Spending years collecting (explicit) knowledge does not alone lead to the ability to adequately apply it in a professional capacity later on. The ability to solve problems in the work place cannot merely be derived from a theoretical basis, nor does competence of action automatically result in the ability to reflect. Thus didactic concepts are required, which would function as intermediaries between knowledge and its application, theory and practice, reflection and action, abstraction and problem, education and work. Therefore the question concerns the procurement of practical knowledge (know-how), verbal and non-verbal implicit knowledge.This paper will look at a specific form of working with practice protocols, used by the authors in higher education courses in the field of pedagogy. A didactic approach will be introduced, which targets the integration of learning experiences outside of the traditional learning context of higher education, as well as the interlacing of different places of learning. Thus, practical experience (in the sense of situated learning-cp. Lave & Wenger 1991) and reflection thereon (cp. "reflection-on-action" following Schön 1983; 1987) can be ensured.In our courses, students are asked to bring a write-up of an interaction which reflects an aspect of their work (e.g. an internship or their job) written in as much detail and as descriptively as possible. In these protocols, students have to include themselves, in the first person, functioning in the role that is accorded to them at their work place. Students are asked not only to make notes of their actions, but also of their perceptions and emotions. Interaction with colleagues, clients and supervisors, as well as statements made by those involved, are also written down. Reflection on these protocols occurs within seminar groups held at the institution of higher education. These build up the context for learning as "enculturation" in a community of practice (Wenger 1998), which is marked by its shared action practice, language, values and norms. Our presentation describes how with the help of this method, a characteristic aspect of this field of work (pedagogy), the complexity of relationships, can be dealt with appropriately, and thus support the students in the development of professional competence of action. So far, hardly any of the teaching offers in higher education attribute enough importance to relationships in the work place. Often, the emotional factors of relationships and interactions are suppressed. In this presentation, the procedure will be explained and it will be described, i.e. to what extent practice protocols-e.g. within the framework of the "work paper discussion" concept (Harris 1977)-can be suitable for reaching a comprehensive understanding of situations in the workplace that goes beyond everyday understanding, for developing alternative ways of forming and actualising relationships and therefore gaining professional competence of action. The excerpts from the practice protocols that are introduced in the presentation are taken from the authors' courses. References: Harris, M. (1977): The Tavistock Training and Philosophy. In: Harris, M. & Bick, E.: Collected Papers of Martha Harris and Esther Bick. Perthshire: The Clunie Press, 1987, 259-282.Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991): Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Schön, D.A. (1983): The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books. Schön, D.A. (1987): Educating the Reflective Practitioner. Toward a New Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.Wenger, E. (1998): Communities of practice. Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.