Monika Øgård

• Myhre, Sunniva; Øgård, Monika & Øgård-Repål, Anita (2025). Vocational Teacher Education: Learning at the Heart of the Workplace. Skandinavisk tidsskrift for yrker og profesjoner i utvikling - SJVD. 10(2), p. 86–104. doi: https:/journals.oslomet.no/yrke/article/view/6378. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study examines how relocating a one-year full-time practical pedagogical education programme (PPU-Y) for vocational student teachers to a local upper secondary school impacts students’ readiness for the teaching profession. A development project was initiated to move campus-based theoretical teaching to an upper secondary school, with the aim to reduce this gap and offering more authentic, experience-based learning. Using a qualitative pilot design, data were collected through focus group interviews with seven student teachers. The findings suggest that early presence in the practice field reduced practicum shock, supported the students' professional development, and deepened their understanding of teachers’ daily work. The school functioned as a boundary object, fostering integration between theory and practice, with teacher educators acting as boundary workers. Moreover, the school setting created a ‘third space’ that enabled informal learning and professional socialisation, allowing student teachers to connect theoretical knowledge with everyday teaching practices. This study concludes that such an organisational approach may enhance the relevance and coherence of vocational teacher education by bridging institutional and practical learning contexts.

• Mastad, Line Beate Tandsæther; Øgård, Monika; Haldammen, Eva Nordby & Aarli, Eivind (2025). Skolebasert veiledningspedagogikk – et ledd i profesjonsutviklingen som lærer og lærerutdanner i praksisfeltet. In Bjerkholt, Eva; Vasseljen, Nina Cathrine Aagesen; Dahl, Anne Kristin & Steinnes, Gerd Sylvi (Ed.), Profesjonsfaglig veiledning for individuell og kollektiv utvikling. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202850548. p. 137–156. doi: 10.23865/cdf.270.ch3.2. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study explores the research question: What implications can a school-based subject during the formal mentor course have for the participants’ professional development and development as teacher mentors in the practicum? Four leaders and nine teachers from five different schools have been interviewed. Results from the study show that the formal mentor course has influenced the participants’ professional language. They use the vocabulary while discussing mentoring and students. The participants also acquired a shared understanding of what mentoring is and collaborated on numerous issues concerning mentoring students. In addition, the data show that inquiry-based projects give the participants a further sense of community in their profession. They emphasise the value of cooperation and how these methods can be used while mentoring student teachers. In summary, the participants in this study affirm that the school-based formal mentor course has made them more aware of their professionality as teachers, their common professional language, how to mentor and how to use research in their work as mentors, supervisors, and teachers.

• Øgård, Monika & Hillen, Prof. Andrea Stefanie (2025). Boundary Objects Supporting Students’ Meaning-Making During Work Placement in Norwegian Vocational Education. International Journal of Vocational Education Studies. 2(2), p. 133–155. doi: 10.14361/ijves-2025-020206. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study investigates the use of boundary objects in vocational education and training (VET) as an approach to address the challenge of meaning making of VET concepts, often experienced by pupils at school just as ‘definitions’ to be learnt by heart or to be memorized, hence becoming isolated knowledge instead of contextual applicable and meaningful. A problem that is well known in international dual VET education and research. As well it turns the focus on, for instance pupils, to potentially become co-brokers between the boundary of school and workplace, using boundary objects, reified as thematic assignments in and for both learning sites. In the interplay between boundary objects, advisors, students and teachers, affordances can be created helping to construct meaning and motivation in and for the pupils’ VET education.

• Øgård, Monika; Hillen, Andrea Stefanie & Wuttke, Eveline (2025). Thematic assignments making vocational concepts visible during students’ work placements in Norwegian vocational education. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training. ISSN 1877-6337. 17(1). doi: 10.1186/s40461-025-00180-w. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Many students in vocational education and training (VET) programmes in Norway fail to see the connection with the school-based curriculum content they explore and learn and the tasks they perform during work placements. Consequently, the relevance of various vocational concepts remains invisible when conducting tasks at work, hence student motivation for learning may decrease and students’ understanding accordingly. This study examines how thematic assignments, designed by a team of experienced vocational teachers in Norway, who teach the subject vocational specialization, foster students’ boundary learning and contribute to students’ knowledge development of vocational concepts. The research focuses on the thematic assignments, the boundary objects, helping students to navigate between the school and the workplace. The thematic assignments serve as shared references that bridge these two learning contexts. Semi-structured observations were made of students, teachers, and supervisors in the workplace, and interviews were conducted with teachers and supervisors to gain insight into practices and personal perspectives. The findings indicate that the teachers’ joint design and their individual student adjusted use of the thematic assignments, helped students to ‘see’ the vocational concepts in practice and to stress their importance and necessity to learn. An additional result is that the assignments worked as an anchor for improved communication and collaboration among all parties involved.

