Technical And Vocational Education And Training Colleges Research Articles

DEMYSTIFYING DATA PROCESSING TEACHERS’ PROCEDURAL, FUNCTIONAL, PEDAGOGICAL, AND CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN AN ICT-BASED CLASSROOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

The paper examines the level of Procedural, Functional, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (PFPCK) competency needed by Data Processing (DP) teachers to effectively use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in ICT-based classrooms. A descriptive survey research design was used in the study. Three research questions were raised, and one hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. 130 DP teachers randomly selected from 11 Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in Gauteng province in South Africa formed the sample population. The instrument used in the study was a self-developed questionnaire titled Data Processing Teachers Competency of Procedural Functional Pedagogical Content Questionnaire (DPTCPFPCQ). Personal and observation checklists were also used in the study. The data were analyzed using mean scores and t-tests. The results showed that DP teachers possessed the necessary competency of PFPCK needed to use ICT tools in the digital classroom. It was also revealed that there was a significant difference in the level of competency and acquisition of skills between the pre-service and in-service DP teachers in the use of ICT in the class. It was therefore recommended that the management of TVET colleges and other similar institutions should help to improve DP teachers procedural, and functional knowledge in the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool in ICT-enhanced classrooms. KEYWORDS: ICT-based classrooms, Procedural, Functional Knowledge, DP teachers.

Dynamics of Total Quality Management to Improve Student Outcomes in Private TVET Colleges in Gauteng, South Africa

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges can provide students with the knowledge and skills they need for future jobs. The study aimed to determine the mediation effects of total quality management (TQM) dimensions on employee performance and student learning outcomes. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive quantitative design, where the research collected 349 responses from a pool of colleges in Gauteng, South Africa. The results show that training has the largest mediation effect size, with 55.1% of employee performance’s effect (total effect) on learning outcomes mediated by training. Knowledge and process management (34.8%) and customer focus (34.6%) also had a high mediation effect; however, no mediation effect was found with employee participation. This study helps the management of TVET colleges identify priority areas when they engage in the journey of TQM. The theoretical implication is that even though all the dimensions of TQM are critical in the organisation, they can be prioritised based on context and the environment where the implementation is taking place.

A call for more entrepreneurship education in non-business programs at South African TVET colleges

There has been an increase in the number of unemployed Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates even though these institutions are meant to train students for a particular job, several employment opportunities or self-employment. While proactive higher learning institutions acted on the need to equip graduates with entrepreneurial skills, others have not. More concerning is that even those who do not include entrepreneurial education in their curricula expect their graduates to be self-employed if they cannot find employment upon graduation. This article ascertained the extent, to which TVET colleges equipped their graduates for self-employment by including entrepreneurial skills in their programmes. Grounded on the contingency organizational theory, this article ascertained the necessity to incorporate entrepreneurship education in non-business programmes at TVET colleges. Data was collected from the TVET colleges, websites, brochures and documents of all the public TVET colleges in South Africa. The findings indicated that only 42 % of the programmes offered entrepreneurship education in their curricula. Moreover and interestingly, the province with the highest prevalence of entrepreneurship education (49 %) in their programmes is Limpopo and not the Western Cape, the financial capital. Consequently, there is a vital need to implement entrepreneurship education in all non-business programmes, for it may increase business start-ups, innovation and improve on the employability rate of the graduates

Mathematics conceptual errors in the learning of a linear function- a case of a Technical and Vocational Education and Training college in South Africa

In this case study, we explored the conceptual errors that National Certificate (Vocational) Level 2 mathematics students at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College in South Africa experience in learning functions. Qualitative data were sourced from a sample of Level 2 (L2) mathematics students (n=17) from a TVET college through test responses and interviews. The findings revealed that the students find it difficult to: recognise a linear function, translate between different representations of a linear function, and identify particular components of a linear function. The findings generally indicated that the students lack conceptual understanding of the linear function. From the interviews, the students pointed to the teachers’ instructional practices as a major contributory factor to the identified difficulties they experienced. Specifically, a lack of exposure to instruction and assessment tasks that involved all representations of functions hindered a deep conceptual understanding of functions.

