AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Sandra D. Sloan, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Workforce Education and Development, presented on October 23, 2008 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: ENROLLMENT, ATTAINMENT, AND OCCUPATIONAL OUTCOME PATTERNS OF SUBBACCALAUREATE BUSINESS STUDENTS: A NATIONAL ANALYSIS MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. MARCIA A. ANDERSON Participation in postsecondary education has increased in the last few decades, and subbaccalaureate career and technical education (CTE) is an important part of that educational system. By federal mandate, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has collected data and compiled statistical reports regarding participation in subbaccalaureate CTE through the Career and Technical Education Statistics System. Within subbaccalaureate CTE, one of the most popular programs is business. Although data is collected on subbaccalaureate CTE business students, and even though there are some reports that have specifically included findings regarding these students, very little extensive research has been done on their enrollment, attainment, and occupational outcomes leaving a gap in the research for shareholders in business education. This study attempted to fill that gap. Conclusions from this study indicated that the most significant change in subbaccalaureate CTE business programs over a 15-year period was the decrease in overall enrollment. However, aside from a few exceptions, the composition of subbaccalaureate CTE business students remained stable. The majority population enrolling into subbaccalaureate CTE business programs over a 15-year period were unmarried, White females under the age of 24. The few significant changes included a decrease in the proportion of the White population, an increase in the proportion of the Black population, an increase in the proportion of the Asian/Pacific Islander population, and an increase in the proportion of students 24 and older. Additionally, there was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of Black, non-Hispanics attaining associate degrees and/or bachelor's degrees. Recommendations for practice included suggesting that shareholders in subbaccalaureate CTE business programs have discussions about the current population being served by subbaccalaureate CTE business programs and determines whether efforts to encourage and recruit members from populations not currently being served should be made in order to diversify the population in this field of study.

This study investigates the implementation of Language in Education Policy (LiEP) in learning and teaching in grades six from two schools. It critically examines the teachers’ practices and experiences towards English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) at two different primary schools from the eMalahleni in the Lady Frere Education District in the Eastern Cape. The study is guided by the fact that most learners use their mother tongue (isiXhosa) in classroom as well as outside classroom contexts. Furthermore, some teachers use the translation method of teaching language as they code-switch to their home language when teaching content subjects as well as English. Despite this practice in class, learners are expected to answer their test and examination questions in English. Theoretically, this study is underpinned by the constructivist view of language learning (Gaserfeld, 2003) and English as an international language (Sivasubramaniam, 2011). On the basis of the ecological and the constructivist approaches to language learning, Sivasubramaniam (2011 p.53) views language as a creative instrument of meaning which ‘has the power to create meaning anew and afresh’ each time that someone uses it. The study makes use of the qualitative research method with a case study design that is placed within the interpretive paradigm. The data collected will be analysed through the use of critical discourse analysis. The findings from the study suggest some instrumental motivations to use English as LOLT which is informed by Language policy. Some of these motivations are: studying abroad, business with foreign investors and integrative motivations as the learner will be able to communicate with people from different countries. The study concludes that there is need for schools to stick to the English medium because this acts as an open door to the upward economic mobility among the previously disadvantaged. Based on this, it can be recommended that schools stick to English first additional language as their language of teaching and learning.

From 2010, the South African vocational skills education is offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. TVET colleges need to be transformed in order to empower young learners with the skills required by the various sectors of the economy. The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of the National Certificate (Vocational) Plant Production module in Training and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges. The sample for this study is concurrent triangulation whereby complementary methods of data sources were brought together to offset each other‘s weaknesses. The sample for this study consisted of participants from three TVET colleges: one deep rural, one semi-rural/semi-urban and one urban in terms of geographical location. A total of 18 participants were interviewed: 2 subject advisors engaged by the colleges, 1 lecturer from college A, 3 lecturers from college B, 2 lecturers from college C, 4 graduates from college B, 3 graduates from college C and 3 employers .Research design for this study has features of both a survey and a case study. The mixed-method approach was applied using document analysis, questionnaires and interviews for data collection. The researcher found out that there is a disparity between the Plant Production guidelines and their implementation and assessment. Among the main reasons for failure to implement the guidelines properly are poor or inadequate infrastructure for doing practical work, high rate of student absenteeism within the investigated categories, and the high drop-out rate at Levels 2–4. To minimize the challenges in offering the Plant Production module, the study recommends that since some colleges cannot afford purchasing large sizes of land to properly implement the Plant Production guidelines, the government and the DHET should link the Primary Agriculture training to the land reform program where students can be trained under the land reform program.

