The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990 provides educators with opportunities to design and implement All Aspects of the Industry (AAI) curricula, by including a provision that all students be provided with "strong experience and understanding of all aspects of the industry." Unfortunately, even though AAI has evolved from a rich historical and conceptual base, many educators have been reluctant to incorporate this approach into their schools. To some degree, educators' AAI implementation concerns have been based on a lack of understanding about what AAI is and how AAI curricula may be developed and initiated at the school level.
Building on NCRVE research to date, this development project focuses on three areas: (1) identifying and documenting selected exemplary curriculum practices and processes that focus on AAI in the long term; (2) preparing a practitioner guide that describes these long-term curriculum practices and processes, the ways they are utilized, and under what conditions they have the potential to be most effective; and (3) using the guide to assist educators at selected school sites in the implementation of AAI curricula.
Information about curricula are being gathered via face-to-face interviews with educators at selected locations around the United States where long-term AAI programs are operating. At present, interviews have been conducted with staff members at schools in Illinois, California, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. During the interviews, administrators and teachers are asked about their involvement with AAI as well as how and why the AAI curriculum was originally created and evolved to its current state. Additional questions focus on how AAI links with other educational reforms and how AAI content is taught.
After several additional schools have been visited, interview information will be analyzed and, as appropriate, incorporated into a draft practitioner guide. Project staff are currently identifying high schools interested in implementing AAI curricula that are willing to participate in the practitioner guide field testing process.
For further information about this project, please contact:
Curtis Finch or Nevin Frantz
NCRVE Site at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
National Center for Research in Vocational Education
112 Lane Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0254
(540) 231-5982 or Fax: (540) 231-3292
E-mail: NCRVE@VTVMI.cc.vt.edu