Technical And Vocational Education And Training Teachers Research Articles

Can vocational interests of students be used to recruit suitable candidates for teacher training programmes in technical vocational education and training in Germany?

PurposeIn Germany, various approaches have been taken to tackle the current teacher shortage in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). One attempt to remedy the shortage in Bavaria has been the introduction of an engineering education study programme at universities of applied sciences. Ideal candidates for this programme should have an interest in both engineering and social interaction. For effective recruitment, therefore, it is necessary to know applicants’ characteristics such as their vocational interests. In this study, the vocational interest profiles of students in TVET teacher training programmes were identified and their interest profiles and further characteristics were compared with those of other VET students at universities and universities of applied sciences.Design/methodology/approachAn online questionnaire based on Holland’s interest theory and adapted from the Allgemeiner-Interessen-Struktur-Test-3 (interest structure test) was administered to 85 students in TVET teacher training programmes at universities and universities of applied sciences in Bavaria. Items regarding reasons for choosing a particular study programme, university location and other personal details were added.FindingsThe vocational interest profiles of students at universities and universities of applied sciences can be described as similar but weakly differentiated. Insights are provided by the characteristics of students such as the majority being first-time academics in the family. The reasons for choosing the degree programme and university location highlight the fact that a large proportion of students in engineering education would not have chosen a teaching-related degree programme if it had not been offered at the respective university of applied sciences.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the sample in this study was small and, therefore, limiting, it represented a high proportion of TVET teacher training students in Bavaria and a substantial proportion of first-year students in TVET teacher training programmes at universities and universities of applied sciences in Bavaria (section 2.2 and 3.1). Thus, the findings provide valuable insights into commonalities in interest profiles between engineering education students at universities of applied sciences and other TVET students at universities. With respect to the domain of the chosen vocational specialisation, differentiated profiles emerged that, for example, showed a stronger artistic orientation among students in construction technology/wood. For further analysis, the previous variable-centred orientation of the analysis can be supplemented by person-centred analyses (e.g. cluster analysis and latent variable mixture modelling, LVMM) (cf. Leon et al., 2021).Practical implicationsThe findings in this study reveal the potential for attracting candidates to universities of applied sciences if they prefer to study in rather rural areas close to their hometowns. With the aim to educate prospective teachers for future work not only in metropolitan regions but in rural areas too, offering bachelor degree programmes in rural areas would seem promising. A regional option can boost the recruitment of new students and attract candidates that otherwise would be unable to pursue studies or a career as a teacher in vocational education. The results of this study and those of previous studies suggest that universities of applied sciences can cooperate with universities to help solve the teacher shortage problem.Social implicationsOverall, it is apparent that the students' interests reached comparatively high values in all interest orientations and thus are only weakly differentiated. If undifferentiated profiles indicate low levels of career readiness, this significantly affects the recruitment of young people for the teaching profession. Assessing career orientation and promoting vocational interests should be prioritised during secondary school education. Vocational orientation measures are essential and should provide insight into typical activities of daily work life in different professions and thus pique and foster interests.Originality/valueThis study provides insight into how to respond to the teacher shortage in VET by identifying important characteristics of engineering education students using vocational interest profiling.

Perspectives of teacher educators on the challenges of training technical and vocational education teachers in Ethiopia

Shortage of qualified teachers is a critical problem in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. This study investigates the barriers that hinder the preparation of competent TVET teachers in Ethiopia. A qualitative case study involving 20 purposively selected teacher educators was used. The study revealed numerous challenges including weak student admission criteria, a lack of teacher competency standards, irrelevant curriculum, theory-focused training, limited resources, ineffective quality assurance system, leadership issues, and gaps in teacher educators' practical and pedagogical skills, industry experience, interest, and motivation. The study concluded that TVET teacher training is beset by various limitations and urgently requires reform. In this regard, it is critical to attract high-quality and motivated candidates, establish competency standards, adapt the curriculum to meet the specific needs of TVET teachers, involve industries in the training process, and enhance the competencies of teacher educators through industry placements.

The typology of initial TVET Teacher Education in Germany

The discourse on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teacher education in Germany is dominated by the high demand for TVET teachers. A shortage of TVET teachers is arguably a part of the “tradition” of the TVET system. For many years, universities developing new programs for initial TVET teacher education to tackle this problem. However, this has led to a non-transparent structure of degree programmes on offer. This article presents, as a result of a qualitative research approach, a typology of initial TVET teacher education programmes in order to provide more transparency in the TVET teacher education system. Basis for the presented typology are the information provided by all universities in Germany (N=52) who offer vocational teacher education programmes. These information were then run through a criteria matrix, resulting in a typology of seven different study models. In conclusion, we can see that traditional models, while being offered the most in German universities, are challenged by a lot of different study models who are generally not considered traditional.

