EDITORIAL BOARD

Mokslinis REDAKTORIus / Scientific editor
Rimantas LAUŽACKAS • Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas / Vytautas Magnus University • LT

REDAKTORIŲ TARYBA / EDITORIAL BOARD

BERNHARD BONZ • Universität Stuttgart / Stuttgart University • D
Wolfgang COMPTER • Universität Hohenheim / Hohenheim University • D
REINHARD CZYCHOLL • Universität Oldenburg / Oldenburg University • D
JŪRGEN VAN BUER • Humboldt-Universität Berlin / Humboldt University of Berlin • D
VINCENTAS DIENYS • Profesinio mokymo metodikos centras / Methodical Centre for Vocational Education and Training • LT
ROLF DUBS • Universität St. Gallen / St. Gallen University • CH
BARBARA FEGEBANK • Technische Universität Dresden / Dresden Technical University • D
LEONAS JOVAIŠA • Vilniaus universitetas / Vilnius u niversity • LT
TOMAS JOVAIŠA • Lietuvos darbo rinkos mokymo tarnyba / Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority • LT
ADOLF KELL • Universität GH-Siegen / GH-Siegen University • D
Margarita Teresevičienė • Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas / Vytautas Magnus u niversity • LT
VYTOLIS KUČINSKAS • Klaipėdos universitetas / Klaipėda University • LT
UTE LAUR-ERNST • Vokietijos Federalinis profesinio mokymo institutas / Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB) • D
ANTONIUS LIPSMEIER • Universität Karlsruhe / Karlsruhe University • D
JEAN-LUC PATRY • Universität Salzburg / Salzburg University • A
KĘSTUTIS PUKELIS • Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas / Vytautas Magnus u niversity • LT
SIMON SHAW • Cambridge University • UK
GŪNTER SPREHT • Universität Hamburg / Hamburg University • D
VYTAUTAS ŠERNAS • Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas / Vytautas Magnus u niversity • LT
ERNST UHE • Technische Universität Berlin / Technical university of Berlin • D
THOMAS J.WALKER • Temple University • USA

REDAKCIJOS PERSONALAS / EDITORIAL STAFF

Redaktorius koordinatorius / Editor Co-ordinator TOMAS SABALIAUSKAS
Meninė redaktorė / Designer RITA PENKAUSKIENĖ
Kalbos redaktorė / Language Editor Ingrida balčiūnienė

VERTĖJŲ GRUPĖ / TRANSLATORS
NEMIRA MAČIANSKIENĖ

PREFACE

Recently education and vocational education and training have received particular attention in Europe . The end of the 20 th century witnessed the realization of the vivid truth: education determines not only the background of the society but also the future of economy. On the political level, having started the discussion about the necessity to participate in the worldwide competition, education and vocational education and training has been named as the main factor that, being modernized, can solve more global problems. Therefore the documents of various recent European forums (Bologna declaration, Lisbon strategy, Prague communiqué, Salamanca convention, Berlin communiqué, Bergen communiqué) have identified the major directions for the development and quality improvement in education and vocational education and training in the whole unified Europe, which help to achieve the provision of the highest level education and necessary qualifications determined by the time.

Research is a premise for the development of any processes including educational processes. Realization of strategic goals is possible only when it is known how, where and when to realize them. Such data is provided by the research, as its findings are published in scientific forums and journals, including the journal “Vocational education: research and reality”. For 8 years this journal has been publishing the data of different research into vocational education and training, it also disseminates novelties to be assessed by experts and approbated by practitioners of vocational education and training. The journal has become a facilitator of interaction between vocational education theory and practice and a guarantee of the vocational education participant development.

The current issue of the journal has no specific theme; such was the choice. Its exceptional feature is the joint participation of experienced scientists together with doctoral students who write dissertations and analyse various aspects of vocational education and training. Their topics can be divided into four areas: vocational education strategy and policy, research into vocational education quality, vocational teacher education and recognition of non-formal and informal learning outcomes.

Theoretical issues of vocational education are particularly urgent. Theory sets the directions for process development and for creating opportunities; the same function is played by theory in the area of vocational education and training, which often lacks new methods and measures to guarantee its continuous adaptation to the changing environment and new challenges of the world of work. The linking vocational training is not new in the theoretical sense (van Buer), however it attracts attention to practical aspects of its realization.

Research into vocational education quality is presented in two articles written by E. Danilevičius and R. Laužackas, J. Ruš­kus, S. Tiškutė and L. Juozaitienė. In the long term these are the first works which present the data about qualitative parameters of vocational education and training organization and its process on the national and regional levels. The first article is exceptional: it presents results of a broad and in-depth investigation into vocational education reform in Lithuania . This research provides assessment of various processes on the national, school and class level and offers guidelines for further reforms.

Teacher education and training remains a topical issue in vocational education and training. It is necessary to say that teacher education is often named in research works as the most important factor of VET reform. Thus, teacher education (general school, vocational school, higher school or adult teacher education and training) has impact upon other parameters of vocational education and often determines its quality. The articles by G. Linkaitytė and A. Lapėnienė as well as by L. Ušeckienė and R. Ališauskienė investigate teacher qualification development regularities which exert crucial influence upon vocational education quality and efficiency in its broad sense.

Realization of some large scale international projects has made the topic of non-formal and informal learning achievement assessment a topical issue. It is worth saying that this issue also acquired greater importance on the research level. On the practical level, non-formal and informal learning outcome recognition continues to be urgent and calls for political decisions. E. Stasiūnaitienė presents new assessment methods that suit for the application in this context, whereas G. Straka deals with opportunities and methods to certify competencies acquired in formal, non-formal and combined way.

Other articles supplement the content of the journal by interesting and important information which can be assessed and expanded in further editions. According to the Board of editors, the journal topics should not be limited to certain themes; they should embrace their broad scope and all processes of vocational education and training. It has been noticed that alongside initial secondary vocational education more attention should be devoted to higher education and continuous vocational training.

In the future, the journal will appear twice a year. This has been enabled by the expanded circle of writers as well as the coherence of the journal activity with the implementation of European structural fund projects which are geared to the most urgent vocational education issues, important both for theory and practice. The journal will also be an important opportunity for project outcome dissemination.

We wish all the readers to find information in the journal, we also wish all the authors of the articles to find new ideas for further work on vocational education topics.

On behalf of the editorial board Rimantas Laužackas

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RULES FOR ADDUSING ARTICLES

• Articles for publishing are accepted in Lithuanian, English or German languages;
• the articles should be written in Microsoft Word programme with a shrift Times New Roman;
• publications can not exceed 12 pages, written in 12 shrift, single space;
  • articles should be in a clear structure:
  • Abstract and key-words (about 600 characters in total);
  • Introduction (it includes topicality of the article, formulations of objectives, research methods and so on);
  • Main part (it includes several divisions with different titles);
  • Conclusions
• reference list is presented at the end of the article;
• articles should be in two copies, a floppy disk must be added.
  
  It may be send trough e-mail too;
• short information about the author must be added on a separate page: characteristics of activity, scientific achievements, researches, interests, work and contact addresses.