Eötvös Loránd University
Faculty of Education and Psychology
Theses of the Doctoral (PhD) Dissertation
Vas István
Practice-oriented methods in teaching German business professional language
–
Analysis of Labour Market Competence Demands and a Potential Application in Teaching German Business Professional Language
PhD School of Education
’Educational searches’ Doctoral Programme
Supervisor Dr. Vámos Ágnes habil associate professor
Budapest, 2011
Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Education and Psychology PhD School of Education
Educational Searches Doctoral Programme Head of PhD School:
Dr. habil Szabolcs Éva professor
Vas István:
Practice-oriented methods in teaching German business professional language
–
Analysis of Labour Market Competence Demands and a Potential Application in Teaching German Business Professional Language
Supervisor: Dr. habil Vámos Ágnes associate professor
Members of the Committee:
Chairman: M. Nádasi Mária CSc, professor Internal opponent: Szivák Judit PhD, associate professor External opponent: Bakonyi István DSc, habil professor Secretary: Lénárd Sándor PhD, assistant professor Members: Bacsa-Bán Anetta PhD, associate professor
Hasszan El-Sayed PhD, professor Uzonyi Pál PhD, professor
Budapest, 2011
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1 Introduction
Since the 1989 transition, in Hungary such basic changes have happened – introducing market economy, change of the political system, setting globalisation processes, Euro-Atlantic Partnership – which have influenced our vocational training as well. Vocational institutions today have to face the challenge of training suitable specialists who can meet the requirements in the most popular trades needed by the labour market, concerning both intermediate and advanced vocational trainings. Due to the demographic reduction, fewer and fewer students can become part of the vocational system, which leads to an ever increasing competition between vocational institutions. If a school specialised in vocational training wants to stay marketable, it should provide trainings (and do it in such forms) which can result in suitable employees for the requirements of the labour market.
A further problem is the shrinkage of certain Hungarian settlements, i.e. their depopulation. If a region is not competitive, lacking the necessary infrastructural facilities, the adequate quantity and quality of work, the people living there move away (Kovács, 2008). In most shrinking regions unemployment is high, too, despite the number of vacant workplaces. One of its reasons is that the population looking for work lack the proper qualification, i.e. young entrants leaving the vocational institutions and entering the labour market either
– mastered a craft which is not needed
– or, though their craft can meet the requirements, they do not possess the set of competence expected by employers in the given field.
The above described problem, according to which vocational training operates not in the suitable trades and does not pay enough attention to the expectations of the labour market even if the given trade is good for the expectations of the certain region, is often mentioned by employers, employees, training institutions and government representatives. The most frequent criticism states that trainings are too theoretical, methods are quite often obsolete, no real connection exists between the vocational training and the vocation itself. There have been several attempts, however, the final solution is still to come. Károly Eszterházy College, as one of the dominant higher education institutes in the Northern-Hungarian region makes efforts in order to improve this situation. This study also serves this purpose.
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2 Questions of the Study
At the beginning of the study, the following questions were formed:
– What is meant by the term practice-oriented training?
– How does the labour market examine the eligibility of employees?
– Does basic business training consider the requirements of labour market?
– Do the students and teachers of Business Administration and Management major of Eszterházy College have a realistic picture of the expectations of labour market?
– What challenges should teachers of business professional languages face at the above major?
– Is there a method applying which teachers of the professional language are able to comply all challenges?
– Are there teaching materials based on practice-oriented methods helping the work of professional language teachers?
– Have the teachers of the professional language been given specific methodological preparation regarding practice-oriented methods?
3 Searching Methods
To answer the questions we used qualitative and quantitative research. Using the disposable literature first we defined when vocational trainings and the applied methods can be considered practice-oriented. We also examined what criteria are used on the labour market when selecting employees, as knowing these it is possible to elaborate methods using which students are able to prepare to fulfil the criteria.
Furthermore, in a questionnaire survey combined with an interview we conducted a needs analysis in a given region examining a given profession, then the survey results were translated into the language of the training, i.e. we elaborated a method which took into consideration both the output requirements of the training and the labour market expectations. Besides surveying the labour market expectations we also examined whether the students and the teachers have a realistic picture of the above mentioned requirements.
