In the vocational education classroom settings, teaching and learning are done in interaction between teacher and students. This study is a part of a larger VR-funded project (dnr 2017-03552) which explores vocational learning in technical upper secondary vocational education. In our study we aim to shed light on how learning takes place in a vocational classroom at the handicraft programme (hair- and makeup stylist) in actual teaching situations. When studying how learning takes place in a vocational and educational training classroom, we can reach more in-depth knowledge about the teacher-student interaction in a narrower scale.   

The purpose is to contribute with knowledge regarding how learning takes place and can be made visible with support of the concepts critical aspects features within variation theory (cf. Marton, 2015) and how learning is done in interaction (Sahlström, 2012) between the teacher and the student(s) in the learning settings.    

Methods/Methodology

Our empirical data consists of video material of lessons in the Handicraft programme. Conversation Analysis and Variation Theory (CAVTA) are the basis of this study described by Kilbrink and Asplund (2020). To reach a more comprehensive knowledge of the what- and the how-aspects of learning, Conversation analysis and Variation Theory are merged into one common approach (cf. Emanuelsson & Sahlström, 2008). CAVTA is used as the analytical tool when analyzing the video material. 

Expected outcomes

In the data we can see that it takes about 3-7 rounds of interactions where the student gets guidance step by step, before the student reach the learning content regarding the whole makeup procedure. The teacher comes back to the students learning process and negotiates continuously during the lesson. Learning occurs through negotiating when using artefacts, embodied movements, mirrors and tools.     

References 

Emanuelsson, J., & Sahlström, F. (2008). The price of participation: Teacher control versus student participation in classroom interaction. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 52(2), 205-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313830801915853Kilbrink, N., &

Asplund, S.-B. (2020). “This angle that we talked about”: learning how to weld in interaction. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 30(1), 83-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-018-9490-z

Marton, F. (2015). Necessary conditions of learning. Routledge. 

Sahlström, F. (2012). "The truth lies in the detail": On student and teacher epistemic-stance displays in classroom interaction. In B. Kaur (Ed.), Understanding teaching and learning: Classroom research revisited. (pp. 79-90). Sense publishers.