A Role for Technical Education in a Career Education Context.

Overview & Synopsis

Mounting concern over the seemingly high drop-out rate among the nation's teenagers, coupled with the inability of many high school students to select satisfying careers upon graduation, have prompted a restructuring of the curriculum around the developmental needs of students. A comprehensive educational program having seven basic operational characteristics, career education begins with the entry of the child into a formal school program and continues into the adult years. Job-related information is integrated into the existing curriculum on all grade levels. The lack of a clear-cut definition of career education other than the operationally adopted one has motivated the initiation of an implementation model for use with the program. To be developed by the Center for Vocational and Technical Education at Ohio State University in conjunction with six school districts, the model when completed will consist of components, systems, and packages field-tested in the cooperating school districts. Implications for technical education within a career education context are: (1) The student entering a post-secondary technical program will be a better prepared, more goal-oriented student; (2) Career choices will have been made from better data and will be based on personal needs, aspirations, and abilities; and (3) Because entering students are better prepared, there should be fewer dropouts, transfers, and failures. (Author/SN)