Technical Vocational Education Research Articles

Towards Institutionalised TVET Research in Costa Rica–Empirical Analysis on Status, Needs, and Challenges

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Costa Rica is considered as an important alternative for the insertion of the young population into the labor market. However, despite the increasing importance of TVET there is a lack of institutionalized research activities, so that research efforts on TVET mainly remain in the background. The aim of this paper is to present and examine the level of institutionalization of TVET research in Costa Rica and the associated needs, challenges, and demands. Therefore, qualitative research, with an exploratory scope, was conducted between December 2022 and June 2023, for which a literature review on TVET research and semi-structured interviews with sixteen experts were carried out. The results revealed, that from 2020 to date, there has been an increase in the number of research activities in TVET and in the number of publications in Costa Rican journals. Nevertheless, TVET institutions in Costa Rica show low capacities in terms of personnel and financial resources to conduct TVET research. The main conclusion is that the level of institutionalization of TVET Research in Costa Rica is in its infancy, but has potential for growth, for which it is necessary to establish public TVET policies that include TVET research.

Exploring Mechanical Engineering Equipment at TVET Colleges in South Africa, Towards Integrating Virtual and Cyber-Physical Learning

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are career-focused educational institutions designed to equip students with lifelong technical skills thereby contributing significantly to economic growth. The purpose of this study was to investigate mechanical engineering equipment in three TVET colleges in three South African provinces. The three provinces included in the study were Gauteng, Limpopo, and Free State. The equipment was investigated in an effort to integrate virtual and cyber-physical learning. The research utilized interviews with campus managers and senior lectures on Engineering and Related Design (ERD) to acquire data. A structured questionnaire was also distributed to former ERD students who are currently employed in the mining industry. The equipment of TVET colleges was contrasted to that of the mining industry. According to the research, TVET college equipment is outdated and inadequate, and their practical assessments are not routinely updated. The colleges do not yet have a virtual and cyber-physical learning system in existence, but preparations have been made. However, no intentions for the practical portion of the studies using virtual systems have been considered. The study affirms the need for virtual learning, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies to help students learn about current technology equipment used in the mining industry, as well as to provide sufficient time for practical learning.

Impact of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (Sure-P) on Poverty Alleviation among Youth in Gombe State, Nigeria

Youths are said to be strong and ardent thereby forming the productive age of the society and as such, they are likely to cause social vices when in poverty or when not employed. Gombe state have had an increasing number of people living with poverty according to the World Poverty Clock, 2021, this has made the Federal and Gombe State government to introduce different programmes in order to reduce the level of poverty. This study assesses the impact of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment programme in poverty alleviation among youth in Gombe state. Data were obtained from secondary and primary sources. The research utilizes both structured questionnaire and interview as instruments for data collection. The population of the study includes 596 beneficiaries of Sure-P under the Graduate Internship Scheme and Technical Vocational Education and Training in Akko, Billiri and Dukku Local Government areas of Gombe state. The sample size of the study is 239 obtained using Yamane formula. Data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The descriptive statistics include percentage, frequency and tables. The inferential tool is multiple regression which was used to test the hypotheses. This test was carried out at 5% level of significance. The study revealed that Sure-p has a positive impact on income generation there by leading to poverty alleviation among youth in Gombe state. The study therefore concludes that sure-p has positive impact on the youth and has led to poverty alleviation among them.

Reimagining and Innovating A Training Pedagogy in the Times of Uncertainties: The Case for Students in the Eastern Cape Technical Vocational Education and Training Colleges in South Africa

Reimagining and Innovating A Training Pedagogy in the Times of Uncertainties: The Case for Students in the Eastern Cape Technical Vocational Education and Training Colleges in South Africa

Strengthening the Capacity for Developing Employability and Entrepreneurial Skills for Intellectually Disabled Learners through Curriculum Reform in Zimbabwe; Evidence from the Skills Development Programme Developed by Harare Polytechnic in Partnership with Special Olympics Zimbabwe.

