Vocational teacher's skills and competences

Among others, the digital transformation, the weakened students' well-being and the understanding of diverse learners set demands for future vocational teachers. Teachers are expected to possess theoretical and practical skills to implement student-centred and, on the other hand, community-based vocational pedagogy, which includes the development of diverse learning environments, the utilisation of digital tools, and the critical use of AI. 

In addition, understanding the pedagogical principles that enhance work-based learning is pertinent, as learning and education increasingly transition to the workplace. Furthermore, the national Lifelong Learning principles emphasise the importance of the teacher's competences to identify and validate the learner's prior skills and competencies when developing the learner's personal learning plans and curriculum.

However, the fundamental competency of a vocational teacher is still the ability to comprehend the process of learning, facilitate it, and construct and direct the learning process while taking into account the unique requirements of each learner. 

Research themes 

Our current research focuses on both pre- and in-service teacher training implementations. We develop and analyse new methods for conducting teacher education by using digital tools, such as simulation training. 

The research is multimethod, characterised by narrative approaches and practical and work-life relevance.

Researchers and Experts