. . . in programs linking education and work

Learning From Students' Perspectives on Programs Linking Education and Work

• Overview
• Background
• Project Design
• Project Activities
• Site Profiles
• About Voices of Diversity Briefs
• Staff
• Research Advisory Group
• Acknowledgments

Overview

This research project was designed to build an understanding of the kinds of experiences acquired by students participating in programs linking education and work, with particular emphasis on the experiences of students who are traditionally underrepresented in the literature (e.g., female, Latino, and Asian students). Since 1993, we have examined the experiences of a representative sample of underrepresented secondary and postsecondary vocational-technical students.

Qualitative techniques have been used to collect and analyze data and identify themes. Programs and institutions in which the students are enrolled have been described. Various themes have also emerged based on students' perspectives, including career development, school climate, gender issues, and teaching and learning. These students' insights can be useful and informative for both policy development and practical considerations in implementing current education reforms. Quantitative analyses of project findings using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (National Center for Education Statistics, 1993) are also underway to verify findings on a nationally representative sample of students.

This report presents an overview of the project design. Forthcoming reports will further highlight emerging themes in programs linking education and work in the context of current education reforms.

Background

The challenge for practitioners is twofold: (1) to match the educational principles of current initiatives with appropriate curriculum and instructional efforts for all students rather than limited segments of the student population, and (2) to meet the educational needs of our nation's rapidly growing diverse student population (Pallas, Natriello, & McDill, 1989; Ward & Anthony, 1992). However, it appears that as America's students and future workforce become increasingly diverse in ethnicity, family, cultural, and economic background, the challenges they present to employers, educators, and vocational educators, in particular, are not well understood. Indeed, the rapid increases in both the scope and magnitude of diversity present enormous implications for preparing individuals for productive employment in today's learning-intensive and technology-intensive work place (Bailey, 1991; SCANS, 1991).

As Levin (1989) noted, failure to anticipate coming changes in the composition of the student population and to plan appropriate responses will leave us not with the same educational problems we face today, but, perhaps, with problems so severe and widespread as to threaten our economic welfare and even our social-political stability.

Further, while youth and adults are the central focus of vocational-technical education programs, we have relatively little information from students describing and evaluating why and how they entered programs or their perspectives on secondary and postsecondary institutions. As the field enters a new era of education and workplace reform, it is essential that the influence of new initiatives be viewed and examined from the students' perspectives.

While longitudinal studies such as the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NCES, 1993) are generally useful for addressing policy issues and raising significant questions regarding at-risk and other students, they do not offer specific, student-level insights. To bring full meaning and understanding to educational reform and improvement initiatives such as Tech Prep and efforts to integrate vocational and academic education, students' writings and assessments are valuable sources of information. Further, most longitudinal studies do not provide opportunities to examine older adult populations and their decisions relative to education during or following extended participation in the workforce.

An in-depth examination of personal experiences encountered in education and work (separately and interactively) is crucial to developing an understanding of how students make decisions to enter, experience, and benefit from STW programs.

The purpose of this featured research was to build an understanding of the learning and transitional experiences of students participating in programs featuring key principles of current education reforms.

Project Design

To understand the students' voices describing their perspectives on learning and career development as they enter, participate, and experience transition from programs to work or further education, a theoretical framework was used that includes both the concepts of emerging vocationalism and grounded theory.

Emerging Vocationalism

Initially, a set of core components of "emerging" vocational-technical education was identified. This framework was helpful to position researchers and participants when discussing key schooling and personal experiences derived from participation in programs linking education and work.

So noted, "emerging" vocational- technical programs have been developed within the context of an educational reform movement stirred by the passing of the Perkins Act Amendments of 1990. This movement places an emphasis on academic as well as occupational skills and calls for the involvement of "all segments of the population."

Emerging vocationalism can be described by three core components: (1) integration of vocational and academic education; (2) integration of secondary and postsecondary education; and (3) developing closer linkages between school and work (Hayward & Benson, 1993; Phelps, 1992; Rosenstock, 1991).

