immigrants’, will also become crucial in the coming years (Carneiro at al., 2007);
(g) though quality undeniably contributes to the attractiveness of VET provision, it is difficult to assess its exact contribution. With a view to filling this gap, it would be very useful to
envisage European studies investigating links from quality assurance measures (including
institutional self-evaluation) to institutional
development, VET enrolments and the
numbers and types of awards obtained.
5.5.
Implications for future
research
Vocational education is a generic term which contains particular features related to different VET
fields (business and economics education, technical
education, agricultural education, health and social
care, etc.). It is the part of education which takes a scientific look at prerequisites and conditions, aims, possibilities of gaining a qualification and
competences for humane, gainful employment
and for living life in society, taking on one’s full societal and ecological responsibility. Vocational education research should explore the conditions,
processes, procedures and consequences of gaining professional qualifications, as well as
personal and social attitudes which seem to be
significant for fulfilling of work processes and
developing occupational profiles. Research on VET, formal and informal that qualifies people
for work, still tends to have a marginal status
compared to higher education research (except perhaps in Germany, to some extent).
The human and social capital gained at home
supports and contributes to later achievement
at school and also directs future choices so that students who master theoretical content and,
therefore, do better at school tend to opt for academic studies and higher education programmes. In some cases VET may be more valued by parents who themselves have received this type of education. Naturally, student counselling at school plays an
essential role with respect to the kind of picture they
build of their own opportunities and potential and
how they see the position of different occupations
both now and in the future. Longitudinal research
is needed to analyse motivation and aspirations linked to the construction of human and social
capital in different families.
Further in-depth research on the following areas would be beneficial to monitoring improvements in the attractiveness of VET. The first group of
proposals concerns the learning environment:
the extent to which teacher training currently
(a)
integrates the consequences for the VET learning environment of moving towards more individualised and personalised learning, local autonomy, workplace learning and the full range of changes to the learning environment
introduced through technology-enhanced learning;
it is assumed that the quality of teaching and
(b)
learning make VET more attractive. However,
the assumption requires more research concerning VET pedagogy and the need and
role of skills and competence;
the role played by choice for students in making
(c)
VET options more attractive to young people. To what extent does choice and being able to take control over one’s pathway contribute
to the attractiveness of different routes for
young people?
vocational teacher pre- and in-service training
(d)
as well as VET teachers’ work and expertise has not been sufficiently researched.
Going beyond the design of the learning
environment and the curriculum, two further areas are recommended for research:
(a) the effects of decentralisation on funding; (b) the governance of VET systems. Relatively
little information is available through reporting on Lisbon about this aspect but it is one of the key Helsinki recommendations. Therefore, to obtain a clearer vision of how governance is being adapted to delivering the prioritised VET agenda, more specific studies would be
useful to provide data on:
(i) institutional reorganisation and restruc- turing;
(ii) changes in ministerial supervision of schools, apprentice training centres
andcolleges in line with decentralisation;
(iii) the changing institutional and provision
landscape;
(iv) changes in approaches to institutional
Improving the attractiveness of VET and promoting esteem is likely to remains on the
agenda of education systems in the coming future. Despite the multitude of policies and measures
developed and implemented in recent decades
there is still work to be done. The most crucial measures appear to be those that strengthen the possibilities of pathways, progression, flexibility and relevance as well as access and quality. Part of ensuring relevance comes through
learning in the workplace, whether through
formal apprenticeship or well-structured work placements. Many countries are still challenged to increase the delivery of quality VET programmes.
Europe is in a unique position among its partners
and competitors in being able to harness a broad range of VET cultures, histories and experiences jointly develop and implement research and policy
development strategies in this field through
structured exchanges and peer learning. If
these opportunities are fully grasped they should
provide a firm basis for rising to the challenges of
the coming period, with high quality VET teaching
and learning experiences for young people and adults. Finally, research is also needed in the
following areas:
mobility within and between different ISCED
(a)
categories (ISCED 2, ISCED 3, ISCED 4 and ISCED 5 and 5B);
indication of attractiveness of different VET
(b)
options.
There are a wide variety of education and
training options in each ISCED category. And the countries offer various mixtures of school-based, company-based and combined VET learning in different levels. Today it is difficult to get detailed
statistics of student progression from one level to another and on enrolment in higher studies or
jobs accessed and progressed from one type of training to another type.
75