Search Results for
"Vocational education"

Automotive Electrical Electronics courses require effective learning models that can develop both technical knowledge and 21st-century skills. E-learning approaches offer potential solutions to enhance educational outcomes in this field. This study examined the effectiveness of the Rifdarmon-Based E-Learning Model in improving learning outcomes and 4C skills (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication) in an Automotive Electrical Electronics course at Universitas Negeri Padang’s Automotive Engineering Department. The research employed an experimental design comparing an experimental group using the Rifdarmon-Based E-Learning Model with a control group using conventional learning methods. Pre-tests and post-tests were conducted to measure learning outcomes, while specialized assessments evaluated 4C skills development. The experimental group showed significant improvements in learning outcomes, with pre-test scores increasing from 69,1 to 87,2 in post-test, compared to the control group’s increase from 64,9 to 84,4. The 4C skills assessment revealed higher scores in the experimental group (86,6) versus the control group (74,95). Statistical analyses confirmed the model’s effectiveness with a large effect size (point estimate-2,511) and significant multivariate test results (F=29,356, p<0,001). The Rifdarmon-Based E-Learning Model proved effective in enhancing both learning outcomes and 4C skills development in Automotive Electrical Electronics education. The integration of e-learning with the Rifdarmon model demonstrated significant improvements in students’ academic performance and complex skill development compared to conventional learning methods. © 2025; Los autores.

The study explores concerns from employers about graduates’ limited theoretical and practical skills, despite the inclusion of experiential learning (EL) in hospitality and tourism curricula aimed at enhancing industry readiness. Focusing on Malaysia’s community colleges through interviews with lecturers (n = 13) and industry players (n = 13). Thematic analysis of transcribed data revealed seven key themes. Lecturers cited issues such as inadequate training and qualifications, deficiencies in program structure, excessive workload, and students’ unfavorable attitudes. Industry players expressed concerns about students’ inadequate practical skills, limited understanding of Technical and vocational education and Training (TVET) and EL, and poor program management. The findings underscore the need to strengthen EL in community colleges by improving program design and adopting more effective, innovative EL strategies. The study offers insights for better aligning academic delivery with industry needs, ultimately helping to ensure that graduates are well-prepared for the evolving demands of the hospitality and tourism sector. © 2025 ICHRIE.

Introducing students to real-world contexts through clinical placements can provide rich learning experiences. In health professional education, these placements primarily focus on the supervised development of clinical skills within discipline-specific contexts. However, numerous implicit contexts influence the learning event, which may not be explicitly addressed in the placement’s curriculum or teaching structure but are nonetheless pedagogically significant. This study examines the distinctive contexts of a student-led, interdisciplinary Aboriginal allied health service placement in rural South Australia, highlighting the contexts’ unique experiential characteristics. We used a bricolage of phenomenological engagement and abductive thinking to investigate students’ experiences within and across these learning contexts. Students’ accounts revealed that their experiences at the intersections of these contexts held pedagogical significance. This finding prompts critical questions about the design and delivery of educational placements to maximise the inherent learning potential of contexts. We discuss the role of context in clinical placements and explore how context and context complexity can be effectively configured to support student learning across various clinical placement settings and models. We propose that developing context awareness and perspective, and attending to context convergence, can enhance meaningful learning in complex environments. © The Author(s) 2025.

Technical and vocational education and training is an important branch of education, pursued by increasing numbers of young people, and information in this regard is crucial. This research aims to determine student entry profiles based on their initial expectations and skills. A total of 183 newly admitted students of technical degrees at a public university responded to two scales used to measure academic expectations and readiness. This non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive research employs cluster analysis to identify four groups with high levels of academic expectations and readiness, but the findings show that effective communication and emotion modulation skills are weaker, as are student participation expectations. © (2024), (Universidad Autonoma de Baja California). All Rights Reserved.

Due to the increasing complexity of the demands of the job market, the importance of generic competencies in pupils is increasingly emphasised in secondary vocational education programmes. In this context, critical thinking competency has been highlighted as the one that enables pupils to act as autonomous, competent, independent and reflective professionals who are also willing to change the status quo of existing labour market demands. However, the literature points out a major challenge in developing critical thinking competency in vocational programmes due to the lack of concrete approaches or even guidelines for developing critical thinking. Against this background, this paper aims to propose a theoretical model of teaching for critical thinking in vocational education and training. The model was derived from the generic model of teaching for critical thinking proposed by author Buchberger and was contextualised through an in-depth literature review within the six dimensions of teaching for critical thinking (learning outcomes aimed at developing critical thinking, critical approach to lesson content, active teaching methods, active assessment methods, critical action, and democratic classroom atmosphere). The contextualisation of the model of teaching for critical thinking in vocational education and training has shown that there are many specificities of vocational education that need to be addressed through the six dimensions of critical thinking teaching, which shows that the generic model of teaching for critical thinking provides a high-quality starting point for different levels and types of education. Therefore, the proposed model aims to support vocational teachers in teaching for critical thinking. However, it is noted that the model is open and flexible and can therefore be adapted to the needs of particular teaching practises in different learning contexts. © 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Training and Development published by Brian Towers (BRITOW) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

