Modularisation in vocational education: Approaches, experiences, and outcomes in a European context

Abstract

Modularisation in primary vocational education is a topic of discussion not only in Switzerland, but also in other European countries. In past times, and especially in the German speaking countries, there was much controversy over the issue, but the discussion often neglected to find unifying terms as well as to take experiences in other countries into consideration. The advancement of modularisation should however take place in anticipatory and reflective ways. Existing concepts have to be adjusted to the particularities of a given context. There are examples of modularisation in Scotland and Germany from which by means of specifying the terms and applying a typology of the different approaches further conclusions on the implementation of modularisation can be derived.