This framework for emerging vocationalism was used as a point of reference for students' experiences and to make sense of their perspectives. By identifying patterns across programs, it is hoped to build an understanding of what it means for students to participate in programs featuring key elements of emerging vocationalism.

Grounded Theory

Using this approach, one does not begin with theory and seek to verify or improve it. Rather, a topic of interest is selected for study and what is relevant to the topic is allowed to emerge without preconceived notions about the nature or structure of the theoretical knowledge. Grounded theory also provided for a systematic comparative method which allowed integrated data collection, identification of themes, and an analysis of the perspectives of students enrolled in emerging vocational-technical programs.

The results generate an integrated theory which evolves from the data in a meaningful format that lends itself for further testing (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Thus, based on their program experiences, students described important elements of quality school environments grounded in authentic teaching and learning activities (see Voices of Diversity, Brief Nos. 2-6).

Linked to the concepts of emerging vocationalism and grounded theory, four major research questions guided this study.

1. What are the reasons students enroll in these programs?
2. What kinds of learning experiences are students exposed to?
3. What are the students' perspective on these learning experiences?
4. What are the students' expectations and experiences upon graduation?

Project Activities

In 1993, the project design was revised considering input from our Research Advisory Group, feedback from personal consultations with NCRVE staff, and focus groups completed with students and staff involved in programs with potential for participation in the study.

The concept of emerging vocationalism was further characterized with a set of indicators derived from NCRVE and education reform frameworks (see p. 3, this report). Specific examples for each of the identified indicators were used to select potential participant programs. Students' perspectives on these indicators of quality emerging programs linking education and work are featured in Voices of Diversity Brief No. 2.

The project design was based on a multicase study approach, which included nine selected programs representing a sample of 133 students. That is, the project focused on the collective experiences and perspectives of students participating in nine representative programs (cases) linking education and work.

Program and Student Selection

At the secondary level, five programs were selected representing the following areas: business, technical arts, agricultural sciences, science and technology, and manufacturing. At the postsecondary level, four programs were selected representing the fields of biomedical technology, environmental sciences, international trade, and computer-aided design technology. Two of the selected programs (manufacturing and computer-aided design technology) are located in the same community and have connecting activities in place. This sampling strategy enabled us to examine the experiences of the students in different settings as their transition from high school to a postsecondary institution occurred in a specific community labor market.

In 1993, participants were selected from two cohorts within each program: beginners (freshmen and sophomores) and completers (juniors and seniors). At the postsecondary level, we selected students who had completed either less than 25% of the program credits (i.e., beginners) or more than 75% of the program credits (completers) in 1993-1994--the base year for the study. Additional criteria for student selection included gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and disability.

The student sample specification was based on a demographic profile derived from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NCES, 1993), the first follow-up study conducted in 1990 (NELS:90), and data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) of 1990. Given the size and diversity of the student population in the secondary cohort, it was possible to select a balanced sample in terms of gender comparable to NELS rates. To increase participation of African-American, Asian, Latino, and Native American students, these ethnic groups were oversampled.

On the postsecondary cohort, it was possible to match rates of participation reported by the NAEP report in regard to ethnic background. However, given the limited number of women enrolled in selected postsecondary programs, this study contains a disproportionate proportion of male students (see student participation box, next page). Only three students had special needs (e.g., learning disabilities) or mild physical handicaps (e.g., visually impaired).

Data Collection

With the permission of the interviewees, all interviews were tape recorded and complementary notes were also collected. Class observations were also conducted in regular academic courses (e.g., English, math) and program-specific courses (e.g., computer- aided drafting, agricultural leadership). The purpose of these observations was to get a feel for the schooling context and to become familiar with the school climate.

Following each site visit, interviews were summarized and notes compared to characterize events and experiences observed in the program setting. This approach allowed the unique voice of each student to be maintained while providing a starting point to identify themes across interviews within a given program.

Site visits began in 1993 and terminated early in 1996. Site visits included student and graduate interviews, gathering samples of students' work, classroom observations, student shadowing, and observation of program activities. In some instances, other research strategies such as conduction of special surveys or writing assignments on a quarterly basis were implemented in lieu of interviews.

