New Perspectives in Science Education

The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Germany, (BIBB) currently funds six pilot projects which target to develop domain-specific sustainability competencies in food processing professions in the food trade and industry in the funding line III of its program “Vocational education and training for sustainable development 2015–2019” [1][2]. The six pilot projects are supervised by a scientific team from Münster University of Applied Sciences and the University of Hamburg. This paper describes the work of this team (07/2018 to 09/2021), which is to supervise and accompany the pilot projects and the funding program in the step "from project to structure" in the phases of testing, implementing and transferring the results.
The work comprises the development of transferable models for the design of learning processes and the qualification of vocational training personnel, as well as to foster the transfer of the findings to other educational areas. The evaluation by the scientific support team is designed as a responsive evaluation. I.e. the research is carried out in close collaboration with the pilot projects and the participating practice partners. Their work is evaluated formatively, suggestions are given to the projects to support them. Additionally, the results developed by the scientific support team with regard to theory and model building are presented to the projects and practice partners for discussion.
The scientific support team applies a design-based research approach to co-design innovations in practice and to gain knowledge and generate theoretical models. The aim is to design innovative approaches based on theory, to test them in the field, to evaluate them systematically, and to "re-design" them based on the needs of the target group. In addition, linkages to the training regulations are identified in order to facilitate the implementation of the findings in existing curricula. A concept with the four pillars "consulting and support", "evaluation and quality assurance", "communication and networking" as well as "documentation and analysis" is pursued within the framework of the scientific support.
All generalizable findings flow into the development of theory and model building for the purpose of

• identifying thematic focal points and formulating sustainability-oriented competencies for food processing professions. [2]
• developing and implementing curricular/didactic concepts of vocational training for sustainable development.
• qualifying vocational training personnel.
• identifying opportunities for the structural implementation of relevant findings in vocational training.

Keywords: Sustainability Competencies, Food Processing, Vocational Education and Training for Sustainable Development, Pilot Studies.

References

1. Fernández Caruncho V, Melzig C: Berufsbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung in den Berufen des Lebensmittelhandwerks und der Lebensmittelindustrie, HiBiFo – 3/2020, S. 3-18.
   https://doi.org/10.3224/hibifo.v9i3.01
2. https://www.bibb.de/en/739.php#module74401
3. Strotmann C, Telieps J, Kuhlmeier W, Kastrup J, Hemkes B: Curriculare Verankerung einer Berufsbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung in Berufen des Lebensmittelhandwerks und der Lebensmittelindustrie, HiBiFo –3/2020, S. 19-34.
   https://doi.org/10.3224/hibifo.v9i3.02