ERIC ED367876: Public Secondary School Teacher Survey on Vocational Education. Contractor Report. Statistical Analysis Report.

80 Pages·1.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 065 980
ED 367 876
Heaviside, Sheila; And Others
AUTHOR
Public Secondary School Teacher Survey on Vocational
TITLE
Education. Contractor Report. Statistical Analysis
Report.
National Center for Education Statistics (ED),
INSTITUTION
Washington, DC.
ISBN-0-16-043098-4; NCES-94-409
REPORT NO
Jan 94
PUB DATE
NOTE
80p.
U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of
AVAILABLE FROM
Documents, Mail Stop: SSOP, Washington, DC
20402-9328,
Statistical
Research/Technical (143)
PUB TYPE
Reports
Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160)
Data (110)
MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Academic Achievement; Comparative Analysis; Course
DESCRIPTORS
Content; Educational Environment; Grades
(Scholastic); *Grading; Integrated Curriculum;
*Learning Activities; Portfolios (Background
Materials); Public Schools; Secondary Education;
Secpndary School Teachers; *Student Evaluation;
Surveys; Tables (Data); Teacher Attitudes; *Teacher
Qualifications; *Teaching Methods; *Vocational
Education
ABSTRACT
In fall 1992, the National Assessment of Vocational
Education Teacher Survey gathered data on the context of vocational
education in public secondary schools through questionnaires sent to
2,071 vocational and academic secondary teachers. Response was 93
percent (1,924 teachers). Almost all teachers taught full time and
had a significant amount of teaching experience. Class size was
slightly lower and class length was somewhat longer in vocational
courses. Vocational courses differed by the activities and teaching
methods used during class. Homework was much more likely to have been
assigned during a 5-day period in academic courses; vocational course
students were about twice as likely to have used some kind of
instrument, tools or equipment, and computers. Large proportions of
both groups of teachers planned to include written examinations and
quizzes. Vocational teachers were likely to administer a performance
test or assess a student's portfolio. The mathematics and science
content of most vocational courses was limited. Teachers in both
groups reported the leading determinants of students' grades were
basic reading skills, completing work on time, creative thinking and
problem solving, and self-management skills, although occupational
skills were significantly more likely to contribute to a vocational
student's grade. (Over one-half of the report consists of 23 tables
of estimates and standard errors. The questionnaire is appended.)
(YLB)
C
STATISTICS
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
Statistical Analysis Report
January 1994
Public Secondary School
Teacher Survey on
Vocational Education
Contractor Report
FRS'S
Fast Response Survey System
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improve.
iit
EDU ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
I.s document has been reproduced as
r zeived from the person or organization
originating it
0 Minor changes have been made to improve
reproduction Quality
Points of view or Opinions stated in this docu
went do not necessarily represent official
OERI position or policy
U.S. Department of Education
NCES 94-409
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
BEST COPi
2
STATISTICS
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
Statistical Analysis Report
January 1994
Public Secondary School
Teacher Survey on
Vocational Education
Contractor Report
FANS
Fast Response Survey System
Sheila Heaviside
Nancy Carey
Elizabeth Farris
Westat, Inc.
-
Judi Carpenter
Project Officer
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
NCES 94-409
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
Richard W. Riley
Secretary
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
Sharon P. Robinson
Assistant Secretary
National Center for Education Statistics
Emerson J. Elliott
Commissioner
January 1994
National Center for Education Statistics
"The purpose of the Center shall be to collect, analyze, and
disseminate statistics and other data related to education
in the United States and in other nations."Section 406(b)
of the General Education Provisions act, as amended (20
U.S.C. 1221e-1).
Contact:
Judi Carpenter
[phone]
For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office
Superintendent of Documents. Mail Stop: SSOP, Washington. DC 21W/2-9328
ISBN 0-16-04309B-4
A
These highlights summarize the results of the National Assessment of
Highlights
describe some
Vocational Education Teacher Survey (fall 1992) and
in the
characteristics of vocational education teachers and courses
by the
natio,.'s public secondary schools. This survey was requested
conducted through the
National Assessment of Vocational Education and
Fast Response Survey System (FRSS).
and 98 percent of
In fall 1992, 97 percent of vocational teachers
schools were
academic teachers in the nation's public secondary
vocational
teaching full time (table 2). Ninety-one percent of
indicated that their
teachers and 92 percent of academic teachers
they had
primary teaching assignment was in the area for which
prepared to teach.
