Beyond Articulation: The Development of Tech Prep Programs.

253 Pages·2007·6.05 MB·English

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 060 465
ED 342 925
Dornsife, Carolyn
AUTHOR
Beyond Articulation: The Development of Tech Prep
TITLE
Programs.
National Center for Research in Vocational Education,
INSTITUTION
Berkeley, CA.
Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED),
SPONS AGENCY
Washington, DC.
Feb 92
PUB DATE
V051A80004-91A
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*Articulation (Education); Career Development;
DESCRIPTORS
*Curriculum Development; Curriculum Guides;
Demonstration Programs; *Federal Legislation; Higher
Education; High Schools; Models; Postsecondary
Education; Program Descriptions; *Program
Implementation; Skilled Occupations; Teaching
Methods; *Technical Education; Technical Occupations;
*Vocational Education
*Tech Prep; Tech Prep Education Act 1990
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
"Tech prep" is the term given to vocational education
programs that provide preparation for technical careers. These
programs often include an articulated curriculum of 2 years of high
school and 2 years of postsecondary education with work experience
components. This report describes tech prep as it currently exists,
based on data collected from nationwide visits to secondary and
postsecondary institutions, participation in conferences, and an
four sections. The
extensive literature review. The report conta''
h vocational
first section examines the social framework i
education operates, including the economic and b....al forces that
have shaped the tech prep movement. The second section describes
current tech prep programs. Four components common to most of the
tech prep programs are identified: information/marketing campaigns;
curriculum development; career guidance; and program improvement. The
third section provides ildormation on establishing articulation
agreements. The final section reviews the basic structural issues
underlying the delivery of education, including federal and state
policies and relationships. A list of 59 references is included.
Appendixes, which make up more than half the documert. include the
following: a list of conferences attended, site visits made, and
documents reviewed; sample brochures, newsletters, and student
handbooks; counselors'/teachers' manuals from various tech prep
programs; summer institute and conference agendas; drafting program
description from two colleges; a career center description and career
planning form; articulation agreements; mission statements; and a
copy of the Tech Prep Education Act of 1990. (KC)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
Office of Educational Research
and Improvement
MATERIAL IR MICROFICHE ONLY
EDU ATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced
as
received trom me person or organization
originating it
ID Minor changes have been made
lo improve
tePrOduCtiOn qualify
Pounts of view or OpimonS Stated
in tnisdocu.
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
men, 00 nOf necessarily represent official
OERI position or policy
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
BEYOND ARTICULATION:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF
TECH PREP PROGRAMS
Carolyn Dornsife
University of California at Berkeley
Education
National Center for Research in Vocational
University of California at Berkeley
375
1995 University Avenue, Suite
Berkeley, CA 94704
Supported by
Education,
The Office of Vocational and Adult
U.S. Department of Education
February, 1992
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FUNDING INFORMATION
National Center for Research in Vocational Education
Project Title:
V051A80004-91A
Grant Number:
Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act
Act under which
Funds Administered:
P. L. 98-524
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
Source of Grant:
U.S. Department of Education
Washington,
DC 20202
The Regents of the University of California
Grantee:
National Center for Research in Vocational Education
University Avenue, Suite 375
1995
Berkeley, CA 94704
Charles S. Benson
Director:
Percent of Total Grant
Financed by Federal Money:
100%
Dollar Amount of
$5,918,000
Federal Funds for Grant:
This publication was prepared pursuant to a grant with the
Disclaimer:
Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of
Education. Grantees undertaking such projects under
government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely
their judgement in professional and technical matters. Points
of view of opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent
official U.S. Department of Education position or policy.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states: "No person in
Discrimination:
the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or
national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any
assistance."
program or activity receiving federal financial
states: "No
Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972
basis of sex, be
person in the United States shall, on the
excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be
subjected to discrimination under any education program or
Therefore,
activity receiving federal financial assistance."
the National Center for Research in Vocational Education
project, like every program or activity receiving financial
assistance from the U.S. Department of Education, must be
operated in compliance with these laws.
