ERIC ED468499: Comparative Vocational Education and Training Research in Europe: Balance and Perspectives. Contributions, Recommendations and Follow-Up of the CEDEFOP/DIPF Conference from January 1998 at the Science Centre in Bonn.

582 Pages·2000·6.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 468 499
CE 083 816
Lauterbach, Uwe, Ed.; Sellin, Burkart, Ed.
AUTHOR
Comparative Vocational Education and Training Research in Europe:
TITLE
Balance and Perspectives. Contributions, Recommendations and
Follow-Up of the CEDEFOP/DIPF Conference from January 1998 at the
Science Centre in Bonn.
European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training,
INSTITUTION
Thessaloniki (Greece).; German Inst. for International
Educational Research, Frankfurt (Germany).
2000-00-00
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Adult Learning; Comparative Analysis; *Comparative Education;
DESCRIPTORS
Continuing Education; Data Analysis; Education Work Relationship;
Educational History; Educational Policy; *Educational Research;
Employment Opportunities; Employment Qualifications; Experiential
Learning; Foreign Countries; *International Cooperation; Labor
Market; Longitudinal Studies; Models; Outcomes of Education;
Partnerships in Education; Postsecondary Education; *Research
Administration; *Research Design; Research Methodology; Research
Utilization; Research and Development; Secondary Education; Two
Year Colleges; Universities; *Vocational Education; Workshops
Caribbean; *Europe; International Surveys; Latin America
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This document contains 32 papers from a conference on balance
and perspectives in comparative vocational education and training (VET)
research in Europe. Selected papers are as follows: "On the Path to
Vocational Training Research with a European Dimension" (Oliver Lubke, Klaus
Schedler, Alphonse de Vadder); "The Val Duchesse Social Dialogue" (Synnova
Aga, Manfred Tessaring); "VET Researchers and Research Institutions in
Central and Eastern European Countries" (Mihaly Csako); "Instruments of
Comparative Statistics for Areas of Interest of the European Union" (Bettina
Knauth); "Trends of Convergence and Divergence in the Systems of Education
and Vocational Education and Training of the Member States of the European
Union" (Tom Leney, Marcella Deluca); "Historical and Cultural Approaches to
Comparative VET-Research" (Anja Heikkinen); "Does Strategic Behavior Play a
Part in the Demand for Education?" (Benedicte Gendron); "Comparisons of Post-
16 Education Strategies to Promote Parity of Esteem between Vocational and
General Education in Europe" (Johanna Lasonen, David Raffe); "Growing Skills
in Europe" (Asa Murray, Hilary Steedman); "'Transitional Labor Markets'
between the Vocational-Training System and the Employment System" (Klaus
Schomann); "Training for Professionalism Development" (Benito Echeverria,
Sofia Isus, Lander Sarasola); "Collaborative and Comparative Approaches to
Researching VET (Graham Attwell, Jenny Hughes); "Additional Qualifications at
the Interface between Initial and Continuing Education/Training, a
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Comparative Survey (AQUI)" (Georg Hanf); "The Integration of Older Workers
into Teamwork" (Eva Kuda, Jurgen Strauss); "Integration in the World of Work
and Occupational S[k]illing of Young People in the Education System" (Lander
Sarasola Ituarte, Luis M. Naya Garmendia); "Comparative Vocational Education
and Training Research of Value to Educational Policy--Quality Assurance in
Terms of Conceptual Approach, Research Organization and Support Policies
(Ingrid Drexel, Martine Moebus); "Management of Training Time in France and
Denmark" (Eric Fries Guggenheim, Jacques Trautmann); "Vocational Training and
Access to Trades and Professions" (Hildegard Schaeper, Jens Zinn); "Latin
American and Caribbean Network for Information, Research and Management of
Vocational Training" (Klaus Przyklenk); and "Towards Instituting a Standing
European Network for Cooperation in Comparative Vocational Education and
Training Research" (Uwe Lauterbach). Many papers include substantial
bibliographies. Overviews of four current research projects on VET and a list
of participants are appended.
