Authentic and self-directed learning in vocational education: Challenges to vocational educators

This article analyses the dilemmas and practical tensions in implementing competence-based vocational education. Eleven case studies were conducted, including observation of lessons and interviews with teachers and students. The results show that schools meet various fundamental issues in realising this approach. A crucial question is how to stimulate the acquisition and use of a way of knowing and thinking that is based on vocational theory. Reflection, authenticity and coaching are relevant characteristics that are hardly put into practice yet. To understand these results the article reflects on factors that account for the distance between promising concepts and actual teaching practice.

Research highlights
► Dilemmas and practical tensions in implementing competence-based vocational education.
► Eleven case studies in technical secondary vocational education.
► Analyses by using a practice-based model of powerful vocational learning environment.
► Characteristics like coaching, reflection and authenticity are scarcely found.
► Teachers struggle with how to stimulate knowing and thinking that is based on vocational theory.