Career And Technical Education Teachers Research Articles

Teacher Exit and Educational Opportunity: Lessons From Career and Technical Education

Ensuring a stable pool of teachers is critical to building a pipeline of future workers, especially in career and technical education (CTE), where programming can lead to immediate post-school employment or postsecondary enrollment. We use longitudinal state data with unemployment insurance records to document workforce dynamics among CTE teachers. We find that teachers in hard-to-staff CTE areas are more likely to leave teaching and are difficult to replace, creating net reductions in the number of students who can be served. We demonstrate that teachers with the greatest likelihood of leaving are also those who earn the most money in their post-teaching employment, suggesting actionable dimensions for policies to help retain or recruit teachers in these areas. Ensuring a steady and stable pool of high-quality teachers is critical to building a pipeline of future workers and professionals to support economic stability, especially in growing and high-wage fields. This is particularly true in career and technical education (CTE) where programming in high school can lead to immediate postschool employment or enrollment in aligned postsecondary programs. Increased policy focus on CTE has expanded program offerings over the last 15 years, and new federal requirements that programs align with in-demand occupations and industries have heightened potential tensions between the private and public employment opportunities for current or potential CTE teachers (Perkins V, 2018). Even before the new federal mandate, CTE teachers were a hard-to-staff group, with school administrators citing higher turnover and difficulty hiring (Hensley et al., 2017). Though the quantitative research on CTE teachers is limited, evidence does suggest that teachers who score higher on content-specific certification exams produce graduates who earn more money in their early years of post–high school employment, bolstering the claim that these teachers are important (Chen et al., 2023).

CTE Teacher Licensure and Long-Term Student Outcomes

AbstractWe use longitudinal data from Massachusetts that link high school course-taking records in career and technical education (CTE) to postsecondary student outcomes to provide the first empirical evidence linking characteristics of CTE teachers to later student outcomes. We find that CTE teachers who received better scores on subject performance tests required for licensure tend to have students with higher longer-term earnings than CTE teachers who received lower scores on these tests, controlling for other factors. Specifically, we estimate that a 1 standard deviation increase in teacher performance on these tests is associated with about a $1,000 increase in average expected earnings for the teacher's students five years after their expected graduation date, controlling for licensure test area and observable differences between students.

We need to know more about CTE teachers

Over the past year, debates over the prevalence, distribution, and effects of teacher vacancy and underqualification have dominated many education narratives. Authors J. Cameron Anglum, Andrew R. Diemer, Walter G. Ecton, and Tuan D. Nguyen consider these debates in the context of growing interest in career and technical education (CTE) in high school settings. Research on secondary CTE teachers, including the quantification of teacher shortages in specific CTE content areas, remains insufficient to inform effective recruitment and retention policies. This dearth of scholarship on CTE teachers undermines the improvement of CTE programs.

A national study examining safety factors and training associated with STEM education and CTE laboratory accidents in the United States

Safety remains a core component of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and career and technical education (CTE). However, research has shown accidents continue to occur in STEM and CTE courses. This study analyzed the survey responses of 718 STEM and CTE teachers from 42 states in the United States. Exploratory correlational analyses were conducted to estimate the magnitude of the associations between various safety factors and the occurrence of minor and major accidents over a five-year period. Eight factors were found to be significantly associated with increased accident occurrences, and 17 factors were significantly correlated with reduced accident occurrences. A series of logistic regressions were then conducted to estimate the change in odds of an accident occurring according to safety training completed after controlling for various safety factors. This revealed classes with enrollments over 24 students had a 48 % increase in the odds of an accident occurring (β = 0.3967, p = 0.08, OR = 1.48). Additionally, after controlling for various safety factors, it was found that teachers who received comprehensive safety training had a 49 % reduction in the odds of an accident occurring (β = -0.68, p = 0.0073, OR = 0.505). Departments of education, higher education institutions, teacher preparation programs, schools, teachers, administrators, school safety officers, architects, and others involved with facility design and instruction related to hands-on STEM education and CTE programs should utilize these research findings to improve facilities, safety practices, safety policies, and reduce liability.

