Teachers 'attitudes on the relationship between theory and practice in vocational schools

Abstract

The connection of theory with practice is very important for the learning of knowledge and training for practical work of students, especially those who attend professional schools. When theory is well connected to practice, students are better prepared for the labor market and are willing to face the challenges that arise at work. Linking theory with practice is a necessity, as providing theoretical knowledge unrelated to practice is deficient. This study was conducted using descriptive and concluding analyzes, as well as quantitative methods. The purpose of the research is to examine the attitudes of teachers on the relationship between theory and practice in professional high schools in Kosovo. Furthermore, the research aims to identify the role of factors such as: age, gender, experience, teacher education, etc., in linking theory with practice in professional high schools. The basic research question is: What are the attitudes of teachers about linking theory with practice in professional high schools? The representative group consists of 123 teachers of professional high schools in Kosovo, while the research instrument is a questionnaire for teachers. From the descriptive results it was found that about 52.9% of professional high schools have suitable conditions for the application of the connection of theory with practice, while the empirical results showed that about 65.7% of teachers make the connection of theory with practice. The results also showed that there are statistically significant differences between teachers of different ages in their commitment to linking theory with professional high school practice.