Teachers’ experienced classroom demands and autonomic stress reactions: results of a pilot study and implications for process-oriented research in vocational education and training

Abstract Background To examine relationships between teachers’ experienced classroom demands and autonomic stress reactions, we report the results of a pilot study. Based on an integrative literature review, we identified and described the following situational classroom demands: time and work pressure (including missing rest periods, time pressure, and pressure to get through the subject matter), vocal strain, uncertainty concerning the subject matter, uncertainty concerning didactical decisions, achievement-related diversity in class, lack of social appreciation, disquietude in class, classroom disturbances, behavioral problems of students, insufficient skills and concentration of students, and insufficient motivation of students. Method These identified categories of teachers’ situational classroom demands are the basis for the empirical item identification and selection (Study A). The identified items were used in a single-case, short-term longitudinal study in which we examined relationships between experienced classroom demands and autonomic stress reactions as well as between autonomic stress reactions and affective stress experience via first-order vector autoregressive modeling (Study B). Results Concerning our hypotheses, we found evidence that some of the experienced classroom demands (“I cannot respond to students’ different needs”; “There is disquietude in class”) had time-lagged associations with autonomic stress measures. Furthermore, we found that physiological arousal triggers affective stress experience due to a time-lagged effect. Conclusion The research approach and results of our pilot study can be the basis for further process-oriented research in vocational education and training (VET). From a practical point of view, our results on experienced classroom demands could be used in VET teacher education to prepare student teachers for specific skills to cope with such demands.

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Issues and Challenges Facing The Teaching and Learning of Tvet in The Covid-19 Pandemic Era

Journal of Vocational Education Studies ◽

10.12928/joves.v4i2.4921 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 188-195

Author(s):

Madu Chika Madu ◽

James Edomwonyi Edokpolor

Keyword(s):

Vocational Education ◽

Subject Matter ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Education And Training ◽

Vocational Education And Training ◽

The Subject ◽

Technical And Vocational Education ◽

And Training

This manuscript aims at discussing the issues and challenges facing the teaching and learning of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the COVID-19 pandemic era. Next, the manuscript discussed how stakeholders (e.g. governments, parents as well as TVET managers, lecturers and students can seize the opportunity to revamp TVET programme in the post COVID-19 era. Finally, the manuscript discussed the possible ways to overcome the issues and challenges facing TVET programmes in the COVID-19 pandemic era. Consequently, the authors drew logical conclusions on the discussions arising from the subject matter.

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The pressures for the remuneration of volunteer governors of UK educational institutions and the potential consequences

Educational Management Administration & Leadership ◽

10.1177/1741143220985150 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 174114322098515

Author(s):

Colin Forrest ◽

Ron Hill ◽

Chris James

Keyword(s):

Northern Ireland ◽

Vocational Education ◽

Vocational Education And Training ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Publicly Funded ◽

Board Membership ◽

The Subject ◽

The Uk ◽

And Training

The members of the governing boards of schools, colleges which provide vocational education and training, and universities in the UK have traditionally been volunteers. In some contexts, however, for example, colleges in Northern Ireland, governors are now paid. Whether volunteer governors in other or all settings should be remunerated is the subject of debate. This article analyses the various aspects of that debate. It considers the nature of volunteering; the socio-political context of volunteering; and the growing momentum for the remuneration of governors of all UK educational institutions. The article also considers the arguments for and against governor remuneration, which include remuneration and: the way governors and the governing of educational institutions are valued; the visibility of governing; governor recruitment; the diversity of governing board membership; the quality of governing; the remuneration of other publicly funded agencies and organisations; the accountability governors experience in their role; the market for school governors; and whether a policy which implemented governor remuneration could be reversed. The article also considers aspects that would need to be resolved in practice: who would be paid and for what; the level of remuneration; the funding of governor remuneration; and the organisation of remuneration.

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Gender gap in Swiss vocational education and training teachers’ economics content knowledge and the role of teaching experience

Citizenship Social and Economics Education ◽

10.1177/2047173419893595 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 218-237

Author(s):

Doreen Holtsch ◽

Sebastian Brückner ◽

Manuel Förster ◽

Olga Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia

Keyword(s):

Vocational Education ◽

Content Knowledge ◽

Gender Gap ◽

Teaching Experience ◽

Teaching Quality ◽

Education And Training ◽

Vocational Education And Training ◽

Specific Content ◽

The Subject ◽

And Training

In the commercial sector, which is of crucial importance to the Swiss economy among other countries, a large number of apprentices are trained on a vocational education and training programme every year. Besides other subjects, the subject Economics and Society forms an integral part of the vocational education and training curriculum and serves to prepare apprentices for professional, economic and civic participation. Although content knowledge is widely considered necessary to both teaching quality and student achievement, little is known about the subject-specific content knowledge of Swiss Economics and Society teachers. As previous research has shown a gender gap in the content knowledge of (pre-service) teachers in economics, we focus on the question as to whether Swiss Economics and Society teachers’ economics content knowledge differs, including in relation to gender. As additional influencing factors, our study included teaching experience and teaching load. We measured the economics content knowledge of 153 Economics and Society teachers with a shortened German version of the Test of Understanding College Economics in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Multivariate analyses indicated a gender effect that manifested itself in higher test scores among male Economics and Society teachers. These findings are relevant to the training of vocational education and training teachers.

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