Enhancing Higher Order Thinking Skills Among TVET Students: HyperDocs as a Tool for TVET Teachers

HyperDocs are interactive digital documents containing links to various digital resources and activities. These learning tools provide students with an interactive and self-directed learning experience that allows them to investigate, generate, and collaborate in a digital environment. HyperDocs have recently experienced a significant surge in usage across various fields. Despite the widespread use of HyperDocs and their potential to improve classroom learning, additional research is required to ascertain their effectiveness in educational settings. This investigation aimed to identify patterns in advanced cognitive abilities to improve Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) educators' understanding of HyperDocs activities. Using Bloom's Taxonomy as a theoretical framework, the TVET instructor conducted a document analysis of HyperDocs to determine the intellectual level of student activities. During this investigation, a significant quantity of previously unrevealed information has been uncovered. The study results indicate that HyperDocs activities comprise the entire spectrum of cognitive abilities outlined in Bloom's taxonomy. The analysis reveals that most HyperDocs activities involve lower-order thinking skills such as remembering, comprehending, and applying. Higher-order thinking skills such as analyzing, evaluating, and creating are utilized less frequently, accounting for only 45.1% of all activities. Although HyperDocs' activities often incorporate primary forms of reasoning, the difference in performance is only 9.8%. The results of the present investigation indicate that the integration of HyperDocs within the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) domains has the potential to augment cognitive processing.

Technology Integration in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): The Role of the Art Teacher

The quality of teaching and learning across all TVET disciplines can be enhanced by promoting technology-inclusive TVET. Using the Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) model, this study examines the interrelationships between the knowledge required by art teachers to effectively integrate technology in teaching at the TVET level. The study assumed that quality TVET practices could be achieved if TVET teachers had a solid understanding of their subject matter, pedagogical procedures and knowledge about employing technological tools. This research used a quantitative data approach and adopted a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis technique to measure the path coefficients of direct or indirect influence between exogenous and endogenous variables. A quantitative survey instrument based on the TPACK model was adopted to collect data from 152 art teachers sampled across various public educational institutions in Ghana. Data analysis was performed with SPSS and SmartPLS using an online data collection procedure. The study demonstrates a significant relationship between art teachers’ knowledge and how much technology can be integrated with TVET. The following mechanisms were revealed: the mastery of technological tools, technologically driven instructional approaches, and a teacher's technical knowledge and abilities as the fundamental mechanisms required to foster efficient skill development at the TVET level. This implies that educators, training institutions, policymakers, and stakeholders in the TVET ecosystem should pay special attention to these mechanisms to strengthen the teaching and learning delivery of TVET.

Content and effectiveness of TVET teacher CPD in Kenya

AbstractContinuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers can improve teaching and wider school practices. However, within developing country contexts, research on the CPD practices of vocational teachers remains limited. This study therefore investigated the CPD practices of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers in Kenya, focusing on the content, outcomes and effectiveness of their CPD practices. Adopting a questionnaire survey approach, data was collected from 170 TVET teachers drawn from six TVET institutes in Kenya's Nairobi Metropolitan Area.TVET teachers in Kenya were found to more frequently focus their CPD on subject content knowledge and less frequently on pedagogical knowledge. Their CPD activities are not always effective as the CPD activities often do not involve active learning and collaboration, and are not always of sufficient duration. Cluster analysis showed that for some teachers, CPD activities are rarely effective and result in limited impact on practice. However, Initial Teacher Education was found to encourage teachers to focus on broader content and to adopt more effective CPD practices.To improve the effectiveness of TVET teacher CPD practices in Kenya, it is recommended that TVET teachers in Kenya are supported to adopt active and collaborative learning activities that are spread over extended time durations.

Pre-service TVET Teachers’ Digital Competence: Evidence from Survey Data

This study sought to translate and validate the Digital Competence Scale for University Students among Kazakhstani undergraduate students aimed at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) educator diploma (n = 202), and also to discover the status quo of their digital competence. The translation and trans-cultural validation of the scale produced a bi-factorial 10-item instrument, like the original. The questionnaire evidenced acceptable validity and reliability. On average, the participants reported a medium digital competence score. Practical implications and directions for future research are provided.

