A comparative study of vocational education: implications for international vocational teacher education

Research will explore the opportunities and challenges for a global approach to vocational teacher education. The project will aim to identify barriers to internationalisation and explore the theoretical and practical aspects of a more global approach. Theoretical perspectives including boundary crossing, transformational learning and identity formation will inform this research. The outcomes will help to inform the development of international approaches to vocational teacher education and support the development of policy and practice.

Vocational teacher education is often situated within a national context, as in the case in Scotland. Some countries (such as Finland) do offer international vocational teacher training programmes, but generally only limited opportunities are available for trainees to engage with the international context of vocational education. Training for vocational educators has to support a process of identity transformation from professional in a profession, to professional teacher. To support the development of skills and competencies for work in the global economy, opportunities to expand this identity to that of global educator warrant further exploration.

This project will seek to:
1. undertake a comparative examination of key issues driving practice in vocational education in a range of comparator countries to identify the attributes of a global vocational educator
2. examine how issues are addressed within the local vocational teacher education curriculum, exploring both pedagogical approaches and logistical issues such as accreditation and flexibility.
3. investigate the impact of national and international programmes on individual participants, particularly in connection with the development of their identity as global educators.