The study provided a framework of developing employ ability and entrepreneurial skills through curriculum reform for intellectual disability[ID] learners in Zimbabwe. The research was a collaboration between two partners, Harare Polytechnic and Special Olympics Zimbabwe, through a Memorandum of Understanding, to tackle the challenges of stigma and skills development for intellectual disabled learners in Zimbabwe. Special Olympics Zimbabwe carried a qualitative assessment of potential skills that could be done by ID learners from the total list of skills offered by Harare Polytechnic and 22 learners in Special Olympics Harare Province confirmed the skills that they considered would be achievable given their interest in those skills. Harare Polytechnic studied the responses of the ID learners and provided a training methodology for the realisation of the skills development of those learners. The study makes a number of recommendations meant to address skills development of ID learners from the early stages of the development of an ID child up to technical vocational education and training college training as a livelihoods sustainable development strategy. The study concluded that it is possible to provide skills development to ID learners, in inclusive setting, in line with the constitutional values of inclusivity and non-discrimination through the training methodology developed by Harare Polytechnic which can be deployed nationally to tackle sustainable development issues, through inclusive employment practices, employment creation and entrepreneurial skills development involving ID learners

Didactics of Electrical Engineering and Its Components in the Context of Digitalization of Education

Didactics is defined as the theory of education. It deals with the specific forms, procedures and goals of teaching that a teacher implements with his/her students. As such, it is an integral part of pedagogy. Since the forms, procedures and objectives of teaching vary in their specificity for the different fields, disciplines and subjects of education, this specificity is reflected in the disciplinary or subject didactics. The latter thus deal with the processes of teaching and learning with regard to subject-specificity and specificity. The article is thematically devoted to the area of subject or subject didactics, specifically didactics of electrical engineering, which is of particular importance for vocational technical education, as it forms a key part of it both in practice and in the preparation of teachers of such disciplines. The article also presents some of the results of the author’s research from recent years, which focuses specifically on the areas of modern technologies and their impact on the teaching process, especially in electrical engineering-oriented teaching subjects; tools for developing technical but also digital literacy are presented.

The economic rationale for the provision of technical/vocational education (TVE) in colonial Ghana: Implications for practice

The paper examines the economic rationale for the provision of technical/ vocational education (TVE) in colonial Ghana. It further highlights some key lessons drawn from the study, particularly, in term of the Ghanaian contemporary search for a more pragmatic policy formulation for TVE. Data were retrieved from primary sources in the form of archival materials and some secondary sources as well some interview sessions with two personalities who were actively involved in the provision of TVE during the period. Chronological and thematic analysis of the data were utilized. The study revealed that the missionary bodies and the colonial administration vigorously promoted TVE largely because of economic reasons. It further argues that this level of vigor could not unfortunately keep pace with the developmental needs of the country due mainly to overriding interest in literary/grammar education, lack of entrepreneurial training for graduates of the TVE institutions and virtual non-existence of local industries to absorb these graduates.

Organizational culture and management practices at technical vocational education and training colleges

<span lang="EN-US">Building an effective organizational culture of high performance has proven to be elusive amongst strategic and operational managers of selected public technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges in the Gauteng province in the post-merger period of 2007 to 2010. Poor organizational culture demonstrated by a lack of the Ubuntu principles of humanness and teamwork; management inefficiency and instability undermined the role of public TVET colleges in the Gauteng province, South Africa. The identified knowledge gap is a paucity of information on how the values of Ubuntu are infused into management practices to improve organizational management practices. A mixed methods research approach that adopted multiple case studies, unstructured interviews and survey questionnaires was undertaken to assess an organizational culture and management practices by strategic and operational managers, and lecturers at selected public TVET colleges. Descriptive statistical and thematic analyses were employed to generate, interpret, and analyze the findings from participating managers and lecturers. The findings revealed the need to re-purpose public TVET colleges in South Africa to align with the strategic priorities and goals of the National Development Plan: Vision 2030. Strategic and operational managers should also be capacitated with stakeholder relations building and management skills to create student workplace opportunities with businesses and industries.</span>

Community Programming Tools for Technical Vocational Education and Training and Empowerment of Youth in West Pokot County, Kenya

Community Programming Tools for Technical Vocational Education and Training and Empowerment of Youth in West Pokot County, Kenya