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4 Assumptions
We composed the following hypotheses in order to prove our assumed answers:
1. Practice-orientation is a dynamic term, having a changing content in time, space and according to specifications. At the beginning of the 21st century, practice-orientation in the Hungarian advanced business bachelor degree means the improvement of the expected competences by the labour market.
2. There are differences between the competence demands by the labour market of the Eger Micro-region and the expected competences of the students and teachers of Business Administration and Management Major at Eszterházy College. To make the training more practice-oriented, these differences have to be minimised.
3. The competence images made by students and teachers at Business Administration and Management Major at Eszterházy College depend on the included background variables (at teachers: sex, date of obtaining the diploma, scientific field, at students: sex, age, course)
4. Teaching the business professional language in advanced business training we can talk about a double requirement :
– students have to be prepared for the intermediate level business professional language exam (B2 vantage) as the requirement of obtaining their diplomas
– expected competences by the labour market have to be developed in students.
Applying practice-oriented methods enables reaching both aims.
5. It is necessary to work out a teaching material based on practice-oriented methods for students and teachers as well. Labour market expectations must be taken into consideration, this is why employers should also be included in the development of the teaching material.
6. Applying the practice-oriented methods by the teachers of the professional language requires extensive professional and language preparedness. This is why it is inevitable to train (further) these teachers using specific methodology.
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5 Theoretical search
5.1 Historical connections of teaching business competence and the term
’practice orientation’ in the Hungarian vocational training from the Middle Ages up to now
Regarding practice orientation we tend to think about a professional and situation- dependent definition, rather than a specific one, which changes from time to time.
Examining the subject matter from dyachronous aspect we could find that this term has been in the Hungarian education since the Middle Ages. At the beginning it was meant teaching and practising activities necessary for successful husbandry and household or rather it was inevitable for performing a certain handicraft. (Finánczy, 1926; Orosz, 2003). Today this expression is used in a much broader sense. Not only manual, physical work and its teaching is meant by it but practising any kind of profession, both physical and mental. In addition, nowadays the issue of practice orientation cannot be simplified as opposing the terms practice and theory. These two terms have joined to a large extent, education cannot treat teaching theory and practice isolatedly. It can happen that one of them becomes more dominant from time to time but practice-oriented teaching cannot be efficient without proper theoretical background.
Analysing the subject matter from synchronous aspect we can state that today the term of practice orientation is defined along competences (Forray R. és Híves, 2003; Tót, 2006; Szigeti, Kárpáti, Mihályfi, Pető, Veszteg és Tókos, 2009). Beyond this, we can distinguish several levels of practice orientation depending on how close it is to the world of work, as the practice orientation of a situational dialogue during a lesson has a different depth from that of a half-year internship. We can say that on the one hand, the continuous co-operation with the world of work, on the other hand, the depth of the connection of the education to the world of work have become the key criteria of today’s practice orientation. (Murányi és Pálfalvi,1998; Szenes, 1998;
Szirmai és Csapó, 2006).
In our interpretation we can consider a method practice-orientated if it takes into account the region-specific labour market demands and helps students on the basis of these aspects in the requirement and development of the necessary competences
5 for efficient work performance and lifestyle. It is a crucial task of the 21-century education, especially of vocational training, to map and develop these, profession- related competences. We, specialists in education, have to collect the necessary practice-oriented methods, form them according to the needs or if necessary, work out new methods. As I have experienced personally, there has been a change towards this direction in many cases. The fact that we use more and more often the term ’practice orientation’ also shows that there are many people dealing with this issue, yet it is necessary to establish the theoretical foundation of practice orientation as well. I find especially relevant one of the remarks of Eskil Frank, the Vice-Rector of Stockholm College of Pedagogy: „We do not wish to put theory into practice any longer but practice into theory” ” (Radits, Pass és Aigner-Preuß, 2002. 27. o.)
5.2 History of scientific selection of manpower
The first methods regarding scientific selection of manpower appeared about two hundred years ago and have been developing ever since. The selection methods adjusted to the general image of man of the given era, to its ruling conception about work and it reflected the current conception of learning as well.