ANALYZING THE STRUGGLES OF STUDENTS AND GRADUATES OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN TANZANIA

Education aims forever to provide a better life, and still, the aim is the same. However, the meaning of better has changed with time, particularly at the individual, national, and international levels. The changes for the betterment are influenced by many factors, including the country’s educational systems. This study finds a better situation of learning and easy job acquisition by exploring the struggles encountered by students and graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, institutions, and centers in Tanzania and highlighting the possible way forward. The Findings on students’ struggles in learning and struggles in the labor market (of getting jobs) after graduating from TVET colleges or centers of Tanzania are caused explicitly by the existing TVET system. TVET teachers are not well equipped with technological, management, and personal (TMP) skills, pedagogical skills, content knowledge, lack of commitments, poor motivations, and unrealistic technical and vocational policies. Students, parents and employers’ perceptions also contribute to students’ struggle in learning and job attainments. The study mainly answered the questions like why students struggle in learning and why they struggle in the labor market to get jobs. Several themes (thematic analysis) were drawn from the study and addressed/ attempted to answer the raised questions with references to the existing evidence of the Tanzanian context and Africa. The study is purely a qualitative. Lastly, the study strongly advises revamping the existing pedagogy in TVET and TVET policy due to their weaknesses in the educational system. Though, the government should take into consideration all issues noticed.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0058/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The acceptability and perceived use of HIV self-testing among technical vocational education and training students in Limpopo province.

Human immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST) is a most recent testing modality to reach young people to test for HIV, due to their increased vulnerability of contracting HIV. Limited literature is available describing sexual behaviours and the acceptability of HIVST and its perceived use among students. The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability and perceived use of HIV self-testing among students in Limpopo province, South Africa. The study was conducted in Limpopo province, at a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 396 students recruited from a TVET college. The mean age of the students was 22.9 years, with the majority of the students being female (77.2%). The majority (81.4%) of the students sampled reported regular sexual activity. Sixty per cent of the students had used condoms during their last sexual encounter. The acceptability of HIVST was high, with more women showing the willingness to take up HIVST (82.5%). Being sexually active (odds ratio [OR] 1.23; (confidence interval [CI]: 2.14 -6.94; p = 0.000), a number of sexual partners (OR 1.045; CI: 1.98 -10.02; p = 0.000) and condom use during the last sexual encounter (OR 0.62; CI: 3.81 -9.59; p = 0.000) were factors associated with HIVST. The high acceptability of HIV shows a need for innovative demand creation in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programming. The study contributes to the body of literature about the acceptability and perceived use of HIV self-testing among students. Findings can be used for improving HIVST interventions using innovative approaches.

The Effectiveness of Using the Geometer’s Sketchpad to Enhance TVET College Level 4 Students’ Understanding of Circle Geometry

The integration of technology in the instructional process has been at the centre of attention in mathematics classrooms since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) which was declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020. This article reports on a study that used a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effectiveness of using the Geometer’s Sketchpad (GSP) to enhance Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college Level 4 students’ understanding of circle geometry. Using quantitative research methods, random sampling was used to select a sample of 70 participants from a population of 133 TVET college Level 4 mathematics students. The participants were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group. This article hinges on Lev Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) for learning as a potential solution in enhancing circle geometry instructional practices. Pre-test and post-test instruments consisting of 10 multiple choice questions and 10 problem-solving questions on tangents, chords and proofs were used to gather the data. The data was then analysed using inferential statistics in which the SPSS version 27 determined the statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups. The findings indicated a significant increase in the experimental group’s understanding of properties of tangents using the GSP. Further, the questionnaire participants revealed that using the GSP enabled an engagement based on the principles of cooperative and collaborative learning. Therefore, the researchers recommend the use of the GSP within the TVET college sector, among students with limited circle geometry knowledge who intend to further their studies in geometry-related courses.

Modelling secondary school students' attitudes toward TVET subjects using social cognitive and planned behavior theories

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been a part of most developing African countries, including Lesotho. Africa's collapsing economies will receive a true economic bailout if they produce readily employable and self-employed graduates. There are several factors that influence student attitudes toward TVET, including the perceived influence of their families, the impact of society, and the impact of their schools. This study aimed to examine the interrelationships and effects of these variables on attitudes toward TVET. Social Cognitive Theory and Planned Behavior are the theoretical underpinnings of the study. Three hundred and six students in the Mafeteng district were sampled for this quantitative study. IBM SPSS 28 and Smart PLS 4.0.7.2 were used to analyze the measurement and structural models based on the data collected through a questionnaire. The study found that perceived family influence and societal influence had a significant causal relation to attitudes toward TVET but that the school does not provide enough support for students in TVET education, which impedes their education level. Study findings provide insight into how Lesotho educational policymakers and practitioners can promote TVET as a viable educational and career option by improving students' attitudes towards TVET subjects. For career guidance, learners were recommended to be taken to TVET colleges and universities.

