International action competence - What contribution can commercial vocational schools make?

(Published in German in: Bildung und Beruf, Ausgabe M?rz 2023, 6. Jahrgang, Bundesverband der Lehrkr?fte für Berufsbildung e.V. (Hrsg.), DBB Verlag: Berlin, p. 93-99).

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Preliminary considerations

The reorientation triggered by Mertens in the 1970s away from outcome-oriented qualifications toward subject-oriented competencies to better master occupational requirements was also reflected in pedagogy. Roth's and Weinert's theories on the concept of competence later led to changes in curricula, which in the field of vocational schools in the 1990s followed a new learning field concept with a focus on the acquisition of competencies instead of traditional subject instruction. In addition, vocational schools increasingly expanded their range of services to include additional offerings. The diversity of these offerings can be seen in courses that are already established in the education sector as well as in those that have been developed by individual vocational schools according to need.

For the following presentation, the concept of international action competence according to Borch and Wordelmann is chosen as the starting point. By expanding the theories of Roth and Weinert to include competencies in the areas of foreign languages and information and communication technologies, always taking into account the professional work context, it best meets the requirements of the labor market in the opinion of the author.

Realignment in the wake of globalization

Globalization is a long-standing process of increasing worldwide inter-dependence of national economies in the areas of trade and finance (International Monetary Fund 2000, online). This resulted in serious consequences for companies. They sought substantial shares in international markets, eventually became part of international corporations, manufactured products to meet the specific needs of international clients, and purchased components in global markets.

On the labor market, previously simple activities became increasingly demanding, as planning and control activities were taken on in addition to pure execution. This increasing differentiation on the labor market also had a strong impact on the content and structures of the vocational training system (Straka 2014, p. 219). Over time, a mismatch arose between the supply of skills on the labor market, and thus also vocational education and training, and the skills requirements of an economy operating on international markets (Borch et al. 2003, p. 5).

Responses of the educational policy in the European framework

Within the framework of education policy measures, the European Council defined four high-priority areas within vocational education and training in 2000 in response to the ever-growing need for qualifications. These included strengthening the European orientation including the promotion of mobility, improved transparency within vocational measures and qualifications, recognition of qualifications and common instruments for quality assurance. The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) were developed as instruments for this purpose.

The EQF represents a kind of translation attempt to systematically classify various educational qualifications and competencies from the field of education and is intended to increase cross-national training and job mobility. The German Qualifications Framework (DQR) organizes national educational qualifications and competencies and forms the basis for their classification in the EQF. This is done on the basis of comparable criteria with regard to competencies or learning units (Busse & Frommberger 2016, pp. 23).

ECVET represents a credit point system for learning and competence units from training courses, increases the transparency of qualifications and offers the possibility of a gradual accumulation of individual competences. This should contribute to an increase in cross-border mobilities (Busse & Frommberger 2016, pp. 23). In order to make the qualifications acquired comparable as well as transferable for different education systems, the learning content and the expected competencies must be sufficiently documented and certified (Lange & Illerhaus 2005, p. 188). A pilot project for the creation of courses or modules and the awarding and transfer of ECVET is already underway in Germany. The starting point for this is the dual system of vocational education and training as an established system (Diettrich 2012, pp. 333).

From key qualifications to competencies

For a long time, the system of initial vocational training reacted in two ways to changes triggered by globalization in the skills requirements of the economy. On the one hand, further specialization was undertaken within an apprenticeship occupation, e.g. the focus on foreign trade in the case of wholesale and foreign trade clerk. Secondly, new training occupations were created, e.g. foreign language correspondent (Borch et al. 2003, p. 23). However, as a result of the increasingly rapid change in knowledge stocks, learning by imitation lost importance and learning for future situations became less and less predictable (Landwehr 1996, p. 90).

Mertens recognized this problem and introduced the term key qualification into public discourse in 1974, initially referring to skills and abilities (Gonon 1996, pp. 9). His basic assumption was that in teaching-learning processes there are key contents with far-reaching effects within the learning domain. The difficulty lies in the selection of suitable learning objects (Osterwalder 1996, p. 147). Advantageous, on the other hand, are their only indirect reference to professional requirements as well as the possibility of rapid acquisition of various bodies of knowledge (Müller 2006, pp. 90).

In response to Mertens, Roth designed a competence model with the three aspects of self-competence, factual competence, and social competence, which had enormous significance for the further development of the concept of competence and especially in the field of pedagogy (Bahl [ii] 2009, p. 27). Individual agency and maturity were the most important pillars of his model, which were supposed to enable people to act in a mature, critical, self-determined, and responsible manner (Roth 1971, p. 381). In addition to Roth's model, Weinert's considerations in particular proved to be action-guiding for curriculum development (Klieme et al. 2001, p. 182).