Career and Technical Education Teachers’ Perspectives of Evidence-Based Grading

As education leans into competency-based assessment methods, Evidenced-Based Grading (EBG) presents as a potential effective option for Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers. In this study we use a basic qualitative design to explore CTE teachers’ perceptions of assessment, student growth, and implementation of an Evidenced-Based Grading system. Eight teachers in a Career-Tech Center in Michigan participated in the study, with each completing one semi-structured, in-depth interview about their perceptions of EBG, and data were analyzed following an inductive coding process with open and axial coding. Member checking, audit trails, and peer debriefs were utilized to enhance trustworthiness of findings. In this article we present themes that emerged from the in-depth interviews, as well as a discussion of implications for practice and recommendations for future research.

Induction By Quarantine: Stages and Effects of New Career and Technical Education Teachers' Development

Based on a qualitative study of 19 new career and technical education (CTE) teachers' induction during COV=D we asked how did the new teachers work collaboratively and develop as a group with other teachers during the pandemic? Although teachers encountered challenges relatively consistent with prior studies (e. g., frustrated with decisions and policies, placed on the fringes of the school's operations) our findings reveal that induction challenges and effects became more pronounced as perceived non-core teachers, requests to remedy matters became more urgent, engagement with external networks became more distant and unprioritized, and the role of induction became even more significant than prior academic years. At the same time, CTE teachers recognized the equalizing effect between CTE and non-CTE teachers with online instruction and uncertainties caused by the pandemic. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Supporting multilingual students from policy to practice: Systemic initiatives to create equitable career and technical education

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the need to provide systems of support for multilingual students in career and technical education (CTE) programs. The paucity of research on multilingual students’ access to, participation in, and outcomes from CTE and lack of attention to issues of language in CTE teacher preparation has left CTE educators and administrators with little basis for imagining meaningful, research-based initiatives to support multilingual students. In this paper, I describe an ongoing equity-focused PD initiative undertaken by a large regional CTE center to address the needs of multilingal students and advance equity in CTE programs. The program foregrounded professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators to ensure that equity is pursued on a systemic level.

Postsecondary Teacher Quality and Student Achievement in Florida's Career Certificate Programs Using a Causal-Comparative Study

Teacher quality and student achievement have shown positive relationships in prior studies of elementary and secondary grade levels in the United States. However, postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) teacher quality and student achievement is an understudied topic. According to the literature, teacher quality is measured by pedagogical knowledge, level of education, and professional development. For postsecondary CTE teachers, occupational experience is a hiring requirement for teacher quality. Student achievement is measured by test scores and graduation rates. Postsecondary career certificate programs usually have a summative evaluation with an industry-specific certification test, which assesses the student's employability in the program's field of study by industry standards. The purpose of this retrospective causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between postsecondary CTE teacher quality and student achievement in Florida's career certificate programs. An online survey was conducted with 203 postsecondary CTE teachers in Florida. Findings revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between the level of pedagogical knowledge and educational degree attainment of postsecondary CTE teachers and students' passing an industry certification test. This finding is consistent with prior studies in K-12 grade levels. Recommendations include increasing the pedagogical knowledge and educational degree attainment of postsecondary CTE teachers to improve student learning outcomes.

Exploring differences and relationships between online formative and summative assessments in Mississippi career and technical education

PurposeThis study, a post hoc observational one, attempted to determine if career and technical education (CTE) students in the state of Mississippi would academically benefit from taking multiple formative assessments in an online format prior to completing their summative exams. Most CTE students in the state of Mississippi are required to take an end-of-course exam cataloged as the Mississippi Career and Planning Assessment System (MS-CPAS). Previously, MS-CPAS test score results did not impact school-wide accountability scores, but in recent years, some of the guidelines were changed so that these summative test scores now play a vital role in school accountability and rankings.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines both formative and summative online exam scores for more than 13,000 students who have taken an MS-CPAS assessment in the 2018 and 2019 school years.FindingsThe results of this study revealed that there were significant differences in summative exam scores for students who took two online formative practice tests when compared to groups of students who did not take any formative practice tests. This study also illustrated a positive correlation between those students' final online practice test scores and their summative exam scores.Originality/valueThese results would prove very beneficial to both CTE teachers and directors in helping them understand the benefits of introducing formative practice tests into their programs to boost student understanding.

