The Heterogeneous Accentuation of Economic Content In Vocational Education: A Starting Point for Occupation-Specific Human Resource Development

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Since the successive introduction of “learning field“ oriented curricula in Germany, teach­ing at vocational schools as part of the dual system has been based on concrete actions. The underlying curricula describe business-oriented learning fields. The translating of these learning fields into pedagogical learning situations is the responsibility of the vocational curriculum conferences at the individual vocational school level, whereby con-sid­erable leeway is afforded them in these activities. This means that, despite there being an identical curricular basis, it is possible for individual schools to apply heterogeneous content emphases within the education programmes for commercial vocations. This study examines the correlation between such heterogeneous content with regard to the subject of economics and the person characteristics of the relevant teachers. Design/Methodology/Approach: In order to determine the individual significance of eco-nomics curricula as part of the education programme for commercial occupations on a learning field basis, an online survey was conducted among commerce teachers. Descriptive statements about the significance of topics of content are generated with the help of the relevance ratings provided by the respondent teachers. Results: The findings for the correlations indicate a relationship between the relevance of economics content and in­dividual experience of teaching staff with regard to that particular academic discipline, because a high relevance rating correlates with individual tangencies within the teacher’s educational biography Conclusion: The shifting of lesson content design onto the individual vocational schools has resulted in human re­source determinant factors coming into force. Apart from a (fully desira-ble) heterogeneity of content, these factors have also led to a decrease of economics content.