International mobility in vocational education and Training (VET) entered a new and transformative phase in 2014 when the Erasmus Programme began encompassing this field of education, which had only applied to staff and students in higher education courses until then. Among other institutions offering VET in Portugal, vocational schools could engage in international mobility of students, teachers and other educational agents through the Programme, renamed ‘Erasmus+’. After over a decade of implementing this practice, it is relevant to know its effects on students, teachers and schools, particularly those corresponding to the Programme's priorities: inclusion and diversity, digital transformation, fighting climate change, and civic and democratic participation. In line with this objective, a study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with nine teachers, three school leaders, and three mobility coordinators in three Portuguese vocational schools. The findings point to the prevalence of positive effects of international mobility as experienced by students, teachers, and schools, reflecting aspects of personal, professional, and institutional enhancement aligned with the aforementioned priorities. © 2025 Curriculo sem Fronteiras. All rights reserved.

Generative AI tools present new opportunities for enhancing critical thinking (CT) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing instruction. This study investigates how the structured integration of these technologies could support the development of CT skills, particularly in vocational education contexts. An eight-week multiple-case action research design was conducted across three vocational colleges, involving 92 students engaged in iterative writing and revision cycles guided by the GenAI-CT framework. This pedagogical model draws on Bloom’s taxonomy, Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, and cognitive apprenticeship theory to scaffold learners through increasingly complex reasoning tasks. Data were collected from student essays, AI interaction logs, reflective journals, and classroom observations. Mixed-methods analysis revealed statistically significant gains across all CT dimensions (p<.001). Thematic findings indicated notable increases in analytical depth, metacognitive reflection, and evaluative judgment. Variations across cases underscored the influence of disciplinary focus and instructional mediation styles. These results demonstrate that generative AI, when embedded in intentional pedagogical structures, can foster cognitive engagement rather than superficial automation. The GenAI-CT framework offers a replicable model for integrating AI in applied language and communication instruction, supporting educators in cultivating critical thinking through technology-enhanced learning environments. © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate.

Post-secondary educational outcomes for young people with care experience are poor. Studies have typically been limited to those who have aged out of care and have typically examined college/university attendance. Non-college educational options have potential for gaining credentials to secure productive employment, but these options have received less investigation. Using data from the Fostering Healthy Futures (FHF) study, which included a broader range of care-experienced young people (not just those who aged out), this study describes post-secondary educational aspirations and plans in young adulthood with a specific focus on vocational education. We provide descriptive findings on young adults' educational and career goals, plans for achieving those goals and intent to apply and attend post-secondary vocational education. Findings identify a range of planned paths, a significant percentage of which are vocationally focused, and the importance of work to many respondents. The findings offer implications for better supporting the care-experienced population in achieving their educational and career goals. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

This study explored the integration of computer-aided design (CAD) and neural network technology in vocational education, focusing on course design, skill training, and project-based learning. Through analysis, the study reveals how this technological integration improved students’ practical skills, innovative thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Feedback from students indicated high satisfaction with the personalized resources provided by the system, which effectively met their learning needs. Empirical findings showed significant improvements in students' practical capabilities after applying CAD and neural network technology. Compared to traditional models, students demonstrated faster execution and better reporting skills. This integration marks a breakthrough in practical teaching in professorship education, enhancing both instructional effectiveness and the overall learning experience. © 2025 IGI Global. All rights reserved.

In countries that have a dual system of vocational training, like Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, the levels of education and employment are higher, with the risk of NEET being lower. Especially the German labour market is a good example of successful youth transitions into gainful employment and decent work. The aim of this paper is a preliminary assessment of the German model of vocational education as a benchmark for Europe. Focusing on the example of Germany and Poland, we investigate not only the costs and benefits of maintaining the dual systems but also several current challenges in the youth labour market. Although the dual system is still the most prominent track for young people, occupational training in school-based systems and tertiary studies is gaining importance. The reduction in the number of applicants for apprenticeship education and training in Germany is not only caused by demographic changes but also by the increasing attractiveness of tertiary studies. This is the reason why we are observing a trend of polarization in education. Considering the advantages of the dual system, we argue that the German apprenticeship approach should be used as a benchmark for the changes that are being implemented in Poland. © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Magdalena Osińska; individual chapters, the contributors.