Strengthened professional competences" – a research project on defining and implementing action competences in Danish Pedagogy Education

In this research project the research Topic is action competences. How can we understand it and how is it being practiced In teaching. The gap between theory and practice has been discussed and researched for many years, though it is still a problem for many teacher students and newly educated teachers, known as “The practice shock “. This research project aims to follow the implementation of a new educational strategy on how practice and professional action competences can become a higher priori in teacher education at University College Copenhagen.
The research project draws on current educational research (Biesta 2009; Deyfus & Dreyfus 1986; Lave & Wenger 1991, Nielsen & Kvale 1999; Schøn,D 1988; Hiim & Hippe 2005). Where Professional education takes place within three domains, qualification, socialization and subjectifation. Developing professional skills requires both academic knowledge and actions competences. This double concept includes knowing what to do in the moment of action – knowing how and that, witch includes both (1) a bodily tacit aspect and (2) being able to reflect both in and after the actions. Teaching vocational professions requires developing a vocational didactic. The study is a collaboration between university college teachers developing and implementing a higher didactical focus on actions competences and researchers researching the implementation process and definition of specific professional action competences that is part of a professional teacher education. The empirical material consists of educators curricula, notes, Workshops with interviews. The Expected results is knowledge about the didactic and educational opportunities and challenges with the work on competence in the field of professional education. The aim is an analysis of how to define, develop and understand the didactical process of teaching action competences including a critical analysis on professional education between academic requirements and the need to act in the moment.
All nordic countries have a very high focus on quality in preschools and social welfare institutions with well educated staff. The modern Nordic society is therefore dependent of making excellent educations within these professions and to be leading in doing and providing meaningful and adequate professional social teacher education. The demand for action competences is ongoing in professional education and we need knowledge on how this can be countered in education.