During the period of the first then the second industrial revolution man was regarded similarly to machines and work psychology as discipline appeared. The aim was to find the manufacturing process for each worker they could perform the most effectively. Hence the worker was merely a passive sufferer of work, his personal feelings and his comprehension about the work did not play any role in the selection.
(Taylor,1911).
According to the paradigm of the first half of the 20th century, effective work performance of workers is characterised mostly by their intelligence, this is why intelligence tests were applied for selecting manpower in economy, too. As these tests could forecast aptitude only in a small rate, personality tests came to the front.
(Henczi és Zöllei, 2007). It was thought if someone has an evolved personality, their behaviour is not situation dependent, but able to make reliable and quick decisions and choose the proper behaviour in each type of situations, in this way at workplace.
(Bábosik, 2003). The next stage in the development of the selection methods was the appearance of the motivated specialist. According to the ruling conception in the middle of the 20th century, man is a social creature, whose aims can be connected
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with those of the working union. The aim was to make this connection as broad as possible. (Juhász, 2006). Since this method was unable to provide satisfactory forecast regarding the aptitude of manpower either, economy required to work out a new method. As a result, the first competence researches were started in the United States. (McClelland,1961). The competence-based selecting methods used today examine the common existence of those capabilities, skills, attitude and behaviour peculiarities which are necessary for the effective performance of a given task or tasks and to what extent the employee possesses these competences. Together with the above described selecting methods the educational paradigms of certain eras were also transformed. The authoritarian school which preferred methods of repetition and practising (Falus, 1998) was overweighed by the schools applying methods based on the pedagogy of action and constructive conception of acquisition.
This is how today’s cognitive-intended competence-based teaching was developed (Nahalka, 1998), which especially favours the application of practice-oriented methods based on the co-operation of education and work.
5.3 Competence
There is no standard, globally accepted definition for competence, yet there are no significant differences between the given interpretations. Depending on how the term of competence is interpreted, the definitions can be divided into five larger groups:
– everyday meaning
– pedagogical-psychological approach – education policy usage
– law-based interpretation
– definitions used in human resources management
There are overlaps between the interpretations, we cannot mark them off clearly.
The most important elements of the given competence-definitions are summarized in the following chart. Each definition emphasizes that competence means the system including the knowledge of ’What?’ and ’How?’ essential both for individual and work environment success (Bruner, 1977). In the case of pedagogical- psychological approaches, there are different views regarding key competences.
Most researchers accept the existence of key competences, however, some deny them (Mihály, 2003; Gergely, 2004). Examining the individual competence definitions
7 we have found that the most detailed definitions were created in the field of pedagogy-psychology and human resource management.
Approaches Definition elements
Everyday
Knowing
’What?’ and
’How?’
aptitude skillfullness
savvy
Pedagogical- psychological
a system including:
knowledge abilities
skills constructive
elements
emphasize the importance of
competence both for professional
and social success
denial of key
competences
emphasizing key competences
Education policy
knowledge acquired in natural environment, during life-like experiences
Law
criterion of excellent
working performance Human
resources management
Chart 1: The appearance of definition elements in different competence determinations
According to our interpretation competence is a system of all those knowledge, abilities, skills, personality components and social contacts, the possession of which enables the individual to act effectively both in private life and work environment, having the necessary motivation.
Basically, competences are divided into three main groups. Basic competences (writing, reading, counting, e-competence) are crucial for creating higher-level key and profession-specific competences. Key competences include those ones which every individual requires for their self-actualisation, development, integration and applying for a job. Profession-specific competences enable the expected performance of a given work activity (Mertens, 1974; Mihály, 2003; Dara, Henczi és Szetei, 2006).
Contrary to the traditional, disciplinary-organised training model, in the competence-based one development can be measured by the beforehand defined knowledge and skills and not by the passed time. These trainings are not teacher, but student-centred, providing passage between the given trainings. The meaning of the competence-based training has extended recently, thus forming the result-based training model, the essence of which is that each structured acquisition form can be defined on the basis of output (Bárdos, 2002; Benedek, 2003; Falus és Kimmel, 2004; Kelemen, 2004).
