European Vocational Education Research Articles

The European Vocational Education and Training System: Towards a Unified Approach

The European vocational education and training system exhibits significant diversity, with each country implementing its unique approach. While a unified European solution is desirable, a lack of comprehensive knowledge in this area hinders the development of policies that could establish a basic model applicable to all countries, albeit with necessary variations due to socio-economic nuances. European policymakers and stakeholders recognize the importance of vocational education and training, including formats like Dual School and Work-based Learning. Nations have committed to common targets in their education and training strategies, driven by globalized competition and the need for professional workers skilled in new technologies. Nevertheless, with the support of established systems, this European solution shows great potential for seamless operation and effectiveness. A successful European strategy would take into account the advancements in technology, the unique regional and national characteristics of the workforce in terms of traditional skills and competencies, and notably, the available natural resources. These resources have become a crucial factor in industrial efficiency and competitiveness. Implementation of dual school models varies at the European level, influenced by national strategies shaped by local factors. Some countries prioritize collaboration with stakeholders and regulatory frameworks to optimize professional training, while others, like Romania and Bulgaria, are just beginning to adopt dual school laws, with emerging examples of best practices. Romania, in particular, has largely followed the German model due to economic influences. In 2006, the European Council recognized vocational training through dual schools as an excellent investment, yielding high returns, surpassing initial costs, and delivering long-term efficiency and productivity benefits.

Factors with Influence on the Adoption of the Flipped Classroom Model in Technical and Vocational Education

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this work is to explore which factors impact on the adoption of the flipped classroom in vocational education to pave the way for the schools which want to apply this model. Background: Although various experiences in the use of the flipped classroom have been reported in recent years in the literature, fewer efforts have been done on how to implement this model from a pedagogical standpoint. The factors that influence its adoption have not been studied in depth, at least not in a global way. These factors include the use of technology and teaching methodologies active in the classroom, the trend towards innovation of teachers and schools, and whether teachers have the necessary ICT training and infrastructures. Moreover, although the results of many experiences in Higher Education have been published, this is not so for other levels of education, such as vocational schools. Methodology: A quantitative research method was used by constructing a questionnaire. The questionnaire included open questions in order to obtain qualitative information, which enriched the results obtained. Descriptive and factor analysis was used to analyze data, within the framework of the project FlipIT!–Flipped Classroom in the European Vocational Education”, ERASMUS+ Strategic Partnership (2015-1-HU01-KA202-013555) funded by the European Union, with the participation of Hungary, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Spain. The research sample includes 625 teachers (434 from Spain, 121 from Hungary and 61 from the Czech Republic) from schools participating or somehow associated to the project. Contribution: An empirically validated framework of the factors influencing the adoption of the flipped classroom approach in schools was obtained. This framework can guide the curriculum design of flipped classroom model courses for vocational education teachers. Findings: Empirically validated factors for the adoption of the flipped classroom in technical schools are presented. In addition, descriptive analysis results from a sample of 625 vocational education teachers confirmed that the countries involved in the survey fulfill the factors needed for the adoption of the flipped classroom in vocational education schools. Another important result is that, according to the surveyed teachers, the flipped classroom is a strongly practice-oriented method very suitable for vocational education. Recommendations for Practitioners: The framework here presented can guide the curriculum design of flipped classroom model courses for vocational and technical education teachers and allow schools to know the factors to review and improve in order to use the model. Recommendation for Researchers: This study is a first step toward determining the factors needed for the adoption of the flipped classroom model in vocational and technical schools. More studies using alternative data sources and methods are needed to obtain a definite model to support this adoption since FC has proved to be a very successful model for motivating students. We hope these results pave the way for schools who want to adopt the FC model and for focusing teaching training on the competences that this work detected. Impact on Society: Recently, we are witnessing an important debate about the future of education at every level. Different innovative methodologies have emerged in a search for more motivating and effective ways to learn, as well as to develop in our students the so-called 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication and collaboration, creativity, and information, media and technology skills. The flipped classroom approach can help to improve vocational education by changing traditional classes and teaching students other important soft skills, such as teamwork and collaboration, reflection, digital skills, and self-study. Future Research: The model is currently being implemented in schools in Spain, Hungary, and the Czech Republic using the results obtained here under the framework of the European project “FlipIT!–Flipped Classroom in the European Vocational Education”, ERASMUS+ Strategic Partnership (2015-1-HU01-KA202-013555). After checking the criteria obtained in the framework for each of the participating schools, as a first step, an online course has been created using the competences obtained in this framework, both pedagogical and ICT. Once the course is completed, the teachers will carry out a pilot project to use the model. We hope the framework is useful to other researchers in order to implement the model in other countries and extend it with other criteria to obtain a validated international framework. This study is a first step toward determining the factors needed for the adoption of the flipped classroom model in technical schools. More studies using alternative data sources and methods are needed to obtain a definite model to support this adoption since FC has proved to be a very successful model for motivating students. We hope these results pave the way for schools who want to adopt the FC model and for focusing teacher training on competences.

