Approaching Sociomaterial Complexity in Vocational Didactics with a Sense of Coherence

A complex, vocational school-based teaching practice with dual roles and contexts places demands on vocational teaching and the teaching materials involved. One of the challenges for vocational teachers is to teach with responsiveness to changes in working life. This study explores how vocational teachers enact and reflect on their sociomaterial teaching practice to enhance aspects of their student's sense of coherence (SOC). Data includes observations and interviews with three vocational teachers, representing three different vocational programs in Sweden. In the analysis three themes are highlighted: i) Materials, ii) Connections to working life, and iii) Human relations and interaction. Findings show how applying SOC is understood as a way to navigate a sociomaterial complexity, here and now, in the vocational teaching practice. The paper contributes to a discussion on how vocational teachers constitute teaching materials from a wide range of materials. Contributions include increased knowledge about teaching materials in the vocational teaching practice.