Dr. Ludger Deitmer

Interaction of Theory and Practice: Integrating academic learning and

practice-based learning in the German VET Teacher Education

Introduction of VET Bachelor and Master courses at the University of

Bremen while following practice-based learning approach

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

VET Teacher Education Process

• Learning area for VET teachers consists of teaching and training in schools and enterprises within the dual structure of the VET system

• Cooperation between the learning venues and the construction of integrative learning

• Polyvalent qualifications for VET teachers: able to work in school or industry

• Increase of school and company internships by 30 % during VET BA/MA studies (5 years)

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

Practical studies by VET teaching students

• Applying an practice based learning approach

• Students plan, do, act and assess their own teaching and training activities

• analysing school and company training practise by taking active part in organisational live

• 18 weeks school and 12 weeks company

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

PDCA Cycle

Assessment by

reflection

collection of data:effects;

interaction;

Planning teaching

unit

Doing teaching unit in

school and enterprise

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

WiSe SoSe WiSe SoSe

1 2 43

Bac

helo

r

WiSe SoSe WiSe SoSe WiSe SoSe

1 2 4 5 63

self evaluation

Company School

Mas

ter

School & Company School

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

Deepening practice based learning in a step by step approach

• 5 different practical phases

• Embedded in didactical lessons

• Complex work and learning tasks

• Organise a constant regional cooperation under Companies, VET schools and University

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

First internships for orientation and self evaluation

• Giving a first school and company training experience

• Studying different types of school programmes on different levels

• Reviewing different kind of lessons held by experienced teachers and trainers

• Initial own teaching experiences• Practicing different teaching methods• Self evaluation on personal requirements for to

be a VET Teacher

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

Practice-based internship: company training

• Studying on requirements needed for optimal learning at the work place

• Analysing company training in relation to work and business processes

• Analysing apprentices training routes• Transfer of occupational training frameworks into

comapny traning practice• Role and task of professional trainers• Learning at the work places and in the business

organisation

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

School internships: VET school and subject didactics

• Organising own lessons

• Reviewing task of the teachers

• Analysing processes of professional learning

• Applying conceptual academic knowledge into teaching practice

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

Master course: Integrative internships in school and company • Analyse apprentice learning routes from school

to work and from work to school• How good is the work process related learning in

the professional field?• Developing work and learning task out of

learning situations• Using different conceptions of subject oriented

didactics and paedagogical concepts• Making use of theories from work science,

engineering science and educational/ VET science

Dr. Ludger Deitmer

What does this kind of integrative learning mean for VET students?

• Traditional way of learning of VET teacher student is challenged

• Better transfer of what VET Teacher students have learned at the university into the teaching or training practice in schools or company training

• Approach of practice based learning brings practical learning into a very early interaction with what is learned at the courses in the university

• Receives higher commitment of students in their professional development and enables deeper learning

• kind of integrative learning gets close to research while the practical studies allow targeted empirical investigations under school and company conditions.