NN39, October 2007
Best Practice in Education and Training: Hype or Hope?
Best Practice in Vocationalisation of School Education
By Rupert Maclean, UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre for TVET, Bonn
KeywordsVocationalisation, general competencies, technology education
Summary
Vocationalisation of secondary schooling is considered to be an important measure in improving the vocational relevance of education and in helping students to prepare for effective participation in any area of work. It is argued here that technology education is an example of best practice with regard to vocationalisation.
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Traditionally the vocationalisation of secondary education has been seen as an effective measure for developing human resources. The main goal of vocationalisation is to improve the vocational relevance of education, although the main purpose of education remains general education and students becoming qualified for higher academic studies (Lauglo, 2005). Usually, vocationalisation means the introduction of practical and/or vocational subjects, industry visits, vocational guidance, and more applied ways of teaching general education subjects. Studies done in both developed (e.g. Coombe, 1988) and developing countries (e.g. Lauglo, 2005) have shown that economic goals were one of the main motives for introducing pre-vocation education, practical subjects and a curriculum more orientated to work.
Introduction of vocational courses into secondary schooling probably is not considered as a best practice, at least for the developed world. Usually these courses lead to the lowest level of certification and provide students with practical skills and knowledge for a very specific occupation. A much better option is the development of general competences such as collecting, analysing and organising ideas and information; expressing ideas and information; planning and organising activities; working with others and in teams; using mathematical ideas and techniques; solving problems; and using technology, as these are considered essential for effective participation in any area of work. Their inclusion in the mainstream curriculum would be beneficial for the education of an abstracted worker able to bring general competencies to any vocation. ?If these capacities can be successfully taught, the chance of their being put to use are much greater than in the case of occupation-specific skills? (Lauglo, 2005, p. 47).
One example of best practice in developing these general competencies is through the introduction of technology education. In particular, certain assumptions have been made about the goals of technology education - to be relevant to the economic needs of the nation and to prepare students for work and life in society. Technology education has been seen as a means for developing knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that allow students to maximize their flexibility and adaptability to their future employment, mainly, and to other aspects of life as well. Internationally, there is no widely accepted framework for the development of technology education. Diversity of the socio-economic and cultural conditions in countries and in the availability of resources play an important role in the orientation of the subject. Different aspects of technology are selected and considered as a basis for curriculum development, particularly, the emphasis on either modern or traditional technology. Some courses in the field are based on ?technical? characteristics of the phenomenon, some on development of the child, others on cultural and aesthetic values. For example, Bail, Blachford, Eckersall, and Hamer (1986) recognized four major orientations to curriculum: curriculum as technology; curriculum as a cognitive process; curriculum as humanism; and curriculum as social relevance or reconstruction.
In Australia, for example, the rationale adopted in the national documents in 1994 (the National Statement and Profiles) introduced the process-based approach for the development of technology education. It identified the role of technology education in terms of preparing students for living and working in a technological world. Social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects of technological development were identified as important knowledge. The development of critical and creative minds aimed at finding innovative solutions to personal and community needs were considered as important aims. Four strands were identified to structure curriculum: Designing, Making and Appraising; Information; Materials; and Systems. This document became the common basis for curriculum development in each State and Territory.
References
Bail, R. J., Blachford, K. R., Eckersall, K. E., & Hamer, N. A. (1986) Technology education: an investigation. Hawthorn, Victoria: Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Coombe, C. (1988) Survey of vocationally-oriented education in the Commonwealth. London: Commonwealth Secretariat.
Lauglo, J. (2005). Vocationalised Secondary Education Revisited. In J. Lauglo and R. Maclean (Eds.) Vocationalisation of Secondary Education Revisited (pp.3-49). Springer: Dordrecht.
McLean, G.N. and Kamau, D.G. (1999) Human resource development and vocational and technical education in Kenyatta University, Kenya. Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, Lahti, Finland. Retrieved March 15, 2004, from
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00001203.htm
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