International action competence

In order to meet the growing demand of the economy for increasingly complex and internationally oriented qualification that enables the corresponding employees to act appropriately in specific professional situations, Borch et al. introduce the term international professional action competence, which is synonymous with international action competence, as a new learning objective construct (Borch et al. 2003, pp. 37). In doing so, they tie in with Roth's original model, which they expand or update with some aspects (Diettrich & Reinisch 2010, p. 35). They explicitly refer to the learning individual as well as his or her dispositions, emotions and motives, who independently carries out appropriate planning and action in professional situations (Borch et al. 2003, pp. 37).

To capture future qualification needs, Borch et al. use the dimensions of space, time and competition in their concept. They see three arcs of tension between these dimensions. In the area of space, understood as global markets, and competition, new knowledge is required, for example, in the area of standardization or international law. In the area of space and time, new skills need to be developed in order to think in new ways and to be able to empathize with other cultures. With regard to time and competition, it is important to develop flexibility in order to be able to adapt more quickly to changes (Borch et al. 2003, pp. 38).

Within this triangle of dimensions, they define both basic elements and job-specific elements. The basic elements include adequate knowledge of at least one foreign language with regard to everyday communication, intercultural competence and network competence in the sense of using the Internet and new electronic media. Occupation-specific elements include the above-mentioned elements in occupation-specific contexts as well as international professional competence with regard to a country and its occupation-specific customs (Borch et al. 2003, p. 47).

Professional competence is thus extended to an international competence that includes intercultural competence, which guarantees a situation-appropriate ability to act in international and intercultural contexts (Ja?meier 2009, p. 141). These areas are not unrelated to each other, but are rather interwoven. It can therefore be a question of working abroad or also in the home country, for example, when it is necessary to look after foreign customers or work with foreign colleagues (Busse & Frommberger 2016, pp. 28). Consequently, there is also a need for intercultural competence in Germany (Bahl [i] 2009, p. 6).

Due to technological progress, international action competence is being expanded to include network competence. This includes not only the technical use of the Internet and intranet and the ability to think and act in a networked manner, but also indirect interaction with people from other cultures with the aid of modern communication technologies (Borch & Wordelmann 2001, p. 6).

As part of the definition of international action competence, although not always explicitly addressed, the aspect of employability plays a major role. This is understood to mean the possibility of pursuing employment abroad as well as the willingness to do so (Kraus 2005, p. 87). Employability thus simultaneously means a certain individualization on the international labor market and thus includes greater responsibility for oneself and the competitiveness of one's own company (Kraus 2005, pp. 93).

The teaching of international action competence at the vocational school

The framework curricula

The conversion of the KMK framework curricula from the conventional canon of subjects to learning-field-oriented instruction, which began at the end of the 1990s, represents a paradigm shift (S?chsisches Bildungsinstitut 2013, p. 8). Independent and responsible action, which is to be taught using the appropriate methods, is considered the goal of education. The methodological approach is basically free, but methods that support action competence should be preferred (KMK 2000, p. 7).

The target formulations of the learning fields describe both competencies that are to be achieved in a learning field and the requirement level of the learning field. They define a didactically justified selection of the minimum vocational content (KMK 2000, p. 16). The concrete implementation of the objectives within this range therefore remains challenging (Brauer 2005, pp. 12).

For example, the concept of service learning represents a sophisticated design of the project lessons anchored in the learning fields. Here, the school cooperates with external partners, such as a social welfare organization or the tax office. The students independently choose the topic of their project from the working environment of the project partner and then work on it. The results are then presented on site. Since the project work is based on the real working world, the participants say that this adds a "meaningful moment" (Waletzko 2020, pp. 18).

The subject English

The curriculum for English at commercial vocational schools applies to all occupations and is not divided into learning fields. It consists of a Part A for occupation-related English and a Part B for occupation-specific supplements. Here, too, technical competence, social competence and self-competence as well as occupational aptitude are explicitly stated as overriding goals. The aim is therefore not so much a formal command of the language, but rather competencies that are required to cope with occupation-specific tasks (Staatsinstitut für Schulp?dagogik und Bildungsforschung 1997, pp. 3).

The subject German

The standard curriculum for German forms the basis for the development of linguistic - communicative competencies in the classroom and is interwoven into the learning fields of the subject lessons (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Bildung und Kultus 2020, p. 6). Its ultimate goal is the development of vocational action competence to cope with specific vocational tasks as well as social and self-competence. At the content level, forms of communication appropriate to the situation are taught, an understanding of content and linguistic contexts as well as the ability to reflect and make judgments.