Learning from Europe and for Europe with David Raffe - insights into early years of European cooperation in vocational education and training research

This article provides a picture on the contribution of David Raffe to European cooperation in the field of vocational education and training (VET). It is based on the experiences of the author and his colleagues on European events and projects in which David participated from the early 1990s until 2009. The Section 2 gives impressions of David’s contribution to the theme ‘Modularisation’ during the early years of European educational cooperation. The Section 3 gives insights into David’s role in the founding phase of the VETNET network (the European Vocational Education and Training Research Network) of the European Educational Research Association (EERA). The Section 4 takes a closer look at David’s contribution to the European cooperation project ‘Finding new strategies for post-16 education’ and to the theme ‘parity of esteem between general and vocational education’. The Section 5 discusses David’s role as a policy advisor and policy analyst at the level of European VET policies. The final section presents some concluding remarks on the way that David worked as a colleague and as policy analyst at the national and European level.

WoLMIS: a labor market intelligence system for classifying web job vacancies

In the last decades, an increasing number of employers and job seekers have been relying on Web resources to get in touch and to find a job. If appropriately retrieved and analyzed, the huge number of job vacancies available today on on-line job portals can provide detailed and valuable information about the Web Labor Market dynamics and trends. In particular, this information can be useful to all actors, public and private, who play a role in the European Labor Market. This paper presents WoLMIS, a system aimed at collecting and automatically classifying multilingual Web job vacancies with respect to a standard taxonomy of occupations. The proposed system has been developed for the Cedefop European agency, which supports the development of European Vocational Education and Training (VET) policies and contributes to their implementation. In particular, WoLMIS allows analysts and Labor Market specialists to make sense of Labor Market dynamics and trends of several countries in Europe, by overcoming linguistic boundaries across national borders. A detailed experimental evaluation analysis is also provided for a set of about 2 million job vacancies, collected from a set of UK and Irish Web job sites from June to September 2015.

Innovative Approaches to Vocational Education Teachers′ Training Within the Educational Space of European Countries

Abstract The article examines the main approaches to content, forms and methods of training future teachers of vocational education in Europe. It has been found that the structure and content according to national traditions and European standards have led to success of European vocational education. It has been proved that training is practiceoriented, has a solid fundamental basis and is interdisciplinary, effectively contributes to the forming of a professional outlook. We have identified common trends in training teachers of vocational education: flexible training programs based on a broad concept of competence and establishment of closer links between education institutions and research laboratories; greater attention to quality control through a large diversity in the education content; increasing autonomy of education institutions that widens their perspectives, obligatory research and innovation projects within training of future vocational education teachers, diversity of forms and methods of professional training that develops creative innovative thinking, the importance of using ICTs in the training. All these aspects prove innovative nature of European education and great opportunities for training future vocational education teachers′ readiness for creative professional activity.

