Transfer of the German Vocational Education and Training System—Success Factors and Hindrances with the Example of Tunisia

As the German vocational education and training (VET) system, with its dual learning environment in both firms and vocational schools, is an international benchmark, many concepts and projects are aiming to transfer this approach to other countries and education systems. In such contexts, it is important to consider the specific concepts and requirements of educational transfer. This paper outlines success factors and hindrances for such endeavors. Therefore, a literature review is combined with empirical survey results from Germany. This is directed at a specific project regarding a transfer of the dual VET system from Germany to Tunisia, but it also exemplifies general factors for any such concept transfer. As important success factors, “quality assurance” and “perspectives for graduates”, for example, are identified.

Ontological model design of a vocational education system identity

В статье представлены теоретико-методологические основы построения онтологической модели идентичности системы профессионального образования, которая может быть использована для разработки качественных методик педагогической компаративистики. Основой для онтологической модели послужили принцип трансдисциплинарности, контекстный и коммуникативный подходы с соответствующими им методами «веерной матрицы» и «сети», в рамках которых разработаны структура, основные элементы и алгоритм пошагового построения онтологической модели. Основными элементами онтологической модели являются контексты, подконтексты и их производные, которые раскрываются при воссоздании онтологической модели идентичности конкретной национальной системы профессионального образования. Описана инструментальная функция онтологической модели, реализуемая в процессе образовательного трансфера и прогнозирования трансформации идентичности системы профессионального образования. Эмпирическая часть исследования была проведена в ФРГ, Турецкой Республике и Российской Федерации. The article presents theory and methodology bases of ontological model design. The ontological model of vocational education system identity is supposed to be used as a comparative education study tool. The ontological model is based on the trans-disciplinary principle, context approach and communicative approach, fractal matrix tables method and the "network" method. The structure of ontological model, the “step by step” algorithm are developed according to the fractal matrix tables and "network" methods terms. The ontological model consists of contexts and sub-contexts, which are supposed to be revealed in derivatives in the process of recreating the ontological model. The article describes the instrumental function of the ontological model in relation to comparative analysis, the process of educational transfer and identity transformation forecast. The empirical part of the study was carried out in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Turkish Republic and the Russian Federation

Internationalization, Hegemony, and Diversity: In Search of a New Vision for the Global Music Education Community

In higher education, internationalization is often seen as an exclusively positive development, even though there has been increased critique. This critique concerns a superficial understanding of internationalization as copying what globally successful universities do, thus ignoring local or national needs. But it is also related to the danger of confusing internationalization with Anglo-Americanization, in general and in various fields such as music education. Therefore, an investigation of what internationalization is with regard to music education and how it could look differently is much needed. This chapter critically analyzes internationalization in music education. At the core is the question of how internationalizing music education can be shaped in a way that overcomes hidden structures of hegemony. This chapter envisions a culturally sensitive internationalization of music education which acknowledges various teaching and research cultures. A framework, suggesting conceptual categories such as educational transfer or global knowledge production, can facilitate the formation of a united, yet diverse, global music education community. Additionally, selected concepts of community are presented that can be models for what a culturally sensitive international music education community could look like.

The theory conceptualization of comparative vocational education study

Authors structure the theory of comparative vocational education study; determine the theory’s prerequisites, core and consequences. The theory prerequisites are presented in terms of VUCA-world, globalization and deglobalization, due to the variety of developed comparative studies approaches. The core of the theory is an ontological model based on the principle of transdisciplinarity, contextual and communicative approaches, method of the "network" and fractal matrix tables method. They as well have their qualitative, quantitative and interpretative methods and includ educational transfer as the main mechanism and term for the best educational practices export. The consequences of the theory are originated from the ontological model that actualizes the predictive function of comparative studies, and consist in the possibility of generating derived ontologies based on the forecast graph, their new levels, sublevels and connections between them, modeling transfer practices and changes in the system that accepts transfer, foreseeing and the emergence of new phenomena of education.

Educational Transfer, Modernization and Development: The Transnational Approach in History of Education Studies

Research focused on the concept of the international or, rather, of international influences and interdependencies, has become a highly recurrent line of work that has been acquiring a notable presence in the field of the History of Education. The objective of this approach to historiographical work is justified as it attempts to explain with a better precision and accuracy what has happened within national borders, or even within more defined perimeters such as regional and local ones. The transfer of ideas and projects, the importation or imitation of pedagogical models, the transfer and influence of educational and school practices, the links and connections between different cultural scenarios and knowledge, the dependencies and interdependencies of international organizations, among other aspects, have led to new and more plausible analyses of educational processes and the political and social will that fostered them. The present work focuses on researching how these practices have evolved, and their networks of connection and exchange, in order to better understand educational and curricular policies in their historical development.

Border Crossing of an Educational Policy Towards an Analytical Framework to Study Educational Transfer

This paper aims to better understand the process of educational transfer from Western countries to developing ones by proposing an analytical framework. The framework, besides counting for the major challenges of a specific educational transfer, also proposes to analyse some of the factors of different cultural-educational contexts that may help or burden institutional innovation. The framework had been tested by case study research focusing on the educational transfer of liberal arts colleges from the Netherlands to China. In the cities of Chongqing and Taigu, two undergraduate colleges grounded the case of investigation in order to study the experiential perceptions of stakeholders shortly after the implementation of liberal arts programmes (2012). Meanwhile, the data revealed different interest groups and particular institutional constrains, and the analytical framework greatly helped to understand and illustrate issues of compatibility, acceptance, mobilization of different stakeholders, and strategies for both individual and institutional agency. As the research contributed to a dissertation essay completed in 2016 at Beijing Normal University, the present study’s objective is to highlight the importance of analytical framework(s) in the process of interpreting data into research findings.

Pedagogical University-Supervised Chair in Schools as a Means for Educational Transfer

The article argues that a university-supervised chair at school is a new format of partnership between school and pedagogical university. The authors analyze socio-cultural background of the origin of university-supervised chairs and the possibilities for a qualitatively different research and methodology work of school teachers. The authors reveal specific features of the interaction of university faculty members and school teachers in their joint projects through the concept "transfer". Characteristics of such partnership are described (knowledge-based practice, mutually beneficial activities, practical orientation, efficiency) in the article. The article identifies and describes transfer zones, participants and forms of cooperation using theoretical analysis and focus group studies of cooperation between Omsk State Pedagogical University's departments and regional schools by a means of university-supervised chair. It is underlined that this cooperation should be undertaken by interdisciplinary teams.