This series of 46 cases is designed to help teachers assume roles needed to facilitate the integration of vocational and academic education. The cases are drawn from a recent study on Teachers' Roles in the Integration of Vocational and Academic Education completed in 1992 by Schmidt, Finch, and Faulkner for the National Center for Research in Vocational Education. The study documented experiences of vocational and academic teachers, principals, other administrators, and counselors who had successfully implemented the integration in their schools. In developing the cases, actual names and locations have not been used. Further, consideration is given to the contexts within which situations or events took place and the types of questions that might assist in stimulating classroom or workshop discussion. These questions are provided at the end of each case.
The cases are organized into four functional themes: (1) Cooperative Efforts, (2) Curriculum Strategies, (3) Instructional Strategies, and (4) Administrative Practices and Procedures. Based on an analysis of experiences described by the individuals interviewed, the themes serve to bring together cases that share common stages of integration. The first three themes represent stages of development teachers experience as they implement the integration. The Administrative Practices and Procedures theme provides examples of administrative actions that impact the teacher efforts both positively and negatively. The publication Creating Research-Based Case Studies to Assist Teachers with Academic and Vocational Education Integration (Finch, Schmidt, Moore, & Perry, 1995) provides details regarding development and field testing of the cases.
The cases are useful in programs for prospective teachers and administrators and in professional development seminars and workshops for practicing professionals. The basic guideline for use of the cases is that they be employed to enhance and improve educational practice.
The workplace is clearly changing, with employers needing workers who have a much broader range of skills than in the past. Workers will need technical skills, academic proficiency, and the ability to solve problems, to work as team members, and to communicate effectively with a variety of people in a workplace settings. Instruction that integrates vocational and academic subjects and classes can help students develop these skills.
It should be recognized that education does not focus solely on workplace needs. Education includes two distinctive and yet interrelated goals: (1) education for life and (2) education for earning a living: "Dealing with these two broad goals as separate entities is sometimes quite difficult, if not impossible. Each must be considered in light of the other" (Finch & Crunkilton, 1993, p. 8). Thus, education for life might include studies focusing on areas such as mathematics, science, and communication. Even though these studies can help equip a student to be a responsible citizen, they may also contribute to satisfying employers' needs for employees that have greater facility in mathematics, science, and communication. Education for earning a living, which might include studies focusing on areas such as functioning as a member of a worker team, getting along with other workers, and developing and presenting a technical report in an employment context might also prepare a person to develop and present reports in non-employment contexts.
Cognitive scientists have studied the processes by which people acquire both occupational and academic skills. They have concluded that students are better able to transfer problem-solving skills to out-of-school settings when theory is taught in context. Students require exposure to the use of problem-solving skills in contexts they will face in real-life situations. Teachers who integrate vocational and academic education can provide students with these experiences.
The delivery of vocational and academic learning to all students further supports the need to integrate vocational and academic education. Generally, high schools have three tracks: (1) college-bound, (2) vocational, and (3) general. The goal of the college-bound track is to help students attain a high level of academic achievement. Additionally, some vocational programs prepare students for advanced technological occupations that require a high level of basic academic proficiency. Other vocational programs, however, have not challenged students academically. Further, many students have opted to complete high school by pursuing low-level general track and unrelated vocational courses. These students are neither prepared for work nor for further education.
To address the concerns of economic necessity, efficiency of learning, and social justice, educators have implemented a number of different strategies for integrating vocational and academic education. These case studies explore ways that vocational and academic teachers have worked together to meet the two broad goals of integration, which are presented in the publication Integrating Academic and Vocational Education Guidelines for Secondary School Principals (Schmidt, Beeken, & Jennings, 1992). They are as follows:
1. To provide all students with the occupational, academic, and higher-order skills needed to function effectively in a technologically advanced society, a globally competitive marketplace, and an information-based economy.
2. To enhance students' learning through the use of findings of cognitive psychologists including focusing on students, not on content; teaching academic and problem-solving skills so that they are mutually reinforcing; encouraging students to recognize and solve problems; and reinforcing academic skills with hands-on applications.
