Principles of Technical and Vocational Pedagogy

Become a better vocational teacher by using principles that underpin teaching excellence in vocational subjects

This concise book establishes eight evidence-based pedagogical principles that will improve teaching and learning in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). This book has been developed because teaching practice pedagogies are often built around the transfer of knowledge within a classroom setting. However, in TVET there are additional delivery settings (such as workshops) and an additional need for learners to develop fluency in skills that will ultimately be performed in the real world.

The principles in this book cover concepts such as the deconstruction of complex skills, demonstration, guided performance, feedback and assessment. It  captures a modern approach to teaching and learning in TVET and includes plenty of real case studies, across a range of subjects and levels, of how these principles can work in practice.

• A key text for teachers, curriculum managers and senior leaders in schools and further education
• Relevant to all vocational subjects and qualifications, including but not limited to T Levels, V Levels, apprenticeships, BTECs, AAQs, Cambridge Nationals and City & Guilds qualifications.

About the authors:

Dr Dan Williams is the University of Derby’s Programme Leader for Initial Teacher Education, Post-14 Further Education and Skills. In this role, he led the provision to an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspection outcome (May 2024), making it the largest and most diverse provider in the country to achieve this accolade. In addition to his main role, Dan has a PhD in education and is currently content curator and editor of the ETF’s quarterly inTuition journal.

Mike Tyler began working in Initial Teacher Education in 2020 teaching on the diploma in education and training before moving to his current post as lecturer in ITE (FE and Skills) at the University of Worcester in 2022. As part of this role, Mike has designed the university’s diploma in teaching, which is taught at two partner colleges. He is a member of the ETF and a fellow of the HEA.

Dan and Mike also co-authored (with Kayte Haselgrove) Teaching in Further Education and Skills: Concept to Classroom.