Vocational Education Commons^™

Cultivating Financial Literacy Through Secondary School Economics Education: Access To Powerful Knowledge, Emanuel Mizzi

International Journal for Business Education

‘Powerful knowledge’ is disciplinary knowledge that when learned, empowers students to make decisions in a way that will influence their lives in a positive way (Young, 2008). In this paper, the researcher employs this construct to explore the financial literacy education arising from studying secondary school economics. It emerges from the author’s research aimed at exploring teaching and learning in secondary school Maltese economics classrooms. The underlying conceptual framework for this study is critical realism. The study design consisted of interviewing and observing 14 economics teachers, together with four focus groups interviews with students. Data were analyzed by employing thematic …

Project-Based Pedagogy: The Client's Perspective, Wayne Aho, Wendy Cagle, Jon Marvel, Michael Smith, Edward Wright

International Journal for Business Education

Project-based experiential business education seeks to provide students with lessons that are meaningful, practical, and enduring. While previous research has sought to understand how students and faculty members react to such educational experiences, it is also important to understand the perceptions of the business clients who engage with programs employing project-based education. The aim of this study was to better understand the experiences of business clients with whom students engaged as part of an undergraduate business capstone course. Two hundred fifty-three previous clients were surveyed with a 22.4% response rate. Responses were subjected to content analysis to cluster replies into …

Stimulating Intrapreneurial Intentions With Digital Business Training In The Vet Sector: The Potential Of Massive Open Online Courses, Christian Friedl

International Journal for Business Education

It has become imperative to stimulate and support employees to behave entrepreneurially within organizations (intrapreneurship). However, little is known about how digital, massive, and scalable business education and training formats such as massive open online course (MOOCs) can contribute to vocational and educational training (VET) in general, and to nurture intrapreneurial behavior and corresponding intentions in specific. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the potential effect of a MOOC on intrapreneurial intentions of learners.
Data were acquired from 412 employees taking a MOOC on intrapreneurship for constructs embedded in the theory of planned behavior, tailored to the …

Signature Pedagogy For Entrepreneurship Education: An Emerging Perspective, Ashley Gess, Eleonora Brivio, Gianluca De Leo

International Journal for Business Education

Entrepreneurial ways of thinking and doing intersect with the knowledge and skills that a global citizen needs to thrive. There is a robust body of scholarship that identifies core entrepreneurial skills however there is a dearth of evidence addressing how to successfully teach entrepreneurship. Using the lens of experiential learning, this qualitative study examines the surface, deep, and implicit structures of professional entrepreneurial culture toward revealing a meaningful, authentic pedagogical approach for entrepreneurship education. In order to achieve this outcome, researchers utilized a semi-structured comparable multiple-case study design to engage 19 incubated entrepreneurs in focus group interviews. A replication strategy …

Internships As Clinical Rotations In Business: Enhancing Access And Options, Faye W. Gilbert, Jason Harkins, Pankaj Agrrawal, Taylor Ashley

International Journal for Business Education

Internships are high impact practices that offer work experiences and provide advantages for participating undergraduate students and for the talent acquisition efforts of firms. While research consistently documents the benefits of internships as a transformative experience, access and outcomes may vary for students and for underserved populations. Limitations of internships can include lack of access to enough positions as well as inadequate interactions between undergraduate students, firms, and faculty members in business programs. The purpose of this article is to describe an approach to enhancing access to internships on a larger scale with greater variety. Protocols found in clinical rotations …

An Investigation Examining The Closing Of The Achievement Gap In Louisiana With The Ngss, George Cage

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and its implications of being a curricular and pedagogical intervention in terms of narrowing the achievement gap in science education for Children of Color. In using the explanatory mixed methods design, standardized test data and one-on-one interviews were examined to assess the effectiveness and impact of the NGSS’ implementation in the state of Louisiana. This study utilized student performance results from the LEAP 2025 to conduct a statistical analysis that measured trends in performance by Children of Color, specifically Black students, before and after the implementation …

Educating 21st Century Technology Career Professionals: Perspectives On Soft Skills, Scott A. Fillman