• Øgård, Monika (2024). Boundary objects as a starting point for reflective learning in vocational education and training classrooms. Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training. 14(4), p. 24–49. doi: 10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.2414424. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article examines the use of thematic assignments developed by vocational education and training (VET) teachers in Norway that focus on students’ work practices. In the Norwegian VET system, students attend two years of upper secondary school, followed by two years of apprenticeship at the workplace. The aim of the article is to point out how their work practice experiences can be brought back into the classroom by using specific boundary objects called ‘thematic assignments’. The article examines the following research question: How does working with boundary objects in the classroom contribute to students’ understanding and elaboration of vocational concepts? The data sources consist of semi-structured observations in the classroom and diaries written by the students during their work placements. This study is based on the idea of boundary crossing, using reflection and writing tasks to support students’ elaboration of vocational concepts. The discussion argues that the classroom is an appropriate environment for the elaboration of technical terms, that is, the development of vocational concepts via a specific boundary object. This article also discusses writing diaries as a starting point for students’ reflections to support the development of naive vocational concepts into more elaborate ones through experiencing their use in the workplace.

• Johannesen, Hedvig Skonhoft; Kverneggen, Kari-Anne Helleberg & Øgård, Monika (2022). Læring på tvers: Hvordan kan yrkesfaglæreren legge til rette for boundary learning for elever i arbeidslivspraksis? Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training. 12(1), p. 51–75. doi: 10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.2212151. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  A well-known challenge in vocational education and training (VET) programmes is the lack of coherence between school-based and workplace learning. The Norwegian VET model consists of two years of upper secondary education followed by two years of apprenticeship at work. This small-scale study of vocational teacher’s vocational didactics aims to investigate boundary learning at the VET Programme for Sales and Service at the Norwegian upper secondary level. The research question explored is: How can vocational teachers improve boundary learning for students in work-based placements in the subject vocational in-depth study (YFF)? The methodological approach is qualitative interviews with vocational teachers and the systematic developmental work of vocational didactics by vocational teachers at one school. Our study focuses on boundary learning using the theoretical approach from Akkerman and Bakker (2011a). The findings show how vocational teachers develop and use boundary objects such as systematic reflection and subject based assignments to connect work-based learning from YFF to school-based learning. Further, a systematic development of vocational didactics is possible with a new proposed model of vocational didactics for boundary learning. The conclusion discusses how a developmental approach in the vocational teacher group combined with theore-tical concepts could enhance the students workplace and boundary learning.

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• Grødeland, Norunn Eftestøl; Jørgensen, Christine; Øgård, Monika & Myhre, Sunniva (2026). Koherens, læringsdesign og KI i yrkesfaglærerutdanningen: Et utviklingsprosjekt i høyere utdanning. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Prosjektet er del av utviklingen av fire nye emner i praktisk‑pedagogiske utdanning for yrkesfaglærere ved UiA. Målet er å utvikle et studietilbud som speiler kompleksiteten i yrkesfaglæreres profesjonsoppgaver, og som samtidig møter kravene som samfunnsmessige omstillinger stiller til fremtidens yrkesfaglige utdanning. Utviklingsarbeidet skal styrke koherens i studieløpet, bidra til helhetlig læringsdesign som kombinerer forskningsbasert kunnskap med autentiske, arbeidslivsnære lærings- og vurderingssituasjoner. Sentralt står introduksjonen av studentaktive og KI-integrerte undervisnings- og vurderingsformer, inkludert utvikling av en egen KI-agent og fysiske læringsressurser.