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Several methods have been worked out to create competences in the field of developing human resources. The two most popular ones are the SAT and the DACUM-based SCID. The point of these methods is to define the necessary competences for fulfilling the given scope of activities, then, based on the results, to work out the competence-based training programme. The result of these methods and trainings can be the standardisation of the competences, i.e. defining the output requirements of a given training in competence-system. The standards enable to build in the competence-demands composed by the labour market. (Kelemen, 2004).
6 Empirical search
In virtue of our theoretical search we can say that from the end of the 20th century, employers have done selecting manpower and examined the aptitude of that by competence-based methods, i.e. have defined those competence elements which are necessary for fulfilling the given scope of activities. These competence profiles can serve as a starting point for vocational training schools to be able to adjust their trainings to the demands of the labour market. One of the aims of the search is to find out what competences are expected by the employers on the labour market of the Eger Micro Region from the Business Administration and Management graduates and on the basis of it to work out a method for the students of this major with the help of which the expected competences can be developed. As a result of the search we have worked out a competence profile containing the most crucial competence elements for successful performance for employees of Business Administration and Management qualification. We believe, once stress is put on the development of these competences in students during the bachelor degree, after graduation they will have a greater chance on labour market and can be more successful in their work as the company does not have to spend time on creating or/and developing the expected competences. This way, companies can get operational specialists immediately. This results in saving time, on the one hand, and on the other hand, saving money as company trainings are rather expensive. The population of the survey was provided by the employers having premise in the Eger Micro Region with potential scope of activities for Business and Management qualification, i. e. 225 organisations. Filling the form was accepted by 106 of them, meaning 47% compared
9 to the population. The employer sample can be regarded representative according to the defined size and ownership conditions concerning premise, date of foundation and number of workers. In the case of teacher survey, the population includes all the teachers teaching or at least examining students of Business Administration and Management major at Eszterházy College. 25 out of 32 teachers undertook the filling in. The tutorial sample can be regarded representative, according to the scientific field, date of graduation and participants’ sex. The student population consists of 294 students altogether, including the three- year full-time and correspondence courses.
165 students filled in the questionnaire, 161 of which were good for evaluation. This 161 served as the search sample, which is representative according to sex, age and course, but not according to year.
Three questionnaires were used during the search, for employers, teachers and students, each of them had three parts. In the first, common one, participants were asked to evaluate 105 competence elements on a 1-5 scale. After the common first part, in the second one questions were asked about forms of competence development, in the case of employers about willingness to help, concerning teachers about practice-oriented methods. The third part contained the background data.
7 Summary of theoretical and empirical searches
In the theoretical part of the study the conceptual background was revealed. First, an attempt was made to define the term of practice orientation. For this, we examined how the term was changed in the field of the Hungarian business vocational training.
Based on the secondary examinations we have found that vocational training connected to the practice of the profession has been present in the Hungarian education since the Middle Ages, the content of which changed and enriched from time to time: starting from the practice of manual work we have reached the labour market oriented vocational training paradigm. To define the term we have also unfolded how the changes in labour market demands were followed by the scientific- based methods of selecting manpower and what changes these induced in teaching methods. The scientific –based labour market aptitude examinations appeared some 200 years ago and similarly to the practice-connected business education, its
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methods changed continuously and induced changes in the educational concepts of the given era as well. As a result of searches, the term of competence was focused on, the versatile definitions of which we divided into 5 groups and revealed the methods of competence development.
In virtue of the theoretical search the following thesis can be composed:
Thesis 1
Practice orientation is a dynamic term, having a changing content in time, space and according to specifications. At the beginning of the 21st century, practice orientation in the Hungarian advanced business bachelor degree means developing the necessary competences expected by labour market and for successful lifestyle.
