The concern for the self-sufficiency or economic well-being of former vocational students is not new to vocational planning and evaluation decision makers. However, until recently, most decision makers have not systematically addressed this concern for reasons of uncertainty about the link between program characteristics and former student self-sufficiency upon and after completion. The vocational student follow-up procedures described in this study derive from an approach which acknowledges the difficulties in drawing conclusions about individuals, but maintains that the results of using societal and economic impact indicators are useful, and indeed essential. This study makes comparisons among groups of individuals in terms of the relationship between their curriculum and subsequent economic self-sufficency/well-being. / The results of this study raise the question "Should there be one mission for vocational education or should there be different missions based on the students' vocational intents?" The results of this study suggest that: (1) the existing mission (and the means employed to fulfill that intent) for secondary vocational students might not necessarily be one of directly leading to self-sufficiency. If this is so, it is not surprising that the accompanying consequences do not lead to self-sufficiency; or (2) changes in methods and means for vocational education in the high schools are required, perhaps modelled after postsecondary programs in the vocational-technical centers and vocational programs in the community colleges which appear to be better at delivering results leading to self-sufficient completers. / Conducting large scale data matches based on societal impact and payoff indicators, like the present study has done, marks the beginning of what could be a new approach to inter-agency cooperation and coordination for the purpose of improved planning and evaluation of programs. At a time when technology affords us the tools, we have the opportunity to know better where we have been and plan better where we want to go. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-04, Section: A, page: 1207. / Major Professor: Roger Kaufman. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_78235 |
| Contributors | Hintzen, Neil., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 135 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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