The Diploma Thesis is focused on the technical monuments in Křivoklátsko region which are used in the education at primary school via educational excursions. The theoretical part of my Diploma Thesis concentrates on the technical education and its position at primary school. It also concerns the technical monuments, their typology, protection, and the declaration of the monuments as technical monuments of Křivoklátsko. The final part is dedicated to ten technical monuments in Křivoklátsko. The practical part of my Diploma Thesis contains particular educational excursions to the chosen technical monuments which are aimed to the education at primary school. The information background for teachers is the part of each educational excursion. The final section of the practical part is focused on the indicative verification of use of the educational excursions at primary school.

This master thesis focuses on technical monuments in Tyn nad Vltavou region and their use in primary school education. The theoretical part of the thesis describes the technical education and the excursion method and their use at primary school. It also deals with the characteristics of technical monuments, their categorization and the ways of their preservation. The end of the theoretical part focuses on the description of selected technical monuments in Tyn nad Vltavou region. The practical part of the thesis introduces seven proposed excursions to selected technical monuments, which are intended for pupils of the first grade of primary school. The effectivity of the proposed excursions is verified at the end of the practical part by a survey research.

The subject of this diploma is the theory of pre-concepts and their diagnosis carried out on fifth grade students of elementary schools. The theoretical part of this diploma contains chapters related to the constructivist teaching methods, the role of a teacher and students in such teaching method, theory of pre-concepts and their diagnosis and primary education in relation to the subject technical education. The practical part of this diploma focuses on the diagnosis of pre-concepts carried out by questionnaire in which several diagnostical methods have been used unfinished sentences, mind maps and scaling. Afterwards its results have been processed and expressed in transparent diagrams and charts.

In this dissertation, research was undertaken to trace the development of technical, . education in Zimbabwe and evaluate its role in community upliftment. The colonial era ( 1890-1979) and the post-colonial era ( 1980-2000) were examined in this connection. This involved, inter alia, analysing findings and recommendations of commissions of inquiry, and provisions of national development plans. Empirical analysis of the status and role of technical education in community upliftment was also undertaken. Finally, on the basis of the historical data, findings and conclusions regarding the history of technical education, as well as its role in community upliftment in Zimbabwe were made. As a way forward, some recommendations were made which would, if implemented, enhance the role of technical education in the individual's attainment of meaningful adulthood and improvement of society's quality of life. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)

Esta pesquisa investiga a forma como as relações familiares, escolares e entre pares influenciam o ingresso de adolescentes no ensino técnico integrado ao ensino médio e como se articulam às aspirações e expectativas de pais e filhos quanto a essa modalidade de escolarização dentro do contexto social no qual estão inseridos. Além disso, este trabalho examina o significado e a importância do trabalho dos adolescentes, seus projetos escolares e profissionais para o futuro e como vínculos com determinadas religiões articulam-se com o processo de escolarização. Para tanto foram entrevistados, a partir de roteiro semi-estruturado, 10 adolescentes, entre 17 e 18 anos, cinco do sexo masculino e cinco do sexo feminino, matriculados na quarta série do curso de automação industrial no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia, Campus de Sertãozinho, único instituto federal na região administrativa do município de Ribeirão Preto. A partir de análise das entrevistas, gravadas e transcritas, nota-se que os pais exercem influência nas escolhas dos filhos, principalmente em seu apoio ao processo de escolarização e na importância que atribuem ao trabalho futuro da prole. Ao lado da família, a escola, professores, funcionários e os pares também exercem influência na trajetória escolar dos adolescentes e em sua escolha pelo Instituto Federal, escola considerada de prestígio e de qualidade e que oferece não apenas educação geral, mas também técnica. As entrevistas foram classificadas em dois eixos temáticos: família e escola, trabalho e expectativas, e os dados foram analisados utilizando-se referenciais teóricos da sociologia da educação para se avaliar como a realidade socioeconômica das famílias, ao lado de outros fatores, influencia o processo de escolha das instituições escolares e como os filhos podem incorporar e reformular as orientações parentais. / This research aims to investigate how familiar, scholar and pair relationships influence the entry of adolescents in integrated technical education to high school and how it is articulated with the aspirations and expectations of parents and children, regarding this type of schooling, within the social context in which they live. In addition, this paper examines the significance and importance of the adolescents\' work, their scholar and professionals projects for the future and how links with certain religions are articulated with the educational process. Therefore, were interviewed, using a semi-structured guide, 10 teenagers between 17 and 18 years old, five males and five females, enrolled in fourth grade of industrial automation course at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, Campus Sertãozinho, the only federal institution in the administrative region of Ribeirão Preto. From the analysis of interviews that were taped and transcribed, is noted that parents have an important influence on the children\'s choices, especially on the support of the educational process and the importance they assign to their children future work. Aside to the family, the school, teachers, staff and pairs also exert influence on teenagers\' school performance and their choice for the Federal Institute, a school considered prestigious and with quality, offering not only general education but also technical. The interviews were classified into two main themes: family and school, work and expectations, and data were analyzed using theoretical frameworks of sociology of education to assess how the economic reality of families, alongside other factors, influences the process of choosing the educational institution and how the children can incorporate and rework parental guidance.

