Recent posts

VETNET Forum: Discussion on European Qualification Framework and on its implications for European VET research

29-September-2006

The VETNET Forum session at ECER'06 focused on the theme "The role of European Qualification Framework (EQF) for European VET Research". The discussion was concluded by a proposal to organise a joint follow-up activity that leads to a "VETNET Memorandum" on EQF. The General Assembly of the VETNET network agreed on this proposal. The launch of this blog is the first step in the implementation. Below some nutshell information will be given on the preparation of the VETNET forum and on the follow-up measures that the VETNET network agreed on.

Mission completed with ECER'06: Information on follow-up measures and on the new VETNET blogs

29-September-2006

My series of blog postings "Reports and messages from ECER'06 in Geneva" have tried to give an overview on some main events and issues witin the VETNET programme. This posting shifts the emphasis from conference blogging to the follow-up activities (the VETNET memorandum on EQF. In this context I can inform on the rearrangement of the weblogs on the VETNET site.

Reports and Messages from ECER'06 in Geneva, Part VII: Second thoughts on the VETNET programme, looking forward to ECER'07 in Ghent

26-September-2006

The blog series "Reports and message from ECER'06" consists of brief reports and recollections on selected VETNET sessions at ECER'06. The seventh and last report of this series discusses the development of the VETNET programme and raises some issues for the preparation of the next conference.

Reports and Messages from ECER'06 in Geneva, Part VI: Communities, networking and virtual support ... What are the news from Geneva?

25-September-2006

The blog series "Reports and message from ECER'06" consists of brief reports and recollections on selected VETNET sessions at ECER'06. The sixth report discusses the development of research communities, networks and virtual support structures under the umbrella of VETNET.

Reports and Messages from ECER'06 in Geneva, Part V: The wider international dimension

24-September-2006

The blog series "Reports and message from ECER'06" consists of brief reports and recollections on selected VETNET sessions at ECER'06. The fifth report discusses the wider international dimension of VET research in the light of the European-Australian that took place in some sessions.

Reports and Messages from ECER'06 in Geneva, Part IV: Growth of knowledge on training components in innovation projects

24-September-2006

The blog series "Reports and message from ECER'06" consists of brief reports and recollections on selected VETNET sessions at ECER'06. The fourth report discusses the issue 'growth of knowledge' with a focus on innovation projects in which training activities have an essential role.

Reports and Messages from ECER'06 in Geneva, Part III: Reflections on the "European Dimension" of the VETNET sessions

20-September-2006

The blog series "Reports and message from ECER'06" consists of brief reports and recollections on selected VETNET sessions at ECER'06. The third report discusses the "European dimension" of the VETNET sessions in the light of different examples.

Reports and Messages from ECER'06 in Geneva, Part II: Insights into the VETNET Opening Colloquium and the VETNET Forum

18-September-2006

The blog series "Reports and message from ECER'06" consists of brief reports and recollections on selected VETNET sessions at ECER'06. The second report focuses on the joint plenary sessions that had been designed by the VETNET network. The Opening Colloquium gave a picture on alternative options for developing the Swiss VET system in the kight of the neighnouring models. The VETNET Forum focused on the role of the European Qualification Framework for VET-related research in Europe.

Reports and Messages from ECER'06 in Geneva, Part I: General impressions

18-September-2006

The European Conference on Educational Research 2006 (ECER'06) was organised last week in Geneva. Once again the VETNET network provided one of the largest and most populated secition programmes in the conference . In the coming days I try to give an overview on different characteristics of the VETNET programme with a series of "Reports and Messages from ECER'06". The first part gives some general impressions immediately after the conference.

VETNET Forum at ECER'06: The role of EQF for European VET research (advance information)

11-September-2006

Once again the VETNET network has decided to organise "VETNET Forum" session (see session 6: Thursday 10.30 - 12.00). The aim of the VETNET Forum is to analye recent developments in European VET policies and the contribution of VET researchers. At ECER'05 in Dublin the VETNET Forum concentrated on the follow-up of the Lisbon Summit and on the researchers' conribution to the follow-up (the "Maastricht study"). At ECER'06 in Geneva the VETNET Forum focuses on the current situation in preparing the European Qualification Framework (EQF) based on the proposal of the European Commission.

