe the following elements:
Welcoming, CENACE Student, Guides, Courses, My Profile, News and Virtual Classroom. Its in the Courses section where
one can access to the following sections: Electric Potential Energy Systems I, Electric Equipment, Protections I, and
Protections II. Entering each course one can find the following information: Introduction, General Objective, Working Path,
Accreditation Criteria and Units Access. In each unit of each course the following elements have been specified: Introduction,
Objectives, Diagnostic Activity, Chapters, Case Study. In both levels the participants can use such tools as: Desktop, Start, My
Profile, Facilitator, Group, Messages, Forum, Glossary, Evaluation and Log Out.

Conclusions
The employer institutions, educational institutions and people themselves are responsible of continuing education. In this
paper we have provided some examples of different kinds of training from the point of view of Universities.
Continuing education based on technologies is vital for workers of the different economic segments of society. This kind of
education saves time because people do not need to spend it in transportation and organizations can use it in a more
productive way.
It is very important to note that eLearning options for work, should consider andragogical elements such as specific condition
and relevance of learning, activity and learning, motivation to learn, learning and organizing information, experience as source
of learning and knowledge , problem-based learning , dialogic learning and self learning; to achieve the goal of training people
who are already laboring or are looking for work, in a meaningful and comprehensive way, so that the productive activities of
the country is rich.
With the examples presented, it is proven once again, that the job training allows people to get better jobs within and outside
their organizations, thus achieving higher pay, stability, prosperity and social recognition.
By creating the Portal UNAM RETo, UNAM seeks not only to provide knowledge, but also to develop in people the basic skills
of knowing, living, doing and being; necessary for good performance in hi life, thus fulfilling the institution with its social
commitment.

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