Managing the Process of International Collaboration in Online Course Development: A Case-Example Involving Higher Education Institutions in Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, and the United Kingdom

There has been significant growth recently in online learning and joint programmes of education involving collaborative partnerships between and among higher education institutions in different jurisdictions. Utilising an interdisciplinary team model (Care and Scanlan 2001), we describe in this article the process of collaboration among four European institutions in Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom in order to develop and deliver an accredited online course on the management of work-related stress for health and social care workers. This course was also one of the first to pilot a system of equivalency between two European vocational and higher education credit schemes to promote learner mobility and recognition of a new international qualification. Although this process of collaboration occurred within a pan-European context, important lessons may be drawn from this explanation that are of potential interest to the wider international audience.

What is vocational learning, who are the vocational learners, how does vocational learning take place?

British Journal of Healthcare AssistantsVol. 11, No. 4 ProfessionalWhat is vocational learning, who are the vocational learners, how does vocational learning take place?Richard Johnson, Gilberto BuzziRichard JohnsonSearch for more papers by this author, Gilberto BuzziSearch for more papers by this authorRichard Johnson; Gilberto BuzziPublished Online:14 Apr 2017https://doi.org/10.12968/bjha.2017.11.4.190AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Adriaenssens J, De Gucht V, Van Der Doef M, Maes S (2011) Exploring the burden of emergency care: predictors of stress-health outcomes in emergency nurses. J Adv Nurs 67(6): 1317–28. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05599.x. Epub 2011 Mar 4 Crossref, Google ScholarAgrawal T (2013) Vocational education and training programs (VET): an Asian perspective. 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Have Anglo-Saxon concepts really influenced the development of European qualifications policy?

This paper considers how far Anglo Saxon conceptions of vocational education and training have influenced European Union vocational education and training policy, especially given the disparate approaches to vocational education and training across Europe. Two dominant approaches can be identified: the dual system (exemplified by Germany); and output based models (exemplified by the National Vocational Qualification ‘English style’). Within the European Union itself, the design philosophy of the English output-based model proved in the first instance influential in attempts to develop tools to establish equivalence between vocational qualifications across Europe, attempts that resulted in the learning outcomes approach of the European Qualifications Framework, the credit-based model of European Vocational Education and Training Credit System and the task-based construction of occupation profiles exemplified by European Skills, Competences and Occupations tool. The governance model for the English system is, however, predicated on employer demand for ‘skills’ and this does not fit well with the social partnership model encompassing knowledge, skills and competences that is dominant in northern Europe. These contrasting approaches have led to continual modifications to the tools, as these sought to harmonise and reconcile national vocational education and training requirements with the original design. A tension is evident in particular between national and regional approaches to vocational education and training, on the one hand, and the policy tools adopted to align European vocational education and training better with the demands of the labour market, including at sectoral level, on the other. This paper explores these tensions and considers the prospects for the successful operation of these tools, paying particular attention to the European Qualification Framework, European Vocational Education and Training Credit System and European Skills, Competences and Occupations tool and the relationships between them and drawing on studies of the construction and furniture industries.

Trans-nationalization of educational policy making: from European innovation projects in adult education to an emerging European space for lifelong learning: what model for the European vocational education and training policy?

This article is drawn from broader qualitative research on innovation in the field of professional adult training within the framework of European pilot projects such as the LEONARDO projects. This research aims at contributing to a general understanding of the phenomenon of innovation, in the context of European calls for projects, as an instrument of the European Vocational Education and Training (VET) Policy, which is supposed to transform the national training systems of EU member states according to the Lisbon Strategy. For this article, the author has chosen to present some of the results of the analysis of the European VET Policy and its transition to a lifelong learning policy. The first part of this article describes the conceptual framework and more especially three of the main concepts examined: public policy, social innovation and European space. The second part distinguishes three periods in the European VET policy’s history, identified through a genealogical examination from its first step within the European Coal and Steel Community to the present lifelong learning policy. The third part highlights the specificity of this supranational public policy model and the links between the European VET policy, the LEONARDO programme and the pilot projects. In conclusion, this article supports the idea of antagonistic logics in the evolution of this policy, on at least three levels: decision-making powers, conception of VET systems and conception of learning.