Prior to using the cases, a more extensive review of the concepts of integrating vocational and academic education than presented here may be needed. Group discussion or individual study and reflection can generate a broad-based understanding of the characteristics of integration. The study on Teachers Roles in the Integration of Vocational and Academic Education, previously mentioned, may be used to stimulate discussion. Other publications prepared by authors of the cases that may also be useful for the purpose of reviewing vocational and academic integration include Integrating Academic and Vocational Education Guidelines for Secondary School Principals, the source of the goals noted above; Using Professional Development To Facilitate Vocational and Academic Integration: A Practitioners Guide (Finch, Schmidt, & Faulkner, 1992); Collaborative Efforts Between Vocational and Academic Teachers: Strategies that Facilitate and Hinder the Efforts (Schmidt, 1990); and Helping Teachers to Understand Their Roles in Integrating Vocational and Academic Education: A Practitioners Guide (Schmidt, Finch, & Faulkner, 1992).
Instructors selecting case studies to augment a related course may choose those cases for discussion and role play that best exemplify the thematic concepts covered earlier in the class or those scheduled to be covered concurrently with the case studies. On the other hand, instructors who are planning to use the cases as a complete course for credit or as an inservice professional development seminar will probably select as many cases to analyze as time permits. Based on experience users had when field testing the cases, a section for this publication on "Using the Case Studies" has been prepared. It provides insight into purposes the cases can serve, selection of cases, and managing the instructional setting.
Finally, understanding the purpose of case studies as a learning tool for
developing effective vocational and academic education integration strategies
is important. Those who are not seasoned case-method group leader/facilitators
may wish to review in advance some of the resources listed in the selected
bibliography provided in Appendix A. Such a review will no doubt enhance
users' knowledge and self-confidence as they prepare for what the authors feel
will be an enormously rewarding and exciting learning adventure.
1. The cases can help prospective teachers learn how experienced teachers react to situations that require them to change. Also, prospective teachers may gain insight into roles they will fulfill when implementing the integration.
2. The cases promote a setting where the discussion of sensitive issues can take place. In addition, they facilitate exploring what might be.
3. The cases are particularly useful as "ice breakers" and in stimulating nonthreatening discussions when the integration of vocational and academic education is first being examined. Cases help individuals using them realize that others face challenges similar to their own.
4. The cases demonstrate how teachers have actually implemented a variety of integration activities in different settings along with some outcomes of their efforts. Thus, they can help stimulate teachers' interest in moving toward the integration.
5. Team building is an important part of implementing the integration. The case studies set the stage for team development by providing the incentive for participants to discuss and share personal experiences related to those that teachers described in the cases have had.
6. The cases can help teachers with actual implementation of the integration activities by providing details of real-world experiences others have had. For example, cases can stimulate vocational and academic teachers to form a committee, identify team teaching opportunities, or develop a curriculum project that aligns their teaching areas.
1. Select cases from the various theme areas giving consideration to the stages of development participants are experiencing or will experience. Briefly, the following are the three major stages of growth teachers experience in the integration process:
Stage 1: Cooperative Efforts when the teachers learn about each other to find a basis for mutual support, share information about students and instruction, and then begin to coordinate details of planning and instruction. (Group I cases, Numbers 1 through 12, focus on this stage.)
Stage 2. Curriculum Strategies when teachers meet to plan initial projects and activities, change from past procedures to fit their instruction to their new plans, and work together to design aligned, enhanced curriculum. (Group II cases, Numbers 13 through 23, focus on this stage.)
Stage 3. Instructional Strategies when teachers initiate integrated instruction they have planned. In this stage, they emphasize learning through the applied approach, teach cooperatively through jointly developed assignments and units, and use community resources to support their instruction. (Group III cases, Numbers 24-36, focus on this stage.)
Group IV cases, Numbers 37 through 46, focus on the theme of Administrative Practices and Procedures that impact the teachers efforts to achieve the integration of vocational and academic education.
2. Avoid selecting cases from only one of the four theme areas. The content of cases within a theme area may overlap and accompanying discussion questions may seem repetitive. A variety of cases are provided in each theme area so instructors can select cases that mirror instructional situations and settings that the case study users have had or will experience.
3. Select cases that provide examples of both vocational and academic teachers meeting with success and encountering difficulties. In some cases, academic teachers resist change; in others, the vocational teachers resist change.
