Technical And Vocational Education And Training Colleges Research Articles

Predictors of unplanned pregnancies among female students at South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges: Findings from the 2014 Higher Education and Training HIV and AIDS survey.

Unplanned pregnancies among college/tertiary female students pose a serious public health concern in South Africa (SA) and are associated with adverse health and social outcomes that impact negatively on educational progress and future career prospects. To examine the potential predictors of unplanned pregnancy among female students at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in SA. This analysis used data drawn from the 2014 Higher Education and Training HIV and AIDS survey, which was a nationally representative survey of TVET college students in SA. Associations between unplanned pregnancy and the explanatory variables were assessed using bivariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the effect of several independent predictors of unplanned pregnancy. Of 1 002 female students who responded to the question on unplanned pregnancy, 74.6% reported having had an unplanned pregnancy. Predictors significantly associated with a reduced likelihood of unplanned pregnancy among female TVET students included living with a husband (odds ratio (OR) 0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13 - 0.62; p=0.002), having two (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23 - 0.88; p=0.003) or three (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01 - 0.39; p=0.003) previous pregnancies, and not having had an abortion (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.04 - 0.62; p=0.008). The high level of unplanned pregnancies is indicative of the state of women's reproductive health services at SA TVET colleges. The findings suggest that certain groups of female students are at increased risk of unplanned pregnancy and would benefit from targeted family planning interventions tailored to their needs.

Poor Performance at TVET Colleges: Conceptualising a Distributed Instructional Leadership Approach as a Solution

In South Africa the challenges facing the post-school vocational education system are daunting. There is a lack of coherence, resulting in fragmentation of the system. A Training Needs Assessment Study commissioned in 2014 revealed several major academic challenges facing college leadership. The most pressing issues were poor leadership and management skills and challenges facing lecturers in various aspects of teaching and learning, amongst which were blatant shortcomings in their capabilities to meet the competencies required for effective lecturing. This realisation led the researchers to hypothesise that ineffective and fragmented leadership and management practices may be to blame for this state of affairs. The researchers wondered whether an integrated and focused leadership model aimed at distributing ownership for student achievement should be implemented to produce better results. The overarching research question was: What are the main stumbling blocks in improving National Certificate: Vocational (NC(V)) students’ performance at technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges; and how can a distributed instructional leadership approach be conceptualised to address the problems at institutional level? A qualitative research approach was used, which was mainly inductive, providing a clear understanding of the participants’ views and capturing their perceptions in their own words. A phenomenological design was used as strategy of inquiry. The findings created an awareness for considering collaboration and the distribution of powers and capabilities to bring about a shared leadership vision in the quest for challenging poor performance at institutional level in a sector that is in dire need of positive outcomes.

Effectiveness of Student Psychological Support Services at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training College in South Africa

ABSTRACTIn this case study research, the effectiveness of psychological support services rendered to students at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in South Africa is explored. Using the systems theory of psychology, the article postulates that students at TVET colleges encounter a myriad of psychological challenges, which can adversely affect their academic success. From an interpretivist paradigmatic standpoint, a sample of 30 students was purposively selected to participate in focus group interviews. It was found out that psychological support services improved students’ academic performances, attendance, retention, and also enhanced college certification rate. It is recommended that institution need to establish linkages with key stakeholders such as the Departments of Higher Education and Training and Health, psychological professional bodies, and other TVET colleges in order to create a platform for sharing vital information on psychological support to students.

Lecturer experiences of TVET College challenges in the post-apartheid era: a case of unintended consequences of educational reform in South Africa

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in South Africa has undergone major institutional, structural and curricular changes over the last fourteen years. Drawing on figurational sociology by Norbert Elias, the study worked within a qualitative research paradigm and used open-ended interviews to investigate lecturers’ experiences of TVET challenges in the post-apartheid educational reform era. Findings revealed lack of compatibility between curricular reforms, student type and lecturers’ adaptability to the reform. Research further disclosed unintended consequences of educational change and existence of tensions between perceptions, vision and experiences of lecturers and students with the national vision of skills development for the country’s economic benefits.

