Vocational Education Commons^™

Coding, Machine Learning, And Game Engines In Initial Teacher Training, Sara Redondo-Duarte, José Manuel Sáez-López

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This study evaluated the integration of coding, visual block programming, game engines, and machine learning (ML) modeling in initial teacher education. The aim was to examine the feasibility of this instructional approach and its association with pre-service teachers’ computational knowledge and attitudes toward programming and artificial intelligence (AI). A one-group pretest-posttest design was implemented with 129 undergraduate students enrolled in Primary Education degree programs at two public universities in Spain. Knowledge of computational concepts was assessed with a 10-item test analyzed using a paired-samples Student’s t-test, while attitudes toward programming and ML were evaluated with two Likert scales analyzed using …

Promoting Peer Collaboration Through A Blending Of Synchronous And Asynchronous Technologies In An Engineering Focused Nsf Research Experience For Teachers (Ret) Project, Joseph Brobst, Melani Loney, Imole Samson

Center for Educational Partnerships Publications

This brief paper describes findings drawn from a summer Research Experiences for Teachers project, in which secondary science teachers completed engineering research activities and designed related lessons using the Argument Driven Inquiry (ADI) framework. Teachers participated in a hybrid professional development sequence, engaging with a STEM program manager and each other in-person and through both synchronous online sessions and asynchronous engagement in a shared virtual space. We use a multiple case study approach to describe how interactions within these spaces facilitated peer feedback and informal mentoring and coaching, ultimately strengthening teachers’ lesson plans and leaving them better poised to translate …

Teachers' Perspectives On Inclusive Education For Children With Special Needs, Abakah Francis, Ava-Gay Annakaye Morgan, Emmanuel Ogheneovo Sodje, Francis Dugbartey, Gabriel Lagbel, Okezie Chika Chibundu

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Inclusive education is widely recognized as a key approach to ensuring equitable access to quality education for children with special needs, requiring teachers to possess adequate knowledge, skills, and supportive resources. In the Nigerian context, particularly in private schools, gaps in teacher training, limited resources, and insufficient institutional support continue to hinder the effective implementation of inclusive education practices. This study investigates teachers' perspectives on inclusive education for children with special needs in Nigerian private schools. The primary purpose is to assess teachers' understanding of inclusive education, their familiarity with effective teaching strategies, and their preparedness to implement inclusive practices. …

Preparing Students For What Comes Next: A Qualitative Study Of District Approaches To Postsecondary And Career Readiness, Amanda C. Pelsor

Dissertations of Practice

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR WHAT COMES NEXT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF DISTRICT APPROACHES TO POSTSECONDARY AND CAREER READINESS

This qualitative study examines how Illinois school districts support students’ readiness for postsecondary success and career planning and exploration. Despite longstanding state and federal efforts to improve college and career readiness, many students continue to face challenges after high school, including lack of workforce readiness, underpreparedness for postsecondary education, unclear career pathways, and difficulty navigating complex transitions. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explores how districts conceptualize and implement career readiness frameworks, the ways readiness work is embedded within district systems, and the barriers …

Investigation Of Dean’S Transformational Leadership Profiles And Digital Transformation Maturity In Guangxi Public Higher Vocational Colleges, Lili Ding, Jamilah Binti Ahmad, Yuqiang Luo

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Background: As China builds an innovation-driven economy, vocational education provides essential skilled workers for key industries, helping to elevate vocational colleges into crucial centers for talent development and social mobility. In this context, the dean’s transformational leadership may play an important role in supporting institutional digital transformation.

Research Question: How do deans’ transformational leadership domains predict institutional digital transformation maturity across leadership and pedagogy in vocational education?

Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design combined a faculty survey with semi-structured interviews. Valid survey responses from 30 faculty members were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression, followed by thematic analysis of …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report - Bellevue Senior Elementary School, Aimee M. Snell

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This paper assesses and reflects on how Bellevue Senior Elementary School's single teacher agriculture elective class is growing and how well it aligns with the California Department of Education (CDE) standards of a quality agriculture program at this time. The development of a POA for an after school Ag Discovery Club modeled after the FFA Organization is also included in this document.

