Our contribution presents a research and development design aimed at strengthening curricular coherence in teacher education using the example of work-integrated study programmes for career changers at two universities of teacher education. Curricular innovation generally involves complex organisational processes involving actors from diverse disciplinary and school cultures, and there is a growing demand for greater flexibility in terms of time, location and structure (Annala et al., 2021; Bajada et al., 2019; Vreuls et al., 2021). Work-integrated study programmes present an even greater challenge due to their focus on workplace pedagogy and individual and collective learning in various learning environments (Billett, 2002). In the context of our study, coherence is understood in conceptual terms (shared vision), in structural terms (course organisation), and as a process that enhances the alignment of learning opportunities across courses and practice settings (Doetjes et al., 2024). The research questions are as follows: 1) How do students and lecturers perceive program coherence? 2) How can visual methods support discussions on complex curricular development?

This study's design draws on the interplay between the intended curriculum (document analysis, visual curriculum representations), the implemented curriculum (classroom observations, video analysis, interviews) and the enacted curriculum (students' perceived coherence, competence assessments) (Tatto & Bankov, 2018). The project combines the following analyses: 1) students’ perceptions of the enacted curriculum (N = 311) and lecturers’ perceptions of the implemented curriculum (N = 30); 2) lecturers’ focus group discussions with students (N = 34); and 3) interviews with faculty members regarding their perceptions of coherence over a two-year period (N = 20). The data were analysed using a design-based research and mixed methods framework (Bryman, 2008). As study programmes comprising many subjects are difficult to grasp, visualisations (visual prompts, metaphors) in terms of boundary objects (Bowker et al., 2015; Schmalz et al., 2022) were employed to encourage participants to discuss curriculum coherence.

The quantitative analysis shows high correlations between the perceptions of students and lecturers regarding conceptual coherence but a moderate correlation between university-based coursework and practical experience. Findings from exploratory group discussions reveal a discrepancy between the current study experience and the desired learning conditions: Participants characterise the present programme using visual metaphors, describing it as an 'obstacle course' or 'labyrinth', which symbolises rigid structures, unclear requirements, and a pronounced theory-practice divide. By contrast, they envisage a 'marketplace' model that would allow for greater individualisation, recognition of prior competencies and more efficient use of limited time. In-depth interviews with lecturers who used visual prompts for curriculum mapping emphasise the importance of coaching as a core element of work-integrated learning. Although lecturers place a high value on coaching, its position within the formal curriculum varies greatly, with some considering it central and others peripheral. The interviews also reveal tensions between needs-based and content-focused coaching, as well as structural constraints such as timetabling, workload planning, and the fact that students have different backgrounds. In sum, the results highlight discrepancies between the design and implementation of the curriculum and the expectations of students and lecturers. They provide a basis for targeted curriculum development but also caution against homogenisation of curricula across contexts. The methodological insights suggest that visual prompts could serve as a tool to foster coherence perception, professional relevance, and strategic orientation when dealing with complex curricular changes. This approach makes a methodologically innovative contribution to strengthening curricular alignment in teacher education programmes. In this paper, we discuss how the dual-method approach of combining curriculum maps with metaphor-based visual prompts can uncover alignment gaps, engage participants across stakeholder groups and support targeted curriculum development. It offers a practical way to strengthen coherence, fostering collective ownership and agency over teacher education curricula.

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