There is currently more focus than ever on the importance of earning a college degree. At the same time, many students and parents are dubious that America's expensive, one-size-fits-all higher education system can adequately educate students for an ever more diverse and sophisticated world of work. There are other educational options that are…

The ability to evaluate and accurately articulate the outcomes associated with leadership development programs is critical to their continued financial and administrative support. With calls for outcome-based accountability, the need for rigorous evaluation is particularly relevant for those programs administered through the Cooperative Extension…

Mark Van Doren, the noted literary scholar, once remarked, "The college is meaningless without a curriculum, but it is more so when it has one that is meaningless." Many current critics of undergraduate curricula in America assent to the crucial need for programmatic renewal in our colleges and universities. They bemoan the cookie-cutter…

The author discusses employer-initiated health manpower development in Texas as well as other public and private secondary and postsecondary health occupations education programs. (MF)

This study sought to compare the relative values of the structured and unstructured approaches to the work experience portion of cooperative education programs with the additional objective of preparing guidelines for developing the structure of a work experience. A total of 32 students, 16 experimental and 16 control, from four Texas Community…

Begun in 1972, the program permits the career oriented high school student to enroll in a regular academic program and simultaneously be exposed to health professions/allied careers and learn some health care skills. It is the first rung in a career ladder approach to education and encourages continuing education. (MW)

A job analysis of vocational cooperative teacher-coordinators in secondary schools in Texas was performed. Five questions were investigated: (1) What tasks were performed and what relative percent of time was spent doing these tasks?; (2) When did coordinators learn to do the tasks they do and when did they feel these tasks should have been…

A study was undertaken to identify and evaluate state-of-the-art practices in alternance training used in community and junior colleges and technical institutes throughout Texas. Various arrangements combining alternating periods of study and work, including apprenticeships, cooperative education, internships, clinical experience, and practicums,…

Major questions addressed in this study were (1) What is the educative purpose of cooperative education (CE) courses in postsecondary business programs? and (2) What are the essential objectives which will receive appropriate recognition and accreditation from the educational and accrediting community? A survey instrument containing sixteen…

This handbook was developed to assist teachers of secondary agricultural cooperative training with related instructional periods and to assist students in developing the civic and social aspects of their lives. The contents of the handbook are intended as a guide for teachers in leading group discussions with their class members, selecting…

This handbook provides background information and practical suggestions for home economics cooperative education teacher-coordinators in Texas. It is intended for teacher-coordinators using the six courses of study in occupational home economics prepared by the same agency. Addressed to the teacher-coordinator in a narrative format, the handbook…

This guidebook is designed to assist teacher-coordinators in promoting home economics cooperative education programs in the school and the community. It is intended to be a tool for teachers working with prospective employers of students, recruiting students for the program, and interpreting the program to parents, administrators, and others.…

A study examined the effectiveness of the cooperative training component of the vocational/technical programs at 30 junior and community colleges and technical institutes throughout Texas. Data were collected from 353 cooperative education students (of 445 contacted), 108 coordinators (of 160 contacted), and 121 work site supervisors (of 488…

This guide is designed to assist teachers who are beginning their first year of teaching Texas' Health Science Technology Education program. Discussed in the guide's seven sections are the following: the state's educational system, the teacher-student relationship, and teachers' internal struggles; planning/scheduling; classroom management…

Coordinated Vocational-Academic Education (CVAE), (formerly entitled Occupational Training), is the Texas Education Agency Vocational Program designed for students with special learning needs. It is intended for in-school youth possessing academic, socioeconomic, or other handicaps to such an extent as to prevent them from succeeding in standard…