Utvikling av profesjonell kompetanse: En Q-metodisk undersøkelse av profesjonell kompetanseutvikling gjennom kurs i karriereveiledning

Experiential learning can be explained as the process in which you acquire knowledge by reflecting over your experiences. This can be related to professional competence, which includes theoretical and work-specific knowledge, and personal competence. The course of Profråd career service facilitates development of the participants’ professional competence through a program based on experiential learning. My curiosity towards how this may be experienced led me to the question of research; What do the participants of a course in Profråd career service experience as promoting or impeding in terms of developing their professional competence? Through a Q-methodological study with 28 participants, I found four factors that shown to be the most prominent point of views present among the participants. The factors share many common traits and what stands out in particular is the value of the practical aspect of the course. Nonetheless there are differences between them. The headline of each factor depicts what was experienced as the most beneficial aspect of the course for the participants’ defining each factor. Factor 1: Exercises in triads is experienced as the most important source to learning and development. Factor 2: Giving and receiving feedback is experienced as the most important source to learning and development. Factor 3: Reflection on one’s own actions is experienced as the most important source to learning and development. Factor 4: Dialogue and discussion are experienced as the most important sources of learning and development. This thesis illustrates how different elements - motivation for taking the course, preferred ways of learning, feedback, level of security and relational qualities – may influence the participants’ learning outcome, and development of professional competence