Analysis

These steps were guided by one underlying critical question: What is the nature of students' learning experiences in programs linking education and work?

Using this method, analytical steps were continually performed on the data until emerging categories were fully characterized to account for all variables representing them (Conrad, 1978). Additional questions which derived from the underlying critical question guided the analytical steps of the research (see box, next page).

Based on this approach, experiences and incidents were identified in categories across interviews and across programs. A finding was found relevant if it was important to at least half of the participants in at least three of the programs at both the secondary and postsecondary levels.

To bring full meaning and understanding to emerging themes, a cross-examination is underway using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NCES, 1993). That is, based on qualitative findings, variables of interest are identified (e.g., variables related to school climate, authentic instruction) in the NELS data set to contrast study findings with quantitative and generalizable data collected from a national sample of students.

Findings from these analyses will be an invaluable source of information since reports will blend the students' voices with facts derived from large, national databases. The second follow-up of the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) conducted in 1992, for instance, provides rich information on both schooling and transitional student experiences appropriate for this purpose.

By comparing the voices of diversity (VOD) students' experiences with the experiences of students nationally, we will be able to address some important questions:

• How pervasive are the elements of emerging vocationalism in schooling and work experience?
• Are the experiences of VOD students being shared in high schools and two-year colleges nationally?
• What differences exist in these experiences for specific groups of students?

Analytical Steps

• Comparison of critical experiences or events within broad categories
• Characterization of each category
• Verification of theoretical properties
• Theory integration

Guiding Questions

• What are the learning experiences or events deemed important across interviews and programs?
• How do students describe these experiences or events?
• What are the students' evaluations of such experiences or events?

Site Profiles

Secondary Sites

Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
Chicago, IL

This is an urban comprehensive magnet high school serving 478 students in grades 9 through 12. As in many urban high schools, the student population is racially mixed. The school offers science, business, and technology with a focus on agriculture in a variety of collegiate and career-bound formats. Extensive curricular opportunities exist in horticultural sciences, food sciences, agricultural careers and leadership, and agribusiness. Opportunities to experience authentic learning are provided in many ways at this integrated vocational and academic campus. For instance, through research projects students hypothesize outcomes, gather and analyze data, and report their findings. Internship experiences are also available for students at the city's board of trade and the state university.

Downtown Business Magnet School
Los Angeles, CA

This urban magnet high school began in late 1981 as a partnership between the school district, business community, and local government. In 1991, the school added a fashion component to its curriculum with the support of local industries and trade college programs. This high school allows students an opportunity to experience an open classroom and business-like environment. About 865 students enroll in this school each year. Eighty-six percent or 750 of the total student population participate in the business component. The remaining 115 students participate in the fashion component. Over half of the students enrolled come from low socioeconomic backgrounds and represent various ethnic groups (African-American, 43%; Asian, 9%; Caucasian, 9%; Filipino, 2%; Latino, 34%; Native American, 3%).

Authentic learning activities are emphasized through class projects (e.g., economics, fashion design, accounting), which require the investigation of a topic, implementation of the project, and presentation (written/oral) of findings. Furthermore, applied academics is integrated in the business and fashion components using practical applications related to the business world. Internships are also available to students and student eligibility is based on academic achievement, faculty recommendations, and demonstrated performance and responsibility.

The Rindge School of Technical Arts
Cambridge, MA

This program features a school culture receptive to change and willing to experiment with innovative approaches to education. The program in Technical Arts is one of seven at the host school, the only public school in Cambridge. Restructured in 1991, the program is serving students in grades 9-12 and offering technical programs in the following areas: automotive, auto body, baking, carpentry, culinary arts, computer science, drafting and design, electrical, electronics, and graphic arts. The focus is on basic transferable skills leading to career and college opportunities. In 1993 the school reported an overall student population of 2,026 students representing 64 countries and 18 languages. Students in the Technical Arts program appear to be from low to middle socioeconomic backgrounds and represent the following groups: male, 75%; female, 25%; African-American, 32%; Asian, 1.5%; Caucasian, 47%; Latino, 19%; and Native American, 0.5%.

