217 managers, educators and guidance primarily from vocational schools had chosen to come and spend a day in each other's company. Everyone was interested in becoming better at making good framework for basic courses, so that all pupils' needs and prerequisites are met and dropout reduced. For as educational consultant Claus Søe from Quality Patrol put it in his welcome speech: "We know all that about the gaze of the eyes. That look, the young people get when they take the professional identity on them. The gaze that says, "I must be craftsman, and I am proud of it." Do they look, they do not fall off. "
New packages and network
The conference was Quality Patrol first. The objectives were to enable participants to devise new basic packages become more clear in the legislation in this area, get familiar with existing basic packages - and not least to create networks. "During the year now, Quality Patrol has existed, we have visited 46 out of the approximately 100 vocational schools. Everywhere we have met great commitment and great diversity. Schools passionate work to provide their students with the best possible conditions to complete vocational training - when you experience it, it is surprising that there are students who are falling from their education. "Continued Claus Søe. And just schools' commitment and diversity of basic packages - but also uncertainty about the content and legality - had inspired Quality Patrol to the choice of the theme. "We must be able to exchange with each other, so we will be even better to accommodate and maintain the diversity of students we encounter in everyday life."
Professional identity a common concern
To get the conference off to a good start was invited anthropologist and PhD student Charlotte Jonasson. She has, as part of a research project on retention and dropout in vocational education through a year participated in classes on Silkeborg Technical School in three different basic as ordinary student. "I got on the own body allowed to feel how it is to be a student and face the daily challenges," said Charlotte Jonasson with a big smile. "So I have also ruined many screens, great food and many electrical installation circuits." Charlotte Jonasson is particularly interested in the question: What is it that keeps students? And not only why they drop out. She pointed out that creating a professional identity, professional pride and commitment is a common concern for both students, teachers and school management. And that one should be aware that students' perception of being involved may be very different from the teachers. Students are typically engaged in what they perceive as the core service - for example, to learn to make good food - but not in relation to the framework for teaching: being on time, having the right tools ready and be dressed in the right clothes. A typical statement from a person was: "To make good food. That's what I'm here for.
Demands and expectations
Expectations and clear requirements, according to Charlotte Jonasson necessary to create engagement and a professional identity. Students should know what is expected of them. They must be able to understand why it is outside of what they perceive as the core service, is also important. And they should know what the consequences are of such absence, particularly the absence of hours. Otherwise there is confusion, despair, and ultimately dropping students out. It is also important that students can identify with professionals and communities. "The commitment must have a clear purpose and be organized. It should therefore be clear: What is a committed student at our school? And what a professional identity for us? "She stressed that engage students is a challenge from day one. "The commitment can quite simply be that there are activities all day - that day is filled good. And the fact that students feel that there is someone waiting for them: "It is now that I must use these potatoes," "it is now, you must enter the spray booth." "Charlotte Jonasson had experienced that engagement was extremely evident when the students were assessed. Not only for samples, but also in everyday life. "As one said," Just sit in the closet. "" Finally, she pointed out that one should not forget to tie students together socially. "But the social activities still need to have a professional content." Framework and opportunities Ulla Cooper as educational consultant in Education Agency, spoke then about what is possible for schools when making basic packages. What to do within the law? Ms. Cooper pointed out that it is important that schools and the Education Authority has a common understanding of what options a basic holds, andwhich offer basic packages schools can provide. "Generally speaking, the basic packages are specially structured course for students with specific assumptions that serve different purposes, since students are very different. Each package shall contain the competency to suit the audience package is aimed at. The package must be at least contain the mandatory portion of the selected basic and in addition an optional part. Available skills and in evidence at the preliminary assessment of prior learning of the student, which must take place within the first two weeks after the student began the program. "Ms. Cooper also gave 10 tips that are worth working for when to make basic packages, referring to questions-answers to the Ministry of Education website.
Inspiration and new packages
After Ulla Bødker posts went the conference participants into one of the six workshops. Here you could get acquainted with different ways of organizing basic packages and hear examples of how best to clarify the students before their choice of basic package. All workshop presentations were drawn from it, as Quality Patrol on his tour of the vocational schools have seen as good and inspiring practice. And then there was lunch. The conversation was lively over the tables, and several expressed the view that it was nice to meet colleagues in a professional context, and that day gave much food for thought and inspiration. After lunch they continued in another round of workshops, and then came under both the idea and the inspiration to work in the conference share half in which all participants even came on the field. Each group participants with one of the student profiles that had been sent in advance. The choice was between Anders, Berdat, Camilla and Louise. Profiles, each represented well-known types of students in vocational education: the troubled, but quick-witted boy, the uncertain bilingual, young adults with many bride behind and the quiet girl. How pieces there is a basic package together for each of them, so that students accommodated and not fall? Here was the opportunity to think in new and different, but this was not straightforward. The participants were not necessarily agree on what would be best suited to just the individual student type, and how should an ideal and optimal basic package that stay within the law, look like? A selection of the groups' proposals for basic packages were subsequently tried by a special panel in the plenum. Both presenters - Charlotte Jonasson and Ulla Cooper - participated along with UU leader Anders Ladegaard, UU Little Belt and Vice President Lars Michael Madsen from Tradium in Randers. Could the proposals both remain within the law, build commitment, professional identity and retain students? Not all. A proposal to let the quiet girl Louise move to England on a school stay with his horse was countered by that Louise shown just had ruskes and get on with his life. And how much of her education had - and had according to law - be the development of personal and social skills? The four panelists invited from opposite angle: the researcher, civil servant, UU supervisor and school director. In came participants with additional nuances. For Louise went on a social and health school, could basic package well look different than when she was a student in animals, plants and nature. The debate clearly showed the basic packages is a complex area, and there is one final product. However, the conference provided an opportunity to delve deeper into the topic, to exchange ideas and get commented on new ideas.
Facts about Quality Patrol
Quality Patrol visiting all the country's vocational schools for the period 2010-2012 for the dissemination of knowledge and experience and inspire schools to share knowledge across. The goal is to create better business education. Quality Patrol is created as part of efforts to strengthen vocational education reputation and is part of the Agreement on multi-year agreement for the tertiary education in the period 2010-2012 between the government, the Social Democrats, the Danish People's Party and Social Liberals.
Source: UVM 
