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This paper examines the skill requirements of welfare recipients and discusses strategies for the provision of employability skills for unemployed and underemployed people. An historical analysis of past welfare issues provides the required context for an examination of strategies for improvement in the welfare system. It is argued that welfare reform programs and vocational-technical institutions must collaborate in the provision of education, work-based training and employability skills for welfare recipients in order to break the cycle of welfare dependency. Show less

This paper reports a study that sought to determine the knowledge trade and industrial (T&I) teachers have about special populations. Research shows an increase in the number of special needs students using vocational education and suggests that the education needs of special population students may not be effectively dealt with in T&I teacher education programs. Data were collected from 55 secondary and 18 postsecondary beginning T&I teachers and tables are used to display results of the analyses. Findings indicated a need for the inclusion of curriculum related to special population learners in T&I preservice and inservice education programs. Differences between secondary and postsecondary teachers in relation to special populations indicate the need for further research. Show less

This paper reports a study implemented to address the need for quality education and high performance in vocational-technical education. Instructional supervision is currently used as a method of improving the quality of education and the study sought to examine the possibility of modifying this existing technique to include total quality management (TQM) concepts. The specific purpose of the study was to develop a TQM implementation model capable of guiding instructional supervision practices in community college Voc-Tech programs. Several research methods were used including a literature review, a Delphi study, and an attitude survey. A model was developed and improved and implementation guidelines (Delphi process) constructed based on the outcomes of the study. This model is intended to improve the quality of instruction in Iowa community college vocational-technical programs. Show less

This article reports on a qualitative study of the experiences and knowledge acquired through contextual learning during apprenticeships. The study sought to: (i) identify and describe the kinds of teaching-learning experiences that took place between youth apprentices and their mentors; (ii) investigate and determine the methods employed by mentors in the teaching of job-related skills; and (iii) elicit student perspectives towards teaching methods, learning experiences, and the relevance of the workplace experience element of their apprenticeships. The article provides details of the methodology, site selection, study findings, and a discussion of the implications that may be relevant to the component of youth apprenticeships involving learning in the workplace. Show less

This article is one of several in a Special Feature Issue dedicated to the presentation and discussion of the Quality Standards for Trade and Industrial (T&I) Education. The articles in this Special Feature Issue may be found from TD/INT 58.55 to TD/INT 58.61.

This paper provides a context of current initiatives and historical events against which to view and understand the T&I Quality Standards. One of the most important elements of this context is the current move for educational reform. A key component of this reform has been the development of standards. Show less

Critics of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 suggest that student interests have been sacrificed to those of employers. This article provides a critique, not specifically of this Federal legislation but generally, of the current school-to-work movement. It begins with a brief presentation of opposing perspectives contributing to contemporary discourse on educational reform, and introducing the philosophy of John Dewey. Dewey's perspective is used to review the factors underpinning the latest school-to-work initiatives, such as youth apprenticeship, and assess their associated problems, politics, and possibilities. Show less

The authors suggest that, in the contemporary economic environment, workers are expected to undertake jobs that are broader and vocational education is expected to produce an educated and skilled graduate able to perform such work. This article reports on a study that investigated the perceptions of educators and employers of the role of vocational education in the economic development of Malaysia. The aim was to determine the satisfaction of each group with the structure and effectiveness of Malaysian vocational education. Specifically, the study investigated the perceptions of both groups about the employability of graduates, the factors influencing the restructuring of vocational education to facilitate industrialisation, and the responsiveness of the government to the needs of vocational education and training systems. The research revealed that employers in Malaysia tend to be less satisfied than educators with the capabilities of graduates, particularly in terms of general workplace skills such as motivation, problem-solving ability and communication. Both groups advocated increased funding and greater involvement by private industry in the restructuring of public vocational education. Show less

This article reports on a study of work ethic beliefs of unemployed workers in the US. Its purpose is to contribute to the sparse research on work ethic attitudes of the unemployed to inform workforce education professionals about how best to address this issue within their programs. Specifically, the study examined differences in work ethic as measured by the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI) for jobseekers grouped by employment status, age, and gender. The research investigated whether there were differences in work ethic attributes of dependability, initiative, and interpersonal skills among jobseekers grouped firstly by employment status, then by age and then by gender. The study was limited to a single employment centre and does not claim to be representative of all jobseekers. The key finding was that jobseekers employed full-time had significantly lower work ethic scores than those who had been unemployed less than three months and those who were unemployed due to layoff. The study also found a lack of significant work ethic differences when jobseekers were grouped by age and gender. The authors suggest that work experiences of individuals strongly influence the development of work ethic and make recommendations for job skills counsellors and career educators. Show less

Over the past two decades, action research has grown in popularity in the US. This article shows how the author addresses the seven steps of a classroom action research project in which student perception of an online classroom environment and a traditional classroom environment were assessed together with corresponding learning outcomes. The seven steps are: statement of the problem, review of literature, research strategy, data gathering, data analysis, taking action, and sharing the findings. The case study did not show any statistically significant differences in learning outcomes, indicating that for students participating in this project, learning online was as effective as in traditional classroom setting. Show less

This study seeks to identify the most effective methods for teachers to develop the skills of special needs students who are learning in regular classrooms. Focusing on thirty-nine industrial technology education (ITE) teachers from the Lincoln, Nebraska Public School District, the study aimed to answer three questions: (1) what training are ITE teachers currently given to support them while working with special needs students? (2) what are the feelings of ITE teachers towards including special needs students into their regular classrooms? and (3) what preparation do ITE teachers feel would aid them in the future when working with special needs students?

This study used a quantitative approach, soliciting responses from ITE teachers through a survey based on Cotton’s (1994) 50 questions. The collected data showed that ITE teachers received very little formal training for teaching special needs students and that they perceived a fairly low level of support from parents, school administration and outside agencies. The study showed that these teachers would like more training in working with special needs students. Show less