During the empirical search first we wanted to know how realistic the picture the performers in higher education (teachers-students) have about the competence requirements demanded by labour market. On the basis of the answers from employers we compiled a general and a ten-sector competence profile. It became evident that the labour market of the Eger Micro Region needs mostly those specialists who possess the general mental, physical and technical abilities and constructive competence elements influencing the quality of work, while the profession-specific competences are regarded less important. The labour market of the Eger Micro Region requires those reliable, honest and precise employees who are able to reach the set aims, realize logical connections, see the consequences of their activities in the long run and take responsibility for them, and wait for their tasks in an open, interested way. All these competence elements are difficult to develop during the vocational training, this is why the realization of the Business and Management bachelor degree suitable for the labour market competence requirements is a real challenge for Károly Eszterházy College. It can also be noticed that although there are general competences expected by all business organisations regardless sectors, the given sectors have their own specific competence expectations. According to it, employers can be divided into three groups.
The first group includes the companies expecting mostly junior or middle executives among the graduates: transport, agriculture, production. For these the competence elements characterising the good leader, such as ability to comprehend, firmness, being able to evaluate situations and performance, self-control and ability of learning from mistakes received high scores.
11 The second group includes employers expecting the examined students to be
’clerks’: civil service, representation, other services, education. Would-be employees here are expected to be able to comprehend and perform the instructions, be honest and possess good controlling and learning abilities.
Employers of the third group rely on the Business and Management students in tasks where employees contact other people: financial services, banking, insurance, commerce and tourism. These employers found especially important good communication and social skills and all of them appreciated the competence element of high toleration of stress.
We have also completed the hierarchical cluster analysis of the answers from the employers. Here, the close competence elements were treated as the crucial characteristic features of a given employee-character, along which the given character can be described and separated from the others. All these competence elements determine how the employee will behave in a certain work situation having given conditions. On the basis of the results, the following types of employees can be distinguished:
– ’quality-centred’
– ’purposeful’
– ’manager-type’
– ’problem-sensitive’
In virtue of the answers from the employers it can also be said that the proportion of those graduates who can totally meet the requirements of the labour market is small, yet the same small proportion can be mentioned at those who do not possess the required competences at all. Half of the participated employers maintain that their young entrants mostly possess the expected competences, while the rate of those is also relatively high (34%) according to whom it is not so. All this shows that in the examined micro region most graduates meet the requirements of the labour market, but at the same time it is necessary to increase their proportion, adjusting their training to the ever-changing demands.
Competence evaluations of teachers are rather a lot more about describing the ideal student than that of the ideal employee, as according to teachers the ability of comprehending the instructions, clear expressing, practical task interpretation and good cooperation belong to the mostly expected competence elements by employers. However, there are overlaps between real expectations and those of
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teachers’ images. Teachers, like employers, rated highly the competence elements of punctuality, performance, reliability, positive attitude to work and logical way of thinking.
Examining the competence-evaluation of students, we stated that their ideas altogether are closer to the labour market expectations than those of their teachers.
They, similarly to the employers, gave the highest scores to performance, punctuality, exactitude, soundness, reliability and the logical way of thinking. The typical leader competence elements, like endurance, firmness and good problem solving were given very high scores by the students. According to these most students consider that even as entrants their work is relied on. In virtue of all this, we can state the following thesis:
Thesis 2
There are differences between the expected competence requirements by the Eger Micro Region labour market and those of teachers and students on Business Administration and Management major at Eszterházy College. In order to make the training more practice oriented, it is necessary to minimise these differences.
Furthermore, we examined, which independent variables influence responding significantly. In evaluation of expected competences there is a significant difference (p<0,05) both at teachers and students in sexes. The image of expected competences of women in the case of teachers and students as well showed a greater overlap with the competence expectations of the employers and generally, they evaluated higher the given competence elements compared to their male counterparts. We have also noticed that men gave a lot smaller scores to competence elements related to ethic behaviour than women did so. As these competence elements are at the beginning of the list at the employers, partly due to it here is bigger the correlation between the concepts of the female students and teachers and those of real expectations.
