Informal Learning in Secondary Vocational Education and Training: The Case of Hungary and Poland

The growing attention to informal learning in the world of work raises new questions and opportunities. Debates on its definition allow for a broad conceptualisation. Our research focuses on observation-based cooperative learning among students, apprentices, and adults who they observe, preparing for achieving a vocational qualification at International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) level three in vocational education and training (VET). We target students in practice-intensive occupations within the lower branch of secondary VET. In a Hungarian-Polish survey with 131 Hungarian and 110 Polish student participants, we explore the extent of informal learning related to observation and cooperation. Chi 2 and Fischer tests are used to detect relationships between variables. Our unprecedented study presents survey responses and examines the relationship of question items as variables with influencing factors. The survey yields interesting results, suggesting that different forms of student interest and activity often complement and reinforce each other, indicating the potential for the development of vocational education in practice-intensive occupations.