From ECER'05 Dublin to ECER'06 Geneva - the VETNET blog is once again available

10-September-2006

Last year, the ECER weblog appeared suddenly on the VETNET home page just before ECER'05 in Dublin. Now it is possible to make use of the confrence blog already before the event starts. The blog is open for participants and interested users who want to share views on the issues that are teken up at ECER'06 in Geneva.

The rocky road from Dublin 7 - Epilogue

30-October-2005

The blog entries with the heading "The rocky road from Dublin" have presented my second thoughts on the VETNET section at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER'05) organised in September 2005 in Dublin. This entry is my epilogue to the series of reports and a reflective commentary on the piloting with the ECER '05 weblog. Pekka Kämäräinen

The rocky road from Dublin 6 - Remarks on "Communities, Networking and Virtual Support"

29-October-2005

The blog entries with the heading "The rocky road from Dublin" present my second thoughts on the VETNET section at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER'05) organised in September 2005 in Dublin. This report focuses on the Research Workshop on "Communities, Networking and Virtual Support". The aim of the workshop was to explore how the contribution of researchers could be linked to the development of Communities of Practice (in the field of VET)and what role virtual support can play. Pekka Kämäräinen

The rocky road from Dublin 5 - Remarks on Regional Development, Networking and the contribution of VET research

22-October-2005

The blog entries with the heading "The rocky road from Dublin" present my second thoughts on the VETNET section at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER'05) organised in September 2005 in Dublin. This report focuses on the Rount Table session on "Regional Development, Action-Oriented Research and New Innovation Agendas". The aim of the round table was to explore how the contribution of Vocational Education and Training (VET) couuld be linked to broader innovation contexts. Pekka Kämäräinen

The rocky road from Dublin 4 - Remarks on ICT and VET (and on the marginal web-presence of the VET research community)

04-October-2005

During the recent days I have come across some blog entries that discuss the potential of blogs as support for knowledge sharing in conferences. The critical points give rise to consider how the issue "ICT and VET" is currently covered in the ECER. The constructive proposals that have been brought into discussion provoke some thoughts how the VETNET programme could be developed further. Pekka Kämäräinen

The rocky road from Dublin 3 - Looking back at the VETNET Research Forum

02-October-2005

The weeks after the ECER'05 conference in Dublin have been a busy period for those who have been preparing proposals for the EU programme Leonardo da Vinci (the deadline for the last call was 30.9.2005). On the basis of this background it is worthwhile to look back at the VETNET Research Forum session. In this context it is worthwhile to pose the following questions: a) What is the role of the European VET research community vis-à-vis the development of European VET policies? b) How does the European research community wish to position itself in the future? c) How can these issues be linked to the discussion on future European VET research agendas? Pekka Kämäräinen

The rocky road from Dublin 2 - Further thoughts on the VETNET opening colloquium

24-September-2005

At ECER 2005 the opening colloquium was based on the keynote lecture of James Wickham (Ireland) on the theme "How European are Europe's Work and Learning Policies?". The keynote lecture of a visiting social scientist provided the VETNET community a challenge to relate its area of interest (Vocational Education and Training) to a global landscape of societal models and current polices. To me, the subsequent did not quite manage to meet the challenge as it was posed. Therefore, some further reflections on the "European dimension" may be needed to make full use of the given input. Pekka Kämäräinen

The rocky road from Dublin 1 - Second thoughts on the conference

19-September-2005

Graham Attwell has shown that a conference weblog can provide real-time news coverage on the conference. The colleagues of the Knownet team have provided additional support for getting the papers on the web and making other materials available (nice photo shows indeed). Now it is up to us to make appropriate use of the VETNET website and of this joint blog page.

ECER '05 and the way forward

13-September-2005

Graham and the Knownet team have offered a new opportunity for a proper follow-up of the discussions at the ECER'05 and in the VETNET meetings. Let us hope that this bears fruit!