The academic–vocational divide in three Nordic countries: implications for social class and gender

Abstract

In this study we examine how the academic–vocational divide is manifested today in Finland, Iceland and Sweden in the division between vocationally (VET) and academicallyoriented programmes at the upper-secondary school level. The paper is based on a critical re-analysis of results from previous studies; in it we investigate the implications of this divide for class and gender inequalities. The theoretical lens used for the synthesis is based on Bernstein´s theory of pedagogic codes. In the re-analysis we draw on previous studies of policy, curriculum and educational praxis as well as official statistics. The main conclusions are that contemporary policy and curriculum trends in all three countries are dominated by a neo-liberal discourse stressing principles such as “market relevance” and employability. This trend strengthens the academic–vocational divide, mainly through an organisation of knowledge in VET that separates it from more general and theoretical elements. This trend also seems to affect VET students’ transitions in terms of reduced access to higher education, particularly in male-dominated programmes. We also identify low expectations for VET students, manifested through choice of textbooks and tasks, organisation of teacher teams and the advice of career counsellors. © 2018, © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Vocational education Gender curriculum policy Social class educational praxis

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Department of Applied Educational Science, Umeå Universitet, Umea, Västerbotten, Sweden

Department of Education and Special Education, Göteborgs Universitet, Gothenburg, Vastra Gotaland, Sweden

School of Education, Haskoli Islands, Reykjavik, Iceland

Department of Education, Turun yliopisto, Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland

Faculty of Education, Helsingin Yliopisto, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Funding & Acknowledgements

Grant: 57741

Funding text 1: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741]. All the authors have contributed to writing of the article, however Mattias Nylund and Per-Åke Rosvall are listed as the first authors as they were responsible for initial writing, structuring, and organising of this article. All the other authors are listed subsequently in alphabetical order.; Funding text 2: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741].

Vetenskapsrådet, VR

Grant: 2015-02002

Funding text 1: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741]. All the authors have contributed to writing of the article, however Mattias Nylund and Per-Åke Rosvall are listed as the first authors as they were responsible for initial writing, structuring, and organising of this article. All the other authors are listed subsequently in alphabetical order.; Funding text 2: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741].

Vetenskapsrådet, VR

Funding text 1: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741]. All the authors have contributed to writing of the article, however Mattias Nylund and Per-Åke Rosvall are listed as the first authors as they were responsible for initial writing, structuring, and organising of this article. All the other authors are listed subsequently in alphabetical order.; Funding text 2: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741].

NordForsk

Funding text 1: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741]. All the authors have contributed to writing of the article, however Mattias Nylund and Per-Åke Rosvall are listed as the first authors as they were responsible for initial writing, structuring, and organising of this article. All the other authors are listed subsequently in alphabetical order.; Funding text 2: This work was supported by NordForsk, the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries” [grant number 57741].

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The academic–vocational divide in three Nordic countries: implications for social class and gender

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