Yrkesfaglig praksis i bachelorutdanningen for yrkesfaglærere: En kartlegging av studentenes erfaringer

This study examines experiences of vocational teacher students in practice at work places. The aim is to develop and ensure that the practice is in accordance with the purpose of the Vocational Teacher Education programme in terms of relevance, coherence and supervision. The analysis is based on open and closed responses to an annual student survey during a period of ten years. The study shows that vocational practice at work is of great importance for learning about different professions and work functions in the students’ study programme. Vocational practice at work is found to be helpful in the process of making teaching more practical, linking theory and practice together in a better manner, guiding students in their choice of career and network building. The study also demonstrates that there is a stronger link between students’ satisfaction with vocational practice, relevance and guidance in their third year of study, than was the case in their first year. There appears to be a development from the first to third year of study where students go from experiencing the study more fragmented, to viewing the whole of the study and its purpose more clearly. Experience of relevance, along with good supervision, largely explains how satisfied the students are with the vocational practice.