Cooperation among professionals working in initial professional qualification programs: the role of the guidance department

Abstract

This article presents some information about the role of the Guidance Department in the counselling and fostering of cooperation among teachers in charge of Initial Vocational Qualification Programs (IVQP), raising some considerations about the possible contributions and limitations in that regard. 

Theoretical framework: The Guidance department, as an important agent in giving counselling to teachers and, in general, in the development of education leadership in schools, can contribute to the appropriate development in the classrooms of a program such as IVQP whose main aim would be to encourage the teaching staff to work as a solid, coherent and coordinated team.  

Methodology: The investigation was carried out through a case study in a Secondary School (IES) of the Región de Murcia (Spain). The information was obtained through interviews, discussion groupsand the direct observation of coordination meetings and was qualitatively analysed.

Results: Organisational, cultural, and family factors, among others, made difficult the proper functioning of the Guidance Department. Its role in the program was relevant in several areas but for pedagogic coordination among teachers which was not really effective due to teachers’ behaviour.

Conclusions: The culturally established routines and ways of doing both in the Secondary School and the Guidance Department seem to keep placing the focus of the interventions on the diagnostic function and in resolving the difficulties of the teaching staff with some particular students, rather than on the advisory function and teacher coordination.