Impact of competence-based training on employability of Technical and Vocational graduates in Ethiopia

The purpose of this study is to critically examine the impact of competence based training on employability of technical and vocational college graduates in Ethiopia. Mixed methods of research design, predominantly concurrent nested strategy were employed to conduct the study. The study involved 162 instructors, 123 Level III automotive technology trainees, 87 department heads and 89 graduates, a total of 461 respondents as a sample. Moreover, 24 respondents (6 industry owners, 6 TVET college deans, 6 competence-based process owners and 6 industry trainers’ leaders) were purposely selected for interview and focus group discussion. Under the study, the researcher used employability of graduates as dependent variable andcompetency basedtraining as independent variable. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. The study result showed that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges in Ethiopia have been performing below expectations in developing demand-based curriculum and implementing competence-based training in TVET colleges and industries. As a result, among the graduates nearly 50 percent are not employed in the past two years. Hence, it is recommended that constantly consulting and involving relevant stakeholders in setting study profile, identifying intended learning outcomes and strengtheningcompetence basedlearning style are vital for graduates to demonstrate employability skill, knowledge and attitude into the job that consequentially lead to graduate employment.Published online: 30 November 2017

Lecturers′ Perceptions of Leadership Traits which Promote Motivation in a South African Technical and Vocational, Education and Training (TVET) College

Abstract Educator morale has been a focus of educational leaders and managers throughout the world, because without educator motivation and morale the learning and teaching in our schools would be grossly compromised. It is against this background that this research was carried out to find out lecturers’ perceptions of leadership traits which promote motivation in a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in South Africa. The research questions which guided this research were as follows: What are lecturers′ perceptions of leadership traits which promote motivation in an educational and training institution in South Africa? How can educational leaders and management in South Africa integrate their experiences and practices with what educators believe are the main drivers of high lecturer morale? A qualitative study was used to generate data that would be useful in answering the research questions. The nature of this qualitative study required in-depth interviews with participants where qualitative data was generated and interpreted. The researcher saw it fit to use in-depth interviews because this method of data generation would enable the researcher to capture the perspectives, views and opinions of participants about leadership traits which facilitate motivation in the South African TVET College in particular and the South African education system in general. The views of the participants showed that leadership traits such as accountability, responsibility, empathy, decisiveness, assertiveness, charisma, pro-activeness, motivation and communication are the life-blood, foundation and bed-rock of effective leadership and management in the TVET College.

Challenging heteronormative scripts through film and transformative pedagogy among TVET college students

We describe an initiative aimed at addressing homophobia and destabilising heteronormativity in higher education. The initiative was implemented in 2014 at a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and involved 20 newly formed peer educators and one lecturer from the college. We focussed on work which emphasised the creation of a safe and welcoming environment for gender non-conforming students. In particular, we made use of film and transformative pedagogy to address homophobia at the TVET college. Through analysing the participants’ reflections we found evidence that the intervention facilitated students’ critical thinking and self-examination, while helping them find alternative ways of bringing about social change and gender equity in their ‘day-to-day praxis’. The initiative further provided space to forge new ways of talking about and addressing abuse of LGBTI students; thus enabling an appreciation of the resourcefulness of film. Overall we highlight the potential value of film and transformative pedagogy in addressing homophobia and disturbing heteronormativity among students in a TVET college.