The mediating effects of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the relationship between entrepreneurship education and start-up readiness

sIn Nigeria, there is a growing concern that graduates from science and engineering fields are not ready for entrepreneurship due to low business creation among young individuals. Another perspective suggests that entrepreneurship curriculum only prepares the students to seek for employment rather than become entrepreneurs. Previous studies have revealed that there are several cognitive factors responsible for readiness to start a business other than entrepreneurship education. The purpose of this study is to determine social cognitive factors that can stimulate start-up readiness. Thus, this study examined the mediating effects of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) in the relationship between entrepreneurship education and start-up readiness. Three dimensions of entrepreneurship education and four dimensions of ESE were examined as determinants of start-up readiness using survey research approach. Data from 289 exit-level students from three Technical Vocational Education and Technology (TVET) colleges were analysed using SPSS 25 and Smart PLS 4 software. Entrepreneurship education (in terms of technical skills and business management skills) shows partial support for ESE (in terms of searching, planning, and implementing). However, entrepreneurship education (in terms of personal skills) only shows support for ESE (in terms of marshalling). The results of the mediation analysis suggest that ESE (in terms of searching, planning, and implementing) partially mediates the relationship between entrepreneurship education and start-up readiness, while ESE marshalling failed to mediate the relationship between entrepreneurship education and start-up readiness. This study also revealed that apart from ESE marshalling, all components of ESE have a direct and significant relationship with start-up readiness. Another contribution of this study indicates that personal entrepreneurial skills are required antecedent for enhancing business resources gathering skills towards start-up readiness among young individuals in Nigeria. The study suggests fostering entrepreneurial mindset via simulation-based techniques, role playing, and mentoring with practical translations.

Comparing Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy Between Vocational and Academic Post-secondary Students

Entrepreneurship promotion continues to be an important domain for economic policy and growth. Closely related to entrepreneurship promotion are the very individuals engaging with entrepreneurship, whose belief and efforts to succeed are highly correlated with their view that they ‘have what it takes”, measured as entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). ESE has thus become a critical factor toward understanding entrepreneurship support. However, most extant scholarship focuses on formal and university education, while little is said about incorporating entrepreneurship and ESE with technical vocational education and training (TVET) to develop entrepreneurs. This is surprising because so many micro and small businesses, particularly trades, are heavily anchored in TVET. This study compares academic and TVET post-secondary students in Trinidad and Tobago to determine the factors that enhance their ESE. Data emerged from three (3) regression models explaining how academic and TVET students’ ESE are correlated with several factors. Parents with a university degree, friends who are entrepreneurs and an extracurricular focus on entrepreneurship were vital factors that saw a positive correlation with ESE among the TVET population. In contrast, academic students are driven primarily by experiences. Full-time work experience and entrepreneurial experiences were significantly correlated with the ESE of academic students. Our work highlights that academic and TVET students’ ESE have different world views that impact education. This study demonstrates the importance of tailoring entrepreneurial learning for TVET students by linking ESE with cultural capital theory. We found that when teaching academic students entrepreneurship, more emphasis should be placed on experiential learning. Our research provides empirical findings we believe to be both unique and highly relevant to the literature of entrepreneurship education.

Specifics of Chinese students’ cognitive orientations in mastering technical disciplines

Introduction. Currently, the leadership of the People’s Republic of China pays special attention to the issues of technical vocational education. The learners from the PRC studying in Russia have specific cognitive orientations in mastering technical disciplines. The aim of the article is studying the specifics of academic resilience in mastering technical sciences by PRC students of Ural Federal University. Materials and methods. The academic resilience of PRC students from Ural Federal University in terms of mastering technical sciences was measured using the ‘Technics Resilience Scale for University Students’ (TRSUS). TRSUS aims to build Feedback literacy and Self-assessment with a view to help a student to pursue technical studies productively. The survey involved 659 students who had a technical science learning experience in one of the educational programmes: “Civil Engineering”, “Architecture”, “Geodesy and Remote Sensing”, “Steam Power Industry and Heat Engineering”, “Water Supply and Drainage”. The students assessed their resilience in technical sciences under a 5-score Likert response scale, with the use of Tencent Questionnaire in English. The statistical processing of measurement results was carried out using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) methodology with the use of SPSS 23.0 and Amos 18.0 software packages. Results. The statistical analysis of results of PRC students from Ural Federal University in terms of measuring resilience in technical sciences under the TRSUS scale showed that the wording of the questions was adequate to the measurement context. The primacy of students’ incremental beliefs/goals towards improving the efficiency of learning activities was revealed. A strong correlation between students’ answers with the TRSUS questions was found. Cronbachs alpha was equal to 0.977, which is evident of high internal consistency of students’ answers. The structural model of confirmatory factor analysis of TRSUS data including four indicators (factors) – “Persistence”, “Perceived Value”, “Cognitive Complexity” and “Incremental Beliefs” – has the best source data fitting criteria. The method of exploratory factor analysis of TRSUS data revealed the specificity of cognitive orientations of PRC students from Ural Federal University: the choice of educational programme influences most prominently the indicator “Perceived Value”, which is explained by the peculiarities of Chinese technological culture. Conclusion. An original methodology for measuring university students’ academic resilience in technical sciences – ‘Technics Resilience Scale for University Students’ (TRSUS) – is presented. The use of TRSUS makes it possible to determine the specifics of students’ cognitive orientations in mastering technical disciplines and to form their competent feedback and self-assessment for efficient continuation of education.