schools report
Vocational and academic teachers in public secondary
averaged 17 years
similar teaching experience. Vocational teachers
primary teaching
of experience, 14 of which were spent in their
of teaching
assignment (figure 2). Academic teachers had 18 years
teaching
experience, 15 of which had been in their primary
assignment.
vocational teachers
Overall, 66 percent of public secondary school
related to their
had nonteaching paid work experience directly
for their
teaching assignment, compared with only 19 percent
of
academic counterparts (table 2 and figure 3). The amount
averaging 10 years
experience also differed, with vocational teachers
academic
nonteaching experience compared with 6 years for
teachers.
bachelor's
Eighty-eight percent of vocational teachers held at least a
(tal)le 3). In
degree; 50 percent held a degree above a bachelor's
bachelor's degree and
contrast, virtually all academic teachers had a
degree higher than a bachelor's.
over half (60 percent) held a
education major
Sixty-six percent of vocational teachers had an
(table 3).
teachers reported
In the fall of 1992, 73 percent of public vocational
either primarily of
that they considered their classes to be composed
spanning a
students of average ability (40 percent) or of students
Teachers in academic
wide range of abilities (33 percent; table 4).
differently; they were more than three
courses viewed their students
their students
times as likely as vocational teachers to indicate that
(35 percent compared to 11
were of higher than average ability
of
percent). Seventeen percent of vocational and 13 percent
primarily
academic teachers believed that their class was composed
of students with lower than average ability.
curriculum or
Vocational teachers were more likely to coordinate
(37 percent), and fewer
team teach with other vocational teachers
English, math,
(from 5 to 13 percent) coordinated efforts with
science, and other teachers often or always (table 8).
i5
While homework was assigned in nearly ali academic classes (95
percent). it was assigned in only 59 percent of vocational classes
(table 10).
Student perfonnance in vocational courses was most commonly
evaluated by teacher-developed tests (84 percent) and student
classwork (76 percent; table 11).
Among vocational teachers, placement of problem students into
vocational education programs and the status of vocational education
in relation to academic subjects led the list of reported problems in
the vocational programs in their schools (55 percent and 54 percent
respectively; table 14). Almost half of vocational teachers indicated
that student motivation (49 percent) and maintaining vocational
enrollments (47 percent) were also serious problems.
6
iv
Contents
Page
iii
Highlights.
1
Introduction.
2
Characteristics of Vocational Education Teachers
2
Primary Teaching Assignments
3
Teaching Experience
5
Other Related Nonteaching Work Experience
6
Educational Background
6
Education Classes
Characteristics and Composition of Vocational
6
Classes.
8
Class Size
8
Student Abilities
8
Application Toward Graduation Requirements
9
Integration and Coordination of Curriculum
9
Time Spent on Various Subject Matter
10
Principal Instructor
11
Teachers' Preparation
12
Coordinating Curriculum
13
Activities
Vocational Education Course Content and
13
Class Length
14
Classroom Activities and Teaching Methods
14
Homework
16
Use of Assessments
17
Student Evaluation
17
Components of Grades
19
Competencies Contributing to Students' Grades
20
Problems in Their School
Teachers' Perceptions of Vocational Education
21
Summary
23
Survey Methodology and Data Reliability
23
Sample Selection
23
Teacher Sam pl ing
24
Response Rates
24
Sampling and Nonsampling Errors
25
Variances
25
Background Information
26
References.
List of Figures
Figure
Page
Percent of public secondary school vocational education teachers reporting
1
various subjects as their primary teaching assignment: 1992
3
2
Mean number of years of teaching experience and years teaching in primary
subject of public secondary school teachers, by primary teaching assignment
and school type: 1992
4
Mean number of years of related nonteaching work experience
3
among teachers
with nonteaching work experience, by public secondary school teachers' primary
teaching assignment and school type: 1992
5
4
Percent of vocational subjects reported as subject of first
course taught
in primary assignment field, by public school vocational education teachers: 1992
7
Mean class size in public secondary school classes, by course and school
5
type: 1992
8
.
6
Mean number of hours per week public secondary school classes meet, by
course
and school type: 1992
13
7
Mean hours of homework assigned in last 5 days in public secondary school classes,
by course and school type: 1992
15
Percent of public secondary school teachers using various types of assessments,
8
by type of course: 1992
16
9
Mean percent of public secondary school students' grades based on specified
assessments, by course type: 1992
18
8
vi
List of Tables
Page
Text Tables
secondary schools in which no time was
Percent of vocational classes in public
A
10
and school type: 1992
spent on various subject matter, by course
teachers indicating they were the
Percent of public secondary school vocational
B
covered in class, by course and
main instructors when various subject matter was
11
school type: 1992.