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This study used the theories of Pedagogical Constructivism, Transformative Learning, and Social and Cultural Capital to understand better the soft skills competencies that need to be imparted to adult learners to thrive in a technological world. The study was set at Midwest Tech Company, a suburban software technology company located outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The research design was qualitative, using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected within interviews, focus group activities, and from documents. Analysis of the data collected revealed lived experiences of career technology professionals that described effective communication, willingness to learn, and the value of mentorship within technology …

A Phenomenological Study Of Community College Career And Technical Education Graduates' Perceptions Of The Impact Of Online Delivery On Their Employability Skills Preparation, Jarett John Gilbert

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to elevate and explore the voices of Oregon community college graduates of online career and technical education (CTE) programs to better understand how they perceive they were prepared with employability skills. The participants graduated from their program in Spring 2020, after their final term of classes were shifted completely online due to COVID-19. A three-interview protocol was conducted to explore how participants define employability skills, and the extent to which they felt their online learning experience prepared them with strong teamwork, communication, and results-orientation skills, requisite for success in their fields. Five major …

What Long-Term Effects Occur From Combat Deployment In Effecting Later Adaptation To Civilian Life?, Corey E. Waites

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study shows the effects that combat exposure can have on an individual by compiling information gained from surveys and collecting data from Facebook interactions. Members of the study who were deployed to the Southern area of Baghdad, Iraq, between 2003-2005 were included in this research after they voluntarily responded to an initial group message on Facebook to members of the 703rd medical company members. This research sets out to determine how a review of the veterans of the US Army 3rd Infantry Division 703rd medical unit between the years 2003-2005 in Iraq can tell us about the long-term effects …

Challenges To Maintaining Student Engagement And Student Organizations Activities Faced By Advisors In The Uncertain Environment Of Covid-19., Charlene Baillieul, Cindy L. Crowder

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Background: Interviews were conducted with Career and Technical Education Student Organizations (CTSOs) advisors from secondary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purpose: The purpose was to discover the impact COVID-19 pandemic had on CTSO advisors’ personal views and lived experiences. Method: Researchers followed a constant comparative methodology, analyzing the interview transcripts for interconnectivity of the experiences by independently coding data employing open and axial coding techniques and identifying emerging themes. Discussion: The short-term effects of the pandemic were related to access and adequate technology, apathy in both students and advisors, and administrative support. More research will need to be conducted on …

Career And Technical Education Students Advancing To Higher Education Through Faculty Mentoring, Joneane P. Davis

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the career technical education (CTE) mentoring experiences of adult learners who completed an allied health certification and subsequently went on to pursue higher education such as a bachelor’s degree, from the lens of Zachary’s four phase mentoring model.

Methodology: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adult former CTE learners who advanced to higher education. Through purposeful sampling, 10 participants were selected to participate in the interviews. The interviews were recorded and the recordings transcribed. The data were coded and analyzed for common themes.

Findings: The data …

Transforming Technology & Engineering Educator Inputs Into Desired Student Outputs Through Mechanism Analysis And Synthesis, Andrew J. Hughes, Chris Merrill

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

The intention of this article is to provide middle and high school Technology and Engineering Educators (T&EEs) with a more thorough understanding of an engineering approach to the teaching and learning of mechanics. During the teaching and learning of engineering content, in this case mechanics, the educator should attempt to align pedagogical content knowledge with engineering content knowledge and practices. T&EEs will also need to focus on terminology, structure, and applying theory to practical hands-on learning activities inside and outside of the classroom. T&EEs have the potential to foster middle and high school students’ mechanical knowledge and the ability to …

Building Capacities To Conduct Respirator Fit Testing For Pesticide Applicators, Michael R. Wierda, Janet R. Hygnstrom, Natalie Hoidal, Thia Walker, Jessica Wilburn, Robin Tutor Marcom, Dean Herzfeld, Kay Sargent, Kerry Richards, Rachel Maccini, Candace Bartholomew

The Journal of Extension

The 2015 revision of the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) mandates requirements for medical evaluation, fit testing, and respirator training when the pesticide label requires a respirator. An ad-hoc group of Extension pesticide safety educators came together to address a lack of training and infrastructure for respirator compliance. In the ensuing years, programs of varied audiences and formats were hosted. Errors and shortcomings were realized, knowledge was gained, and lessons were learned. Those lessons are summarized here with links, resources, and suggestions for the implementation of similar efforts by Extension professionals.