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>

Teaching and Learning Approaches: Curriculum Framework for Sustainability Literacy for Technical and Vocational Teacher Training Programmes in Malaysia

Given the impact of unsustainable practices, work, and living patterns, it has become increasingly important to raise global citizens as stewards of the earth’s life support system. Thus, developing sustainability literacy has become very crucial. A sustainability-literate professional can make sound decisions and act in environmentally friendly, socially acceptable, and economically viable ways. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) arguably has the potential to educate workers, graduates, and citizens alike in developing sustainability literacy since it is regarded in many nations as the supplier of skilled labour. TVET teacher training programmes in Malaysia have been vastly proficient in developing vocationally competent teachers and workers. Still, there remains uncertainty regarding the extent to which these vocational teaching professionals have been trained to develop sustainability competencies and literacies. The implication is that, when technical and vocational teachers responsible for training workers do not possess the requisite competencies to engage in sustainability education, the potential for TVET to become a viable tool for ESD diminishes. Given this backdrop, this study was undertaken to propose a curriculum framework for sustainability literacy for technical and vocational teacher training programmes. Using a modified Delphi method (MDM) consisting of 15 expert participants from Asian-Pacific countries, four important curricular elements for sustainability literacy were identified and defined. These include the learning outcomes for sustainability literacy, teaching competencies for sustainability literacy, pedagogical approaches to foster effective teaching and learning for sustainability, as well as ESD integration strategies. The specific indicators within this curriculum framework were also defined. The paper concludes with vivid implications for practice within TVET teacher training programmes in realising Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

GENDER ISSUES TOWARD GENDER-RESPONSIVE TVTED CURRICULUM PRACTICES

Gender mainstreaming in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and the labor market is a goal that is not yet fully achieved. Despite social, political, and economic changes, disparities, discrimination, and bias persist. The lack of gender responsiveness in school-based pedagogy has hindered women’s access, retention, and performance in TVET institutions. While gender imbalances exist in TVET, teachers are often unaware or unwilling to address them, implying that they lack the knowledge to deal with gender issues in practice. Thus, this study was conducted to identify the emerging gender issues that hinder gender responsiveness in technical-vocational teacher education (TVTEd) curriculum practices. The cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was used as the theoretical lens to generate and analyze the data. The data were generated from document analysis, interviews, and focus group discussions among teachers, students, and graduates. Having gender-responsive curriculum practice as the object of the study, findings revealed that subjects (teachers) create the main contradictions in emerging gender issues. These are characterized by gender biases, stereotyping that hinders women’s progress in technical-vocational fields, and stereotypes in resources, content, and language. The subject was followed by the contradiction within the rules, tools, community, and division of labor. The study recommends interventions to hone gender responsiveness and thereby mainstream gender in TVTEd curriculum practices. Policy-practice gaps should also be studied and gender-related research in TVET and technical-vocational teacher education should be initiated and funded.

The Teacher Development: The Case Study of A Local Polytechnic Vocational College

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays a crucial role in the structure and philosophy of Vietnam’s education, contributing significantly to the training of human resources with practical knowledge and technical skills, which well aligns with the policy orientation of the national economic development. After having transferred the governance to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, TVET now has a relatively solid legal frameworks and initial stable development. However, the quality of TVET teachers is still not as high as expected. This study, through a case study, with both qualitative and quantitative methods, argues that although sufficient in quantity, TVET teachers are is still weak in quality. Most teachers meet both professional qualifications and additional requirements in English ​​and Information Technology, but their ability to use and apply these skills in the teaching is limited. The survey also shows that TVET institutions are doing a better job of managing teachers than attracting and providing necessary professional development for their teachers.

Observation on Teachers’ Readiness for Implementation of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

Higher orderThinking Skills (HOTS) is an important element in achieving the nation’s objective of developing people with creative and analytical minds. However, there have been issues that impede teachers from implementing HOTS where certain teachers are not ready to implement HOTS knowledge to students, as well as insufficient training or HOTS related courses when they endure teaching training or have been employed as teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine the teachers’ level of readiness to face the changes in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment to implement HOTS in teaching. A validated questionnaire with an Alpha Cronbach's value of 0.874 was used as an instrument for this quantitative study. The research sample for this study consisted of 40 teachers with TVET background in Batu Pahat, Johor. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 21.0 in which the descriptive statistical method was used to determine the mean value and standard deviation. Based on the analysis, the results showed that the teachers had a high level of readiness to face the changes in curriculum aspect (mean=4.10, SD=0.39), the pedagogical aspect (M=4.00, SD=0.48) and the assessment aspect (M=4.08, SD=0.45). In addition, the relationships between curriculum, pedagogy and assessment of TVET teachers’ readiness on HOTS implementation were not statistically significant. In conclusion, it is hoped that this study could be used to serve as a guide for teachers to imply HOTS in their teaching and learning process in order to enhance students interested in TVET subject. Teachers therefore need to equip themselves with HOTS knowledge and skills so that they can facilitate learning, improve skills and increase student engagement in class.

