Integrative Learning of Theory and Practice : Exploration, Conceptualisation and Description in the Context of Chemical Process Technology

This book addresses the questions of what constitutes the integrative learning of theory and practice (ILTP), and how this learning progresses over time - these are important questions that have been overlooked to date. It introduces a new way of looking at the theory-practice integration and presents the conceptual and empirical research that has led to such a view. The conceptualisation of the ILTP and the description of the phenomenon of integration draw on psychological aspects of epistemological beliefs in TVET, and on philosophical aspects of social reasoning. In this inferentialist, non-dualistic epistemological perspective, theory and practice are distinguished in terms of their use in reasoning, rather than as intrinsically different forms of knowledge. In particular, the integrative learning is presented in terms of qualitative changes in chains of reasoning that connect theoretical and practical considerations. This work represents a contribution to further educational research, as it advances a novel operationalisation of the inferentialist framework. Finally, this work contributes to educational practice, as it offers evidence-based guidelines for practitioners concerned with instructional design in T-VET.

The reported empirical investigations involved in-depth qualitative research methods and were conducted at a micro-level of instruction in alternating school-based and work-based programmes, in the field of Chemicals Processing Technology (CPT).

Mariana Orozco is educational scientist and chemical engineer. Currently, she is researcher at the University of Twente, BMS Faculty, Department of Philosophy. She holds a PhD in Education Sciences (University of Antwerp, Belgium) and master’s degree in Chemical Engineering (Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, Argentina). Her academical profile combines with extended experience as a chemical engineer in different industrial sectors and countries. Her academic research situates in the areas of professional learning, learning in transition and higher education. She is particularly interested in the micro-level of education and instruction, learning theories and the psychology of learning, reasoning in learning processes, and educational research methodology. Her current research situates in Epistemology of Science in Practice and deals with cognitive skills in (engineering science) education.