(MN)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Comparative Vocational Education and Training Research
in Europe: Balance and Perspectives
(Contributions, recommendations and follow-up of the Cedefop/DIPF Conference
from January 1998 at the Science Centre in Bonn)
Uwe Lauterbach and Burkart Sellin
Frankfurt am Main/Thessaloniki 2000
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4
Executive Summary
12
Introduction
Uwe Lauterbach and Burkart Se llin
16
Welcoming and introductory addresses
Methods and Perspectives for Comparative Vocational Education and Training
1
Research in Europe Johan van Rens, Ulrich Haase, Hans Konrad Koch,
Wolfgang Mitter and Erhard Schulte
16
2 Communication of the representant of the European Commission (DG XXII:
Education, Training and Youth) Sergio Corti
31
3 On the path to vocational training research with a European dimension:
safeguarding cooperation
extending comparative vocational training research
involving the social partners Oliver Liibke, Klaus Schedler and Alphonse de
34
Vadder
47
4 The Val Duchesse Social Dialogue Synnova Aga and Manfred Tessaring
52
Aspects of methodological and research-strategical nature
European Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training Research Pekka
1
52
Kamiirainen
2 The state of (comparative) vocational-training research in the European Union -
65
results of a preliminary study Philipp Grollmann and Burkart Sellin
3 VET Researchers and Research Institutions in Central and Eastern European
92
Countries Mihaly Cstiko
4 Instruments of Comparative Statistics for Areas of Interest of the European
106
Union Bettina Knauth
5 Functions, Approaches and Prospects of Comparative Vocational Education and
117
Training Research Wolfgang Mitter
Workshop 1: Methodological questions of comparative voational education and
129
training research David Parkes
Trends of convergence and divergence in the systems of education and
1
vocational education and training of the Member States of the European Union
132
Tom Leney and Marcella Deluca
comparative VET-Research Anja
2 Historical
approaches
cultural
to
and
150
Heikkinen
3 Historical and International Comparisons: Employment of Longitudinal Data in
Vocational Training Research Steffen Hillmert
171
4. Does strategic behaviour play a part in the demand for education? The problems
raised by continued education on completion of a BTS or DUT course in France
189
or a two Year college course in the United States Benedicte Gendron
5. Comparative VET Research: Experiences of a Greek Institution Prof Dr.
215
Nikitas Patiniotis and Dr. Dimitris Stavroulakis
Workshop 2: Approaches and methodology in comparative vocational education
and training research Walter Georg
227
Comparative analysis of skill formation processes in England, Germany and the
1
232
Netherlands Alan Brown
2. Comparisons of Post-16 Education Strategies to Promote Parity of Esteem
Between Vocational and General Education in Europe Dr Johanna Lasonen and
Professor David Raffe
257
3 Growing Skills in Europe: the changing skill profiles of France, Germany,
Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the UK Asa Murray, Hilary Steedman
278
4 'Transitional labour markets' between the vocational-training system and the
employment system Klaus Schomann
316
5 Training For Professionalism Development Benito Echeverria; Sofia Isus and
Lander Sarasola
326
Workshop 3 Action, Innovation and Accompanying Research Owe Liljefelt
340
1. Collaborative and Comparative Approaches to Researching VET Graham
344
Attwell and Jenny Hughes
2. Comparative Approaches in a Transnational Collaborative Study - Evidence
from the LEONARDO Research Project 1NTEQUAL Sabine Manning
366
and continuing
interface between initial
3 Additional qualifications
the
at
education/training, a comparative survey (AQUI) Georg Hanf
379
of
4 The
of Older Employees
Experiences
Teamwork-
into
Integration
Eva Kuda and Jiirgen
transnational comparative application-oriented research
391
Strauf3
Integration In The World Of Work And Occupational Silling Of Young People
5
In The Education System: The Current Situation in Spain At National And
Regional Level Lander Sarasola Ituarte, Luis M Naya Garmendia
398
Workshop 4: Organised comparative research, experiences in bilateral co-
operation in vocational education and training research Annie Bouder
412
Researching Comparatively: Experiencing in Vocational Education and Training
1
415
in England and Germany John Bynner
2 Comparative vocational education and training research of value to educational
policy - quality assurance in terms of conceptual approach, research organisation
and support policies Ingrid Drexe1128 and Martine Moebus129
431
3 Management of Training Time in France and Denmark Eric Fries Guggenheim -
Jacques Trautmann 131
451
in Europe Conducting a
4 Comparative Research in Vocational Training
transnational research project: a LEONARDO survey and analysis Francoise
474
Gerard135 and Werner Zettelmeier 136
5 Vocational training and access to trades and professions: combining qualitative
and quantitative research strategies Hildegard Schaeper and Jens Zinn
482
and the use of electronic
Comparative Vocation Training Research: Networks
Information and Communication Technologies
498
1 FORUM for European Vocational Education and
Training Research (VET-
498
Research) Kuhn, Michael 142
2
4
RPSTrruw AVM! di
11
2 Latin American and Caribbean Network for
Information, Research and
Management of Vocational Training Klaus Przyklenk
507
standing European Network for
instituting Cooperation
3. Towards
in
a
Comparative Vocational Education and Training Research Uwe Lauterbach144
514
APPENDIX I
555
Current Research Projects on Education and Training within the Framework of