Using the city as a laboratory and various workplace environments, students are provided with opportunities to apply basic and advanced skills. Students benefit from taking advanced classes during the summer or participating in internship programs at nearby colleges and universities. Also, students have the opportunity to strengthen or develop career and college plans through these experiences. Internships are available in physics facilities management, education, technical fields, and health for juniors and seniors. Concurrently, the program works closely with local corporations, hospitals, and higher education institutions to provide for paid work-based experiences.

Manufacturing Youth Apprenticeship Program
Harlem High School
Machesney Park, IL

The manufacturing youth apprenticeship program began in September 1992 and is housed in a high school located in a predominantly middle class suburban town. It is a two-county program supported by a consortium of 16 local manufacturing companies and seven high schools. In 1994, there were 38 students enrolled in the program. Of these students, 30 attended the host high school for the regular academic component of the program while the rest were enrolled at other high schools. In terms of gender, there were 31 males and 7 females. Thirty-six Caucasian and two Latino students participated in the program.

Students in the program attend the Manufacturing Academy housed in a local company which agreed to provide the necessary space to hold instruction sessions and training equipment. Tools and machines were donated by six metal-working companies. Here, students receive two hours a day of hands-on instruction, learning how to operate 30 basic pieces of equipment in a manufacturing environment. Apprentices receive monetary support over a two-year period with scholarships awarded at the end of the first year based on grade point average. The goal of the program is for graduates to continue their education through on-the-job training or in college programs. Students may go on to a four-year college or enroll in the local two-year technical college and earn an Associate Degree in Applied Sciences.

Thomas Jefferson High School
for Science and Technology
Alexandria, VA

This suburban magnet high school focuses on science and technology and offers a full-time program for students in grades 9-12. Its mission is to provide a rigorous college preparatory program to students with an aptitude and interest in the sciences and technology, and to stimulate cooperation among the surrounding academic, scientific, and business communities. Students are accepted based on a variety of criteria, including admission test scores, overall academic achievement, personal essays, teacher recommendations, and self-reported interests and activities. Of the 2,500 students who apply annually, 400 are admitted. Students from six surrounding school districts are eligible to attend this public school. Data from Fall 1993 indicated the following breakdown of the student population: male, 60%; female, 40%; African-American, 6%; Caucasian, 68%; Latino, 6%; other ethnic groups, 20%.

In partnership with business, industry, and governmental agencies, eleven specialized technology laboratories support the scientific research emphasis of the curriculum. During their senior year, students can elect to work with community-based mentors in these technology laboratories to complete their senior science research graduation requirement.

Postsecondary Sites

This urban community college, located in the Midwest serves a student population of about 75,000 full- and part-time students. Data from Spring 1994 indicated that the enrollment in the Electronics Technology program was approximately 175 students who were predominately male (87%) and Caucasian (82%). The program has seven career areas which allow for multiple entry points. All career areas share a core curriculum during the first and second semester, allowing students opportunities to explore careers in the field before committing to a particular career area. Through linkages with local businesses, students and instructors take advantage of internships and shadowing experiences. Local four-year colleges accept transfers from this program.

International Business and Cross Cultural Program
Vista Community College
Berkeley, CA

The program in international trade is housed at a community college located in the San Francisco Bay area. Students gain practical knowledge on several facets of international trade leading to numerous occupational choices, including customs broker and insurance agent. Completing a course in Small Business Management is also required. Overall, students come from diverse ethnic backgrounds: male, 33%; female, 67%; African American, 25%; Asian, 10%; Caucasian, 46%; Latino, 9%; and other ethnic groups, 10%.

Computer-Aided Mechanical Technology
Rock Valley Community College
Rockford, IL

This program is housed in a two-year college located in a Midwest suburban community with a student population of about 13,000. Data from Fall 1994 indicated that approximately 52% are day students who are predominantly Caucasian (90.7%). The emphasis of the program is on computer-aided design and drafting in response to local industry needs in manufacturing. Students completing the program earn an Associate Degree in Applied Sciences. Two more options are offered to students: a 12-15 course certificate or a 2-10 course mini-certificate. The college works in collaboration with a local consortium of high schools and businesses to support a manufacturing youth apprenticeship program.

