Goodbye to “I-Europe”, Let’s start “Working & Learning”
Again some time has passed since my last posting. Again the everyday life with project work has interrupted my reflection on European innovations in the field of vocational education and training (VET).
Looking back at my previous posts I start to understand my basic difficulty: I have tried to be a historian and an active contributor to the history at the same time. Moreover, I have given primacy to a once-upon-a-time agenda (the four “I’s” of my “I-Europe” document of 2003) instead of looking where the discussion is going on.
I still believe that it is worthwhile to stop every now and then to look at the big picture. However, the big picture should be seen in the light of small steps and efforts that can make the trend.
For me this is a challenge – to change the perspective from a distant viewer to that of a co-shaping and co-participating actor in the field. For this purpose I want to change the name of the blog.
The new heading that I would like to use is “Working & Learning”. I have several reasons for preferring this heading:
- Firstly, it refers to the action context of vocational education and training (VET) – workplace learning and learning for working life.
- Secondly, it refers to challenge for pedagogies in VET – they have to promote work-related learning.
- Thirdly, it refers to the challenge for European VET researchers – we have to work and learn together to overcome the current phase of relative marginalisation vis-à-vis European policy development and European research agendas.
I will stop here and have a look how I can continue in this spirit with the issues that emerge from my current projects. As I see it, I am working and learning with them all the time.
