**3. Technological pedagogical content knowledge**

TPCK can be viewed as the basis of good teaching with technology and requires an understanding of the way concepts can be represented through using emerging technologies and by using the correct pedagogical principles that use that technology in a constructive way to allow access to content. This is different for example than knowing that Padlet is an 'app' (application), it also involves cognition as to how this technology can help in pedagogical ways as well. Here Padlet can be used in collating student ideas and as collaboration in learning. It allows a more student-centred approach to construction of knowledge and hence application and analysis of that specific subject knowledge.

## **4. Signature pedagogies**

However more recently another concept of pedagogy has emerged in the literature, that of 'signature pedagogies' which is defined as "types of teaching that organise the fundamental ways in which future practitioners are educated for their new professions" Shulman [1]. This concept is of particular importance in a vocational context as here students are being prepared for specific professional careers such as Hairdressing, Engineering and Construction amongst others. Recent literature has revolved around the concept of vocational pedagogies and how students in vocational education and training are taught differently from more academic courses based on theory alone. As a concept signature pedagogy is an idea that Shulman [1] applied to vocational areas of learning and noted here that the learner is 'trained' in three areas of the professional work involved. These are:

*Signature Pedagogies in Vocational Learning DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.100119*


Shulman [1] goes onto note three dimensions to signature pedagogy, these being 'surface structure', 'deep structure' and an 'implicit structure'. The surface structure he argues is the operational aspects of teaching and learning such as questioning students and demonstrating specific techniques important to those professions. In Hairdressing these would be demonstration of specific skills such as cutting hair and for example in Engineering, underpinning health and safety around the correct use of large lathes. The deep structure involved a set of assumptions about how to impart the specific knowledge within that profession and again in Engineering, this would be how to solve problems and find solutions. Finally, the implicit structure according to Shulman involves the moral aspects of that profession such as attitude, values and dispositions. Here he uses law as an example of legal reasoning and moral judgements.

Lucas and Hanson [5], as does Shulman, go one step further and refer to signature pedagogies as defining habits of hearts, mind and hands. Shulman [1] notes "One thing is clear: signature pedagogies make a difference. They form habits of the mind, habits of the heart, and habits of the hand". For Lucas and Hanson these habits of mind can be described in Engineering as EHoM (Engineering Habits of Mind) and this involves as the following:


Lucas and Hanson [5] conclude that those involved in engineering teaching and learning need to consider redesigning engineering education and start from the premise that they are trying to "cultivate learners who think like engineers, and we have suggested that a clearer articulation of the signature pedagogies of engineering may support this aim." (p. 12).

Whilst not within an engineering context Claxton [6] too refers to Habits of mind as specific skills and attitudes to learning such as "resilience, creativity, communication, team working, leadership, flexibility, resourcefulness, reflection and metacognition"

(p. 6). Lucas et al. [7] also use the term 'expansive education' as a means of redefining vocational or 'real-world learning' and here we see terms such as resourcefulness, self-belief and 'wider dispositions for lifelong learning' (p. 138). Lucas et al. [7] go onto unpick this concept further to look at the part that the teacher has on learning, through being 'feedback-rich' (p. 133). By this they mean 'critical reflection on progress' and how feedback provides learning with purpose and progression.

It is clear from the literature that signature pedagogies make a difference and as Shulman noted in 2005, they inform habits of the mind, heart, and hands. It follows therefore that teachers need to use these more in vocational learning to enable students to think like professionals with resilience and resourcefulness at the heart of what they do. The following section therefore looks to practice to see how vocational teachers do use signature pedagogies in practice.