4. Select cases that include types of teachers and settings that are as similar as possible to the ones of the intended users. Users relate best to the cases that focus on actual problems they are likely to face.
5. The importance of using hands-on, contextual learning is emphasized in many of the cases. Select cases with this emphasis if helping teachers change to this type of instruction is an important consideration.
6. Remember that individuals using the cases have different background experiences and will react to the cases in different ways. Thus, select cases that illustrate a variety of integration experiences.
1. Without background knowledge of what the integration of vocational and academic education is and what purpose it serves, case users will not be able to relate to the integration concepts emphasized in the cases. Thus, before assigning any of the cases to prospective users, be sure they have this background knowledge.
2. Provide copies and assign reading of the cases the day before they are to be discussed in class. Individuals read and grasp information from reading at varying rates. Providing an opportunity for all users to read the cases ahead of time facilitates use of instructional time and avoids embarrassing those who need more time than others for reading the cases.
3. Form groups of individuals with different background experiences to discuss the cases. The groups might be comprised of vocational and academic teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators. Further, they may be from the same or different schools. Also, vary individuals who make up the discussion groups from case to case.
4. For the first case discussed, have all groups work with the same case and compare answers to the discussion questions. For subsequent cases, assign a number of cases to be read (3 to 5), and have different groups select specific cases they will discuss. They can then present outcomes of their discussion to the total group.
5. Establish procedures for the groups to follow when discussing the cases. They should designate someone to present the case, someone to record highlights of their discussion, and someone to report these highlights to other participants.
6. Encourage the groups to add details to the cases from their own experiences. Further, they may want to develop a role play situation or skit to present the case to other participants. Bringing the cases to life helps emphasize the integration concepts they focus on.
7. Not all discussion questions that follow a case need to be answered. Select questions that illustrate points you want to emphasize. Another approach would be to disregard the discussion questions and instead use an "Identify the problem, create a solution" approach. Doing this will encourage participant involvement.
8. Emphasize that teachers are neither "good" nor "bad" as they work toward implementing the integration. Stress that it is a process that requires change which is sometimes resisted.
9. Have the case study users write down key points they observed from the cases before discussing them with others. In this way, no one's thoughts or concerns will be ignored.
10. Allow adequate time for discussion of the cases. Time needed for group discussion of each case will take 15 to 20 minutes. Then allow 15 to 20 minutes for presentation of the case and discussion about it with all participants.
11. Be nonjudgmental when reacting to responses to the discussion questions. It is entirely possible for the groups to explore avenues of discussion you had not previously thought of. Avoid supplying answers to the questions you feel have not been fully answered; instead, use a counseling type approach of reiterating responses until participants provide responses of more depth.
12. Emphasize the importance of participants discussing and finding solutions that will work in their own particular teaching situations. Many of the problems that arise in the cases are the result of poor communications. Ask why the breakdown in communications occurred and what can be done to remedy it.
The preceding suggestions summarize input received to date from users of the
cases. As the cases are used in other settings and possibly for different
purposes, other considerations important in their use will no doubt emerge.
Instructors using the cases are, thus, encouraged to add what they learn to
these suggestions. In that way the effectiveness of the cases will continue to
increase as they are used with new groups.
Finch, C. R., Schmidt, B. J., Moore, M. A., & Perry, J. (in press). Creating research-based case studies to assist teachers with academic and vocational education integration. Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.
Finch, C. R., Schmidt, B. J., & Faulkner, S. L. (1992). Using professional development to facilitate vocational and academic integration: A practitioner's guide (MDS-277). Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California in Berkeley.
Schmidt, B. J. (1990). Collaborative efforts between vocational and academic teachers: Strategies that facilitate and hinder the efforts (MDS-164). Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.
Schmidt, B. J., Beeken, L. A., & Jennings, C. L. (1992). Integrating academic and vocational education guidelines for secondary school principals (MDS-297). Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.
Schmidt, B. J., Finch, C. R., & Faulkner, S. L. (1992). Teachers' roles in the integration of vocational and academic education (MDS-275). Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.
Schmidt, B. J., Finch, C. R., & Faulkner, S. L. (1992). Helping teachers to understand their roles in integrating vocational and academic education: A practitioner's guide (MDS-276). Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.