Projects

The review will inform the development of a long-term European strategy for the recognition of lifelong learning at national and European level. The outcomes of the proposed review will be of interest to a wide audience of stakeholders in education and training in Europe and further afield. The factors to be considered are:
– Changing theoretical understandings
– Changing position of qualifications and qualification systems
– Changing European environments and influence on national systems and extrapolations into the future

The research will build on major international studies already undertaken on qualifications systems by the OECD, ILO, CEDEFOP, ETF and the European Commission as well as on ongoing studies on learning outcomes, qualifications standards and quality assurance of certification.

Kubix participates in the transnational project team under the leadership of Cambridge Assessment and is carrying out the in depth study of the development in Denmark.

In his contribution Bruno Clematide describes participative development as one of the methods in the chapter on experimentation and development in the handbook of technical and vocational education and training research.

The contribution describes three different arenas of Learning in Participative Development – learning during the interplay between researchers and practitioners, learning among practitioners and learning between researchers.

The genesis of participative development is developed in the article, and illustrative examples from the Danish VET context are given. Finally some criticism is mentioned ending up in the conclusion that participative development as a research method can contribute to new theoretical insights and at the same time be able to influence practice.

Kubix has obtained inspiration from Norway and Germany as well as from a range of Danish educationalists. Work functions are attached to the tasks and working modalities carried out in each particular profession. Shared competencies are related to the professional competencies.

A first proposal was presented and discussed at a meeting with the Advisory Council for Initial Vocational Education and Training – the social partners at national level. The participants were urged to submit remarks and proposed amendments to Kubix. From these submissions Kubix developed two models of future entries based on work functions and shared competencies. The Danish Ministry of Education and the Advisory Council for Initial Vocational Education and Training afterwards agreed on the following entries:

• animals, plants and nature • body and style • building and construction • cars, aeroplanes and other means of transport • electricity, controlling and computer technology • facility service • food production, processing and preparation • media production • production and development • transport and logistics • commerce • health, care and pedagogies.

The Danish Ministry of Education has requested Kubix to define such a profile on the basis of a solid analysis. The goal of such a profile is aimed at having the education of the teachers specified in order to match the teacher corpse and meet the current needs of the Adult Vocational Training system.

The assessment included a questionnaire to all Adult Vocational Training providers in Denmark along with case studies at a variety of schools – technical colleges, commercial schools, combination schools, Adult Vocational Training centres, agricultural schools, university colleges, public health schools and private providers of vocational training.

The assessment points out four profiles of Adult Vocational Training teachers and draws attention to how the current challenges are bound to affect these profiles. The assessment suggests that the Adult Vocational Training teacher will become both more general and more specialized. Moreover, the assessment suggests the educational needs of the teachers and emphasizes that learning does not only take place while participating in external training but primarily by the facilitation of learning processes on a daily basis at the school.

The project 'Competency Development Partnership' has included developing and testing new ways of mutual cooperation with enterprises. The educational institutions have gained comprehensive understanding of the strategic reflections and development plans of the enterprises enabling them to assist the companies in the competency development of all staff.

A core element of the project has been to make the internal organization of the educational institutions ready for the new collaboration. Naturally, the organization of most educational institutions is permeated by the traditional role as supplier of education: The role of the individual teacher carries a lot of weight. Planning is often carried out according to weekly schemes as is the case with ordinary adult vocational training programmes. Often, very few opportunities are given for knowledge sharing across professional divisions and organizational entities.

The project has put weak and strong sides of the organization of the educational institutions into the limelight. As an example, the educational institutions have developed various models for the internal organization of the partnerships. This work has entailed the establishment of cross organizational fora and meeting modalities allowing discussion and sharing of tasks and issues related to the new partnerships. A vital instrument in this regard has been defining the function of an anchor person coordinating the respective efforts of the partnerships.

The objective of the internal work organization has been to create an organization able to match the new tasks evolving from the establishment of partnerships with enterprises.

Kubix has been sparring partner for the four educational institutions. Kubix has carried out internal assessments of the learning space in the educational institutions and has acted as process consultants in the internal organizational development. In addition, Kubix has taken part in the cross cutting development of methods including a number of seminars for stakeholders and managers besides network meetings among educational institutions and the participating companies. Kubix has also been responsible for the subsequent presentation of learning derived from the project.
The project was funded by the European Social Fund.

It has been the predominant purpose of the "Workplace Learning" consortium to investigate, initiate, develop and communicate projects and conditions concerning vocational learning processes and competence development for adults. The core activities of the consortium have been to explore the learning processes that take place, when workers develop competencies on-the-job and in the formal educational system, and especially the interaction between the two learning arenas.

This research is embedded in Learning Lab Denmark.

Pernille Bottrup and Bruno Clematide, Kubix, have written the following conference papers:

Clematide, Bruno (2004): Orchestrated workplace learning Download.

Bottrup, Pernille (2004): Learning in network – a third way of learning between school learning and work place learning Download.

Bottrup, Pernille & Clematide Bruno (2005): Workplace learning from the perspective of institutionalized learning Download.

Challenges for the Danish VET-system - on the path towards a future model By Bruno Clematide (Kubix), Astrid Dahl & Anders Vind (Danish Confederation of Trade Unions), Christian Helms Joergensen (Roskilde University) Download.

This contribution has been published in German in a slightly adjusted version: Bruno Clematide (Kubix), Astrid Dahl & Anders Vind (Danish Confederation of Trade Unions), Christian Helms Joergensen (Roskilde University) Das Berufsbildungssystem Dänemarks – Anforderungen an ein Modell der Zukunft in 'Europäisierung der Ausbildung', Forschungsinstitut Betriebliche Bildung, Bertelsmann Verlag 2006.

The booklet is targeted at shop stewards in the trade union movement. It is about the specific tasks to carry out in order to make your workplace more sustainable. If the right approach is taken, sustainability efforts represent an asset, both to the individual workplace and to society as such.
Among others the booklet tries to answer the following questions:
- What is sustainability at the workplace?
- What are the advantages of sustainable workplaces?
- Are we in step?
- How do conflicts and dilemmas arise?
- Are visions and everyday life compatible?
- How do we get started at the workplace?
Download here.

Kubix worked on the three year long project as consultants for the educational institutions and the workplaces and as sparring partner for LO in the development of concepts and tools. Together with LO Kubix wrote a number of thematic publications in Danish.
The project involved 16 private and public workplaces and educational institutions.

A homepage about this work is available on the web, as part of a growing family of thematic resource bases related to Cedra/ERO.

Integrated Delivery of Continuing Vocational Training in Danish AMU-system - Concept, Focal Points and images link to the puplication.

Real and viable alternance for the individual learner/Une alternance réelle et viable pour chaque apprenant (2000) Bruno Clematide and Mette Fink-Nielsen, Kubix, in cooperation with ETUCE, bfz Bildungsforschung og Unión General de Trabajadores. København, ISBN 87-90961-01-3.
Please order the publication at Kubix, tel +45 33 32 33 52.