Exploring Challenges, Teaching Strategies and Personality Traits to Implementing an Effective Agriculture-Based TVET Program in South Africa

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is an educational field that emphasises on practical and lab-based learning environments. Equally important, TVET also makes a major contribution to the agriculture field. However, there are myriad issues that cause limited knowledge and skills for agricultural graduates, and these include butare not limited to the lack of resources, equipment, and infrastructure. The case study approach allows the in-depth collection of data through interviews and the observation of complex issues in their real-life settings. The research participants were purposefully and conveniently sampled due to their experience in agricultural programmes. The findings were presented using thematic analysis based on Mitzel's model which covers practical knowledge and skills, teaching skills, teaching styles, and personality traits. According to the study's findings, the lack of resources, equipment, and infrastructure restricted a lecturer's capacity to release their practical knowledge and skills, their teaching skills, teaching styles, and their personality factors when teaching agricultural programmes. The recommendation advises allocating the TVET colleges with adequate resources, equipment, and infrastructure to facilitate agricultural knowledge and skills.

Role of community colleges and other TVET institutions in advancing sustainable development by supporting access, diversity, and inclusion for nontraditional student populations

ABSTRACT The Sustainable Development Goals link access to higher education, particularly for non-traditional populations, as a way to fight poverty and ensure prosperity. This article examines the experiences of several under-researched categories of non-traditional students who attend Community Colleges and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges in multiple jurisdictions worldwide. The article begins to fill in the gap with comparative data on how these institutions advance equity, diversity, and inclusion through access to higher education. The implications of Community Colleges and TVET are analyzed using the lens of Neo-Liberalism and the Capabilities Narrative. The study extends the scope of the inquiry into the contributions these institutions make to sustainable development. The article uses a comparative multi-case study approach to examine the Community Colleges and TVET Colleges in different jurisdictions worldwide.

A comparison of the performance of learners transitioning from TVET college and their certificated high-school counterparts

Situated in an Engineering Department at a University of Technology, this quantitative research, traversing the fields of Engineering, Mathematics and Education and using the positivism paradigm or ‘science research’, investigated the efficacy of the National Articulation Policy. According to this policy, learners not gaining direct entry to a University of Technology armed with a Senior Certificate or a National Senior Certificate (SC/NSC) may progress or ‘articulate’ into a chosen Engineering programme after attending a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college. Employing statistical analysis on cohorts of learners from TVET colleges, this study was able to determine that there was no statistically significant difference between the performance of the articulating learners and that of their SC/NSC counterparts straight out of high school.

Exploring the value of the sociological Careership Theory in the South African TVET context

Making a career decision is an important part of life. A plethora of theories seek to understand the way students make career decisions, most of them found in the field of psychology. The same trend is evident in South Africa, where psychology continues to underpin career guidance and counselling practices. While this is useful, it is equally important to consider different theoretical approaches – for example, the sociological approach. This article is inspired by a doctoral study conducted by one of the authors, and aims to bring to light a less dominant theory that can add value to our understanding of career decision-making, especially in the public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college sector. The main argument of the article is that whereas all theories are important and valuable, no single theory can explain all situations and individual circumstances. Each theory is guided by its perspective and covers some issues while neglecting others. Indeed, a theory that seeks to explain everything is likely to be found wanting. We therefore do not discredit any theory, but seek to add the voice of the sociological Careership Theory to existing debates and conversations about career decision-making. Our special interest is in the public TVET college sector as we have noted an almost complete absence of literature on career decision-making by TVET students. There is, however, literature that looks at why students enrol in public TVET colleges, and also their experiences there. In addition to the original conceptualisation of the Careership Theory, this article adds other conceptual tools associated with the work of Appadurai. We do so because we acknowledge that a theory cannot remain static and that, as the social world changes, so must theories if they are to accommodate new social experiences.

