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This paper discusses the various ways adopted by governments and institutions to expand the supply of teachers, raise the morale of the profession, support teachers' work and improve their skills. Distance delivery has proved to be an enduring strategy. One reason for this durability is because, as a strategy, it has been able to benefit from changes and improvements in technology and communications. Another, and perhaps more significant, reason for the persistence of distance education as a strategy is that it can be cost effective. There are certain economies made possible by being able to avoid substantial capital investment in buildings and by being able to limit investment in classroom teachers.

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This book documents the many changes undergone by vocational education and training (VET), or workforce education, in the United States of America (USA) during the past decade. The contributions from various authors are organised into five thematic chapters: Background chapters on the historical, philosophical, and legislative foundations of workforce education; career and vocational development theory and practice; current issues of concern in program areas; special topics on teacher preparation, curriculum, gender, special populations, and Canadian VET; and, research concerns and speculations on the future of the field.

The book contains the following papers: Vocational education: past, present and future / Cheryl L. Hogg; A philosophic view for seeing the past of vocational education and envisioning the future of workforce education: pragmatism revisited / Melvin D. Miller and James A. Gregson; Legislative review of workforce education / Michelle Sarkees-Wircenski and Jerry L. Wircenski; Career education: basic concepts and current status / Kenneth B. Hoyt and Pat Nellor Wickwire; Career education: the foundation for school to work / J. D. Hoye and Harry Drier; Overview of career development theory / Stanley H. Cramer; Elementary- and middle-level career-development issues / Conrad F. Toepfer; High school career development issues / Cheryl L. Hogg; Career development for all / Rich Feller and Timothy Gray Davies; The Tech Prep Associate Degree program / John D. Craig; Issues in technology education related to the evolution of the field / Karen F. Zuga and Phillip L. Cardon; High school vocational education: facing an uncertain future / Kenneth Gray; Postsecondary workforce education / Richard A. Walter and Edgar I. Farmer; Reclaiming a lost legacy: integration of academic and vocational education / Debra D. Bragg; Vocational teacher education / Curtis R. Finch; Curriculum issues / David J. Pucel; Gender equity in workforce education / Susan J. Olson; A Canadian perspective on vocational education and training / John Gradwell; Trends and issues in workforce education for special populations / Lynda L. West and Arden Boyer-Stephens; Research priorities and needs in vocational education / Martin B. Parks and Ross E. Moreton; Future perspectives in vocational education / William Blank; The transition from school to careers / Albert J. Pautler.

Individual papers are indexed from TD/TNC 62.320 to TD/TNC 62.341. Show less

This paper discusses the complexities involved in constructing an anti-racism teacher education program. It is necessary to construct such a program so that graduating teachers enter schools prepared and willing to promote diversity within the schools and to work against discrimination in all its forms which, it has been shown, leads to the social and academic marginalisation of minority group students. It investigates prejudice and discrimination as they relate to social class, race, culture, disability, gender and sexual orientation, and encourages students to devise strategies of action for overcoming marginalisation in schools. Show less

The European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) is organised annually by the European Educational Research Association (EERA) to provide a European forum on discourse about the latest research findings on education in Europe and world-wide. This conference aims to foster mutual work and communication amongst researchers in Europe and encourage dialogue between researchers and those involved in decision-making in both policy and practice fields.

In Dutch education, the level of the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has not lived up to expectations. This paper, describes research proposed by the advisory Committee on Multimedia in Teacher Training (COMMITT, at present PROMMITT), focusing on the teachers’ role in an ICT-designed learning environment and aimed at identifying the competencies required for this role. The authors analyse the consequences of the use of ICT in occupational practice on attainment targets and the curriculum of secondary (agricultural) vocational education and the interactions between new educational insights and the use of ICT in educational practice. They also discuss the influence of ICT on the structure and nature of future vocational education and training (VET) professionals’ jobs. The authors identify the new ICT-integrated job profile of the VET-professional, and they then discuss the concept of a richly ICT-designed learning environment and the current situation regarding the use of ICT in Dutch vocational education. Show less

