DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING COMPETENCIES OF VET TEACHERS AND TRAINERS IN THE SCHOOL-BASED VET SYSTEM
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Authors: Genute Gedviliene, Vidmantas Tutlys
Keywords: vocational teacher, trainer, competence development, teaching competence, school-based vocational education and training
Abstract: This paper will seek to disclose the modes and approaches to the development of teaching competencies of VET teachers and trainers in the school-based VET system by taking into consideration the context of the changing content of their work and institutional context of teacher training. The main objectives of the research include: 1) identification of the changes in the work processes of VET teachers and trainers and their implications for the development of teaching competences; 2) disclosing the strategies of the VET teachers and trainers development of teaching competencies; 3) identification of the needs of support for VET teachers and trainers in developing their teaching competencies. There is an applied mixed research methodology. Qualitative work process analysis is applied for the analysis of the contents of the teaching activities of the VET teachers and trainers. Research of the strategies and approaches of VET teachers and trainers in developing their teaching competences was executed by using quantitative surveys (online and paper-pencil). The analysis of research findings disclosed, that the teaching activities of vocational teachers and trainers in the school-based VET system change due to demographic changes (reducing the number of VET students, increasing needs of the provision of teaching with the students with special needs, etc.), structural changes of the VET provision (e.g. implementation of the work-based learning approaches and apprenticeship, modularisation of the training curricula), technological changes (digitalisation of work processes). These changes significantly increase the demand for new ways of didactic competence development. Therefore teachers are faced with a pressure to develop personal strategies of teaching competence development which include traditional methods of learning (studying of pedagogical literature, attending seminars), but more and more involves innovative learning (technology-based learning) and mobilities between the training institutions and enterprises.