From out-of-school-youth to TVET student: Exploring the funds in families and communities that facilitate second-chance learning

Many young South African adults are returning to education as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students. These students’ educational reintegration can be challenging, given their history of failure in the formal school system. We argue that many vulnerable adult learners succeed despite their situational and dispositional challenges because of the agentic acts present in their families and communities. However, in the parent support literature there is a misrecognition of the contributions that adults from socio-economically deprived communities make in the success of such second-chance learners. This multiple case study had as context a Western Cape TVET college where five purposively selected students’ experiences with family and community support were explored. The article responds to the research question: ‘What are the embedded funds in families and communities that facilitate the TVET students’ successful entry into secondchance learning?’ The findings refute the perception that poor communities disinvest in the education of their young adult learners. It found that in their worlds there were various role-players and networks that facilitated the five TVET students’ educational success. What the communities lacked in financial and material wealth, they made up for with aspirational, emotional and navigational wealth from which the adult students benefitted.

Establishing a Collaboration Model for BIM Training Program in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): A Vietnam case study

This study presents an institution-industry collaboration model for BIM training with a case study of a TVET college in Vietnam. The model focuses on the most needed and practical skills to fit with the actual requirements of the labour market. It also helps to educate BIM technicians that meet the industry standards in a reasonable training time. In consultation with the industrial partners, the College defined six learning outcomes and 18 competencies for the BIM program to ensure that students can perform the BIM technician job when finishing the program. The findings present the benefits of the collaboration training model that could provide a better learning environment for students and help to narrow the gap between educational outcomes and industry needs. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey was conducted targeting the industrial partners and graduated students to assess the importance of the designed competencies. Feedback from the participants shows that collaboration and self-development skills are the most critical skills for the BIM technicians, so the BIM program should develop related courses aligned with the learning outcomes.

The Exploring Factors that Teachers View as Hindering Quality in Teaching and Learning at a TVET College

The overarching purpose of this study was to explore teacher views on some issues that hinder quality in teaching and learning at a TVET college. This is explored by considering challenges that face teachers in providing quality teaching and learning. A total of twenty-four lecturers participated in the study. The study adopts a mixed methods approach and enacts Karl Maton` Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) as its analytical framework. Data were collected by means of interviews, questionnaires, and document analysis. While a symbiotic relationship is expected to exist between expertise and decision-making structure in the technical and vocational education and training (TVET), there is a dichotomous gap in the two domains, which in turn compromises the quality of teaching and learning. 

Interventions for Inclusion in TVET through Private-Public Development Partnership in Ethiopia and Zambia

The study is about reconfiguring Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through Private-Public Development Partnership (PPDP) for the inclusion of disadvantaged groups in Ethiopia and Zambia. A PPDP is a cooperation between national and foreign actors targeted at development activities and is a governmental strategy to increase the standard of TVET, including strategies to include disadvantaged learners. This article focuses on two PPDPs, one comprising a TVET college in Ethiopia and another in Zambia. The aim is to analyse and compare the curricular strategies of these two PPDPs to revamp TVET for the inclusion of disadvantaged learners. Data was generated through document analysis, interviews and focus groups. The findings indicate that both PPDPs served as an intervention to the TVET institutions, thereby including disadvantaged learners in contexts of huge inequality of opportunities. The article points to tensions relating to inclusion, particularly about how global educational policy trends contend with the realities in local labour markets and the needs of TVET graduates who will work therein.

Inquiry into Students' Perceptions of Civil and Building Construction Curricula in South African TVET Colleges

The civil and building construction programme was introduced in 2007 in South Africa as a new Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) qualification. This TVET qualification was intended to ensure an adequate supply of skills in priority areas such as carpentry, roof-work, plumbing, and bricklaying. However, the TVET sector in South Africa has not fulfilled the mandate of providing adequate skills for trades of carpentry and roof-work, plumbing and bricklaying. The purpose of this study was to enquire into students' perceptions of civil and building construction curricula in South African TVET colleges. This study was conducted using a mixed-method research approach and case study design comprised of two TVET colleges. Purposive and convenience sampling was used to identify one hundred and thirty students to participate in the study. The data collection instrument used for this study was a questionnaire directed to civil and building construction students. The study discovered that civil and building construction curricula content need urgent evaluation to keep up with the demand in the industry. The curriculum design of civil and building construction must be revised in line with the demand in the industry. It is discovered that civil and building construction curricula content contains a lot of theory content. This study recommends that civil and building construction curricula content be revised and updated in line with industry demand. The revision process needs to involve all the stakeholders such as the industry, TVET teachers and curriculum planners.

