Introducing a critical dialogical model for vocational teacher education

• Main Authors: Daniel Alvunger, Carl-Henrik Adolfsson
• Format: Article
• Language: Danish
• Published: Linköping University Electronic Press 2016-02-01
• Series: Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training
• Subjects: Vocational teacher education; theory and practice; critical hermeneutics; dialogue seminars; learning capital
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.166153

The purpose with this article is to conceptualise and present what is referred to as a critical dialogical model for vocational teacher education that takes into account the interaction between theory/research and practice/experiential knowledge. The theoretical framework for the model is based on critical hermeneutics and the methodology of dialogue seminars with the aim to promote the development of a 'critical self' among the vocational teacher students. The model enacts an interface between theory and practice where a number of processes are identified: a reflective-analogical process, a critical-analytical process and an interactive critical self-building process. In order to include a theoretical argument concerning the issue of content, the concept of 'learning capital' and its four sub-categories in terms of curricular capital, instructional capital, moral capital and venture capital is used. We point at content-related aspects of student learning and how a critical self has the potential to promote various kinds of 'capital' and capacity building that may be of importance in the future work-life of the vocational teacher student.