Evidence-based case selection: An innovative knowledge management method to cluster public technical and vocational education and training colleges in South Africa

Background: Case studies are core constructs used in information management research. A persistent challenge for business, information management and social science researchers is how to select a representative sample of cases among a population with diverse characteristics when convenient or purposive sampling is not considered rigorous enough. The context of the study is post-school education, and it involves an investigation of quantitative methods of clustering the population of public technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges in South Africa into groups with a similar level of maturity in terms of their information systems.Objectives: The aim of the study was to propose an evidence-based quantitative method for the selection of cases for case study research and to demonstrate the use and usefulness thereof by clustering public TVET colleges.Method: The clustering method was based on the use of a representative characteristic of the context, as a proxy. In this context of management information systems (MISs), website maturity was used as a proxy and website maturity model theory was used in the development of an evaluation questionnaire. The questionnaire was used for capturing data on website characteristics, which was used to determine website maturity. The websites of the 50 public TVET colleges were evaluated by nine evaluators. Multiple statistical techniques were applied to establish inter-rater reliability and to produce clusters of colleges.Results: The analyses revealed three clusters of public TVET colleges based on their website maturity levels. The first cluster includes three colleges with no websites or websites at a low maturity level. The second cluster consists of 30 colleges with websites at an average maturity level. The third cluster contains 17 colleges with websites at a high maturity level.Conclusion: The main contribution to the knowledge domain is an innovative quantitative method employing a characteristic (in this case website maturity) as a proxy for MIS maturity. The method can be applied in quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research, to group a population and thereby simplify the process of sample selection of cases for further in-depth investigation.

Improving college-to-work transitions through enhanced training for employment

Historically in South Africa, apprentice training towards artisanship in the engineering trades has been characterised by a sharp separation between theoretical studies undertaken in a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college and subsequent practical training undertaken in a workshop or through industry placement. TVET colleges have been critiqued by industry for the lack of practical training that supports theoretical study at the college, resulting in work placements where learners require extensive supervision and mentoring. To mediate this, an external agency, the Access Trust, a non-profit organisation in South Africa, offered students enrolled at TVET colleges in engineering trades, funding for additional practical training as well as in-course and job placement support to improve their chances of employment. Four student cohorts were recruited into college engineering courses in staggered intakes and completed a range of formal accredited theory courses, supplemented by industry-recognised practical training phases. This practical phase training is available at some TVET colleges but is not part of the formally subsidised training programme, is expensive to undertake, and has to be privately funded. This article reports on research conducted to gauge the impact of supplementary practical training on the employability of TVET college engineering graduates. The research focused on the design of the intervention that supported students in obtaining employment; the extent to which industry accords relevance to the theoretical curriculum offered by TVET colleges; and the curriculum enhancements implemented to address what were understood to be industry needs.

The Influence of Compensation on Talent Retention at a TVET College

Retaining employees in their jobs is crucial for any organisational productivity and competitiveness. Owing to the competition for scarce skills, the retention of quality employees has emerged as the biggest challenge in human capital management in the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges in South Africa. The present study examined the influence of total rewards on talent retention among academic staff in TVET Colleges in South Africa. This study employed the quantitative research method to investigate the influence of rewards on talent retention. An explanatory hypothesis generating approach was employed and a survey design was used to collect data through a semi-structured questionnaire. A sample of 205 academic staff in TVET College was selected for this study. The findings further showed that total rewards were poorly applied in TVET Colleges. Hence, there is a high turnover on academic staff for better opportunities.

Lecturers’ Experiences of Teaching STEM to Students with Disabilities

Innovative teaching is a concept based on student-centred teaching strategies. Access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects has not been equitable due to use of traditional teaching strategies. These strategies tend to exclude students with disabilities who can effectively learn in environments that appropriately and innovatively integrate technology. Better use of technology in teaching also requires teachers to have the relevant skills to take advantage of the devices in their disposal. This article provides an overview of the literature and experiences of lecturers on the use of technology to facilitate access to STEM subjects at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. Using two TVET colleges as case studies, it seeks to clarify how technology is currently used in vocational training. Data gathering was done through in-depth e-interviews and observation of classes. Purposive convenience sampling was used to select the most accessible teachers that teach students with disabilities for this study. Understanding of prior practices and current teacher technological competency are the initial points in the development of TVET technology integration model. In this article, the experiences of teachers were used to guide the development of an inclusive and equitable technology integration model.

