The Culture of VET- Kerschensteiner as Brand and Myth

1. The Culture of VET- Kerschensteiner as Brand and Myth Prof. Dr. Philipp Gonon, University of Zurich 17th of June 2013 Tampere Seminar 10. 15 a.m

2. Content of Kerschensteners’ Brand & Myth • Culture of VET – VET & Culture: German “Kulturpädagogik” • Kerschensteiner – Life and Work • Kerschensteiner-Brand: Work in School as Social Pedagogy (Pestalozzi & Natorp) • Inclusive social policy (Bismarck) • Arts & craft - ethics & aesthetics and a new society (Werkbund) • Parity of esteem of Vocational and General (Paulsen, Dewey) • Legitmisation of the Vocational School: rise of a new pedagogical sector (Spranger, Fischer, Litt et al.) • Conclusion: Myth of Kerschensteiner: innventor of dual system?

3. Culture & VET – VET & Culture • Education as a means of strengthening Germany as a cultural space: reforming society (culture versus civilisation & commerce) • German Kulturpädagogik: Education rooted in the German classics • ‘Pragmatic’ approach of reforming schools and universities (industry, technics) • Involving the masses not only for primary education • Work in School and VET as a lever of reform • Paulsen, Dilthey, Spranger, Kerschensteiner, Neo-Kantians

4. Kerschensteiner (1854-1932) – Life and Work • Well known in his times as school reformer • Bavarian Teacher, studied Mathematics & Physics • 1895-1914: Career as mighty educational policy maker • 1918-1933: Politician and Professor at the University in Munich • Works: Civic Education (1901), Activity School (1908 ff.), Theory of Bildung (1926), The soul of the Teacher (1922)

5. Kerschensteiner- Brand: Work in School • 1880s: Movement for manual work in schools: Finland, Sweden, Denmark, France: to meet industrial needs • Tradition in Germany, Switzerland: Manual work for the orfans, poor & lower classes in order to get employable • Reform-movement: manual work as an important element of pedagogy and learning (Seidel, Haufe) • Natorp; Pestalozzi as hero of social pedagogy: a school suiting for working-class • Manual Work as element of getting closer to “life” • Suitable for working & middle classes

6. Kerschensteiner- Brand: Inclusive Social Policy • The so called “Social Question” • Making schools more inclusive • Fear of political uprising of the working class (Bismarck as Hero) • Reform of schools against modern individualism • (Platonic) Ideal State by educating people to their rank & vocation • Elites have to be a role model, educating the masses and forget their elitist behaviour in order to spread aristocratic virtues • Harmonization of the society through working together in schools and (later) in society through ‘working communities’

7. Kerschensteiner- Brand: Arts & Crafts • Manual Work as craftsmenship is the way to get Bildung • Against Humboldt, with Goethe & Carlyle as Heroes • Inspiration by the English Arts & Crafts Movement (Morris) • German Werkbund aims to reform industry but also society • Craftsmenship makes products more beautiful (chairs, tapisteries, watches, houses) • Manual work & activity as the way to get a character which enables you to be a valuable and honoured citizen • Craftsmenship as a lever against alienation in the workplace (industry)

8. Kerschensteiner- Brand: Parity of Esteem • Bildung as result of a journey: from elementary education through vocationally oriented education to higher (work-based) education • Against differentiation between lower manual and work-based education and higher academic education • Work and Craftsmanship-based experience of values as the basis of culture and self-improvement • Beruf as the ground of Bildung • VET hast to include general education • General education hast to include vocationally oriented education • Similar to Deweys’ philosophical Pragmatism

9. Kerschensteiner- Brand: Legitimisation of the Vocational School • In modern societies vocational education has to be supported by schools • Reform of the continuation school: originally a place to deepen the knowledge of primary education • Vocationalisation and enlargement of the “Fortbildungsschule” • New Curriculum of the continuation school: integrating specific knowledge for specific professions, general knowledge for all and civic education • Continuation schools get mandatory for all (but not high-scool students): making the schools inclusive for boys and girls • New brand in the 1920s: from the Continuation Schools to VET Schools (Spranger, Fischer, Litt et al)

10. Kerschensteiner- Myth: Founder of the Dual System? Conclusion • Sine the 70s in Germany: nearly forgotten due to his political & philosophical background • Kerschensteiner known for reforms like the VET schools: often driven by fear and conservative motives • Cultural Pedagogy is assumed to be anti-empirical & speculative • Most things were thought before, or claimed by other pedagogues: (cf. controversies with Seidel, Gaudig, Fischer, Dewey, Rickert, Simmel) • International reputation today: higher due to the “success” of the dual system; ironically he had not a clear view on behalf of the dual system • Critical appraisal is needed and helpfull

11. Thank you for your attention! gonon@ife.uzh.ch Refernces: Ph. Gonon (2009): The Quest for Modern Vocational Education: Kerschensteiner between Dewey, Weber and Simmel. Bern: Peter Lang. Ph. Gonon (2013): Von Kerschensteiners Berufspädagogik zum Europäischen Qualifikationsrahmen – ein Blick zurück und nach vorne. In: BWP 3, p.36-39