Autonomy-supportive learning with VaKE (Values and Knowledge Education) in teacher education. Fostering empathy and cognitive complexity

[EN] The aim of this study is to examine enhanced autonomy-supportive teaching with VaKE (Values and Knowledge Education) in teacher education. VaKE is a constructivist teaching and learning approach which combines values and knowledge education, providing possibilities for autonomous learning. A quasi-experiment was applied with N = 43 pre-service teachers in an Austrian university of teacher education. The standard VaKE was compared with VaKE focusing on enhanced autonomy-supportive teaching by providing option choices. Dependent variables were the capacity to take the perspective of others (empathy) and the capacity to deal adequately with multiple sources of knowledge (cognitive complexity). The results indicate that empathy and cognitive complexity can be increased when providing enhanced cognitive autonomy support with VaKE. The main conclusion is that pre-service teachers can benefit in their moral as well as knowledge-related capacities when learning according to VaKE with provided option choices.Weinberger, A.; Patry, J.; Weyringer, S. (2017). Autonomy-supportive learning with VaKE (Values and Knowledge Education) in teacher education. Fostering empathy and cognitive complexity. En Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 109-116. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.497810911

Vocations and Learning / Improving professional practice through practice-based research : VaKE (values and knowledge education) in university-Based teacher education

Evidence suggests that in the professional education of teachers the moral goals are currently a neglected topic in favor of the subject matter and knowledge. The constructivist instructional approach VaKE (Values and Knowledge Education) addresses this problem by combining the moral and epistemic goals through the discussion of moral dilemmas. The main research question of this practice-based study was whether teacher educators can improve their instructional practice by using VaKE. We describe an empirical study of a teacher educator who used VaKE in order to (i) facilitate pre-service teachers to solve moral conflicts which they are faced with in their workplace learning and to (ii) increase the moral climate in his course. 58 pre-service teachers who formed two classes participated in the study. The study consisted of three research phases: In the first research phase the types of the pre-service teachers moral conflicts were examined. In the second research phase the most frequent types of moral conflicts were used as a basis for an explorative quasi-experimental pre-posttest study. This study investigated the effects of VaKE compared to a traditional case-analysis approach with regard to the pre-service teachers application of discourse-oriented actions for conflict resolution. In the third phase, a case study method was used comprising a random sample of seven pre-service teachers chosen from each class to investigate the perceived learning climate during the intervention. The results indicate that VaKE provides the possibility to combine the moral and epistemic goals of the professional education of teachers.(VLID)215373

Values and Knowledge Education (VaKE) – can they be combined?

When watching the mainstream in the media, values seem to be a “best seller”. New technologies have widened the possibilities for communication and in a consequence these innovations have increased the speed of the developmental process in society, economics, science etc. But where do we go to

VaKE als Ansatz zur Förderung der Demokratiekompetenzen

Zusammenfassun

Values and Knowledge Education (VaKE) – can they be combined?

When watching the mainstream in the media, values seem to be a “best seller”. New technologies have widened the possibilities for communication and in a consequence these innovations have increased the speed of the developmental process in society, economics, science etc. But where do we go to

Integrationsarbeit mit eingewanderten Jugendlichen mit VaKE (Values and Knowledge Education)

For a successful integration of young immigrants in the new culture and its values it is not sufficient that they acquire knowledge about the society; rather, moral and values education with respect to the justification of the respective values is required. We present an educational concept that permits to combine knowledge acquisition and moral education: “Values and Knowledge Education” (VaKE). The theoretical base and the practical steps are presented. Then a pilot study with a group of minor migrants about the topic of democracy and the most important results are described. The discussion addresses the question of applicability