An Impact Study Of Young Women's Leadership Development: A Case Study Of Kosovo, Linda Gjergji

Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the leadership development trajectories of young women in Kosovo engaged in a global leadership program, offering significant insights into their capabilities, aspirations, and the barriers they face in pursuit of leadership roles. Using a qualitative instrumental case study approach, this study examines how participation in global leadership initiatives fosters skill development, self-awareness, and civic engagement among young women in a traditionally male-dominated society. The conceptual framework of the study is comprised of Erikson's theory of Psychosocial Development (Erikson, 1968) and Positive Youth Development (Lerner, 2005). Data was collected through online semi-structured interviews and an arts-based method, revealing …

Employers’ Perceptions Of Workplace Readiness Skills, Tabitha S. Young, Natalie K. Ferand

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Employability skills are continually changing, and the workforce provides the transparency needed for the success of business employment. Workplace readiness skills and human capital theory form the backbone for organizational success and sustainability. This study examined employers’ perceptions of workplace readiness skills at the expected proficiency level of an entry-level employee, the average level of skill for an entry-level employee, and the level of importance of the skill to their industry. The Virginia Workplace Readiness Skills have impacted employers and prepared students for the workplace. The results indicated that the workplace readiness skills mentioned in the literature align with the …

Reported Value Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices Of Virginia Agricultural Education Teachers, Natalie K. Ferand, Kendrick Spencer, Bradley Bowen

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

To address the increasing diversity in schools and the monolithic culture of teachers, researchers have called for pedagogies that reflect the diverse and pluralistic identities of students. While core academic areas have long adopted culturally relevant pedagogy, school-based agricultural education (SBAE) has lagged behind. This study aimed to determine the views of agricultural education teachers in Virginia on culturally responsive pedagogy dispositions and identify areas of professional development need. Teachers valued the differences among students and the communities in which their schools are located. However, results revealed a need for professional development in using the local community as a resource …

Examining The Perceptions Of Economics And Personal Finance Teachers' Preparedness To Teach Financial Literacy, Tasha L. Wearren

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Financial literacy has become an important topic in our society. Despite an increased focus in financial literacy education, there is limited research assessing teachers’ ability to teach financial literacy by examining their endorsement area. According to Soroko (2021), research is limited regarding teachers’ beliefs and practices as it relates to financial literacy. As O’Neill and Hensley (2016) indicated, “Teachers cannot teach personal finance well if they do not understand it themselves and/or cannot engage their students” (p. 639). This qualitative multiple case study examined how Economics and Personal Finance teachers perceive their preparedness to teach financial literacy with different endorsements. …

Infographic: Students Undertaking Vet In Schools, Dominique Russell

Teacher infographics

Vocational education and training (VET) in Schools help students gain qualifications and plan for future careers. New data show student participation numbers for VET in Schools has reached its highest level in 2024 since collection began in 2006. Find out more in this infographic.

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Vol 18 Issue 3 List Of Reviewers

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Vol 18 Issue 3 List of reviewers

Vol 16 Issue 2 List Of Reviewers

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

List of reviewers of Vol 16, Issue 2

Professor Perspectives: Inclusion Of Students With An Intellectual Disability In Transition Programming On A College Campus, Melissa Jane Massey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often unemployed or underemployed compared to students who do not have ID. Transition or postsecondary programming for students with ID has increased in recent years in response to the U.S. federal requirement for special education professionals to complete transition plans before students turn 16. The requirement for transition planning in Texas is age 14, and the ARD committee including the student and parent come together to develop goals for future planning. Transition plans include information on future employment, future independent living skills, and agency connections that students with ID may need to access to …

State Of Illinois Model Programs Of Study Companion Guide, Education Systems Center

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

This resource is intended to enhance the use of the State of Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides by focusing on the development and implementation of high-quality college and career pathways. Grounded in the state’s vision for equitable access to meaningful postsecondary opportunities, this resource supports educators, CTE directors, and administrators in designing programs of study that align secondary education with postsecondary credentials and careers. By bridging academic instruction, work-based learning, and student supports, this guide helps ensure that all learners are on a clear and unambiguous path to success after high school.