• Øgård, Monika (2026). Fra lokal skoleutvikling til europeisk yrkesfaglig innovasjon: Hva forteller forskningen om Dahlskemodellen? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Presentasjonen tar utgangspunkt i forskning på Dahlskemodellen, en modell for opplæring på to arenaer som er utviklet gjennom samarbeid mellom skole og arbeidsliv. Forskningen viser hvordan systematisk trepartssamarbeid mellom elev, lærer og arbeidsplass kan bidra til økt motivasjon, relevans, mestring og kompetanseutvikling hos elever. Presentasjonen belyser sentrale forskningsfunn og diskuterer modellens betydning for utvikling av yrkesfaglig opplæring. Videre presenteres hvordan erfaringene fra Dahlskemodellen danner grunnlag for Erasmus+-prosjektet innoVET, der modellen videreutvikles og tilpasses ulike europeiske kontekster gjennom samarbeid mellom partnere i Norge, Romania, Italia og Kroatia

• Øgård, Monika; Bakkedal, Lene; Gorseth, Vebjørn; Molvær, Monica; Nordtug, Julia Brännström & Ilner, Kristian [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Arendalsuka | Arrangement: Fra praktisk skole – via yrkesfag – til arbeidslivet. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Vi belyser sammenhengen mellom (manglende) praktisk skole, yrkesfag og yrkesfaglig fordypning (YFF) og hvilke yrkesvalg elevene tar. Enkelte yrkesfaglærere mener at 80 prosent av deres elever aldri har tatt i en hammer når de starter på byggfag. Er det noe i denne myten? Flere og flere velger yrkesfag som en «enkel» vei til høyere utdanning, som for eksempel helse og oppvekst til sykepleien. Har vi rigget en skole som gjør det akademiske til det viktigste og dermed nedsnakker yrkesfagene? Søknaden til yrkesfag stiger. Henger dette sammen med tallene til lærlingene som tar fagbrev, eller mister vi mange på veien? Og når YFF blir salderingspost, hva skjer da med kvaliteten på det faget? Klarer vi å utdanne ansettbare elever som kan kommunisere og bli gode arbeidstakere?

• Austad, May Helen Uppstad; Øgård, Monika; Bragdø, Annlaug & Myhre, Sunniva (2026). Presentasjon NordYrk. Karrierelæring med et yrkesblikk:​ Fra dialog til samhandling​. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne presentasjonen tar utgangspunkt i en dialogkonferanse som samlet representanter fra skole, arbeidsliv, forskning, forvaltning og politikk for å utforske hvordan ungdomsskolen kan knyttes tettere til arbeidslivet. Med et særlig fokus på karrierelæring og et «yrkesblikk» undersøker arbeidet utfordringer og muligheter i samarbeidet mellom skole og arbeidsliv. Funnene peker på behovet for bedre samordning, tydeligere forventninger og mer systematisk samarbeid, samtidig som dialogkonferansen løftes frem som en viktig arena for samskaping, felles forståelse og utvikling av nye løsninger for elevers karrierelæring og overganger til videre utdanning og arbeidsliv.

• Grødeland, Norunn Eftestøl; Jørgensen, Christine; Myhre, Sunniva & Øgård, Monika (2026). Koherens, Læringsdesign og KI i yrkesfaglærerutdanningen - presentasjon NordYrk 2026. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne presentasjonen omhandler et pågående utviklingsprosjekt i yrkesfaglærerutdanningen ved Universitetet i Agder, med fokus på hvordan koherens, helhetlige læringsdesign og pedagogisk bruk av kunstig intelligens kan styrke studentenes læring og profesjonsutvikling. Prosjektet bygger på aksjonsforskning og tar utgangspunkt i studenters erfaringer med manglende sammenheng i studiet, ustrukturert bruk av KI og utfordringer knyttet til digitale læringsmiljøer. Arbeidet utforsker hvordan gjennomtenkte læringsdesign og KI-integrerte læringsaktiviteter kan bidra til økt relevans, bedre progresjon og sterkere sammenheng mellom undervisning, praksis og vurdering.

