Teacher Modelling as a Way to Foster 'Bildung' in Vocational Education: A Multi-Method Curriculum Study

This study presents an inquiry into the relevance of Bildung for students in (pre-) vocational education. While Bildung has seen a remarkable revival in international educational theory, its relevance for educational practice(s) remains under-investigated, particularly in vocational education. This paper presents the insights offered by a multi-method curriculum study, conducted as part of a larger project in which (pre)vocational teachers in the Netherlands experimented with their own role as a model of and for their students' Bildung. Building on a thematic analysis of teacher observations, teacher interviews and student focus groups, we explore how six teachers enacted and perceived their modelling role, and how their students experienced it. While all teachers modelled elements of what they found important for their students' Bildung, the teachers actually perceived as models of Bildung by their students were those who shared their own experiences and stories with students, and who related to them on a personal level by offering them support, trust and inspiration to pave their own paths in life. Based on our findings, we suggest implications for broadening common understandings of Bildung and modelling, as well as practical implications for teachers, teacher education and policy to foster vocational students' Bildung.