A Longitudinal Study of Alternatively Licensed Career and Technical Teachers

Retaining qualified career and technical education teachers (CTE) is crucial to the continued supply and reduced demand of these types of teachers. Demographic data and emerging trends of CTE teachers were analyzed for those teachers who completed a summer workshop as part of alternative licensure. Some of the emerging trends included shifts in retention rates during certain school years, years in which enrollment was highest for each gender, and changes in employment status within education. Conclusions and discussions derived from the study were a need for teacher educators to become aware of a diverse classroom of alternative CTE teachers, CTE teachers completing continuing education and degree requirements, and legislative policies that impact retention rates.

<p>Teacher Shortage and Alternative Licensure Solutions for Technical Educators</p>

Career and technical education (CTE) continues to face an annual shortage of qualified teachers in the profession. This shortage has caused an increase in the use of alternative certification/licensure pathways across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These alternative pathways are highly divergent from state to state. Limited research has investigated the alternative certification/licensure requirements that may contribute to CTE teacher shortage. This predictive correlational study looked to determine if CTE alternative certification/licensure requirements could predict CTE teacher shortages. It was found that CTE alternative certification/licensure requirements were not a good predictor of CTE teacher shortage.

A Route Less Traveled: Principals’ Perceptions of Alternative Licensed CTE Teachers

The shortage of teachers prepared to teach career and technical education (CTE) courses, or willing to work in certain locations (e.g. inner city, rural), has motivated the desire to explore solutions such as alternative routes to teacher licensure (ARL). Most ARL programs bypass colleges of education and provide a different approach to preparing individuals to teach, leaving many to wonder about the quality and knowledge of these teachers. Specific areas, such as CTE, have seen a large influx of ARL teachers in recent years. We sought to determine school principals’ perceptions of ARL CTE teachers. We found principal support for ARL teachers as well as perceptions of a lack of preparation and effectiveness when compared to traditionally-prepared teachers. We also found differences in perceptions of ARL teachers by the principals’ school level and school SES level.

Retention and Job Satisfaction: A Study of Career and Technical Education Teachers in Midwestern State

The progressive interests in retaining teachers has long been studied in numerous educational settings. Extensive research pointed out the essential factors towards retaining teachers and understand their job satisfaction to ensure the quality of education is served. Unfortunately, far too little attention has been paid to research pertaining Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers’ job satisfaction and retention. The role of CTE teachers in preparing skilled-and semiskilled workers for employment is significant. This study focused on factors that affect whether or not CTE teachers stay in the teaching profession by using an online survey. From a population of 2607 teachers with valid email addresses, the total number of completed surveys was 581 participants. A two-phase of multiple linear regression was carried out. Five factors were found to be significant with the teachers’ retention plan: salary, administrative workloads, teachers’ evaluation, and assessment, motivation, and job satisfaction. A chi-square test was employed and showed significant relationships between the teachers’ age when entering the profession and their satisfaction with teaching. The findings contribute implications for educational stakeholders in strategizing plan and action to retain CTE teachers in the CTE school system. To ensure CTE teachers, not only strive and survive in the teaching profession, understand their job satisfaction and reasons for them to remain in teaching is the essence of longevity of CTE school system in the educational paradigm.

School Influence and Classroom Control: A Comparison of Career and Technical Education, Science, and Mathematics Teachers

Teacher retention in the STEM fields is of national interest. Several factors, such as job satisfaction, classroom control, and school influence have been linked to teachers leaving the profession. By statistically analyzing various questions from the Schools and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire, this study evaluated the current state of how early career mathematics, science, and career and technical education (CTE) teachers perceive their classroom control and influence over school policy. The results show that CTE teachers perceive they have significantly more influence over school policy than mathematics teachers. CTE teachers also reported having significantly more classroom control than both mathematics and science teachers. By understanding the current state of how CTE perceive school influence and classroom control compared to their mathematics and science teacher counterparts, further research can be conducted to address job satisfaction and teacher retention in the CTE fields.

K12 Teacher Credentialing Containing Engineering Content in the USA

To gain a better understanding of the landscape of State credentialing options related to the teaching of engineering at the K12 level, NAE/BOSE commissioned this paper and study that describes this landscape and provide relevant details for as many States as it is possible to do so. This project includes the taxonomy of the various types of credentialing offered by each State, and it defines these different types of credentials. A two-phase research method was used in order to investigate each State credentialing/certification program. The first phase of the method examined each State credentialing/certification program through the individual State Department of Education. The second phase focused on Career and Technical Education (CTE) credentialing/certification programs that contain engineering and/or engineering design content. A member check technique was used to help improve the accuracy, credibility, validity, and transferability of the study. Each State credentialing/certification program was thoroughly examined through State Department of Education and CTE teacher credentialing pathways. The results indicate that 94.2% of State teacher credentialing/certification programs contain engineering or engineering design content; however, 5.8% of State teacher credentialing programs do not include any engineering content. Each of these credentialing/certification areas also requires a test that contains engineering content.