직업능력개발훈련교사의 직무스트레스와 직무헌신의 관계: 소진과 고용 안정성의 조절된 매개효과

본 연구는 직업능력개발훈련교사(이하 직업훈련교사)의 직무스트레스가 직무헌신에 영향을 미치는 과정에서 양자 간의 유의미한 관계가 발생하는 이유를 설명하는 메커니즘 변수로 소진의 매개효과를 규명하고, 더불어 직무스트레스와 소진간 고용 안정성의 조절효과 및 직무스트레스와 직무헌신의 관계에서 소진과 고용 안정성의 조절된 매개효과를 규명하는 것에 목적을 두고 있다. 이를 위해 K대학을 졸업한 직업훈련교사와 NCS확인 강사를 대상으로 진행되는 NCS직업기초능력(교수자용) 과정 수료생을 대상으로 온라인 설문조사를 실시하여 총 134부를 회수 및 분석에 활용하였다. 분석결과, 먼저 직무스트레스는 소진과 정(+)적 관계를 나타낸 반면(가설1), 소진과 직무헌신은 부(-)적 관계를 보였다(가설 2). 소진의 매개효과(가설 3) 검증에서는 소벨 테스트 및 부트스트래핑 분석 결과, 직무스트레스와 직무헌신 사이에서 소진이 매개하는 것으로 나타났고, 고용 안정성의 조절효과(가설 4) 검증결과에서는 고용 안정성이 낮을 때에 비하여 높게 인식될 때 직무스트레스와 소진의 정(+)적 관계는 더욱 약해지는 것으로 나타났다. 조절된 매개효과 검증결과에서는 고용 안정성이 낮을 때에 비하여 높을 때 소진을 매개로 직무스트레스가 직무헌신에 미치는 간접효과는 더 약화되는 것으로 나타났다. 이를 통해 직업훈련교사들의 직무태도 개선을 위해서는 고용 안정성에 대한 인식 제고가 긴요할 수 있다는 정책적 함의를 얻을 수 있었다. 끝으로 본 연구의 시사점, 한계점 및 향후 연구 방향을 제언하였다.

A critical perspective on TVET teachers’ pedagogical practices: insights into the guiding pedagogical principles in practice

ABSTRACT This study explores the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) teachers’ pedagogical practices and how such practices can help the teachers’ use of relevant guiding pedagogical principles in practice in Nigerian TVET system to facilitate quality learning. Employing a three-tiered ethnographic case study approach, we learned how 24 TVET teachers from purposively selected six Nigerian public universities used guiding pedagogical principles in practice to facilitate quality student learning. Focusing on five guiding pedagogical principles in practice identified from the thematic analysis, we analysed different pedagogical practices that teachers can adopt to facilitate quality TVET learning which include demonstration of learning, problem-based learning, seeing learners as knowers, active learning, and questioning. Drawing upon the thematic analysis, participants made recommendations for the continuous professional development of TVET teachers to enable them to improve in their use of the guiding pedagogical principles in practice to facilitate quality learning and graduate outcomes.

Indigenous Knowledge and Vocational Education: Marginalisation of Traditional Medicinal Treatments in Rwandan TVET Animal Health Courses

This study explores Rwandan ethno-veterinary knowledge and the degree to which this knowledge is reflected in the country’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) instruction. The knowledge considered is the Indigenous medicinal knowledge used by rural Rwandan livestock farmers to treat their cattle. Through interviews with farmers, TVET graduates and TVET teachers, and an examination of the current TVET Animal Health curriculum, the research identifies a neglect of Indigenous knowledge in the curriculum, despite the fact that local farmers use numerous Indigenous medicinal innovations to treat their animals. The focus of the Rwanda’s TVET Animal Health curriculum is on Western-origin modern veterinary practices. The authors argue that this leaves Rwandan TVET Animal Health graduates unprepared for optimal engagement with rural farmers and with the full range of potential treatments.

