Professionalization of educators and educational leaders through learning research with vignettes/ProLernen.

Quality assurance has been a central challenge for educational work for decades. Whereas until now the focus has been on the performance of students and the associated question of how their learning can be optimized, in recent years the focus has increasingly shifted to the professionalization of educators and educational leaders and the further development of their "key competencies for lifelong learning".

In order to study learning in heterogeneous groups, the phenomenologically oriented vignette was developed as a research tool at the University of Innsbruck. It describes in dense scenes the learning experiences of students at close range. This results in differentiated insights into learning, which were made usable for the professionalization of future pedagogues (elementary, primary, special and vocational education, sec. I+II) and future pedagogical leaders within the framework of the project "ProLernen". The vignette is thus used as a professionalization tool in the training of pedagogues and pedagogical leaders at tertiary educational institutions (universities, teacher training colleges) as well as for school development (incl. kindergarten and other formal educational institutions) and quality management. 

Project aims:

1. Developing a methodology (IO1) for the training modules based on the vignette research;
2. Developing training modules (IO2) for the professionalization of trainee educators and future pedagogical leaders in the respective project countries;
3. Training of multipliers (trainee educators and future pedagogical leaders) to use vignettes as professionalization tools for training as well as school development.

Project implementation:
Based on publications on vignette research, a handbook on vignette methodology was developed by the seven project partners. On this basis, the training modules were developed jointly. The following areas were covered:

• University of Vienna: Secondary school I+II
• University College of Teacher education Vienna: Vocational training
• University of Klagenfurt: Diversity and inclusion in all pedagogical areas
• Freie Universität Bozen: Elementary education
• Leibniz University Hannover: Special needs pedagogy
• University Westmazedonien: Primary school
• School Authority of the Principality of Liechtenstein in cooperation with Zurich University of Teacher Education: Pedagogical leadership

After the training modules were developed, they were passed on to the multipliers by each partner organization and carried out at the respective location. Subsequently, an evaluation of the vignette methodology took place.

The use of vignettes by the multipliers contributed to the quality and design of the pedagogical events as well as their own pedagogical activities and thus to professionalization. The training in the differentiated perception of learners and their learning processes through the vignette enabled the consideration of diversity and promoted inclusion.

The project focused on the development of the methodology (IO1) and the development of the training modules (IO2). Through the training of multipliers, the vignette was implemented as a professionalization tool at the respective partner organizations and used in different educational institutions.

The project aimed at establishing a methodology for designing quality processes in different pedagogical areas and implemented the vignette methodology to promote the professional attitude of pedagogues and pedagogical leaders. As a sustainable benefit, the quality at pedagogical institutions was improved and the pedagogues' willingness for lifelong learning was promoted.

This project is funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.