New publication: "Digitalization in commercial vocational training: Training needs and perspectives from the point of view of teachers..." (Pfeiffer, Höhl, Alexander, Bauer, Förster & Goller, 2026)

Digitalization in commercial vocational education and training Training needs and perspectives from the perspective of pre-service teachers, in-service teachers and school administrators

From the abstract:

Despite considerable digitalization trends in work and society, there is often no demand from teachers for further training on relevant topics. Against this background, the present study is dedicated to investigating factors that explain the acceptance and use of further training courses on digital technologies in commercial and administrative vocational education and training. To this end, interviews were conducted with a total of 24 teachers in the preparatory service, teachers in the profession and head teachers at vocational schools and evaluated using content analysis. The findings show that the willingness to participate strongly depends on the fit between content design, organizational framework conditions and individual needs. Practical, flexible and collegially embedded formats are particularly popular, while unsuitable or overly theoretical offers are hardly accepted. Successful training formats are therefore characterized by a compact organization, practice-relevant content and collegial exchange. However, institutional barriers and a lack of strategic integration make sustainable professionalization more difficult. The results suggest that the effectiveness of these training courses can be increased through the targeted combination of individual needs, organizational structures and current topics. They therefore provide valuable information for the design of effective training courses in the context of digital change in education.

Pfeiffer, V., Höhl, R., Alexander, F., Bauer, T., Förster, M., & Goller, M. (2026). Digitalization in commercial vocational training: Training needs and perspectives from the perspective of pre-service teachers, in-service teachers and school principals. bwp@ Spezial 23, 1-32.

The publication is available for open access reading and downloading here:

Digitalization in commercial vocational education and training: Training needs and perspectives from the perspective of teachers in the preparatory service, teachers in the profession and school principals - bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik - online