Abstract

Motivation. In 2007 I carried out an evaluation of a Swedish teacher training programme (Aarkrog, 2007). The programme was aimed at qualifying teachers who work in basic school and youth education programmes including VET programmes. The teacher training programme was organised according to the dual principle, the students alternating between university-based theoretical training and practical training in schools or colleges.

By comparing the results of the evaluation with results that I have found in studies of learning in VET (Aarkrog, 2006) it became clear that there are characteristics in the development from novice to profes-sional practitioner that are shared across different parts of the educational sector. The purpose of the paper is o compare the development of teachers with the development of VET-students in order to point to general features.

Methods

The general features include a development from a context independent dualistic approach to a context dependent approach (Perry, 1970) (Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1986), from performing through imitation of the experienced colleagues (Lave & Wenger, 1991)to becoming an individual professional practitioner (Schön, 1983) from an instrumental to a communicative focus and from reflecting on how to reflecting on why (Mezirow, 1998).

Results

In the paper I will argue that no matter the educational level or the balance between practical skills and cognitive skills and knowledge the development into a professional practitioner include central general features. It is thus important to establish research projects across different educational sectors, which in an European context has been done by e.g. Michael Eraut in his studies of various professions (Eraut, 1994, 2004).

Bibliography

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• Eraut, M. (1994). Developing professional knowledge and competence. London, Washington D.C.: The Falmer Press.
• Eraut, M. (2004). Transfer of knowledge between education and workplace settings. In H. Rainbird, A. Fuller & H. Munro (Eds.), Workplace learning in context (pp. 201-221). London: Routledge.
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• Mezirow, J. (1998). On critical reflection. Adult Education Quarterly, 48(3), 185-198.
• Perry, W. G. (1970). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years. Austin, Tex: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
• Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner. How professionals think in action. USA: Basic Books.
• Aarkrog, V. (2006). Apprentices' transfer of knowledge from school to workplace in the vet dual sys-tem: A study of a vet-programme for rescue officers. In R. Daly & L. Mjelde (Eds.), Working knowledge in a globalizing world. From work to learning, from learning to work. (pp. 25-37). Bern: Peter Lang.
• Aarkrog, V. (2007). Evaluering af 'korta programmet'. En læreruddannelse på göteborgs universitet. København: Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitetsskole, Århus Universitet.