Course content

The bachelor’s thesis shall strengthen the students’ comprehensive vocational teacher competence and provide them with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of vocational, vocational-pedagogical and vocational-didactic issues. These may be explored both through teaching on campus and through school- and workplace-based practice. The purpose of the course is to develop the students’ research, change and development competence.

In the course, students learn to map, implement, document, discuss and evaluate socially relevant issues in subject and vocational education and training through research and development work. This competence enables them to contribute to professional, pedagogical and didactic development work in school, working life and society.

The bachelor’s thesis is carried out as group work with 3-4 participants. It is possible to form groups across study programmes.

Learning outcome

The student shall achieve the following overall learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student has knowledge of:

• relevant vocational, vocational-pedagogical and vocational-didactic topics and their relevance to subject and vocational education and training
• the vocational teacher’s comprehensive competence and the relationship between professional pedagogical competence and vocational competence
• vocational subjects and subject/vocational education and training in a societal perspective
• research and development work (R&D) as a method for knowledge development in subject and vocational education and training within school, working life and society

Skills

The student can:

• map, plan, implement, document, discuss and evaluate vocational, vocational-pedagogical and vocational-didactic learning activities in teaching/training, based on current regulations for education and the qualification requirements of the professions
• use research and development work (R&D) as a method for knowledge development in subject and vocational education and training in school and working life
• apply their comprehensive vocational teacher competence to contribute to the development of subject and vocational education and training in the context of school, working life and society
• present and communicate their own research and development work

General Competence

The student can:

• adopt a critical stance towards and reflect on ethical issues and challenges in vocational education and training, and discuss these based on research-based knowledge
• apply research-based knowledge to further develop their comprehensive vocational teacher competence and identity, and contribute to development in subject and vocational education and training
• analyse their own needs for competence development and possess the necessary change and development competence to meet future needs in school, working life and society
• use professional argumentation to develop professional and vocational practice

Learning methods and activities

In this course, students encounter a variety of learning activities and working methods. Students receive supervision in their work on the bachelor’s thesis. A more detailed description of the course content and mandatory activities is shared on the digital learning platform (LMS).

Mandatory activities

MA 1, Attendance: 80% attendance in on-campus teaching

MA 2, Ongoing work: student activities related to the work on the bachelor’s thesis

MA 3, Active participation in the bachelor conference, including presentation of their own work and peer feedback

Compulsory assignments

• 80% attendance at lectures and seminars
• Multiple term papers
• Coursework requirements

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Passed all credit-bearing courses as well as vocational-pedagogical and vocational subject practice in the first and second years of study.

Credit reductions