Panel discussion on the development of the VETNET community

The VETNET Forum session at ECER commemorates the 10 year anniversary of VETNET network programme at ECER conferences (starting from ECER'97 in Frankfurt am Main). The session is organised as a panel discussion on the development of the VETNET community.

The issues to be discussed (and speakers or co-contributors that we have invited) are as follows:

Issue 1: "Giving VETNET a shape - Giving VET research a profile in EERA"

Martin Mulder, Toni Griffiths, Ludger Deitmer (the former/present VETNET chairs)

Issue 2: "Developing the conference culture - Making the contributions visible"

Johanna Lasonen, Sabine Manning, Jeroen Onstenk (Board members with a role in VETNET publication policies),

Issue 3: "Wider Europe - New opportunities to contribute"

Liliana Voicu, Magdolna Banke, Krista Loogma (VETNET members that have made a wider Europe visible),

Issue 4: "Networking the networks - Positioning vis-a-vis European programmes"

Alan Brown, Graham Attwell, Pekka Kämäräinen (former board members with a major role in linking affiliated projects and networks to the work VETNET)

The discussants are old and new VETNET board members who have contributed to the development of the VETNET community.

We are hoping to have a lively discussion that builds upon the past and looks forward to the future. Therefore, the speakers are not expected to give lengthy speeches. Instead, we hope that speakers to exchange views with their co-contributors and come up with some key messages for the present date VETNET community.

Contributions

The following materials have been prepared to support the joint discussion:

1. The descriptive presentation "The VETNET Chronicle 1992 - 2006; Part I: Overview on the Development of European Vocational Education and Training (VET) Research"
2. The commentary presentation: "The VETNET Chronicle 1992 - 2006; Part II: Personal reflections on the issues 'growth of knowledge' and 'European dimension' in the context of European VET Research"

Followed at 12:15 by Book Launch

Vocational Education in international context:

philosophical and historical dimensions edited by Linda Clarke and Christopher Winch.

This book is about contrasting approaches to vocational education and training (VET) internationally and the various ways in which it has developed, depending on the aims and values embraced. The central theme of the book is that VET plays a key role in increasing skills levels and hence improving a society’s productivity but too often national policy is formulated in ignorance of historical and political developments elsewhere and of social objectives which might be incorporated.

Full Papers for the forum contributions:

The VETNET Chronicle 1992 - 2006: Part I: Overview on the Development of European Vocational Education and Training (VET) Research

Preview Info - PK_VETNET_Chronicle_Part1.pdf - 112.03 Kb

Prepared by Pekka Kämäräinen. Contribution to the VETNET Forum. ECER 2007, Ghent, Belgium. [ 12 pages, derived from a Powerpoint presentation]

The VETNET Chronicle 1992 - 2006; Part II: Personal reflections on the issues 'growth of knowledge' and 'European dimension' in the context of European VET Research

Preview Info - PK_VETNET_Chronicle_part_2.pdf - 114.41 Kb

Prepared by Pekka Kämäräinen. Part 2 of his contribution to the VETNET Forum. ECER 2007, Ghent, Belgium. [ 12 pages, derived from a Powerpoint presentation]

[PowerPoint version - slides] Developing the conference culture - Making the contributions visible

Preview Info - Lasonen_VETNET FORUM.ppt - 197.50 Kb

Dr. Johanna Lasonen, University of Jyväskylä, Finland; Dr. Sabine Manning, Wifo, Germany