This article is an extract from a paper presented at the Asia Pacific Seminar/Workshop on Educational Technology held in Tokyo, 6-11 September 1999. In it the author considers the effects new information and communication technologies have on the roles of both teachers and learners, and the consequent requirements for the training of teachers. Case studies of a global technology-specific curriculum, a community learning centre and an example of networking for pre-service teacher education, are cited. Show less

Uno Cygnaeus founded the Finnish folk school and pioneered handicrafts teaching during the nineteenth century. Educative handicraft developed the ability to adapt and use knowledge in the workplace and in many countries the teaching of handicraft has evolved into technology education. This book begins with a description of the life of Cygnaeus and his work in developing educative handicraft, the influence of international studies on Cygnaeus and the development of handicrafts education in the Nordic countries. The authors describe the preparation and education of handicraft teachers, highlighting the significance of the Jyvaskyla Teacher Training College and other teacher training colleges and teacher education departments in Finland. The history of handicraft facilities and products made through handicrafts teaching in schools are also presented. The book concludes with an overview of the trends in the development of the technical work curriculum, including the work of Cygnaeus and its impact on the development of technical work in Finland, and the evolution of technical work over the last decades. Show less

This paper highlights the significance of assessment as a key area of teaching in a teacher education context. It draws on research evidence gained from a two-year project that investigated the use of portfolios for assessment and learning purposes in an initial teacher education course. The importance of teacher knowledge of assessment is emphasised. A portfolio documents an individual's achievements over an extended period of time. Show less

Successful implementation of work-related education reforms in the United States of America (USA) requires educators to understand both reform principles and the ways in which work-based and school-based learning can be used to enhance curriculum and instruction. This document is part of ‘Teacher learning in the workplace and community’ which contains four educational briefs and five case studies that describe innovative teacher education and professional development programs that support school-to-work and related reforms.

This educational brief advocates experience-based, continuous learning opportunities for all secondary school and college staff so that they are able to provide effective learning, career development, and school-to-work transition outcomes for their students. The author summarises evidence of the value of work-based learning for students, describes national initiatives supporting experiential or work-based teacher learning, and outlines some practical reasons for teachers and administrators to participate in teacher internships, shadowing experiences, business-led institutes for educators, and similar professional development activities.

‘Teacher learning in the workplace and community’ is indexed at TD/TNC 62.873. Individual educational briefs are indexed from TD/TNC 62.874 to TD/TNC 62.877. Individual case studies are indexed from TD/TNC 62.878 to TD/TNC 62.882. Show less

This article reports a study of community college teaching effectiveness with a focus on skill development in the androgogical content knowledge needed for teaching the community college student. The authors surveyed vocational teachers in regard to: their perceived importance of several teaching skills within 7 construct areas appropriate to community college faculty competence; the necessary level of competence for each skill; their professional development needs for the future; and their preferred delivery modes for this education. Faculty surveyed in 15 community colleges in Iowa included full-time tenured, full-time nontenured, and adjunct staff members. The methodology is outlined and results suggest that all competencies surveyed were considered important to community college applied science and technology faculty’s preparation and advancement for teaching at that level. It was found that professional development needs were not being adequately met and the implications for addressing this issue are discussed. Show less

In this chapter, the author suggests that vocational teacher education that can continually adapt to the needs of teachers, students and the workplace, is still to be fully developed. He examines and critiques the field of vocational teacher education in terms of its traditional form, its current state, and its future potential. The discussion begins with a brief outline of the evolution of vocational education and vocational teacher education, and the effect of educational reform on this evolution, both past and future. Developments of the last decade that illustrate change in vocational teacher education are then presented and include: the impact of educational reform legislation; a rethinking of vocational teacher education program focus to address issues such as workplace change, international developments in vocational teacher education, and the professional development of beginning teachers; the delivery of vocational teacher education; and, vocational teacher supply-and-demand studies. In conclusion, the author briefly discusses a number of ongoing issues concerning vocational teacher preparation and continuing professional development, that will need to be considered for the future.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/TNC 62.319. Show less