Helping Bipoc, Women, And First-Generation Students Maximize The Value Of Unpaid Internships, Ted Thornhill, Nicole Torres, Christina Van Wingerden

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Internships and practicums are a required component of nearly all degree programs in human services and its subfields—and most are unpaid. These unpaid positions often have a disproportionate impact for BIPOC and first-generation students, especially women—many of whom are economically disadvantaged and must work to support themselves and sometimes their families. Increased student activism, non-profit campaigns, and journalistic accounts show student frustration over their unpaid labor. Despite the righteousness of these students’ cause, the reality is that the implementation of an equitable, robust, and sustainable nationwide system of paid internships, in the near-term, is politically impracticable. Given that most human …

Parliamentary Procedure Interactive Notebook: Newly Revised, P. Troy White, Amie Carter

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

An interactive notebook for teaching fundamentals of parliamentary procedure. Over 120 pages of content to help teach correct principles of this critical organizational management skill. P. Troy White is a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and a Certified Parliamentarian, ensuring that the content included follows the 12th Edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

A Convergent Mixed Methods Study Of The Social Studies Academy In South Carolina Middle Schools, Audie Cherry

All Dissertations

There is a global labor shortage in the agricultural industry and middle school is a critical time to get students serious about career decision making. The Studies of Occupations, Culture, and Innovations toward Agricultural Literacy (SOCIAL) Studies Academy is a high impact professional development program in South Carolina that provides experiences and for middle school social studies teachers (N = 12) to become more suited to teach their standards associated with the agricultural sciences with hopes of encouraging more students to pursue agricultural careers. This study was a mixed-methods convergent parallel design that examined 1) Academy Fellows (n = 4) …

Becoming A Beloved Community: A Restorative Reckoning For A Radical Conversion To Transform Discourse In Higher Education, Latasha Tomay Varlack-Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation critically examines the misappropriation of Restorative Justice Discourse (RJD) within three predominantly white institutions (PWIs), analyzing 59 institutional documents through Critical Discourse Analysis, Relational Critical Discourse Analysis, and Rhetorical Criticism (Fairclough, 1995; Vaandering, 2021; van Dijk, 2008). Tribal Colleges and Universities and South African institutions have emerged as exemplars of authentic RJD, countering co-optation within PWIs. The findings demonstrate that RJD as applied in PWIs is framed in ways that attenuate its transformative potential, perpetuating color-evasiveness (Bonilla-Silva, 2017) and obscuring the intersectional experiences of Black, Indigenous, and disabled communities (Crenshaw, 1991; Million, 2009).

Grounded in decolonial praxis (Smith, …

A Correlational Study Of The Relationships Between The Big Five Aspects Of Personality And Career Interest: Practical Implications For Teachers In Guidance Counseling Roles, Mary J. Haberman

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Classroom teachers are often required to teach advisory courses that include career counseling and social emotional learning components. The author used a combination of personality and career assessments to guide students into careers that were a good fit, not only for their interests but their temperaments as well. This holistic approach to advising allowed the author to address a wide variety of personal issues (e.g., unmet needs) that students were having and help them to discover their own motivations for approaching these issues. While the study is focused on collecting information from working adults, the results of this study could …

The Digital Incorporated Worker Narrative: A Mixed Methods Study Of Digital Capital, Work Selection, And Outcomes In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tracie King

Dissertations

Digital technology permeates society and industry, making digital-ready workers necessary for firms of all sizes as a firm seeks competitiveness in the market (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; de Ruyter et al., 2018; Gorski et al., 2022; Karaboğa, 2023; Kim et al., 2017; Qureshi Zia, 2019). Firms seeking digital-ready workers face a complex digital divide that creates a worker shortage (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; Karaboğa, 2023; Qureshi Zia, 2019). This study aims to describe workers' work selection, work experience, and outcomes in a complex digital society.

Most digital divide research focuses on the individuals excluded from owning, accessing, and having skills …

Assessing The Professional Development Needs Of Traditionally And Alternatively Certified Career And Technical Education Teachers In Virginia, Natalie Ferand, Bradley Bowen, D. Brett Milliken

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The Virginia Department of Education allows for various paths to teacher licensure. Teachers may graduate from an approved teacher preparation program or obtain a teaching license through alternative pathways. This study identified the professional development needs of traditionally and alternatively certified CTE teachers in Virginia by administering a statewide survey. The participants were divided into three groups: alternatively certified CTE teachers (Group 1), traditionally certified teachers in a non-CTE area and then received a CTE endorsement (Group 2), and traditionally certified teachers in CTE (Group 3). By comparing how teachers from each of these certification pathways reported their level of …

Emerging Perspectives Regarding The Implementation Of Lecturer Professionalization At Selected Tvet Colleges In Gauteng Province, South Africa, Mojalefa Daniel Maluka, Maelekanyo Christopher Mulaudzi

