Applying Bernstein to an analysis of the German dual system - a first exploration : paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Helsinki, Finland, 25-27 August 2010

Abstract

In the first part, the "classifications" of German secondary vocational education on the macro level are pointed out. It shall be shown that Bernstein's assumption of class antagonisms as the basis of power relationships does not hold in the case of the dual system of VET, but nevertheless the concepts he developed (e. g. general regulative discourse, dominant principle) remain to have explanatory force. The second part deals with another of Bernstein?s concepts, the "framing", which is what happens within the categories established by "classifications". The findings give not only explorative answers to the research question, but also indications about aspects of framing of in-company VET in Germany. Finally, Bernstein's "code" of transmission/acquisition, a function of classification and framing values is regarded and some considerations are made about possible comparisons between codes of different contexts of cultural reproduction-production. (BIBB-Doku)