The Labor Market Imperative for CTE: Changes and Challenges for the 21st Century

The labor market in the United States is evolving in unexpected ways following the 2007 recession. Career and technical education (CTE) has historically linked young people to the workplace. In this article we examine the U.S. labor market and provide multiple perspectives on its growth and direction and implications for future directions for CTE. We examine the often conflicting data-based arguments and suggest that in a future increasingly dominated by robotics and artificial intelligence, new entrants to the workforce will require very strong social, employability, and work-readiness skills that reflect the behavioral, attitudinal, and character traits highly valued in the workplace and in society. These noncognitive, nontechnical skills can be developed in the CTE classroom, but require both new technical content in these classrooms and changes in how CTE teachers deliver their curriculum.

Ripples and Breaks: Reflecting on Learning Ecologies in Career and Technical Education

In this paper, the author reflects on a year‐long ethnography to point out contextual factors situated in career and technical education (CTE) and specifically how a CTE teacher and a university researcher shaped learning opportunities to support students’ interests in the arts, technology, and multimedia communications. The discussion arched by a metaphor of ripples and breaks suggests the value of seeing dynamic forms of mobility and learning ecologies within classrooms and other educational settings.

Identifying connections between career and technical education (CTE) and academic programs through standards of learning

This article describes a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pre-service teacher preparation class project requiring students to identify academic standards of learning relating to the competencies that they teach in their program areas with a view to encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration between CTE teachers and colleagues in academic disciplines. Demonstrating that CTE can contribute significantly to academic growth as measured by SOLs should help in de-stigmatizing CTE. The method underlying the project described in this article comprised requiring CTE pre-service teacher education students to incorporate in their lessons standards of learning relating to (for example, English, Mathematics, Science, and History/Social science). The aim of this study was to show the relationship between CTE and academic subjects as a way of enhancing student motivation in CTE courses and also providing a rationale for co-ordination and cooperation between CTE teachers and teachers of academic subjects. Key words: Standards of learning, collaboration, career and technical education, situated learning, reflections, best practices.

CTE Teachers and the Process of CTE and Science Content Integration

The integration of career and technical education (CTE) and academic curricular content represents a challenge for CTE professionals. Currently, little is known about the process of integrating science into secondary CTE programs. Grounded theory method was employed to create information about CTE teachers' perspectives of and experiences with the process of CTE and science content integration. From the perspective of the CTE teachers involved, integrating CTE and science content resulted in their programs of study being adapted into something very different than they were before the process of integration was begun. The CTE teachers revealed that evolutions in their programs of study and themselves were associated with three other categories within the grounded theory: connecting; enacting; and futuring. The findings indicate that the process of CTE and science content integration represents a deep and complex episode for CTE teachers. The findings also reveal that the process of CTE and science content integration requires connecting to others, putting ideas into action, and an orientation towards the future.

A Delphi study to update CTE teacher competencies

PurposeThe purpose of this project was to create a contemporary taxonomy of Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher competencies in order to evaluate and improve CTE teacher education.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized a modified Delphi technique with a large sample of CTE experts – teachers, administrators, and teacher‐educators in the state of Michigan, USA to identify the competencies and their relative importance.FindingsAs a result, new competencies were added and a number of old competencies were deleted or changed. The product of this research is a matrix of 144 competencies in 13 categories, which also shows the level of importance and degree of consensus for each competency.Research limitations/implicationsThe state plans to use the new competencies for a variety of purposes, however caution is advised for making conclusions and generalizations from the study for other applications.Practical implicationsUsing the matrix as its infrastructure, CTE teacher‐education institutions can assess their curricula to determine where the competencies are addressed, and use it in the form of a follow‐up survey with recent graduates. CTE administrators might utilize the competencies for internal evaluation of new teachers and as a needs assessment for professional development.Originality/valueAny effort to improve CTE teaching and teacher‐education, by researchers or policy‐makers, should begin with a consensus on the competencies required for successful teaching and learning.