Reconstructing Vocational Education and Training for the 21st Century

The unfavorable comparisons between English and European vocational education and training (VET) systems made in the Wolf Report—and indeed in many national reviews of VET in Britain since the Royal Commission on Technical Education reported in 1884—point toward the low status of vocational pursuits in the United Kingdom compared with that in Continental Europe and elsewhere. In the light of these cultural differences, it is unlikely that structural, funding, or curriculum reforms alone will succeed in enhancing VET provision without corresponding changes in the value foundation of vocational studies. The reconstruction of VET requires a re-orientation of its foundational values if the reforms proposed by Wolf and others are to have any chance of lasting success. By the same token—although European and other national systems have their own peculiar problems—the global policy agenda concerned only with cognitive outcomes expressed as behaviorist skills and competences is, arguably, unlikely to meet the key challenges. A reconstructed model of VET needs to foreground the values, craft, and aesthetic features of vocationalism if the perennial problems are to be dealt with adequately. A reconstruction plan is suggested below, informed and inspired by the concept of “mindfulness”—non-judgmental, present-moment attention, and awareness—drawn from Buddhist contemplative traditions. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in areas such as psychology, psychotherapy, medical science, and education have grown exponentially over the last decade or so, and interesting work is now emerging in relation to the value of mindfulness in workplace training.

The competence-based didactic approach in initial vocational education

This article examines a didactic and curricular model that was developed to support the implementation of a competence-based approach, today prevailing in the European (initial) vocational education and training (VET). It starts by presenting contemporary developments in the Slovenian VET, and then continues with a study of some of the underlying pedagogical concepts influencing the contemporary educational practice. The concept of competence, as it relates to the Slovenian VET, is discussed, and the new didactic model is presented in terms of its conceptualisation, realisation and evaluation. The model is built around the concepts of the competence- based didactic unit, and has been produced to help teachers support students in developing the ability to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes, so that they are able to solve complex and unpredictable professional tasks and challenges. The article concludes with a discussion on the methodological limitations of the evaluation, and its transferability to other contexts.

Three Different Conceptions of Know-How and their Relevance to Professional and Vocational Education

This article discusses three related aspects of know-how: skill, transversal abilities and project management abilities, which are often not distinguished within either the educational or the philosophical literature. Skill or the ability to perform tasks is distinguished from possession of technique which is a necessary but not sufficient condition for possession of a skill. The exercise of skill, contrary to much opinion, usually involves character aspects of agency. Skills usually have a social dimension and are subject to normative appraisal. Transversal abilities rely on but are not reducible to the exercise of skill, but require a further degree of attention and seriousness in their exercise. Transversal abilities can be displayed in different ways using different skills, depending on context. They include: planning, communicating, evaluating—all important features of successful professional action. Project management or the putting into effect of relatively long-term sequences of action involves the articulation of different transversal abilities. It is a form of agency which is considered to be important in some European vocational and professional education systems and usually involves a strong social dimension. The article concludes with a discussion of the educational implications of these distinctions and of their interrelationships.

Innovation in European Vocational Education and Training: Network Learning in England, Finland and Germany

This article presents a comparative study of innovation in vocational education and training (VET) in three innovative European countries: England, Finland and Germany. The focus is on innovation emerging from VET practitioners' (directors, teachers, project coordinators, etc.) participation in inter-organisational networks with local, regional, national, European or international reach. The concept of practitioner-driven innovation is introduced to describe the ways VET practitioners perceive participation in inter-organisational network learning to change and innovate practices in VET organisations. The findings of the comparative research, based on the literature of innovation and empirical studies in the three countries, indicate that the perceptions of VET practitioners on innovation, emerging from participation in inter-organisational networks, are largely convergent across the three European countries. The article suggests that VET practitioners perceive participation in inter-organisational network learning to enhance innovation in VET with, for example, specialisation, new training models, and professional development. While noting the limitations of the research, the article aims to contribute to present research and discussion of practice-based innovation and network learning in VET.

