Strategies and Perspectives of School Actors during a Reform of Vocational Training in Luxembourg

Abstract

Since 2008, a reform of vocational training is being implemented in the upper level of secondary education in Luxembourg. The new method consists of: a) teaching through competencies; b) modular training where modules can be repeated until achieved; c) evaluation has been changed from quantitative to qualitative. The reform continues to face ongoing challenges and resistance from the different actors involved in vocational training. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with the relevant actors in order to analyze their strategies and perspectives during and after the reform. A heuristic model of resistance to change in education was constructed, based on these interviews. The Ministry of Education took a top-down approach and implemented the reform quickly despite resistance from teachers. The majority of teaching staff disagreed with training through competencies as it was considered a more difficult approach than the previous knowledge-based methods. School administrations were opposed to modular training, in their view it was too complicated to implement. Enterprises were in favor of curricula based on competencies, as they are more suited to the practical work expected in the professional domain. Parents found it difficult to understand the new terminology and evaluation system. Pupils tended to postpose their efforts in achieving training modules and therefore accumulated uncompleted work which contributed to administrative overload. A general fatigue with the reform has spread, even if most of the actors agree at least verbally with its general philosophy; and this at a moment when the Ministry wants to implement new changes to the aforementioned law. In order to make the reform viable, a new negotiated agreement based on the interests of the different players should be achieved.    

 

Keywords: vocational training; secondary education; competencies; interviews