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
1
7
Context for Change: The Framework for Developing Tech Prep Programs
The Framework: Economic, Technological, and Social Forces
7
14
The Social Context of Tech Prep Programs
17
Components of Tech Prep Programs
19
Component 1: Information/Marketing Campaigns
32
Component 2: Curriculum Development
61
Component 3: Career Guidauce
72
Component 4: Program Improvement
80
Future Approachea
82
Planning and Implementing Tech Prep Programs
83
Articulation Processes
87
Organizational Structure
103
Support for Tech Prep Programs: State Initiatives and Federal Policy
104
State Initiatives
107
Federal Policy
111
References
119
Appendices
45
INTRODUCTION
Interest in
The articulation of vocational education courses is not a new idea.
years.1 In
coordination between educational levels has been evident for more than sixty
offers many benefits to students,
part, this interest remains active becaus,.: articulation
educational institutions, and the community at large. For instance, the frequently cited
college
advantages to students include better preparation for work, the opportunity to earn
and a more efficient
credit for secondary courses, the elimination of duplicate coursework,
researchers (Carter, 1985; Mitchell, 1989) also argue
use of their time and money. Some
-ondary students is increased self-esteem and motivation from
that an advantage for
earning college credit.
articulation is increased
For educational institutions, one of the major advantages of
advanced placement in a community
student recruitment and enrollment. The possibility of
secondary level, and the
college can increase enrollment in articulated classes at the
develop broad-based competencies
opportunity to enroll in programs that allow students to
the postsecondary level. Finally,
in an occupational program area can increase retention at
For instance, by reducing
articulated programs provide benefits to the community at large.
of confronting decreased
duplication of coursework they provide an effective means
accountability. In turn, providing more
funding for education and increased demands for
institution and encourages local
effective programs enhances the public image of the
of well-trained employees.
employers to recognize program graduates as a source
relatively new concept: tech
Recent interest in articulation reflects the pursuit of a
that provide preparation for
prepthe development of vocational education programs
of education, government, and
technical careers.2 In part, this pui3uit is the response
of the educational
1The topic of articulation has a long history of being investigated by members
investiglions in vocational education that are both
community. Included in this history are a number of
statewide samples of postsecondary
comprehensive and modest in scope (i.e., based on national and
include Bushnell (1978); Long, Warmbrod,
institutions). The most widely cited comprehensive studies
Fields, Kurth, and Kelly (1988); and Woelfer
Faddis, and Lerner (1986); McCormick (1980); McKinney,
Pennsylvania (Carter, 1985); Maryland (Radcliffe &
(1978). A sample of recent statewide studies include
Massachusetts (McDonagh, 1988); Washington
Zirkin, 1986); Illinois State Board of Education (1987);
High Schools (1989); North Carolina State
(McClure, 1988); Delaware Patewide Vocational-Technical
(Lovelace, 1990); and California (Ramer, 1991).
Department of Community Colleges (1990); Texas
Educ.dtion (1984)
National Commission on Secondary Vocational
The Unfinished Agenda, the
2In
endeavors in secondary schools. Specifically,
proposed, among other things, the expansion of cooperative
The tech prep curriculum being
"secondary and postsecondary levels must coordinate their programs.
1
business leaders to the significant economic, technological, and social changes of the 1980s
including (1) structural changes in the economy linked to less industrial production jobs,
more service industry jobs, and a demand for trainzd technicians; (2) rapid technological
changes in the workplace that require a variation in job skills; (3) a decrease in the
population aged sixteen to twenty-four that typically fills entry-level jobs, but a larger
percentage of disadvantaged and minority youth who need special help to compete in the
job market; and (4) an increase in older workers needing training and retraining.
Assuming that the public education system is the key instrument for preparing the
workforce for successful participation in our changing labor market, the implications of
these changes are significant. Educators and policymakers must design curriculum and
enact legislation that together support training and retraining of all citizens for occupational
placement or job replacement. At the same time, however, critics argue the education
For instance, the
system itself must be reformed in order to meet these challenges.
educational system is often criticized because high school graduates lack basic skills and
adequate literacy levels, secondary vocational education tends to provide a narrow
occupational preparation for students, and postsecondary technical institutions report losing
fifty percent of their students froi:. semester to semester (Budke, 1988).
In response to these criticisms, and to the need for providing effective workforce
preparation, many education and business professionals have joined together to pursue a
by a renewed sense
new direction in vocational education. This direction is characterized
of service to students and community, a demand for educational excellence, and a need to
get the most out of shrinldng finances at a time of declining enrollments. Most importantly,
it reflects an understanding of the impact of new technologies on technical occupations, and
training to meet the accompanying changes in
a need to provide students with appropriate
skill requirements. This new lirection is also supported by the federal government. In
particular, as part of the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of
1984, national policymakers enacted the Tech Prep Education Act of 1990 and allocated
operation of articulated 2+2 programs."
over $63 million to promote "the development and
developed in many communities between high schools and community colleges illustrates how this can be
done effectively" (p. 18).