Scope Process: Fostering Students' Design Outcome Effectiveness, Andrew J. Hughes, Cameron D. Denson

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to help Technology and Engineering Educators scaffold engineering design and problem-solving experiences so that students taking technology and engineering courses will develop an improved ability to design. Technology and Engineering Education seems to increasingly focus on problem-solving, design, and engineering. Technology and Engineering Education is not the only discipline with this focus. The fact that both Science and Technology and Engineering Education are similarly focused on the teaching and learning of engineering begs the question of what separates technology and engineering educators from science educators in the teaching of engineering? Lewis (2004) cautioned that …

Mechanism Design And Analysis: Developing An Understanding Of Mechanism Motion Through Graphical Modeling, Andrew J. Hughes, Chris Merrill

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

The intention of this article is to provide Technology and Engineering Educators with foundational knowledge of mechanism design and analysis and the ability to develop middle and high school students' mechanism knowledge during practical hands-on learning activities in the STEM classroom. Technology and Engineering Educators' implementation of mechanism design and analysis could promote students' increased depth of mechanical knowledge and ability to apply this knowledge during engineering design challenges. In this article, the authors present an introduction to four-bar mechanism design and analysis using CAD software to produce graphical representations. After designing mechanisms graphical, students should be allowed to produce …

Prestige Vs Practicality: Transition Of Dual Enrollment Secondary Students To Post-Secondary Options: A Case Study, Robin Dakers Lynch

Dissertations

This qualitative research study investigated the perceptions of support during the college choice process of former CTE dual-enrollment students at one technical college campus. In addition, it examined the types of support participants received as they progressed through the three-stage college choice process (predisposition, search, and choice). Interviews were conducted with eight former CTE dual-enrollment students from a technical college campus. Each participant completed a demographic survey and was asked 15 interview questions that coincide with the three stages of the college choice process. Finally, the data was analyzed and coded to develop a thematic findings structure.

The study resulted …

An Evaluation Of Equity And Access For All Students In A School District's Career And Technical Education Programs, Cynthia M. Jaime

Dissertations

There is a great deal of research regarding the need for equity and access in Career and Technical Education (CTE); however, very little research exists acknowledging strategies to achieve it. The purpose of this study was to evaluate equity and access in CTE programs, as well as to determine any barriers to CTE program enrollment, participation, and completion faced by students identified as economically challenged, students with disabilities, or English language learners. The context of this inquiry was high school CTE programs in one school district in the United States of America. My study demonstrates both qualitative and quantitative data …

The Effects Of Bullying And Solutions To Bullying Of Lgbtq+ Students In Schools, Mandy K. Wallstead

Culminating Experience Projects

Research has revealed the effects that peer bullying has on LGBTQ+ students in public schools. This project focuses on the prevention of LGBTQ+ student bullying. This is done by teaching school policy makers and educators in understanding LGBTQ+ issues for the development of a positive school climate where everyone should thrive. The incorporation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Minority Stress theory created a method for understanding and interpreting the research compiled. The research has shown that professional developments for educators, adding curriculum into classrooms, and utilizing LGBTQ+ anti-bullying policies can diminish the effects of bullying against LGBTQ+ students. To …

Leadership Qualities Of Female Presidents Serving The Tennessee Colleges Of Applied Technology System, Kelli Kea-Carroll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to examine the leadership styles and characteristics of leadership of 11 female presidents in the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology system. The administrators’ perceptions of successful leadership, desirable outcomes of institutional leadership, and improvements resulting from perceived successful leadership styles that guided each participant’s work as a technical college president were examined. Using the research questions guiding this study, data were collected from individual, in-depth interviews with each female, technical college president. The analysis of the interviews identified the leadership styles of democratic, situational and participative as being the most common among …

Perceptions Of Occupationally Trained Technical College Faculty On Their Preparedness To Teach And On The Need For Professional Development: A Phenomenological Study, Brandon Hudson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study examines the perceptions of occupationally trained Tennessee technical college faculty on their preparedness to teach after being hired directly from industry and on the need for professional development and training on instructional and classroom strategies. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted by Zoom with instructors from three technical college program areas, Industrial Maintenance, Machine Tool Technology, and Welding. Participants represented institutions from each grand division of Tennessee, West, Middle, and East, plus Upper East. As a result of the data analysis, common themes, including a “here are your keys” approach to instructor induction, a reliance on other …