the Socio-economic Keynote Theme of the Fourth Framework Research
Programme of the EU
555
Developing Learning Organisation models in SME17° clusters - DELOS)
555
1
2 The role of HRD within organisations in creating opportunities for lifelong
learning: concepts and practices in seven European countries Hi lde ter Horst
557
3 TSER Research Project (Project No. PL97/2100): Comparative Analysis of
Transitions from Education to Work in Europe
563
4 Work experience as an education and training strategy: new approaches for the
21st century Fernando Marhuenda
565
Appendix II
569
Participation list
569
3
5
Executive Summary
At the invitation of Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational
Training, and DIPF, the German Institute for International Educational Research,
more than 100 researchers and vocational training experts from most EU Member
States and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe attended the Bonn confer-
ence that was held in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Education,
Science, Research and Technology and the European Training Foundation (ETF, Tu-
rin). The aim of the meeting was to examine how comparative vocational training re-
search is related to policy and practice and how it contributes to the transfer of inno-
vation in the European context. A further focus was to assess the current situation and
highlight prospects for the development of comparative vocational training research in
future.
The conference opened with introductions by the organizers and statements by the
speakers from the Commission and representatives of the social partners. These were
followed by a contribution by Eurostat on indicators and European Statistics Office
findings in the area of education and vocational training statistics and a talk by a re-
searcher from the University of Budapest on a preliminary study on trends in voca-
tional training research in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. After that the
delegates joined one of four working groups to discuss methods, organization and
contents on the basis of concrete examples from practice, research findings and the
experience gained in comparative vocational training research. Their next step was to
formulate researchers' interests and what they require of policy-makers and institu-
tions promoting research. The latter was addressed to European bodies (Commission,
Council and Parliament) and other institutions (Cedefop, the ETF and the organiza-
tions of the social partners) at European level as well as national organizations and
ministries involved in counselling and research.
In his introductory talk, Cedefop's Pekka Kamarainin described the trends in coop'-
eration among researchers, which has been supported in recent years by the Centre.
He referred to the European initiatives and programmes to promote comparative vo-
cational training research and studies (Leonardo da Vinci and the 4th Framework Pro-
gramme of Research). Although there is still a certain danger of vocational training
research being marginalized compared to other academic disciplines, the recent es-
tablishment of important European networks and, the above-mentioned programmes
have reduced this threat. Comparative vocational training research was important as a
vehicle of knowledge transfer and a mediator in transferring knowledge and experi-
ence through intercultural comparison and transnational cooperation in policy-making
and practice of participating Member States and other countries.
Wolfgang Mitter presented a detailed DIPF analysis of the historical and scientific
development of education and vocational training research, focusing on comparative
studies. He summed up past accomplishments and outlined various current ap-
proaches. He portrayed comparative vocational training research in relation to the
evolution of comparative education research, which has long been established as a
separate discipline, but he also underscored the importance of other related fields: so-
cial science, political science, economics, etc. Mitter described comparative voca-
4
6
tional training research as interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary and pointed out that
systematic analysis of the approaches has not yet been conducted. Acceptance of this
plurality of approaches and interdisciplinary cooperation was a prerequisite for effec-
tive vocational training research, especially comparative vocational training research,
although single-discipline efforts will still be required to provide indepth study of
certain aspects. The "nation" or separate State is less and less the alpha and omega of
research effort, which is more and more permeated by international and European as-
pects, "transcending borders" in the literal sense. Observations and analyses with an
intercultural, interregional and sectorial focus or examining specific social or ethnic
target groups were increasingly eclipsing system analyses. They were seen as provid-
ing more insight than pure juxtapositions. Mitter emphasized the importance of pre-
cise prior definition of the tertium comparationis, which allows subsequent descrip-
tion and analysis of the highlighted objects/phenomena and study of their comparable
and contrasting elements.
Three aspects have been selected to facilitate summary of the most important results
of the conference:
position and definition of comparative vocational education and training research
in European policy-making, research and practice;
EU programmes and initiatives in the areas of comparative vocational education
and training research; and
requirements and opportunities for networking comparative vocational education
and training research at European level.
