Aimée Hoeve

A Routine Perspective on Implementing Reflective Career Conversations in Education.

ABSTRACT Reflective career conversations are a necessary instrument in the career guidance of students in vocational education. These conversations help students to learn from their (work) experiences and gain a better understanding of their motives on the labour market. Research shows that in a society in which change seems to become the only constant factor, knowing one’s own motives in work is important. However, the introduction and implementation of reflective career conversations in Dutch vocational education is problematic. In this article, we introduce the concept of ‘routines’ to better understand the nature of these problems. The concept ‘routine’ allows us to understand in much more detail what is required to induce the necessary behavioural changes that are required from teachers, students and management. Recognition of the complexity of this process and the willingness to invest are necessary prerequisites to prevent reflective career conversations from becoming the next ‘trick’ or ‘trendy innovation’.

Interactive Research on Innovations in Vocational Education and Training (VET): Lessons from Dutch and German cases

This article focuses on two examples of interactive research (IR) in vocational education and training. IR is a process which brings together practitioners and researchers with the aim to implement an innovation. This innovation in the first project meant to create a hybrid learning environment; in the second it supported introducing digital media in a training centre. The process of innovating thereby turned into a learning process for all concerned persons: original ideas of the concerned concepts matured, boundaries between research and practice were crossed and new, sometimes surprising ideas for further development emanated. These experiences point attention towards the processes of research and innovation instead of only documenting results in the sense of summative evaluation. They also show that IR requires a certain framework in order to enable important learning cycles.

Pedagogic Strategies for Improving Students’ Engagement and Development

This chapter discusses three main pedagogical strategies in use in contemporary Dutch vocational education. These are: creating (i) authentic learning environments; (ii) flexible learning environments; and (iii) an environment that supports self-direction in students. Stimulated by a national innovation programme (2003–2015), Dutch VET-institutions have put considerable effort in developing learning arrangements that combine these strategies.