A educação ambiental tem como proposta estimular o surgimento de uma cultura de ligação entre natureza e sociedade, por meio da formação de uma atitude ecológica nas pessoas. Um dos seus fundamentos é a visão socioambiental, que afirma que o meio ambiente é um espaço de relações, um campo de interações culturais, sociais e naturais. Assim, o processo educativo proposto pela educação ambiental inserido na educação formal objetiva à formação de sujeitos capazes de compreender a sua realidade e agir nela de forma consciente. O proposito principal do trabalho foi realizar por meio de um estudo de caso a investigação e análise da formação de estudantes do curso de Técnico em Agropecuária em unidade escolar pertencente ao Centro Estadual de Educação Tecnológica Paula Souza, a fim de entender se Educação Ambiental e a Educação Profissional Técnica de Nível Médio, definem a formação no sentido de preparar o profissional para as responsabilidades frente às questões ambientais emergentes configuradas na crise socioambiental vigente. Neste sentido, enunciamos a questão central do trabalho formulando o problema com a seguinte expressão: \"Como uma escola agrícola do Centro Paula Souza desenvolve a formação dos estudantes do curso Técnico em Agropecuária prevista no seu projeto político pedagógico e no plano de curso em relação às questões ambientais levando em consideração a sua interação com a Educação Ambiental?\". Com os resultados obtidos pelo estudo de caso em questão, a finalidade é contribuir para uma melhor compreensão da interação da Educação Ambiental e da Educação Profissional. A metodologia a ser adotada foi a pesquisa qualitativa como forma de possibilitar a compreensão dos dados os quais se constituem das diretrizes legais para a para a Educação Ambiental e dos planos de cursos do Centro Paula Souza adotado na escola. No desenvolvimento da pesquisa realizou-se visitas, entrevistas in loco, aplicação de questionários e mapeamento de alguns manejos relacionados às práticas de gestão ambiental no intuito de verificar de que forma a educação ambiental acontece articulada na formação técnica, ou não, e como foi identificada pela comunidade escolar. Após a execução dos procedimentos metodológicos propostos, a investigação mostrou que a comunidade escolar reconhece a prática da educação ambiental como imprescindível e de enorme importância, mas reproduzem uma visão de concepção conservacionista/utilitarista, propalada na prática educativa da unidade escolar. / O Environmental education has the purpose to encourage the emergence of a culture connection between nature and society, through the formation of an ecological attitude in people. One of its foundations is the environmental vision, which states that the environment is a space of relations, a field of cultural, natural and social interactions. This the educational process proposed by the environmental education inserted in the objective formal education to the formation of subjects able to understand their reality and act on it consciously. The main work purpose was to carry through a case study research and analysis of training technician course students in Agricultural school unit belonging to the State Center for Technological Education Paula Souza, to understand whether environmental education and education vocational High School Technical define the training to prepare professionals for the front responsibilities to emerging environmental issues set in the current environmental crisis. In this sense, we have presented the central issue of work formulating the problem with the following expression: \"As an agricultural school Paula Souza Center develops training for students of the Technical Course in Agriculture provided for in their political pedagogical project and course plan in relation to environmental issues taking into account their interaction with environmental education? \". With the results of the case study in question, the purpose is to contribute to a better understanding of the interaction of Environmental Education and Vocational Education. The methodology to be adopted was the qualitative research as a way to enable the understanding of the data that constitute the legal guidelines for Environmental Education and the plans and courses of Paula Souza Center adopted at school. The development of research was held visits, on-site interviews, questionnaires and mapping of some managements related to environmental management practices in order to verify how environmental education happens articulated in technical training, or not, and how it was identified the school community. After the implementation of the proposed methodological procedures, research has shown that the school community recognizes the practice of environmental education as essential and of paramount importance, but reproduce a vision of conservation design / utilitarian, touted the educational practice of school unit.

