Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Vocational and General Technology Education

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Future of Technology Education

Part of the book series: Contemporary Issues in Technology Education ((CITE))

Abstract

This chapter explores the interactions between vocational and general approaches to Technology Education, proposing that the vocational–general divide is not always clear. Often, this reflects the tension between training for specific skills competencies, and educating for more generic core competencies. With schools increasingly being held accountable for the performance of their graduates, and rising unemployment, Technology Education as strictly general education is being questioned and vocational education is being infused with liberal arts characteristics. Globalisation, rapid changes in technologies and work places, and growing understanding of the nature of learning and transfer of learning will all influence the future Technology Education curriculum. While integration of vocational and general approaches is problematic at the level of single classes, at the programme level it may provide meaningful education pathways.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • ADB. (2009). Education and skills: Strategies for accelerated development in Asia and the Pacific. Metro Manila: Asian Development Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beach, K. (2003). Consequential transitions: A developmental view of knowledge propagation through social organizations. In T. Tuomi-Grohn & Y. Engeström (Eds.), Between school and work: New perspectives on transfer and boundary-crossing (pp. 39–61). Boston: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bettencourt, A. (1993). The construction of knowledge: A radical constructivist view. In K. Tobin (Ed.), The practice of constructivism in science education (pp. 39–50). Washington, DC: AAAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boreham, N., & Fischer, M. (2002). Work process knowledge. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowskill, N. (2012). Five case studies exploring the value of technology education in New Zealand secondary schools. Unpublished MEd thesis, The University of Waikato, New Zealand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyer, E. L. (1987). College: The undergraduate experience in America. New York: Harper and Rowe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, H. (2010). 23 things they don’t tell you about capitalism. New York: Bloomsbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crafter, S., & Maunder, R. (2012). Understanding transitions using a sociocultural framework. Educational and Child Psychology, 29(1), 10–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding: An activity-theoretical approach to developmental research. Helsinki: Orienta-Konsultit Oy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, T., & Guile, D. (2004). Learning through work experience for the knowledge economy (Cedefop Reference series 48). Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guile, D., & Young, M. (2003). Transfer and transition between education and work: Some theoretical questions and issues. In T. Tuomi-Grohn & Y. Engeström (Eds.), Between school and work: New perspectives on transfer and boundary-crossing (pp. 63–81). Boston: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgerson, H. G., & Rehwaldt, S. (1990). Interrelationships: Liberal education and technical training. Journal of Studies in Technical Careers, 12(3), 195–203.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S., Dixon, R., Daugherty, J., & Lawanto, O. (2011). General versus specific intellectual competencies. In M. Barak & M. Hacker (Eds.), Fostering human development through engineering and technology education (pp. 55–71). Rotterdam: Sense.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Karmel, T. (2007). Vocational education and training in Australian schools. The Australian Educational Researcher, 34(3), 101–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, J. (2012). Learning that works. Time, May 14. Accessed 1 Feb 2013 from: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2113794,00.html

  • Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnaveni, R., & Sujatha, R. (2012). Communities of practice: An influencing factor for effective knowledge transfer in organizations. The IUP Journal of Knowledge Management, 10(1), 26–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Leberman, S., McDonald, L., & Doyle, S. (2006). The transfer of learning. Burlington: Gower.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lent, R., Hackett, G., & Brown, S. (1999). A social cognitive view of school to work transition. The Career Development Quarterly, 47, 312–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maclean, R., & Wilson, D. (2009). Introduction. In R. Maclean & D. Wilson (Eds.), International handbook of education for the changing world of work (pp. lxxiii–cxii). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Manir, A. K. (2009, June 2–5). ICT competency framework for library and information science schools in Nigeria: the need for model curriculum. Paper presented at the NALISE conference held at UNN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masdonati, J. (2010). The transition from school to vocational education and training. Journal of Employment Counselling, 47(1), 20–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, E. (1992). Employment-related key competencies. Canberra: Australian Education Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNerney, S. (2013). We don’t need no education. Accessed 1 Feb 2013 from: http://bigthink.com/insights-of-genius/we-dont-need-no-education

  • Pavlova, M., & Maclean, R. (2013). Vocationalisation of secondary and tertiary education: Challenges and possible future directions. In R. Maclean, S. Jagannathan, & J. Sarvi (Eds.), Skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth in developing Asia-Pacific (pp. 43–66). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, D. N., & Salomon, G. (1992). Transfer of learning. In T. Husen & T. N. Postelwhite (Eds.), International handbook of educational research (2nd ed., Vol. 11, pp. 6452–6457). Oxford: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, D., & Salomon, G. (1996). Learning transfer. In A. C. Tuijnman (Ed.), International encyclopedia of adult education and training (pp. 422–427). Tarrytown: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polesel, J. (2008). Democratising the curriculum or training the children of the poor: School-based vocational training in Australia. Journal of Education Policy, 23, 615–632.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powell, K. C., & Kalina, C. J. (2009). Cognitive and social constructivism: Developing tools for an effective classroom. Education, 130(2), 241–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pritchett, L. (2006). Let their people come: Breaking the gridlock on global labor mobility. Washington, DC: Centre for Global Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabadie, J. A., & Johansen, J. (2010). How do national economic competitiveness indices view human capital? European Journal of Education, 45(2), 236–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Säljö, R. (2003). From transfer to boundary crossing. In T. Tuomi-Grohn & Y. Engeström (Eds.), Between school and work: New perspectives on transfer and boundary-crossing (pp. 311–321). Boston: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorndike, E. (1924). Mental discipline in high school studies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 15, 1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO. (1999). Lifelong learning and training: A bridge to the future. (Final report of the second international Congress on TVET, Seoul, 1999.) Paris: UNESCO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, P. J. (1998). The confluence of the goals of technology education and the needs of industry: An Australian case study with international application. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 8, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technology, Environmental, Mathematics and Science Education Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    P John Williams

Authors
  1. P John Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P John Williams .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental, Mathematics and Science Education Research Centre, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    P John Williams

  2. University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Alister Jones

  3. Faculty of Education, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Cathy Buntting

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Williams, P. (2015). Vocational and General Technology Education. In: Williams, P., Jones, A., Buntting, C. (eds) The Future of Technology Education. Contemporary Issues in Technology Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-170-1_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation