Dialogic interactions in higher vocational learning environments in mainland China: Evidence relating to the effectiveness of varied teaching strategies and students' learning engagement

The study aims to explore students' learning in the vocational classroom learning environment and the teaching practices of vocation-oriented subjects in Chinese higher vocational institutions. Based on sixty lesson observations, four selected videotaped lessons were used to conduct in-depth dialogic interaction analysis of teacher-led (the teacher to students), student-led (students to the teacher), students to students, and students to the course content according to ICALT and CETIT dimensions of effective teaching. Vocational collaborative learning and adaptive instructions were analysed through the in-class activities of the learning processes that students were engaged in within the classroom. Findings suggest that dialogic teaching in classrooms enhanced practical understanding in specialised vocational subjects and students' learning engagement, for example, classroom practices such as small group teaching of vocational skills and lesson activities connected to work-related learning situations. The study also reveals that a built-in flexible teaching arrangement stimulates vocational students' involvement in collaborative learning and promotes interactions between students' classroom-based training activities. The study implies that effective dialogic classroom learning environments should integrate vocational students' career learning and work-based instructions.