• Austad, May Helen Uppstad; Øgård, Monika; Myhre, Sunniva & Svendsen, Mathilde Dahlen (2026). Presentasjon NordYrk 2026. Å styrke sammenhengen i yrkesfaglig opplæring: Hvordan et strukturert nøkkelkompetanseskjema kan legge til rette for samarbeid mellom lærere og veiledere i arbeidslivet​. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne studien undersøker hvordan et strukturert nøkkelkompetanseskjema kan styrke samarbeidet mellom yrkesfaglærere og veiledere i arbeidslivet. Med utgangspunkt i intervjuer, fokusgrupper og studentrapporter analyseres hvordan skjemaet fungerer som et felles verktøy for dialog, forventningsavklaring og vurdering på tvers av skole og arbeidsplass. Funnene viser at skjemaet kan bidra til mer strukturert samarbeid, tydeligere kobling mellom teori og praksis, samt en mer aktiv rolle for elevene i egen læring.

• Øgård, Monika; Suhonen, Riikka; Hillen, Prof. Andrea Stefanie; Teräs, Marianne & Virolainen, Maarit (2026). Journeys of Nordic Doctoral and ​ Early Career Researchers ​ Interested in VET - Presentation NordYrk conference 2026. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Presented at NordYrk 2026 in Jyväskylä, Finland, this study explores how supervision and support shape the experiences of Nordic doctoral and early career researchers interested in Vocational Education and Training (VET). Based on a survey (N=33) and interviews (N=13), the findings show that many researchers experience isolation in small and fragmented VET research environments, while supervisors and research networks play a crucial role in fostering learning, academic belonging, and career development. The study highlights the importance of collective, network-based support structures for strengthening VET research communities in the Nordic countries.

• Øgård, Monika; Austad, May Helen Uppstad; Myhre, Sunniva & Bragdø, Annlaug (2026). Dialogkonferansen 2026 - Skole møter arbeid. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika; Myhrvold, Anne & Risdal, Åge (2026). Workshop med nettverkskoordinatorer og avdelingsledere - innføring av ny rammeplan og lokal læreplan YFF Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Gjennomgang av ny rammeplan for YFF, samt arbeid med ny lokal læreplan for yrkesfaglig fordypning

• Øgård, Monika & Stokke, Ellen (2026). Workshop for innføring av ny rammeplan og lokal læreplan SSR Osloskolen. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Målet var å bli kjent med ny rammeplan og starte arbeidet med lokal læreplan for SSR fagene i Oslo

• Øgård, Monika (2026). FoU- samling: YFF-vurdering – veien videre? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Fagdag for helse-og oppvekstfag om YFF og vurdering. Samarbeid for skolene i vest Agder

• Øgård, Monika (2026). Fagdag Yrkesfaglig fordypning TIF Rogaland. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2026). Nettverksmøte for yrkesfagene i Oslo; rammeplan og lokal læreplan i YFF. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Samarbeid med Utdanningsetaten i Oslo hvor vi utvikler rammeplan for yrkesfaglig fordypning og mal for lokal læreplan.

• Øgård, Monika (2025). Sørlandsk lærerstevne - kurs i Yrkesfaglig fordypning. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2025). Yrkesfaglig fordypning i lærebedriften. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kurset ¨Yrkesfaglig fordypning i lærebedriften» ble holdt for instruktører og faglige ansvarlige i lærebedrifter i Oslo. Kurset dekket følgende temaer: • Hva er hensikten med yrkesfaglig fordypning, og hvorfor er det viktig for elevenes læring og utvikling • Hvordan planlegge, gjennomføre og evaluere i faget • Hva forventes av lærebedrifter, og hvordan kan de bidra til helhetlig opplæring • Hvordan skape en helhetlig og relevant opplæring gjennom lokalt samarbeid mellom skole og lærebedrift • Hvordan utvikle faget som en del av helhetlig og fremtidsrettet yrkesopplæring • Hvordan bruke ulike veiledningsmetoder for å støtte elever, lærlinger og lærekandidater i lærebedrift. Kurset tok utgangspunkt i yrkesfagenes egenart, yrkesdifferensiering og tilpasset opplæring, samt yrkesrelevant opplæring for elever, lærlinger og lærekandidater. Gjennom ulike arbeidsmåter, som forelesninger, dialog og refleksjon, utforsket deltakerne sentrale temaer og delte erfaringer