Reference Tables
vocational education teachers and academic
Number and percent of occupational
1
1 lth and 12th grades in the sample and
teachers in public secondary schools with
29
universe: 1992
teaching full time whose primary
Percent of public secondary school teachers
2
which they prepared to teach, and having
teaching assignment is in the subject for
related to teaching assignment, by teacher's
paid nonteaching work experience directly
30
1992
primary teaching assignment and school type:
secondary school teachers teaching full
Standard errors of the percent of public
2a
is in the subject for which they prepared to
time whose primary teaching assignment
experience directly related to teaching
teach, and having paid nonteaching work
31
assignment and school type: 1992
assignment, by teacher's primary teaching
with various degrees, and with a
Percent of public secondary school teachers
3
32
1992
teaching assignment and school type:
major in education, by teacher's primary
secondary school teachers with various
Standard errors of the percent of public
3a
and
by teacher's primary teaching assignment
degrees, and with a major in education,
33
school type: 1992.
indicating class characteristics, by course
Percent of public secondary school teachers
4
34
and school type: 1992
secondary school teachers indicating class
Standard errors of the percent of public
4a
35
1992
characteristics, by course and school type:
time is
schools in which more than 25 percent of
Percent of classes in public secondary
5
36
and school type: 1992
spent on specified tasks, by course
in public secondary schools in which more
Standard errors of the percent of classes
5a
37
1992
specified tasks, by course and school type:
than 25 percent of time is spent on
who feel well prepared (3 or 4 on the rating
Percent of public secondary school teachers
6
38
and school type: 1992
scale) to teach various subjects, by teacher
secondary school teachers who feel well
Standard errors of the percent of public
6a
school
teach various subjects, by teacher and
prepared (3 or 4 on the rating scale) to
39
type: 1992
vii
List of Tables--continued
Reference Tables--continued
Page
7
Percent of vocational teachers in public secondary schools who feel
ll prepared
v.
(3 or 4 on the rating scale) to teach various subject material, by primary teaching
assignment 1992
7a
Standard errors of the percent of vocational teachers in public secondary schools
who feel well prepared (3 or 4 on the rating scale) to teach various subject material,
by primary teaching assignment: 1992.
41
Percent of classes in public secondary schools in which teachers often
8
or always (3
or 4 on the rating scale) coordinate course curricula or team teach, by teacher's subject,
by course and school type: 1992
42
8a
Standard errors of the percent of classes in public secondary schools in which teachers
often or always (3 or 4 on the rating scale) coordinate course curricula
or team teach,
by teacher's subject, by course and school type: 1992
43
9
Percent of public secondary school teachers indicating that various activities took place
when class last met, by course and school type: 1992
44
9a
Standard errors of the percent of public secondary school teachers indicating various
activities took place when class last met, by course and school type: 1992
45
10
Percent of classes in public secondary schools in which homework is assigned, and
percent where homework often or always (3 or 4 on the rating scale) involves specified
activities, by course and school type: 1992
46
10a Standard errors of the percent of classes in public secondary schools in which
homework is assigned, and percent where homework often or always (3
or 4 on the
rating scale) involves specified activities, by course and school type: 1992
47
Percent of courses in public secondary schools in which various assessments
11
were
planned at least once during the current grading period and in which specified assessments
contribute to students' grades, by course and school type: 1992
48
lla Standard errors of the percent of courses in public secondary schools in which various
assessments were planned at least once during the current grading period and in which
specified assessments contribute to students' grades, by
course and school type: 1992.
49
.
.
Mean percent of public secondary school students' grades based
12
on specified
assessments, by course and school type: 1992.
50
12a Standard errors of the mean percent of public secondary school students' grades
based on specified assessments, by course and school type: 1992
51
Percent of classes in public secondary schools in which various competencies contribute
13
to a moderate or great extent (3 or 4 on the rating scale) to students' grades, by class and
school characteristics: 1992
52
I3a Standard errors of the percent of classes in public secondary schools in which valiou.,
competencies contribute to a moderate or great extent (3 or
the rating scale) ti students'
4 on
grades, by course and school characteristics: 1992
53
1 0
viii