Additional offers at the vocational school

Vocational schools are increasingly using their freedom and offering more additional qualifications to meet existing qualification needs and gain their own school profile. These additional qualifications are geared to the labor market, are easy to update and can thus cover the specific needs of training companies in a targeted manner. By learning cross-occupational content, trainees have the opportunity to supplement their skills profile in a targeted manner (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung 2020, p. 8). It is also interesting to link additional qualifications with other advanced qualifications as an offer for a career in vocational education and training, for example the additional qualification of business assistant as a credit option for the business economist (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung 2020, p. 14).

The diversity of the offer

As part of the EU's Leonardo da Vinci program, teaching modules have been created that are geared to specific target groups in internationally active small and medium-sized enterprises, require appropriate intermediate language skills and are taught by vocational schools. For example, the module "Businessman International - Focus on United Kingdom" lasts three months. The content focuses on the insurance, banking, transport and industry sectors. During the program, participants complete internships in the host country and live with host families. It is aimed primarily at forwarding, wholesale and foreign trade, industrial and tourism clerks (Harbusch 2010, pp. 83).

In regions close to the border, trainees are often offered special additional qualifications or cross-border joint training programs initiated by chambers, training companies or the vocational school. Vocational schools thus have a special role to play in the context of internationalization, and the activities mentioned can even lead to cross-border cooperation between vocational schools (Busse & Frommberger 2016, pp. 20).

The module "Kaufmann International - Schwerpunkt Gro?- und Au?enhandel " in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine is aimed at German and Dutch trainees in the commercial field, e.g. Kaufmann/ Kauffrau im Gro?- und Au?enhandel, and includes foreign language instruction. The content topics of the German trainees relate to the Dutch export economy, in particular payment methods and documents in international trade as well as aspects of international transport. The content topics of the Dutch trainees relate to an insight into German wholesale processes, economic and social processes as well as commercial management and control. They are taught in the respective national languages by native-speaking teachers. In addition, a joint project is created and a company internship is completed in the neighboring country (Harbusch 2010, p. 86).

The Europaschule BBS in Cloppenburg developed together with the IHK Oldenburg the additional qualification " Kaufmann für internationale Gesch?ftst?tigkeit" ' and offers this since then for apprentices with above-average achievements with increasing resonance. In terms of content, externally certified training modules are taught in four different areas, which are internationally recognized:

·???????? IHK specialist import and export

Trainees complete this certificate course from the IHK continuing education program

·???????? KMK certificate English level B1

·???????? TELC certificate in Spanish at level A1

·???????? Internationally recognized computer passport

In some cases, these skills are already acquired and certified in regular vocational school instruction; if necessary, the vocational school offers supplementary computer science instruction.

·???????? Internship abroad

In addition, the trainees complete a three-week learning stay abroad as part of an Erasmus+ project (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, pp. 46).

Individual vocational schools, for example the European Schools BBS 1 Northeim and BBS I Osterode, have therefore developed the additional qualification "European Businessman" for trainees with above-average performance. For many employers, this is now a fixed component of dual training (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, p. 45). In terms of content, externally certified training modules are taught in five different areas that are internationally recognized:

·???????? Information Processing (European Computer Driving License)

With four elective modules from Fundamentals of Information Technology, Operating Systems, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Databases, Presentation, Internet, and Communications.

·???????? KMK certificate English level B1

·???????? TELC certificate in a second foreign language at level Al

·???????? International Business Processes (IHK Certificate)

Trainees complete the two learning fields "Positioning a product on a foreign market" and "Initiating, processing and evaluating foreign orders" with the corresponding examination at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

·???????? Internship abroad

The trainees also complete a three-week learning stay abroad as part of an Erasmus+ project (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, p. 45).

Initiated by the HWK and co-designed by the IHK, the international additional qualification European Assistant (HWK, IHK) was created. This includes the teaching of foreign languages at level A2, European commodity and business law, intercultural competence as well as European and regional studies. The required 240 hours are taught as additional instruction at the vocational school. In addition, a training period abroad of at least three weeks is required. The examination is administered by the IHK (Wilkens 2019, pp. 10).

In the area of EDP, vocational schools can offer the following modules as part of the ICDL modular course system, which leads to an internationally recognized qualification: Fundamentals of Information Technology, Computer Use and File Management, Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Database, Presentation, and Information and Communication (DLGI [i], 2012, online).

Critical considerations

Additional courses must build on or meaningfully supplement the lessons taught at the vocational school. Additional qualifications in the intercultural field should therefore consist of various elements, elements that build on one another and teach intercultural competence in addition to foreign language competence. This could be linked to the learning fields of the respective training occupation (Hoff 2016, p. 54). To support this, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training offers a portal with information on additional qualifications in vocational training, thus creating additional transparency (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung 2020, p. 5).

