Towards a new in-service policy: the case of Dutch agricultural education

Abstract

Abstract This article reports the results of research on in-service teacher training in agricultural education in the Netherlands. Seven agricultural education centres (in Dutch: AOC's) and six institutes which are involved in in-service teacher training participated in this research. The data were collected by way of structured open interviews with persons (N=16) responsible for the in-service policy of their organization. The Dutch government has changed the rules concerning in-service teacher training. The in-service budget has been transferred from in-service training institutes to schools. Accordingly a new situation has arisen, for both schools and in-service training institutes. Schools will have to show a more active in-service policy than before; in-service training institutes can no longer offer schools in-service training activities which they deem necessary. More so than in the past these institutes have to meet the in-service training needs of schools. In literature this is called a shift fro...