What is the need of content in the term Vocational didactics, related to vocational education in upper secondary school?

Abstract

Today, vocational teachers are expected to organize and adapt their training to classes where the students are trained in many different occupations and certificate areas. Research and evaluations of the curriculum in the Knowledge Promotion KL (06) show that there are considerable didactical challenges in contemporary vocational training, both in the first year in high school courses (Vg1) and in several of the broader courses in the second year (Vg2). Consequently, there is a need to discuss what it takes to develop relevant and future-oriented vocational training for all students in upper secondary school. The broad educational program approach entails that many students in Vg1 must go through a selection of modules featuring possible future professions, although they have already decided their profession when they move on to Vg2. In Vg2, student risk being selected for a final exam in a profession that is different from the one they are an apprentice in.

The purpose of the article is to discuss what vocational didactics should include to become a useful tool for development of vocational competence and relevance, democracy and student participation in vocational education and training.

This article`s empirical data is based on findings from a three-year research collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of teachers in building and construction.  The methods used in this study are electronic survey among students and group interview with vocational teachers.

The result of this research shows that vocational didactics needs to be renewed to ensure quality in vocational education, and to ensure relevance in the vocational teacher educations.