Environmental Health Technology
Roane State Community College
Harriman, TN

The program is housed in a college serving 6,000 students from eight rural counties and a large metropolitan area. In 1985, the program reported a 100% placement rate for graduates. Program enrollment consists of approximately 214 students (data from Spring 1993) who are predominantly male (66%) and Caucasian (95%). The Associate Degree in Applied Sciences features options in Health Physics, Industrial Hygiene, Waste Management, and Quality Management, each requiring completion of 73-77 credit hours and designed to be completed in two years as a full-time student.

References

Conrad, C. F. (1978). A grounded theory of academic change. Sociology of Education, 51(2), 101-112.

Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aladine Publishers.

Hayward, G., & Benson, C. S. (1993). The changing role of vocational-technical education in the United States. Center Work, 4(2), 1-3. Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.

Levin, H. M. (1989). Financing the education of at-risk students. Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 3(1), 454-460.

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). (1993). National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 base year: Second follow-up student component data file user's manual. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

National Center for Research in Vocational Education (NCRVE). (1993). The 1993 Agenda for the National Center for Research in Vocational Education. Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.

Pallas, A., Natriello, G., & McDill, E. (1989). The changing nature of the disadvantaged population: Current dimensions and future trends. Educational Research, 18(5), 16-22.

Phelps, L. A. (1992). Designing effective education-work linkages. Issues in Education and Work. Madison: Center on Education and Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Rosenstock, L. (1991, February). The walls come down: The overdue reunification of vocational and academic education. Phi Delta KAPPAN, 72(6), 434-436.

Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). (1991). What work requires of schools. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor.

Stake, R. E. (1994). Case studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 236-247). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Ward, J. G., & Anthony, P. (Eds.). (1992). Who pays for diversity? Population changes and educational policy. Newbury Park, CA: Corwin Press.

About Voices of Diversity Briefs

Brief No. 1: Learning From Students' Perspectives on Programs Linking Education and Work

This report provides background information on the study design, characteristics of research participants, research procedures, and analytical techniques. Brief descriptions of the programs studied are also provided.

Brief No. 2: Quality Indicators of Programs Linking Education and Work

This report provides high school students' perspectives on the three core components undergirding current reforms in vocational education: (1) integration of vocational and academic education, (2) integration of secondary education, and (3) linkages between school and work.

Brief No. 3: Building a School Climate Conducive to Learning: Students' Perspectives

This report provides a description of three critical elements of school climate as identified by high school students enrolled in five programs linking education and work. These three elements are (1) authentic program context, (2) teaching and learning context, and (3) a supportive environment conducive to learning.

Brief No. 4: Grounding Career Development in Authentic Learning Activities

Important considerations for enhancing students' career development are highlighted in this report. A benchmarking approach for program improvement is suggested (in preparation).

Brief No. 5: Connecting Education and Work Through Authentic Instruction

Problem-solving, research projects, and critical thinking activities that are integrated into authentic teaching and learning are addressed in this report.

Brief No. 6: Gender Perspectives on Programs Linking Education and Work

This reports addresses the question of equity and access to programs linking education and work based on gender perspectives. High school students, both male and female, talk about their experiences in five career-oriented programs (in preparation).

Other Voices of Diversity Briefs will be forthcoming. These reports will address high school students' perspectives on their schooling and transitional experiences. Briefs describing two-year college students' perspectives on similar issues will also be produced.

Detailed descriptions of project findings can be found in both published journal articles and in papers presented at national conferences. The following are available:

Developing career and academic aspirations in school- to-work programs: A qualitative study of gender perspectives (1996, April). Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), New York.

Developing career and academic aspirations: Creating new and different doors for students in school-to-work programs (1995, July). Paper presented at the National Leadership Forum on School-to-Work Transition, Boston, Massachusetts.

Voices of diversity in emerging vocationalism: Students' perspectives on school climate (1995, April). Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, California.

Producing knowledge in career-oriented programs: Students' perspectives on schooling experiences (1996, December). Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Vocational Association (AVA), Cincinnati, Ohio.