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Case Status among New Jersey Secondary Educational Professionals.

Vaccine hesitancy remains a societal problem, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program provides work-based learning training to supervisory-level career-technical-vocational education teachers and administrators who have to consider varied state and local mandates concerning COVID-19 vaccination and exemptions. In early 2022, we distributed an online survey via PsychData to individuals trained between 2014 and 2022 to understand NJ teachers' practices and concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Overall, 269 completed the survey. We stratified data by vaccination status, number of doses, booster status, age, teaching experience, gender, race, county of work, and COVID-19 diagnosis status. Overall, results suggested differences in COVID-19-related concerns, including access to, perceptions of, and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19-related practices. About 90.7% received the initial vaccine; 77.7% received the booster. About half the participants had received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis by the time of the survey; they were less likely to get the vaccine or booster if they had received the initial vaccine. Data suggested differences in levels of COVID-19-related concerns and confidence in, or importance of, vaccines when comparing different demographic factors and vaccination practices. The data informs efforts to understand factors affecting vaccine hesitancy among educational professionals.

How Can Paraguay Promote Skills through Korea TVET ODA?

Korea has continued steady growth in its official development assistance volume. Korea provided USD 2.2 billion, representing 0.14 percent of its gross national income (GNI) in 2020. Korea’s ODA budget has grown steadily. The Korean ODA project is expected to continue to increase in the field of TVET (technical vocational education and training) for developing countries. In early stage, the ODA project has been centered on Asian developing countries, but it is gradually expanding to Latin America and Africa. This paper analyzes the economy and ODA support status of Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru which are Korea's key ODA partners. Among the four countries, Paraguay's TVET and ODA current status are intensively focused. Through this, a plan for improving ODA performance and establishing a vocational education and training system is suggested. Suggestions for the improvement policies are as establishment of goal, vision and strategy for national TVET policy, establishment of comprehensive coordination mechanism between the government and the private sector, and establishment, promotion of TVET system and program.

Bridging unemployment gaps through ICT Bootcamps: A reality or precarity to equitable learning?

In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift to skills development in ICT due to the demand for low to middle-income jobs. We provide an in-depth guide to ICT bootcamps in this article for organizations in developing countries that are interested in participating in producing low to middle-level skills and reducing unemployment rates in previously disadvantaged communities, rather than relying solely on universities and technical vocational education centres. Using questionnaires, data was collected from a single case of an ICT bootcamp located in previously disadvantaged communities of the Cape Flats. The questionnaire was completed by 92 participants. Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) was used in this study to analyse the success of ICT bootcamps in the context of skill development. As a bootcamp, SLCA's success is dependent on the degree to which it provides an equitable learning environment that reflects equity, diversity, and inclusion. Making sure students' social, psychological, economic, and academic needs are met is a key recommendation for creating equitable learning environments. Our findings are based on the findings of a single case study. More case studies would strengthen our argument. Nonetheless, we believe our research has provided a solid foundation for future coding bootcamp literature.

Evaluating The Philippine TVET Competency Assessment and Certification System Using SERVQUAL Model

The TVET program has been successful in providing highly skilled individuals to meet the demands of the labor market. However, it is important to evaluate the delivery of the program to ensure that it continues to meet these demands. This study focused on analyzing the delivery of the TVET competency assessment and certification system in Davao de Oro, Philippines. The study utilized a descriptive survey method and adopted the (Service Quality) SERVQUAL model to assess service quality. The results revealed that there is a gender gap distribution among male and female clients who availed of the process of competency assessment and certification system. The study also found that empathy obtained a negative gap score (-0.03) in the process. This negative score implies that empathy is as important as other dimensions of service quality. However, other dimensions of service quality have met the expectations of clients and obtained a positive score. Overall, respondents have perceived the implementation of the technical vocational education and training TVET competency assessment and certification system to be satisfactory. To improve the service quality, it is necessary to provide appropriate information about processing time and documentary requirements to all clients and equip personnel in handling clients proactively. Relationship-based management should also be improved to promote holistic technical vocational education and training (TVET) service quality, particularly in competency assessment and certification systems.

