Presentation of the aims and objectives of the VET conference Mary Kyriazopoulou, European Agency for Development in SNE Berthold van Leeuwen, National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO)
About the project Agency project (2010-2012) on the topic of Vocational Education and Training (VET): Policy and Practice in the field of Special Needs Education Initiated by Agency member countries, who recognised VET as a priority area requiring further investigation at national and European level
Project Aims Identify and investigate the key aspects of VET programmes for learners with SEN/disabilities aged between 14 and 25, with a clear link to employment opportunities In particular, the project investigated what works in VET for learners with SEN/disabilities, why it works and how it works
Participating Agency Member Countries Austria, Belgium (covering both the Flemish and French speaking communities), Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland and Wales).
Step 1 of 4: Literature analysis Review of international literature Ensure that the project utilised suitable methods and theories of research in generating and analysing data This review was regularly updated throughout the course of the project
Step 2 of 4: Policy context analysis Analysis of the policy context of each country Needs to be taken into consideration when analysing examples within the countries policy context can be both a supporting or a hindering factor in providing access to VET for the target group
Step 3 of 4: Study visits 28 study visits to selected VET examples Participation, in every study visit, of a small group of experts from other countries Agency staff, Active involvement of local partners and stakeholders connected with the host VET programme
Step 4 of 4: Study visit analysis Analysis of all individual study visits Extraction of success factors Identification of factors with high frequency Search for patterns, i.e. collections of success factors that frequently occur together throughout several examples/study visits
Preliminary outcomes Observations independent of the particular policy contexts within the visited countries: Certain success factors are visible in many of the examples (high frequency) Certain combinations of success factors are visible throughout many examples (patterns)
Aims of the conference These patterns will be in the foreground of this conference Day 1 of the conference Expert meetings to discuss the identified patterns Detailed description of patterns by experts to make them applicable on practical level But also: discussion of the draft project outcomes (draft report)
Aims of the conference Day 2 of the conference Current and future labour market need, and implications on VET programmes for learners with SEN (keynote presentation) Responses to the project outcomes from National, European and International perspectives (policy debate) Presentation of selected patterns in VET (5 parallel working group sessions)
Contact us www.european-agency.org European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education Østre Stationsvej 33 DK-5000 Odense C Denmark Phone: +45 64 41 00 20 Fax: +45 64 41 23 03 secretariat@european-agency.org