Competence evaluation was also influenced by the date of teachers’ obtaining their degrees. Evaluations of teachers having larger tutorial and life experience, receiving their diplomas before the transition, were closer to the employers’ side and those graduating right after transition showed the greatest difference. They see less clearly the labour market expectations, the reason of which might be that their becoming adults fell under the end of socialism and the forming of the market economy. The decaying old regime could not provide a reliable guideline any longer,
13 yet the establishing new social state was not strong enough to provide one for creating their order of values and making opinion about the labour market. Yet those graduating before the transition had had the necessary experience and a firm order of values to see changes in a realistic way. Becoming adults for graduates after 1966 fell under the period of the established market economy, thus they as the young graduates of ’the new age’ think in a much more practice-oriented way, i.e. take into account the labour market expectations as well. Concerning the scientific fields we have also stated that the opinion of the colleagues teaching applied economics subjects is the closest to the competence demands of the labour market, then come teachers of professional languages and the largest difference can be seen in the case of those teaching theoretical economics. This shows the linking of the teaching groups to the labour market, too: the strongest connection with the labour market is maintained by the colleagues teaching applied economics subjects. In the informal conversations followed the survey, it turned out that in many cases they (also) work in the competition sphere themselves. It is also common that teachers of professional languages are employed as interpreters, translators or language teachers by the business organisations, hence they are able to gain direct experiences concerning the requirements of employers. The smallest rate among those teaching theoretical economics can be found when teachers are in direct contact with the labour market and it is shown in their concepts of the expected competence elements.
On the basis of the student evaluation it seems that the senior students having greater life experience see more realistically the labour market expectations than their younger counterparts. Opinions of students under 21 showed coincidence rather with those of teachers, while the answers of students over 21 were closer to the evaluations of employers. There is no correlation between the courses and competence concepts. From the above statements comes the following thesis:
Thesis 3
The competence concepts composed by teachers and students at Business Administration and Management major at Eszterházy College depend on sex, date of graduation and scientific field in the case of teachers, while in the case of students on sex and age, yet not on course.
In order to obtain their degree, Business and Management major students have to pass an intermediate, complex business professional language exam.
According to the CEFR it means B2 level. On the basis of the results of the
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examination performed among employers it was stated that the command of a foreign language was part of the most expected competences only in two sectors:
tourism and agriculture. At the same time, this competence element was rated among the 10 most important competences. As we see it, this might have two reasons:
– today’s labour market situation stimulates job taking abroad and those can take proper jobs in a foreign country who speak languages
– the intermediate complex business professional language examination is the condition of the Business Administration and Management degree, i.e. students are not given their diplomas until they have proven their knowledge of languages on a professional language examination.
From these comes the following thesis:
Thesis 4
During the business professional language teaching there is a double requirement in the business education in higher education:
– students have to be prepared for the intermediate, complex, business professional language examination which is the condition of obtaining the diploma – the labour market expected competence elements should be developed in
students.
It has been proven that we can find a method practice oriented if it takes into account the competence expectations of the labour market, i.e. during its application it develops the necessary competences in the given scope of activity. The range of the necessary competences can be defined mostly by those competent workers who perform successfully in the given field. The competences which should be developed must be to do so with the help of the competent workers and not with that of the employers. It means if we want to complete a competence-based development of teaching materials with the help of practice oriented methods, we should involve the competent workers as well. Modifying assumption 5 we can compose the following thesis:
Thesis 5
A teaching material based on practice-oriented methods is required both for teachers and students of the business professional language. Meanwhile the expectations of the labour market should be taken into consideration this is why the successful, competent workers of the given field also should be involved into this process.
15 We asked the teachers of Business and Management major about the practice oriented methods as well. According to the survey results although almost each of them applies presumably practice-oriented methods on their lessons, most of them have learnt about these methods neither during their studies nor further trainings.
They also have to face the fact that they did not have any specific language methodology training during their studies of becoming language teachers and did not learn business studies either, yet to teach professional language these factors are essential. We suggested that from 2009 Eszterházy College should provide the possibility for students in MA language teacher degree to take on special courses which can prepare them for teaching professional language both methodologically and professionally.
Thesis 6
Applying practice-oriented methods from teachers requires thorough professional and language preparedness, this is why their specific methodological (further) education is crucial.