ICT Enabled TVET Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Economies of the world and workforce level of skills are changing rapidly. Industrial revaluations and knowledge economies have raised the demand for a knowledgeable and digitally equipped skilled workforce. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is an educational stream that provides vocational skills to youth and produces a skilled workforce for the industry. The role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the TVET pedagogy, training delivery, teachers training, curriculum, and labs is need of the day to meet current era challenges. In the TVET education training cycle, the level of ICT enablement is required to be reviewed. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) evaluates literature for innovation of ICT in TVET education for the last ten years. This study aims to identify and present ICT-based technology innovations, research, and applications used in TVET training cycle system components/functional areas to identify gaps for future research directions/agenda. This gap identification will help (i) TVET training institutes to upgrade their teachers, curriculum, labs and, equipment, (ii) policymakers to devise technology-oriented skilled workforce development policies, (iii) to provide guidelines to industry, researchers, and academics to focus on gaps to address future challenges of workforce development. Based on the search string, we found 2,445 relevant documents and after applying quality assurance and inclusion/exclusion criteria, finally, 134 documents were selected for the study and analyzed. The result of this systematic literature review identifies that ICT technologies and application dispersion into TVET training cycle system components/functional areas is very low particularly in monitoring and evaluation, career guidance and job placement, trainee's assessment, and teacher's training. TVET Technology index suggests that much focus is needed on IoT, Robotics, Data Science, Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and other similar technology induction to all TVET training.

The technology andragogy work content knowledge model framework on technical and vocational education and training

The main competence of 21st century technical and vocational education and training (TVET) teachers is the ability to integrate technology into the learning process effectively. However, the concept of learning is now shifting to technological involvement, learning approaches, and needs in accordance with the curriculum of the world of work must be integrated to produce learning outcomes that are able to compete in obtaining work opportunities. The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) model used in general learning needs to be assessed according to the context of innovation in the TVET learning field. The purpose of this study is to analyze the teaching and learning of TVET teachers who are professionals with the approach of Technology, Andragogy and Work towards Content Knowledge (CK). Study of qualitative methods in the form of document analysis is identified by the philosophy of the learning approach at TVET and the current TVET learning model. The analysis results recommend that the technology andragogy work content knowledge (TAWOCK) model is considered important to be developed in TVET learning. Characteristics of these findings include the involvement of learning using technology, increasing the level of learning for andragogy, adjusting work competence, and curriculum content developed on the concept of knowledge. Finally TPACK has been modified to TAWOCK to study in the TVET field.

Virtual welding: A didactic perspective

This research was conducted as part of a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme in Technical and Industrial Production and is a collaboration between Aas upper secondary school in Akershus and the Department of Vocational Teacher Education at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet). Starting in autumn 2017, simulated welding has been the first step in the use of simulation teaching in order to produce qualified professionals. In TVET education, Virtual Reality technology is a new training tool for welding, and little is known about the pedagogical approaches and didactic challenges.
 This article is based on interviews that were conducted with teachers and their immediate supervisors to gain insight into their prior knowledge, the approaches they intended to use, and their initial experiences of the introduction of simulation-based teaching. The research consists primarily of qualitative analyses, based on a phenomenological approach. The focus for the article is the possibilities and limitations of a virtual welding machine, as well as how it might be introduced as an educational and didactic tool in upper secondary school.
 The article provides useful knowledge for those who will be using some form of simulation in teaching in general and for simulated welding in particular. This applies to both current TVET teachers and those undergoing Technical and Vocational Teacher Education.

The current state of the TVET teachers’ workplace learning in China

Workplace learning emphasizes a learning paradigm that considers learners to be active and self-directed rather than passive learning in the traditional training paradigm. The aim of this article is to try to synthesize the existing literature and studies as well as summarize the relevant information and available evidence to find the current state of teachers’ Workplace Learning in TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) institute. In practice, this study will help vocational schools understand the current situation of vocational education teachers’ workplace learning and provide evidence for vocational colleges to take reformation and transformation. For the future, researchers could explore the relationships among workplace learning environment, learning strategies, and learning outcomes in the TVET context.

National Qualifications Framework and TVET teacher competence frameworks: A neglected dimension of qualifications reforms?

AbstractThis article examines the interplay between qualification systems reforms and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) teachers' competences and qualifications in the context of the future of work and learning, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda. The article reviews international standards and trends and examines a range of country case studies. The concluding section focuses on future scenarios for TVET Teachers Competence frameworks.