Teacher collaborative curriculum design in technical vocational colleges: a strategy for maintaining curriculum consistency?

The Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) curriculum requires continuous renewal and constant involvement of stakeholders in the redesign process. Due to a lack of curriculum design expertise, TVET institutions in developing contexts encounter challenges maintaining and advancing the quality and relevance of their programmes to the needs of the labour market. The purpose of this multiple‐case study is to describe the potential of teacher collaborative curriculum design (TCCD) in TVET colleges for improving the internal and external consistency of curricula. The study describes how four teams from different TVET college departments redesigned their programmes systematically and relationally to improve their internal and external consistency. The findings indicated that although the teams found the re‐design task a challenge, they felt positive about the TCCD experience and its outcomes. The design teams also perceived the consistency of their programmes to have improved. The criticality of the support offered to the teams and the variety of the teams' design work were salient themes captured during the design process. It is concluded that supported TCCD teams, applying a systematic and relational approach, can be an efficient strategy for maintaining the consistency of the TVET curriculum.

Higher Technical and Vocational Education and Training Programmes and Its Impact on the Libyan Manufacturing Industry

Rapid developments in technology and manufacturing industry have made many occupations and trades, such as turners, machinists and grinders, and draftsmen- obsolete, while others need to be modified. Manufacturing industry in Libya has suffered from a shortage of skilled and semi-skilled manpower. In the 1990s, a network of Higher Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges was introduced in Libya to enhance the supply of skilled manpower. This paper presents initial results from a survey of students at TVET colleges. It explores their perception regarding TVET programmes as well as workrelated issues in Libya. The main aim of this research is to investigate the current skills gaps in manufacturing sector. To achieve this goal a questionnaire has been designed, and distributed to students at higher education to explore their views in this regard. The study indicated a direct relationship between the needs of the industrial sector and technical disciplines, where education is the output of the most important technical inputs to the manufacturing industry. The results also indicated how to improve technical programmes which will help serve the community by providing students with adequate technical information.

An Ethiopian Paradigm of Apprenticeship Training Colleges and Enterprises: Curriculum Practice

This study is curriculum practice related and it focuses on the challenges faced by technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. Interviews and observations were used to collect data from participants working at Addis Ababa's TVET in Ethiopia. The participants were deans of one private and one public TVET college, an apprenticeship training coordinator, trainers, trainees and supervisors. Some of the findings were the following: trade unions have not been involved in the implementation of TVET programs; some prevailing conditions can affect the apprentices' acquisition of occupational skills adversely; enterprises that offer apprenticeship training often lack training facilities; and some supervisors lack professional qualities that would enable them to train apprentices adequately. It was concluded that the challenges would only be overcome if both institutional and personal conditions were taken into consideration.

The Establishment of a TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) College in Kabul in Afghanistan

This paper is a case study of how a World Bank Sponsored project in Kabul in Afghanistan introduced to the country a wide range of innovative approaches to teaching and learning. This case study shows how deeply ingrained educational practices and philosophies had to be appreciated and then overcome. One of the key milestones of the project was that it was required to secure the accreditation of a European (in our case Finnish) University in terms of the structure and quality of the curriculum, in terms of its teaching and learning practices, teaching materials and assessment practices and systems. The project spanned the period August 2009 to July 2011; and the case study illustrates the steps taken to convert Afghan students into International standard students at an appropriate level. The students, on average, spoke no English on arrival at the college but within their time in Kabul, they learned sufficient English to cope with our innovative methods, as well as learning to read, write, speak and be assessed in English. By the end of our time in Kabul we believe we had created a model of TVET that can be applied throughout Afghanistan and, we further believe, in other countries which are seeking to move with limited resources from teacher centred education to student centred education and training.