8 Presentation of a methodological experiment
With the methodological experiment we introduce a potential usage of the labour market competence demand survey carried out, i.e. the data of the needs analysis are transformed into educational purposes. (Kurtán, 2001). Taking into consideration the results, we worked out the so-called ’Virtual Firm’ practice-oriented method. With the help of it students of Business Administration and Management major of Eszterházy College can be prepared for the output intermediate complex business professional language exam in a way which also helps them to develop at the same time the competences expected by employers. For the completion of this method we have used several simulation programmes and taken into account the latest achievements of the methodological searches of the Hungarian language teaching.
(Medgyes, 1997; Bárdos, 2000; M. Nádasi, 2003; Vas, 2005; Szirmai és Csapó, 2006; Bakonyi, 2006; Vas, 2007; Collins, 2009). Besides the professional language teachers, successful and experienced employees of several business organisations took part in the project. As a result, we have elaborated a ’Virtual Firm’ practice- oriented method, characterised by the versatility of work forms and tasks. The
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method was piloted during the subjects ’Business professional language 1-2’ on Business Administration and Management major. During piloting two groups were taught German business professional language during two terms using two different methods. For one of them the ’Virtual Firm’ method, while for the control group the traditional, coursebook-based one. At the end of the pilot comparing the two methods we found that the students taught by the method of ’Virtual Firm’ approached to the lessons in a more positive way emotionally, could reach better results on the mock exams and the labour market expected competences developed in them a lot better compared to the students of the control group. After the two-term piloting we did the necessary corrections in order to have an even more efficient method.
However close the method is to reality, it is not the same, it must be admitted.
Students are aware of the fact that the consequences of their deeds and decisions appear only in evaluation in the case of an imaginary enterprise. The highest level of practice-oriented teaching is when students run a real business. This is why Eszterházy College established its practice hotel which is run by students with the help of teachers. It has been operating for two years and it can be said that this form of practice orientation is definitely successful since after working in this hotel, young, competitive specialists can enter the labour market, possessing the proper competence set meeting the requirements even at international level.
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Mihály Ildikó (2003): Még egyszer a kulcskompetenciákról. Új Pedagógiai Szemle. 6.
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Tót Éva (2006): A formális képzésen kívül szerzett tudás és annak elismerése. Az európai gyakorlat tanulságai. NSZI, Budapest. Megtekintve: 2010. 04. 23.
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Vámos Ágnes (2008b): A kétnyelvű oktatás tannyelv-politikai problémaköre és jelenkora. Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó, Budapest.
Vas István (2005): „Szakmai nyelvoktatás ott és itt” – az eisenstadti modell egri adaptációjának lehetőségei és eredményei. In: 15. MANYE Konferenciakötet.
Miskolc.168-172. In: Interkulturális kommunikáció: nyelvi és kulturális sokszínűség Európában.
19 Vas István (2007): Das Eisenstädtische Modell des Fachsprachenunterrichts und seine Adaptierungsmöglichkeiten an der Fachhochschule Karl Eszterházy. In:
(Harsányi Mihály és René Kegelmann szerk.) Germanistische Studien. EKF Líceum Kiadó, Eger. 263-272.
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10 Publications
1. Reklámmal a reklámról – Reklámeszközök a gazdasági szakmai nyelv oktatásában. In:
Globalizáció-gazdasági versenyképesség és oktatás konferenciakötet. EKF Líceum Kiadó. Eger, 2002. 303-314.
2. A projektmunka hatékonysága a két tanítási nyelvű gazdaságismeret oktatásban – Feldolgozott téma: az Európai Bíróság. In: Porta Lingua. Liceum Art Kiadó. Debrecen, 2003. 353-359.
3. Változó idők, új kihívások. A multimédiás eszközökkel támogatott projektek a szakmai nyelvoktatásban. In: Porta Lingua. Liceum Art Kiadó. Debrecen, 2004. 145-156.
4. A szakmai nyelvoktatás eisenstadti modellje, a modell egri adaptációjának lehetőségei.
In: Porta Lingua. Liceum Art Kiadó. Debrecen, 2005.251-262.