Position and definition of comparative vocational education and training re-
1.
search in European policy-making, research and practice
Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches are the distinctive features of com-
parative vocational education and training research projects. Their complexity is the
result of the wide variety of occupations and jobs at all levels of education and train-
ing, including continuing training, which exists in the education systems of each indi-
vidual country and which is multiplied further in European and international perspec-
tive. Comparative research highlights both parallels and contrasts. Differences should
not be ironed out but should be clarified in order to describe the common dynamics of
the systems. This will improve learning from each other, support policy and practice
of vocational training at all levels of decision -making and help to increase the exper-
tise of parties to the social and political dialogue. Comparative education research and
comparative vocational education and training research are located at the interface
5
7
between vocational training policy and practice. Their relation to policy and practice
must, however, be brought to light. Nevertheless, basic research continues to be a
necessary step in promoting an understanding of what we are doing and trying to do in
a broader context of history, philosophy and society. As a rule, however, vocational
education and training research is aimed at direct or at least indirect application in
policy and practice.
Comparative vocational education and training research exposes inadequacies in one's
own country and facilitates rapid identification of new solutions since one has to
loosen the bonds to familiar institutional and cultural conventions. Education and
training research and comparative education and vocational training research are rela-
tively young disciplines, but they are constantly gaining in importance with the in-
creased weight of lifelong learning, i.e. job-related and occupational training.
However, simultaneously, international and system comparisons seem to be losing
ground to qualitative and empirical comparisons of certain constituent aspects and
problems. Intercultural aspects, regional and sectorial studies, certain target-group
problems and possibilities and limits of specific government intervention policies
come to the fore, while Europe-wide comparisons and transnational investigations are
being relegated to the back burner in times of growing cooperation and increasing ex-
change of information and experience. Even pan-European comparisons, which are
based on data which has been collected and analyzed in the individual Member States,
although processed and checked by Eurostat and EU institutions, seldom provide suf-
ficiently telling images. They still require supplementary qualitative interpretations
and more detailed study. The extra effort should be devoted to a limited number of
typical Member States or European regions permitting indepth analysis of selected
aspects. Intercultural and transnational comparisons must evolve into middle and
long-term cooperation projects if they are to furnish a solid basis for the transfer of
knowledge and experience.
System diversity and uniformity are at odds with each other in Europe. The idea is to
exploit diversity and minimize its disadvantages, which requires a simultaneous dose
of transparency. This can only be accomplished by credible, professional comparative
vocational education and training research in support of European economic and so-
cial coherence pursuant to existing treaties. Comparative vocational education and
6
8
training research will assume a special role through EU enlargement and international
cooperation with other countries and regions. The objective is to prepare new partners
to enter into closer specialized and technical cooperation, to adapt their systems more
rapidly to new challenges, and to engage in competition. Exchange and cooperation
with other regions of the world and advanced countries and associations of countries
should be promoted through vocational education and training research.
EU programmes and initiatives in the areas of comparative vocational educa-
2.
tion and training research
Speakers unanimously applauded the commitment of the EU (European Commission,
Cedefop and the ETF) in promoting vocational education and training research, par-
ticularly comparative research. The conference also hailed the willingness of the par-
ticipating institutions and departments to coordinate their efforts, which some of those
in attendance felt did not work particularly satisfactorily. Some delegates, particularly
the users of research findings, urged that future EU programmes should not only fea-
ture special promotion of vocational education and training research and comparative
surveys and analyses, but also increased funding of these projects. The ETUC
spokesman demanded a heavier flow of financial support for this avenue and a scope
similar to that of the pilot projects in the future EU vocational training programme
currently under discussion, the successor to Leonardo da Vinci. These demands elic-
ited no objections from UNICE employer representatives or any other participants.
Speakers also expressed the wish that the 5th Framework Programme of Research give
a higher priority than its predecessors to basic research in general and in particular to
general education and vocational training research. If this proves impossible, basic
research should be included in the upcoming EU Education and Vocational Training
Programmes.
In a number of Member States and particularly in the Central and Eastern European
countries, very special support for research in these fields was needed. Outside assis-
tance could provide them with strong stimuli for reforming their systems, possibly
modelling them on those of more advanced countries. The conference concluded that
the intervention of EU structural funds, particularly the Regional and Structural Fund
and the European Social Fund, could support the institutional and individual promo-
tion of vocational training research and European cooperation much more than in the
7