Effects of Entrepreneurship Education on Start-up Propensity: Technical and Vocational College Lecturers' Perspectives

This research aimed to engage the prevailing status that education in entrepreneurship is offered to college students in South Africa to enhance the learning and teaching efficiency of TVET college, which should lead to motivating and preparing graduates to start their own businesses. At the time of this study (2020), the total youth unemployment rate was 40.3%. In addition, the youth graduate unemployment rate was 55.2%. It is concerning that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college graduates face this challenge. It is significantly possible that South African TVET students will face unemployment after graduation due to the high unemployment rate and the competition in the job market from other universities. Accordingly, there is a need to transform TVET college students into entrepreneurs who can self-sustain upon completion of their studies.Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour was used to address the paucity of literature on entrepreneurial education and start-up propensity. Accordingly, a research questionnaire was structured to address the issue: "To what extent do the variables in the entrepreneurial environment (TVET colleges), in the form of knowledge of entrepreneurship, perceived self-efficacy and attitude towards entrepreneurship, affect the entrepreneurial intentions of students?" This study proved the direct relationship between entrepreneurship education, inclination, and intention to start a business.A few recommendations are made regarding investment in entrepreneurship education and infrastructure, partnering with private and public companies, and entrepreneurship as an integral part of development in the national policy framework that addresses unemployment.

Investigating TVET college educators’ experiences while transitioning from the traditional classroom to the virtual classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic

The growing utilisation of digital technologies in today’s complex and fast-changing world has taken the reality of education beyond the physical classroom. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many educational institutions to make hasty and unprecedented decisions as they switched to the virtual classroom. This study explores teachers’ experiences in transitioning from traditional teaching to virtual teaching during and after the COVID-19 college closure. A sample of seven Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) educators was conveniently selected from colleges in an urban area in South Africa using a case study research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. In this regard, all ethical considerations were adhered to during this study. Three of the educators demonstrated a positive cognitive, affective and behavioural attitude towards transitioning to virtual learning. Six of the educators used WhatsApp and online platforms integrated into their college’s website to communicate during virtual teaching. However, challenges such as lack of support on the integration of technology into their practice, access to connectivity, provision of little or no training on pedagogical practices, unconducive home environment, students’ attitudes in the online space, lack of infrastructure and poor policy guidelines and framework for implementing virtual learning pose a threat to educators’ desires to change and support a transition to virtual learning permanently. Therefore, it is recommended that TVET education providers and managers provide adequate support and training for educators to foster pedagogical practices aimed at enhancing students’ virtual learning.

“Some of them are afraid of the language”: Perceptions of TVET college staff about the relationship between English language proficiency and academic performance among Engineering students

Despite the fact that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are seen as instrumental in addressing South Africa’s labour market skills shortages and high youth unemployment rate, the extremely low throughput and certification rates at these institutions prevent colleges from achieving this goal. The vast majority of students enrolled at TVET colleges come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and speak English as a second or additional language, yet English is the language through which teaching is conducted at all South African TVET colleges. Prior research has shown that there is a definite relationship between poor academic performance (AP) and learning in an additional language. Existing research of this nature has focused on schools and universities, but there is a dearth of research about the relationship between AP and English Language Proficiency (ELP) in the TVET sector. In order to address this gap, a mixed method study was conducted at one Eastern Cape TVET College to investigate whether the poor AP of National Vocational Certificate (NC (V)) Level 2 Engineering students can be related to their ELP. The initial quantitative phase of the study confirmed prior research by showing that NC (V) students’ ELP is indeed significantly associated with their throughput rate and their performance in each specific subject. This article reports in particular on the second qualitative phase of the study, which was based on interviews with TVET college staff involved in teaching Engineering students. The most significant finding is that teaching staff, who daily work at the proverbial coal face of TVET training, are from their practical experience, very well aware of the fact that there is a crucial link between the ELP and AP of their students, that they employ a variety of strategies to address associated problems, but that they feel these are often insufficient and ineffective in the face of students trying to learn in a second language. This study extends the research about the role of language as a cognitive tool in learning in the Engineering disciplines. It also provides an opportunity to rethink the hegemonic, normalised position of English in Engineering studies and consider possibilities to mobilise indigenous languages as resources for epistemological access in higher education.