Ways toward a European vocational education and training space: a “bottom‐up” approach

PurposeThis paper seeks to concentrate on bottom‐up approaches in order to promote a European vocational education and training (VET) concept. The overall aim of this article is to demonstrate that sophisticated approaches still have a chance of becoming common practice in European countries.Design/methodology/approachThe centre of the article is the discussion of a core occupational profile called ECO‐recycler, which tends to be an alternative to the discussion of a uniform European Qualification Framework. The method of participatory discourse is applied in order to shape a VET space jointly with European partners. However, the partnership should not only discuss an abstract level because the implementation of the ECO‐recycler is the main target of the discourse and it will be demonstrated how it works.FindingsAfter the clarification of a bottom‐up approach, the implementation process of a core occupational profile in the partner countries is described.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical approach for the creation of work process based core occupational profiles will be offered.Practical implicationsEuropean policies must be changed if these approaches are pursued.Originality/valueThis article offers an alternative to existing European policy and will be of interest to those in the field.

European vocational education and training: a prerequisite for mobility?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the internationalisation of nearly all spheres of society and the process of European integration will be leading to the development of a European vocational education and training (VET) architecture.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis of the “Copenhagen process” is based on the EU documents on the realisation of a European Qualifications Framework and a credit transfer system.FindingsThe result of the study shows that the strategy adopted by the European Union for the establishment of a European area of vocational education is confronted with a dilemma. The European Qualifications Framework is highly abstract since any reference to real educational programmes and qualifications and any concrete provision for the transition and for the transferability between educational levels and sectors (vocational and higher education, initial and continuing training) was avoided in order to adhere to the anti‐harmonisation clause. The result is an abstract, hierachically structured one‐dimensional qualifications framework that lacks any reference to existing VET systems and that contradicts all scientific insights from VET research and knowledge research.Practical implicationsThe implications for VET policy are far‐reaching. A European area of vocational education can be established only on the basis of European open core occupations and an open VET architecture, which ensures that vocational education becomes an integral part of national educational systems. The qualification of employees for the intermediary sector can be realised only as a European project.Originality/valueThere are only a few contributions available that undertake a conceptual analysis and critique of the European Qualifications Framework.

Evaluating progress of European vocational education and training systems: indicators in education

PurposeThe quality of an education system or a comparative international assessment refers more and more to quantitative parameters, i.e. “educational indicators”. The paper aims to analyse the structure of several educational indicators and indicator systems and answer the question “What can educational indicators achieve?”Design/methodology/approachStarting with a general consideration of the term “indicator” the findings are applied to the educational area and the development of educational indicators is analysed critically.FindingsIndicators allow for the illustration of outcomes and of system processes. Beginning in the 1950s, following the empirical turn in research methods, and the growing significance of approaches from economics of education, indicators are now applied in national and international settings. The findings show that the combination of the quantitative and qualitative approach is more successful as the isolated research.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is based on secondary analysis. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methodology should be undertaken in following the progress of educational systems.Originality/valueThe findings of quantitative research based on educational indicators determine the general public and political discussion and often the discourse in the scientific community. The analysis shows that a critical distance especially when preparing political decisions is a necessary attitude.

"The Door Opens and the Tiger Leaps": Theories and Reflexivities of Comparative Education for a Global Millennium

"The Door Opens and the Tiger Leaps": Theories and Reflexivities of Comparative Education for a Global Millennium

East European Vocational Education in Upheaval

This article deals with the development of vocational education in East Europe from the mid-eighties. It offers an insight into the problems, the phenomena and similarities of vocational education policy and practice, and brings to light some characteristic features of developments there. Statements are based on the results of long years of comparative studies and analyses. Only selected problems and knowledge can be presented; the specific features of the individual countries must for the most part be omitted owing to our concentration on the essentials of the process and the accompanying events.

Assessment in European vocational education and training: current concerns and trends

Assessment in European vocational education and training: current concerns and trends

HRD in Europe

This monograph is on developments and trends in vocational education and training in Europe. An overview is given of what is being planned in Western Europe. This is illustrated by a detailed description of the educational systems of a selection of EC and non‐EC countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Sweden and Switzerland), followed by discussion of the current provision for vocational education and training within those systems and also in commerce and industry. Also provided are additional information on the work of CEDEFOP and of the European Commission, further reading, useful addresses and a glossary of some European language vocational education terms.