• Øgård, Monika (2025). Podcast - Yrkesfaglig fordypning i lærebedrift. doi: https:/open.spotify.com/episode/1sGFU6D1hNQPULLKIeD9s5. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2025). Foredrag fag- og yrkesopplæring Agder: Vurdering av Fagprøve for prøvenemd i Barne- og ungdomsarbeiderfaget. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika; Svendsen, Mathilde Dahlen & Myhre, Sunniva (2025). Faglig innlegg i yrkesfaglig fordypning: Fagdag Vg2 Bilskade, lakk og karosseri. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2025). EERN-VETNET (Emerging Researchers Online Event), Round-The-Table Discussion, 26. February. Full text in Research Archive
• Suhonen, Riikka; Øgård, Monika; Virolainen, Maarit; Teräs, Marianne & Hillen, Prof. Andrea Stefanie (2025). Symposium NordYrk: Experiences of Nordic doctoral researchers and early career researchers with focus on VET research. Full text in Research Archive
• Austad, May Helen Uppstad & Øgård, Monika (2025). Presentasjon CarnNorge. Med eleven i sentrum: Utvikling av et rammeverk for arbeidslivsferdigheter i ungdomsskolen. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika; Hillen, Andrea Stefanie; Binfield-Skøie, Tina & Øgård-Repål, Anita (2025). Symposium NordYrk: Balancing the Ph.D: A qualitative study of Ph.D. candidates’ experiences of balancing the Ph.D. work. Full text in Research Archive
• Myhre, Sunniva; Øgård, Monika & Øgård-Repål, Anita (2025). Yrkesfaglærerutdanning: Læring i hjerte av arbeidslivet​. Presentasjon NordYrk. Full text in Research Archive
• Austad, May Helen Uppstad; Øgård, Monika & Bragdø, Annlaug (2025). Transversal skills and competencies (TSC): Clarifying expectations as a bridge between school and work. Deltakelse NordYrk conference. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2025). Fagdag vurdering i yrkesfaglig fordypning for helsefag i Agder. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2025). Yrkesfaglig fordypning - til glede og fortvilelse. Yrke. ISSN 1504-1905. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika; Jørgensen, Christine & Svendsen, Mathilde Dahlen (2025). Yrkesfaglig fordypning - hva med læreren? Yrke - fagblad om yrkesopplæring. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2024). Fagforum Helse-og oppvekstfag Agder. Yrkesfaglig fordypning: Muligheter, elevens rolle og vurdering i faget. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2024). Annual Conference 2024 of the Vocational and Business Education Section of the German Educational Research Association: Thematic assignments’ contribution to students’ meaning-making of VET concepts during VET-internship in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2024). Norwegian Culture and History: Vocational Education in Norway - Seminar at Rostock University. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2024). Foredrag fag- og yrkesopplæring Agder: Vurdering av Fagprøve for prøvenemd i Helsefag. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika; Bjelland, Aina & Henriksen, Linn Wenche Topstad (2023). Fagsamling Desentralisert Kompetanseutvikling: Profesjonsfellesskap og vurdering i skolen. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika; Bjelland, Aina & Henriksen, Linn Wenche Topstad (2023). Samling Desentralisert kompetanseutvikling: Vurdering, metoder og utviklingsarbeid. Full text in Research Archive
• Kostøl, Elin Marie Frivold; Matre, Marianne Engen; Schønberg, Hilde Wallerud; Øgård, Monika; Lund, Ingrid & Haldammen, Eva Nordby [Show all 32 contributors for this article] (2023). Stopp nedbemanningen i skolen. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika & Kari-Anne, Kverneggen (2023). Yrkesfaglig fordypning: muligheter og handlingsrom Kurs Sørlandske lærerstevne. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2023). Hvordan kan vurdering utøves i yrkesfaglig fordypning slik at den blir en integrert del av elevenes opplæring? Fagdag Menn i Helse. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2023). Fagdag Asdal ungdomsskole: Vurdering og elevmedvirkning. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika & Hillen, Prof. Andrea Stefanie (2022). Experiences made with ‘subject matter assignments’ as boundary objects in VET education - Presentasjon av PhD prosjekt, NordYrk Conference. Full text in Research Archive
• Kverneggen, Kari-Anne Helleberg & Øgård, Monika (2021). Nå må skole og arbeidsliv stille opp for yrkesfagelevene. Full text in Research Archive
• Kverneggen, Kari-Anne Helleberg & Øgård, Monika (2021). 'Boundary learning' mellom læringskontekstene bedrift og skole. Full text in Research Archive
