Deep learning evaluation in vocational teacher education: Conducted on the principles of authentic and dialogical collaborative knowledge construction

• Main Authors: Sanna Ruhalahti, Helena Aarnio, Heli Ruokamo
• Format: Article
• Language: Danish
• Published: Linköping University Electronic Press 2018-10-01
• Series: Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training
• Subjects: Deep learning evaluation; authentic and dialogical collaborative knowledge construction; vocational teacher education; DIANA model
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.188222

The vocational education system is being challenged to achieve a greater amount of deep learning. To facilitate the inclusion of more deep learning in the teaching and learning process, curriculum restructuring is required. This article reports the results of a study that investigated the kind of authentic and dialogical collaborative knowledge construction toward which the DIANA model (Dialogical Authentic Netlearning Activity) directs vocational student teachers (n=76). The results indicate that using authenticity as the basis for a learning process enabled individual study circles (f=19) to define questions that were meaningful to them but mainly directed the learners toward superficial learning-oriented activities. Notably, despite engaging primarily in superficial learning-oriented activities, the results indicate that dialogical collaborative knowledge construction still directed the learners toward deep learning, demonstrating how learning changed and was enriched during the process. The framework re-designed for evaluating superficial and deep learning will facilitate the examination of vocational teacher education learning activities in the future.