Towards a Just Distribution of Student Funding to Youth with Learning Disabilities in Vocational Education and Training

The funding of higher-education students contributes to their skills development and renders them employable and self-sustainable. Research indicates that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) (a South African tertiary education government funding agency) has done remarkably well in funding a large number of students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue vocational training. Having noted that disability is an under-researched topic in the South African Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) context, the authors employed a qualitative critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach to analyse the tonal voice of the NSFAS policy text and generate a thematic depiction of its stance on the funding of persons with learning disabilities. A further review of 77 primary and secondary data sources was conducted to triangulate the findings drawn from the NSFAS policy text. The paper exposes the plight of youth with learning disabilities who, due to limited aptitude for academic learning, often languish on the periphery of the entrepreneurial and occupational worlds of work as observers or—if lucky enough to gain entry—serve as unaccredited (self-taught or naturally gifted) semi-skilled and secondary contributors to innovative ideas. Drawing on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 and Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach, the paper highlights the need for a funding policy that acknowledges: 1) the element of heterogeneity in disability; 2) the adoption of a funding eligibility criteria that ensure inclusion and equality for all; and, finally, 3) the need for the funding of learning programmes that accommodate diverse learning styles, developmental needs and knowledge consumption of youth with disabilities. It further advocates for broad-based youth development so that no young person—with or without a disability— lacks access to occupational training to ply a trade in the professional, artisanal, creative, or entrepreneurial realms of the knowledge economy.

Communication Setbacks of Technical-Vocational Education Students

This research dealt with the communication setbacks of the Technical-Vocational Education Students particularly on their communication apprehensions and preferred error correction. It specifically sought to determine the level of communication setbacks among the industrial education students using Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24) and how the respondents wanted their errors to be corrected. Based on the analysis and interpretation of the results of the study, it was found that the respondents have Average Communication Apprehension. It was also revealed that they want their teachers to point out the error and provide the correct form. On the contrary, they least preferred that their teachers delay the correction of their errors. It is recommended that the teachers devise concrete classroom and/or school activities geared toward activating students' linguistic and communicative competence be it in a group, meeting, dyad, or public speaking. Further, error correction should be seen as opportunity for students to develop their communication skills and not a threat to their educational growth. Keywords: communication setbacks; communication apprehension; error correction; technical-vocational education; quality education; sustainable development goals

The Development of Vocational-Technical Education in the Ukrainian Governorates of the Russian Empire in the Late 18th and Early 20th Centuries. Part 2

The Development of Vocational-Technical Education in the Ukrainian Governorates of the Russian Empire in the Late 18th and Early 20th Centuries. Part 2

Influence of Infrastructure on Implementation of E-Learning in Technical Vocational Education and Training Institutions in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Worldwide e-learning has emerged as a leading channel of learning but its implementation in Kenya has not been successful. Studies have noted infrastructural challenges in implementation of e-learning, an aspect the present study sought to address. The study determined infrastructural factors that influence implementation of e-learning in TVET institutions in Uasin Gishu County. The study established the extent to which the following factors affect the effective implementation: the availability of good bandwidth; quick response time in uploading and retrieving content; fast processors; high performance features on the servers; accessibility of learning management system and the availability of electronic learning equipment. The study was guided by Roger’s theory of Diffusion of innovation and adopted an explanatory research design with a target population of 94 electrical and electronic engineering trainers and 6 HoDs of electrical and electronic engineering departments from public TVET institutions from Uasin Gishu County. Data was collected by use of questionnaire, observation and interview schedule. The piloting of the tools was done in Kitale National Polytechnic to test for reliability and validity. Quantitative data was analyzed by use of both inferential and descriptive statistics using SPSS version 25 while qualitative data using themes and sub-themes. The inferential statistics used included: simple and multiple regression, Pearson’s correlation and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) while descriptive statistics included mean, standard deviation and frequencies. From the findings, the coefficient of determination (R square) of .449 indicated that the model explained only 44.9% of the variation or change in implementation of e-learning. The study findings indicate that infrastructure (t =2.589, P<.05), significantly influence the implementation of e-learning in TVET institutions in Uasin Gishu County and it is therefore important for TVET institutions to consider strengthening the infrastructure requirements for e-learning.