Denne artikel beskæftiger sig med de danske masteruddannelser. Med udgangs-punkt i en undersøgelse fortaget i forbindelse med forfatterens ph.d.- projekt (afsluttet i sommeren 2014) vil artiklen på baggrund af en verserende debat om masteruddannelsernes kvalitet og relevans diskutere kvalitet i dansk akademisk videreuddannelse. Den kvalitative undersøgelse, der ligger til grund for artiklen, anskueliggør, at selvom de studerende oplever, at de gennem deres toårige studie har tilegnet sig en række konkrete og brugbare kompetencer, peger de på andre og mere transformative læringskvaliteter, når man beder dem om at beskrive det vigtigste udkomme af deres uddannelsesforløb. Artiklen argumenterer for, at denne læring, der i højere grad kan siges at knytte sig til personen i form af en etisk-eksistentiel dannelse frem for en specifik kunnen, har nær sammenhæng med det at befinde sig i et akademisk, videnskabeligt miljø. På dette grundlag søger artiklen at problematisere aktuelle forslag om at slække på kravet til masteruddannelsernes videnskabelige fundament for i stedet at fokusere på mere instrumentelle, erhvervsrettede kompetencer og færdigheder.
Based on findings from the author’s PhD project, the article discusses quality in Denmark’s continuing education system. The qualitative study underlying the article focuses on a newly established Master’s programme in Organizational Coaching and Learning. The aim of the research was to study what the students attending the Master’s programme learn and how they apply their learning in their daily practice. When evaluating their learning experience the students report that they have acquired a number of practical and useful skills throughout their two-year study. Even so, they point to other, more generic learning qualities as the most important outcome of their education. The article argues that the transformational learning qualities, reported by the students, are closely connected to the current academic and scientific educational setting. On this basis, the article questions a resent proposal to lower the academic foundation of the Masters’ programmes in order to strengthen their focus on vocational competencies and skills.
Capsule Commentary on Velez et al., “It’s Been an Experience, a Life Learning Experience”: A Qualitative Study of Hospitalized Patients with Substance Use Disorders
