No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The objectives of this study were to determine what perceived changes to VTE have the potential to improve development of the economy in the next 3 to 5 years and which of these identified changes will have the greatest impact. To achieve this objective, a selected group of experts representing international development, business, economies, labor, manufacturing, service industries, and education were asked to participate in the study. First, the experts were requested to list five to eight statements, based on their experience and perceptions, about what changes to VTE have the potential to improve the development of Trinidad and Tobago economy in the next 3 to 5 years. Next, they were asked to rank-order their identified 60 statements on a continuum that approximated a normal distribution from "most important" to "least important." Rank-ordered statements were analyzed using Q-factor analysis (PQMethod). From the rank-ordered statements, eight factors were identified as having the potential to improve the development of Trinidad and Tobago's economy. These factors were (a) access to and quality of VTE, (b) VTE higher education programs, (c) VTE program quality, (d) VTE program comprehensiveness, (e) fundamental aspects of VTE, (f) preparation for and advancement in VTE careers, (g) meeting VTE student and program needs, and (h) understanding VTE's purpose. Statements associated with each factor serve to clarify the focus of VTE related activities that may be initiated to improve development of the economy. The most important of the identified factors was Factor 1(access to and quality of VTE) which accounted for 15% of the explained variance in the factor matrix. The second most important factors were Factor 3 (VTE program quality) and 5(fundamental aspects of VTE) with each accounting for 13% of the explained variance. All three of these factors (Factors 1, 3, and 5) had an average reliability coefficient of .800, a composite reliability of .889 at a significant value of p<.05. / Ph. D.

Career and technical education (CTE) is faced with numerous forces that may impact its future. A variety of forces directly or indirectly affect CTE, ranging from the persisting stigma or negative image of career and technical education, the schools' curricular structure and requirements, along with federal laws such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Perkins. Federal laws guide administrators' decisions at the local level that affect CTE. With NCLB goals for all students to improve academic achievement, reach high standards, and graduate from high school (HS), much pressure is placed on schools. NCLB emphasizes increased academic rigor and progress on students' state assessments, holding schools accountable to annual yearly improvement. With more accountability, more emphasis is being placed on core academics that may in turn reduce or eliminate elective career and technical education programs. With continued negative perceptions associated with career and technical education, reinforced by curricular tracks and coupled with the impact of NCLB, CTE is left in a precarious position. Some of these forces may have deleterious effects upon CTE depending upon decisions and reactions of local administrators. &lt;br&gt;A quantitative survey research study was completed with Pennsylvania administrators from CTE schools and HSs. HS principals and CTE directors were surveyed as to how they perceived the effects of NCLB on role, image, and curriculum changes affecting career and technical education. Surveys were mailed to the directors of shared-time CTE schools and their respective sending HS principals. &lt;br&gt;The results of the study revealed the perceptions of HS and CTE administrators concerning the ramifications of No Child Left Behind as it relates to CTEs image, the effects on curriculum, and CTEs role in helping schools meet the goals of NCLB. There were significant differences found between CTE directors and HS principals regarding their perceptions of the role and image of CTE as affected by NCLB. In addition, there were no significant differences found between administrators regarding their perceptions of curriculum changes affected by NCLB. Finally, there were no significant differences in perceptions found across settings or regions. / School of Education; / Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program for Education Leaders (IDPEL) / EdD; / Dissertation;

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: David Levine.

Thesis. 1975. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. / Includes bibliographical references. / M.S.

Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed February 8, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Canada's economic growth is becoming increasingly dependent on the supply of skilled manpower that is able to cope with the complexities of a modern technological society. It is apparent that unless the youth of Canada are prepared, through education and training, to assume productive roles in the country's work force then all other public policy to stimulate economic growth will be to little avail. [...]