Policymakers and educators are paying increased attention to determining how best to prepare those in adult education programs not only for immediate employment, but also for career advancement and further training or postsecondary education. This focus echoes current efforts among secondary educators, particularly those in career and technical…

Discusses development, training, and coordination practices for teams consisting of vocational counselors, vocational teachers, and special needs support services providers. Presents eight models for integrating postsecondary academic and vocational programs. (JOW)

Southern Regional Education Board's State Vocational Education Consortium developed a model for integrating vocational and academic education that includes at least three credits each in math and science; four English courses; and four credits in a vocational major and two in related fields. Eight sites implementing the model have narrowed gap…

In the Integrated Curricular Experiential Model, a cooperative fieldwork component is integrated into academics at Queens College. One example is an anthropology course that helps students understand the United States through the eyes of other cultures and to apply issues and concepts about diversity in the fieldwork experience. (SK)

This catalog describes local programs in the eight models of academic/vocational curriculum integration on the secondary level identified by the National Center for Research in Vocational Education (NCRVE). The roster highlights models from nearly every state, representing a cross-section of rural, suburban, and urban school districts. Each model…

Strategies for integrating academic and vocational skill have been the focus of increasing attention in recent years. The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990 mandates that state and local education agencies integrate these programs so students achieve both academic and vocational competencies. Implementation of…

Describes three approaches to integration of academic and vocational education and discusses how schools can move toward this concept. The approaches are (1) integrating academic and vocational coursework; (2) the academy model; and (3) occupational clusters and career paths. (JOW)

This paper summarizes strategies that have been successfully implemented at 3 of the 40 pilot sites working toward the goal of improving the academic competencies of students completing high school vocational programs. The strategies were culled from 30 interviews with academic teachers, vocational teachers, counselors, vocational directors,…

Using cognitive science as the knowledge base for the discussion, this paper reviews why many school learning situations are ineffective and introduces cognitive apprenticeship models that suggest what effective learning situations might look like. Five wrong assumptions about learning are examined: (1) people transfer learning from one situation…

Because tech prep has the twin goals of preparing students for entry into postsecondary/continuing education or the work force after high school, tech prep programs require significant modification of conventional curricula and teaching methodologies. Both research and experience have demonstrated that the ability to transfer learning from one…

An integrated system of academic and vocational-technical education is vital to the well-being of students and the nation. Approaches to integrated programs include requiring more academic coursework of vocational students; including academic skills in vocational courses; and integrating the entire high school. Key activities for successful…

Designed as a resource guide for a school district's governance team, this publication provides descriptions of 20 best district practices and 11 national demonstration projects on academic-vocational integration. It enables board members and superintendents to envision how the curriculum integration of academic and vocational education occurs on…

Based on observations in many schools, this report discusses the integration of vocational and academic education and describes various approaches to integration. In the first section, the various reasons supporting an integrated curriculum are examined. In the second section, eight different models of integration are outlined, and descriptions of…

This booklet is the third in a series of profiles of "what works" at high schools in the High Schools that Work program. It contains 42 outstanding practices descriptions arranged in categories representing the key practices of the High Schools that Work program: (1) redesigning and refocusing vocational studies; (2) developing a high…

A survey of various reform efforts was made to clarify the similarities and differences between them and efforts to integrate vocational and academic education. The survey revealed four distinct approaches to school reforms: (1) teacher professionalization; (2) curricular and teaching reform; (3) schools of choice; and (4) restructuring. According…