Nevertheless, a certain caution seems appropriate. The creation of new "European" occupations, for example, through foreign language instruction as an optional (compulsory) subject, the outsourcing of occupational requirements to additional qualifications, and the shifting of the international dimension to full-time school-based training programs demonstrate the flexibility of the individual vocational school, but at the same time can be interpreted as systemic avoidance behavior toward internationalization. In this respect, vocational schools jump into gaps that should be closed by higher-level authorities by creating suitable framework conditions (Borch & Wordelmann 2001, p. 10).

In the author's opinion, it is also important to bear in mind that training in the dual system is initial training that is initially only intended to provide solid foundations. Therefore, additional offerings at vocational schools are certainly desirable, but these must be rather general. At the same time, this raises the question of the extent to which a school-based offering of additional qualifications might devalue the regular curricula. The teaching of qualifications with greater specialization is more a task for commercial further and continuing education. In this respect, the question also arises as to who will bear the costs of additional instruction at vocational schools, which after all must not act as competitors in commercial terms.

The certification

The question of by whom and how certification is carried out plays a considerable role in acceptance in the economy. Depending on the originator of the concept of the qualification, this is carried out only by the vocational school or by an external body. Mixed forms are possible in that a vocational school designs an additional qualification and has it certified by an external body, such as the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Internal concepts

The certification of internal concepts is carried out exclusively by the vocational school. In the area of foreign languages, this includes the KMK Certificate English initiated by the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. Here, vocational school students can voluntarily demonstrate job-related foreign language skills at the levels of the CEFR, which is recognized throughout Europe (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, pp. 15).

External concepts

In the case of certification of external concepts, the vocational school teaches external content and carries out the certification, as for example the Max Weber Vocational College in Düsseldorf carries out the concept of the Institute of German Business Cologne for the training occupation industrial clerk. In the area of EDP, vocational schools can become test centers for the ICDL course system, which then administer the examinations for the individual modules (DLGI [ii] 2021, online).

External certification

As part of external certification, vocational schools offer additional qualifications that they have developed themselves or together with chambers. In various combinations, the vocational school or the chamber of industry and commerce (IHK) conducts the examination of the sub-qualifications. In this respect, both organizations are responsible for certification.

In the author's opinion, it seems advantageous in terms of acceptance among companies to involve a chamber in the certification of a course as well as in the subsequent examination. At the same time, this ensures a higher level of awareness as well as a stronger dissemination of the concept.

More offers

The growing together of Europe, the increasing internationalization of companies and the growing cultural diversity of trainees, also in Germany, reinforce the importance of international vocational competence (Amme & Diettrich 2010, pp. 191).

Internships abroad

Internships abroad during vocational training strongly shape trainees through intensive experiences and are considered a very good way to introduce trainees to the international market (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, p. 8). Students are given the opportunity to gain their own experience in the international labor market, expand their language skills, and acquire intercultural competencies (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, p. 54). Vocational schools also enter into school partnerships with schools abroad to provide their students with internships abroad in the form of a mutual exchange (Nieder-s?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, p. 52).

The certification of vocational stays abroad, e.g. in the form of the Europass Mobility, is an important incentive for potential participants (Harbusch 2010, pp. 87). This was introduced throughout Europe in 2004, documents vocational training periods abroad as well as the competencies acquired in the process, and the sending organization, for example the vocational school, issues the Europass Mobility to participants in internships abroad (Hammerschmidt-Wilkens 2010, p. 121).

eTwinning

The EU program eTwinning connects schools in a Europe-wide network. There, they can search for partner schools for joint activities or projects and carry them out online (KMK, 2021, online). eTwinning thus allows individual classes to make contact with other classes in Europe and carry out joint teaching projects (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, p. 70). Students work together in real time using a foreign language in a protected virtual space. Modern media are used, such as wikis, blogs, chats, and forums (Schwarzenberger 2011, p. 25).

Project days and competitions

Another possibility is EU project days at schools, which are designed to strengthen students' interest in the EU and European integration. Participation in competitions can also contribute to this, for example ,,Europe at School," which are designed to strengthen the idea of Europe, or the European Language Seal, which honors outstanding projects in the field of foreign language learning, as well as the Federal Foreign Language Competition (Nieders?chsisches Kultusministerium 2012, pp. 68).

Conclusion

The dynamics of international economic activity and increasing interdependence are evident in all markets. Vocational schools, as a formative force in initial education, must therefore respond to changes in the labor market within the scope of their possibilities and realign themselves.

In view of the increasingly liberal framework conditions in the school sector, vocational schools are developing into learning organizations and are creating additional qualification programs geared to the needs of the training companies. These consist partly of already established courses and partly of newly designed concepts. The commitment to measures abroad within the framework of the Erasmus+ program is also very welcome.

Due to the dynamic economic developments on international markets, the author believes that commercial vocational schools are playing an increasing role in the field of vocational education due to their strong commitment. At the same time, they are becoming the driving actor, both for the design of legal framework conditions in the school sector and for issues in the field of academic research.