A docência na educação profissional técnica de nível médio em enfermagem é uma das dimensões importantes a ser considerada na qualificação da formação de trabalhadores técnicos, no Brasil. Apesar disso, ela é marcada por fragilidade nos processos formativos, adversas condições de trabalho, incluindo, a precariedade. O objetivo deste estudo é descrever e analisar os saberes dos professores de uma escola privada de educação profissional em enfermagem, no município de Ribeirão Preto, considerando suas vivências na prática pedagógica, a partir de referencial de Tardif (2012). Estudo descritivo-exploratório, qualitativo. A técnica de coleta de dados utilizada foi entrevista semiestruturada com 13 professores, realizadas de novembro de 2014 a fevereiro de 2015. As entrevistas foram analisadas, sendo delineadas categorias de decodificação, a saber: Saberes pessoais dos professores; Saberes provenientes da formação escolar anterior; Saberes provenientes da formação profissional para o magistério, subdivididos em Saberes provenientes da formação profissional para o magistério construídos em cursos de Bacharelado e Licenciatura em Enfermagem e Saberes profissionais para o magistério, construídos nos cursos de especialização latu sensu e programas de capacitação docente; Saberes provenientes dos programas e livros didáticos usados no trabalho dos professores; Saberes provenientes de sua própria experiência na profissão envolvendo atuação nos serviços de saúde e na docência. Esses saberes, no exercício cotidiano do trabalho docente, são articulados e reconstruídos. Eles mostram significativamente as suas relações com a diversidade nas possibilidades de formação, dada a fragilidades das políticas de formação docente, bem como suas relações com as condições concretas de trabalho na educação profissional, sendo ainda significativa a concomitância da docência nessa modalidade de ensino com a prática profissional em serviços de saúde, o que também traz implicações para a conformação dos saberes da docência / Teaching in technical education in nursing is one of the important aspects to be considered in the qualification of training technical workers in Brazil. Despite this, it is marked by fragility in the formative processes, adverse conditions of work, including the precariousness. The objective of this study is to describe and analyze the knowledges of teachers of a private school of technical education in nursing, in the city of Ribeirão Preto, considering their experiences in the pedagogical practice, from referential of Tardif (2012). This is a descriptive-exploratory study, qualitative. The data collection technique used was semi-structured interview with 13 teachers, carried out between November 2014 and February 2015. The interviews were analyzed, decoding categories are outlined as follows: Personal knowledge of teachers; Knowledge from the previous school education; Knowledge from professional training to teaching, subdivided in knowledge from technical training to the teaching built in courses of Bachelor`s Degree with a teaching diploma in Nursing and technical knowledge for teaching, built in latu sensu courses in specialization level and teacher training programs. Knowledge from the educational programs and books used in the work of teachers; Knowledge from their own experience in the profession involving acting in health care and teaching. This knowledge, in the daily practice of teaching are articulated and rebuilt. They show significantly their relations with the diversity in the possibilities of training, given the weaknesses of policies of teacher training, and its relations with the concrete conditions of work in education, even with a significant concomitance of teaching in this type of education with professional practice in health services, which also has implications for the conformation of knowledges for teaching