Content Details
ED466941 - The Role of Career and Technical Education in High School
- Category
- Executive Agency Publications
- Collection
- Education Reports from ERIC
- SuDoc Class Number
- ED 1.615:
- Date Issued
- February 1, 2002
- Author
- Miller, Virginia R
- Sponsoring Agency
- Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC
- Publication Type
- Information Analyses, Opinion Papers
- Subject
- Academic Education, Academic Standards, Career Academies, Change Strategies, Delivery Systems, Education Work Relationship, Educational Change, Educational Counseling, Educational Environment, Educational Finance, Educational Legislation, Educational Research, English Instruction, Financial Support, High Schools, High Schools, Integrated Curriculum, Literature Reviews, Mathematics Instruction, Outcomes of Education, Program Effectiveness, Public Policy, Role of Education, Science Instruction, Teacher Qualifications, Theory Practice Relationship, Trend Analysis, Vocational Education
- Identifiers
- Best Practices, Career and Technical Education, Contextual Learning, Contextualized Instruction, Impact Studies, Work Based Learning
- Abstract
- The infusion of career-based education throughout the curriculum as academic and technical curricula are integrated across all subject areas and grade levels is substantially changing the delivery and focus of K-12 education despite the lack of evidence substantiating the effectiveness of the following school-to-work (STW) reform concepts: whole school reforms; work-based learning; career academies; and contextual learning. A perceived success of STW may not be attributable to career-focused education or integrated curricula. Rather, success may arise from concurrent implementation of other reforms. The following strategies, which can all be implemented without a career focus and absent contextual or work-based learning requirements, have shown evidence of being more likely to raise student achievement: (1) all students complete a challenging curriculum that includes college preparatory courses in English, mathematics, and science; (2) graduation requirements are increased; ( 3 ) all students complete either algebra or pre-algebra by the end of grade 8; (4) teachers set high expectations for all students through challenging lessons and rigorous assignments; (5) students are taught by teachers who are knowledgeable in their subject; (6) early and continual guidance and advisement concerning postsecondary options and choice of high school courses is provided; and (7) small learning environments, including smaller high schools and schools within schools, are created. (Contains 36 references.).