Towards Competence-based Practices in Vocational Education – What Will the Process Require from Teacher Education and Teacher Identities?

Abstract

Competence-based education refers to the integration of knowledge, skills, attitudes and interactivity as the intended outcomes of learning. It makes use of lifelong learning and lifelike tasks in realistic settings and requires the cooperation of teachers. This research was prompted by the desire to explain why collegial cooperation often seems to be problematic in schools and universities. Are there certain social structures or behavioural patterns that influence the cooperative culture in teacher communities? The research material was collected in 2013 and 2014 in Oulu, Finland. The target groups were both newly qualified and experienced vocational teachers at all educational levels (N=30). The data collection methods were open questions in interviews and questionnaires. The research approach and analysis methods were qualitative. The theoretical background is in humanistic-cognitive and experiential learning as well as in dynamic epistemic conceptions. The findings show that the prevailing model in teacher communities is individualistic, disciplinedivided and course-based, especially among older teachers. The obstacles refer to teachers’ self-image and a deeply rooted fear of criticism or revelation of incompetence. The promoters of cooperation were connected to the changing practices and desire of sharing with colleagues.

It is the Shared Aims, Trust and Compassion that Allow People to Prosper: Teacher Educators´ Lifelong Learning in Competence-based Education

“…It is demanding to compare the recognized competences and the need of further learning to the goals of the written curriculum. (Nissilä et al, 2015) The objective is high-quality expertise, which sets great demands on teacher educators.…”

Theory and Practice of Teaching and Learning in the Classroom – Lessons from Indian Industrial Training Institutes

“…Therefore, this paper will examine the teaching and learning, which is why the focus is also on teachers; in particular, the teachers' behaviour and conception of teaching is crucial in the transfer of knowledge in the education processes (Kaymakamoglu, 2017). There is evidence from research that teachers, as promoters of innovation, can drive change, for example, in the way teaching is delivered, even if it is not yet embedded in the curricula (Nissilä et al, 2015). The students' perspective is not a focus in this paper, but it can be assumed that the quality of teaching and learning in VET influences the attractiveness of the educational programmes and the institutions offering them (Ajithkumar & Pilz, 2019).…”

Teachers’ Training in the Intercultural Dialogue and Understanding: Focusing on the Education for a Sustainable Development

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