72
I
I
Given the widespread support for this new direction in vocational education, it is
important to ask "What is tech prep, and why has federal legislation been enacted to
I
support the development of these programs?" The purposes of this report are to answer
these questions and to describe the current state of affairs of tech prep programs. These
I
descriptions are based on data collected from nationwide site visits to secondary and
postsecondary institutions, participation in nume:ous tech prep conferences, and an
extensive review of the literature including program documents, ERIC ffies, and academic
1
.
publications. (See A pendix A for a list of schools visited, conferences attended, and
published program 'material reviewed.)
1
These research activities indicate there are many successful programs.
I
Furthermore, program variation tends to reflect differences in planning and implementing
and local economies.
processes, and differences among individual schools, students,
I
Although no single type of tech prep program can be responsive to the variations among
schools, there are four general components that serve as the foundation for all programs:
i
(1) information/marketing campaigns, (2) curriculum development, (3) career guidance,
and (4) program improvement. Furthermore, tech prep programs can be described on the
basis of changing activities and priorities associated with these components. An overview
I
of thes: changing activities is presented in Tat* 1. The material in this table illustrates the
In
three open-ended stages of program development that typically characterize tech prep.
I
do
general, tech prep programs, or the activities and priorities of each program component,
development to the nextbeginning,
not change simultaneously from one stage of
Rather, tech prep programs reflect a mixture of each
1
intermediate, and advanced.
result of proceeding through
component operating at various stages of development. As a
I
reflects a range of programs. For
stages of development, the current status of tech prep
of the following
instance, some tech prep programs can be described as a combination
beginning course development, (3)
I
components: (1) intermediate marketing campaign, (2)
intermediate career guidance, and (4) beginning program improvement.
I
and the
In an eff,yrt to understand these recent developments in tech prep programs,
leaders in a new direction for
current interests of education, business, and government
I
accompanying
vocational education, this report presents the following four sections and the
appendices.
I
1
I
The first section presents an examination of the broad social framework tht
vocational education operates in. Included in this section is a discussion of the econom.c,
technological, and social forces that provided the impetus for many education reforms in
the 1980s such as tech prep programs. Following an understanding of the context for
change, the material in the second section presents a dlailed discussion of current tech prep
of activities associated
programs. The purpose of this section is to describe the continuum
with each program component at the three stages of development.
In recognition that effective planning and implementation of tech prep ptugrams
begins with a clear understanding of articulation processes and organizational structures,
the third section presents (1) an overview of the processes for establishing articulation
of
agreements, (2) a discussion of the barriers to these agreements, and (3) a description
the committees that coordinate the articulation activities and form the organizational
of committees,
structure for all tech prep programs. Although there is no required number
of
there is a relationship between the components of tech prep programs, the stages
Given the many activities and
program development, and the organizational structure.
changing priorities associated with each program component, the organizational structure
(1) executive, (2) administration and
typically includes the following committees:
coordination, (3) curriculum, (4) staff development, (5) marketing, and (6) program
improvement.
Finally, in the fourth section, the examination of current tech prep programs
vocational
concludes with a review of the basic structural issues underlying the delivery of
education. The purpose of this section is to present the issues related to how states govern
these
and administer vocational education, and how federal policies are filtered through
of how state initiatives and federal
structures. In turn, this material addresses the questions
policy inhibit or facilitate the development of tech prep programs.
4
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Table 1
The Evolution of Tech Prep Programs:
Development Stages of Program Components
PROGRAM
COMPONENTS
PROGRAM
Comm Articulation and
Program
DEVELOPMENT
Information/Marketing
Currkulum Development
Improvement
STAGES
Campaign
Career Guidance
-geginning
Identify outcome indicators
Establish Career Guidance Center
Articulatica of currently
existing
? litiate small-scale "spread-the-word"
(e.g., enrollment figures) and
(e.g., rearrange offices, upgrade
courses in vocational-
individual
campaign
context and process indicators
equipment)
technical program areas
(e.g., student satisfaction with
curriculum); establish
baselines; informally collect
information
UI
Formalize system for
Expand career development
courses and
InteM7Fnediate
Articulation of
modified
Establish a formal/written marketing
collecting data; review and
program at secondary level
in voc-tech program
plan; identify all target audiences;
course sequences
expand indicators as needed
(grades 7-12)
develop and implement a sequence of
areas
specific marketing activities
Routinely analyze program
Advanced
Integrate career develop:en,
new
c:f completely
Article
Engage in major marketing
improvement data; revise
programs to all school levels
and the
campaign; disseminate widely
se sequences,
courses,
components as needed;
(grades K-14)
development of voc-tech and
program description and outcomes;
publish results
and
nademic
core curriculum,
expand permanent program activities
programs that provide training along
a career ladder