The PhD project investigates how internationalization can be implemented in upper secondary education. The collaboration aims to equip vocational students with better preparation to work in international workplaces, regardless of the country they are in.
The goal is for two vocational schools, in Ghana and Norway, to collaborate to develop and implement Virtual Exchange in two of their vocational study programs. The exchange focuses on preparing students for a global world of work, a world in flux, and sustainable development within the vocational field. This requires intercultural competence and an understanding of diverse perspectives.
The intention is to facilitate an equitable partnership between the collaborating schools, with reciprocal exchange among teachers in the planning phase and among students in the implementation phase, as well as to achieve lasting change at the participating schools that can serve as an inspiration for other vocational schools in both the Global South and the Global North.
The study draws on Formative Interventions as described by Engeström to develop the collaboration between the two institutions, principles from Critical Virtual Exchange for the design of the student exchange, and Expansive Learning as the theoretical framework and for the analysis of the data. The project is a collaboration with Winneba Technical Institute in Ghana and Skjetlein Upper Secondary School in Trøndelag.
Publications from Steinar Mathisen (researchgate.net)
Anna Turula, professor ved Universitetet i Wrocław