• Øgård, Monika (2026). Navigating boundaries in vocational education. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284273235. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Motivation: This thesis is motivated by a wish to strengthen coherence in vocational education by exploring how school and workplace-based learning can be understood and connected in more meaningful ways for students. Although these arenas offer complementary opportunities for students’ vocational development, they are often insufficiently connected, making it difficult for students to navigate across contexts and construct coherent understandings. In the Norwegian sales, service, and tourism programme, loosely structured work placements and limited pedagogical frameworks intensify this challenge. As vocational teachers play an important role in supporting students’ learning across contexts, there is a need for “tools” that can promote continuity, structure reflection, support documentation of learning, and facilitate meaning-making. In the project under study, teachers have introduced thematic assignments as potential boundary objects that support students in linking school-based learning with workplace experiences. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to examine how thematic assignments functioned as boundary objects that mediated students’ learning across school-based and workplace contexts, and how they supported students in navigating boundaries between these contexts. The thesis aimed to investigate how students, teachers, and workplace supervisors used these assignments to make vocational concepts visible, structure reflection, navigate differing expectations and practices, and create continuity between learning contexts. Furthermore, the thesis sought to identify the pedagogical conditions that enabled thematic assignments to support students’ meaning-making, motivation, and development of vocational identity. Based on these analyses, a model was developed to illustrate how school-based learning and workplace experience can be interwoven across contexts through reflection, dialogue, and adaptive guidance. Methodological approaches: A qualitative, explorative design was employed across three complementary studies: • Study 1: Explored how thematic assignments were used in the classroom before and after work placement. Data included 20 classroom observations and 25 student diaries. The study applied reflexive thematic analysis to examine how assignments supported student reflection and students’ conceptual development. • Study 2: Investigated the use of thematic assignments during work placement through 27 workplace observations and conversational interviews with vocational teachers and supervisors. Analysis also used reflexive thematic analysis, focusing on how assignments mediated learning and collaboration across contexts. • Study 3: Examined students’ perceptions of thematic assignments through 19 individual interviews and one focus group with vocational teachers. The study applied directed qualitative content analysis to explore how assignments contributed to meaning-making and vocational identity formation. All three studies were informed by a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach, enabling the interpretation of lived experiences and pedagogical practices across school and workplace settings. Contributions: This thesis conceptualises thematic assignments as boundary objects that support students’ navigation of discontinuities between school and the workplace. However, the findings demonstrate that they do not function as boundary objects without intentional pedagogical enactment; their mediating capacity emerges only when teachers and supervisors actively facilitate their use through dialogue, adaptive guidance, and structured reflection. Drawing on empirical data from three qualitative studies, the thesis shows that coherence cannot be achieved through structural arrangements alone but requires pedagogical strategies that interweave experiences into coherent learning trajectories. The conceptual model developed in the thesis illustrates how vocational understanding deepens through reflection-for-action, reflection-in-action, and reflection-on-action, supported by teachers’ and supervisors’ adaptive guidance and brokering practices. The thesis further extends boundary-crossing theory by integrating Biesta’s (2013, 2015b) domains of educational purpose and by introducing interweaving as an analytical lens that captures how experiences, concepts, and reflections are woven together across learning contexts. Conclusion: Based on findings from three qualitative studies, the thesis argues that vocational learning emerges when students’ experiences, concepts, and understandings from both school and the workplace are interwoven into meaningful, coherent learning processes. Rather than attempting to reduce the differences between contexts, these differences can be rendered pedagogically productive when supported through reflective dialogue, adaptive guidance, and brokerage. To this end, thematic assignments function as artefacts that help structure these dialogues and create continuity, supporting the development of students’ vocational understanding and the formation of vocational identity across learning contexts. This thesis demonstrates that coherence in VET is not a product of structural arrangements alone, but of the pedagogical enactment of boundary objects, supported through adaptive guidance and the ongoing interweaving of school-based and workplace-based learning.

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