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This study explored the challenges impeding the implementation of lecturer professionalisation at selected public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in Gauteng Province, South Africa. A qualitative research approach was followed, and a case study research design was adopted. Fifteen (15) participants were selected from five colleges through a purposive sampling technique. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which was analysed through thematic analysis on Atlas.ti. This study found that lecturer professionalisation faced personal, institutional, and systemic challenges, namely, a professional identity crisis, lack of management support, lack of pedagogical knowledge, lack of self-directedness, negative public perception, …

Supporting Elementary Educators Through A Nervous System Regulation And Social-Emotional Learning Skills Workshop Intervention: An Musc Capstone Project, Lily Morgan

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Teachers have a great influence on developing children’s emotional intelligence, regulatory capacity, and occupational engagement. These professionals also happen to report some of the highest rates of stress, mental health challenges (Agyapong, B. et al, 2022), and burnout (Xie, M., et al, 2022). Providing teachers with education and support on nervous system regulation, social-emotional learning skills, and related topics can improve their ability to manage job stress, enhance modeling and interactions with students, and improve their quality of life. This project aimed to enhance knowledge, provide access to resources, and serve to support elementary educators at an inner-city school in …

Teaching Disciplinary Ways Of Knowing Using Stem In Afnr, Elizabeth E. Ogar, Neil A. Knobloch, Hui-Hui Wang

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

This study explores the integration of STEM in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) education through a course designed to teach disciplinary ways of knowing such as scientific inquiry, engineering design, mathematical modeling, and agroecosystem thinking. The course prepares upper-level undergraduate and graduate students to design and implement STEM-integrated mini-units in both formal and nonformal settings. Emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches and real-world applications, the course encourages critical thinking and problem-solving in addressing global challenges like food security and sustainability. The outcomes include enhanced pedagogical skills, real-world STEM application, and increased student engagement, preparing learners for careers in STEM-related fields.

The Masters Program: A Model For Teaching Adolescents Soft Skills For Career Readiness, Jewrell Rivers

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This workshop will introduce conference participants to the MASTERS Program, a model for teaching adolescents soft skills for career readiness. Participants will engage in small group discussions, simulation activities and interactive exercises to fulfill learning objectives. Participants will be provided with guidance on how to implement the MASTERS Program at their school for preparing students for success in the workplace.

National Ffa Parliamentary Procedure And Conduct Of Chapter Meetings Leadership Development Events Presentation Generator, P. Troy White

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

A Microsoft Excel macro-enabled workbook that produces presentation cards for the National FFA Organization's Parliamentary Procedure and Conduct of Chapter Meetings Leadership Development Events.

Each set of cards also creates a judges help sheet for the motions with proper verbiage and the Standard Descriptive Characteristics as listed in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (12th edition).

The workbook uses randomization to create set cards from a list of over 300 possible main motions from a variety of internet sources. The 2024 list of eligible motions for both events was used for the permissible motions.

Exploring School Teachers' Cyber Security Awareness, Experiences, And Practices In The Digital Age, R Ravichandran, Sonam Singh, P Sasikala

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This study investigates the awareness and practices of cyber security among school teachers, exploring their understanding of cyber threats, online behaviours, and response mechanisms to cyber incidents. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather data on demographic information, cyber security training, online practices, and experiences with cybercrime. The findings reveal varying levels of awareness among teachers, with many reporting limited knowledge of prevalent cyber threats such as phishing and identity theft. Despite the increasing reliance on digital tools for teaching, a significant number of respondents indicated a lack of formal training in cyber security. The study highlights the necessity for …

Transforming Workforce Pipelines: Equity, Credentialing, And Drone-Integrated Apprenticeships In Missouri, Linda S. Stinson

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how Missouri integrates drone technology into Registered Youth Apprenticeship and Career and Technical Education programs to develop equitable, credentialed pathways into high-skill careers. Grounded in Human Capital Theory, Credential Signaling Theory, and Transformational Leadership Theory, the research explores how emerging technologies intersect with labor market demands, credential access, and instructional leadership. The literature review highlights both national and international models of scalable apprenticeship systems, emphasizing the role of intermediaries, credential alignment, and early STEM exposure. Missouri’s initiatives, including the Top Drone Academy, serve as a case model for workforce-aligned innovation, yet challenges persist in infrastructure, teacher certification, …