5. Multimédiás eszközök alkalmazásának lehetőségei a két tanítási nyelvű szakközépiskolai gazdaságismeret oktatásban. In: Acta Lingua Oeconomica. EKF Liceum Kiadó. Eger, 2005. 81-92.
6. „Szakmai nyelvoktatás ott és itt” – az eisenstadti modell egri adaptációjának lehetőségei és eredményei. In: 15. MANYE Konferenciakötet. Miskolc, 2005. 168-172.
7. Das Eisenstädtische Modell des Fachsprachenunterrichts und seine Adaptierungsmöglichkeiten an der Fachhochschule Karl Eszterházy. In: (Harsányi Mihály és René Kegelmann szerk.) Germanistische Studien. EKF Líceum Kiadó. Eger, 2007.
263-272.
8. A gazdasági ismeretek oktatásának helyzete Magyarországon a XVIII. századtól napjainkig. In: Acta Oeconomica, Az Eszterházy Károly Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei Új Sorozat XXXIV. kötet. EKF Líceum Kiadó. Eger, 2007. 287-296.
9. Historical Judgment of Teaching Business Education. In: Periodica Oeconomica. EKF Líceum Kiadó. Eger, 2008. 223-232.
10. A szaknyelv fogalma és szerepe az Európai Unióban. In: Globalizáció-Európai Unió- Magyarország Nemzetközi Konferencia konferenciakötete. Alfadat Press Kiadó. Eger, 2008. 218-231.
11. Az Egri Kistérségben végzett munkaerő-piaci készségigény-felmérés tapasztalatai. In:
Periodica Oeconomica. EKF Líceum Kiadó. Eger, 2009. 90-100.
12. A munkaerő tudományos alapú kiválasztásának fejlődése a 19. századtól napjainkig. In:
Periodica Oeconomica. EKF Líceum Kiadó. Eger, 2010. 103-109.
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11 Conferences
1. Reklámmal a reklámról – Reklámeszközök a gazdasági szakmai nyelv oktatásában – EKF, Tudomány Napi Konferencia, Eger, 2001.
2. A projektmódszer alkalmazása a két tannyelvű gazdaságismeret oktatásban – EKF, Tudomány Napi Konferencia, Eger, 2002.
3. Reklámeszközök az üzleti nyelv oktatásában – Debreceni Egyetem, Országos Szaknyelvoktatási Szimpózium, Debrecen, 2002.
4. Multimédiás eszközök alkalmazásának lehetőségei a két tanítási nyelvű szakközépiskolai gazdaságismeret oktatásban – EKF, Tudomány Napi Nemzetközi Konferencia, Eger, 2003.
5. Változó idők, új kihívások. A multimédiás eszközökkel támogatott projektek a szakmai nyelvoktatásban. – Budapesti Műszaki és Közgazdaságtudományi Egyetem, Országos Szaknyelvoktatási Szimpózium, Budapest, 2003.
6. „Szakmai nyelvoktatás ott és itt” –az eisenstadti modell egri adaptációjának lehetőségei és eredményei – MANYE XV. Kongresszusa, Miskolc, 2005.
7. A gazdasági oktatás és a gyakorlatorientáltság történeti áttekintése Magyarországon – Országos Neveléstudományi Konferencia, Budapest, 2006.
8. A gazdasági ismeretek oktatásának történeti megítélése – Regionális versenyképesség – társadalmi felelősség Nemzetközi Tudományos Konferencia, Eger, 2006.
9. A szaknyelv fogalma és szerepe az Európai Unióban – Globalizáció-Európai Unió-Magyarország Nemzetközi Tudományos Konferencia, Eger, 2007.
10. Az Egri Kistérségben végzett munkaerő-piaci készségigény-felmérés tapasztalatai – EKF, Tudomány Napi Nemzetközi Konferencia Eger, 2008.
11. A munkaerő tudományos alapú kiválasztásának fejlődése a 19. századtól napjainkig – EKF, Tudomány Napi Nemzetközi Konferencia Eger, 2009.
12. Munkaerő-piaci igényfelmérés az EKF képzéseinek kompetenciaalapú fejlesztése szolgálatában. Regionális Munkaerő-piaci Workshop, Eger, 2010.
