This guide was developed in Alaska to help high school administrators and teachers determine why and how to grant equivalent credit graduation requirements for vocational courses. The guide is organized in four sections. The first section provides a rationale for the use of equivalent credits, explaining how they benefit students, teachers,…

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…

A dichotomy is often seen between liberal arts or academic education and technology education. Practitioners of each school often feel in competition with each other for students and resources. There is, however, common ground on which to build an educational approach that eliminates the sharp cleavage between liberal arts education and technology…

A new longitudinal study reveals that the negative association between hours worked and grade point average is weaker for high schoolers in cooperative education (co-op) than in "outside" jobs. High school co-op leads to higher wages soon after graduation. However, students who curtail their education to pursue full-time employment could…

Gregson expands on critical theory to advocate vocational teachers' role in making programs and workplaces democratic and emancipatory. Asche argues that there are barriers to critical pedagogy in the system and the role of public education must be considered. (SK)

As more career and technical educators are faced with integrating academics into their curricula, workshops for teachers may help them to get started. In this brief article, Crystal B. Taylor, Ph.D., director of career, technical and adult education for the Roanoke City Public Schools in Virginia, describes four workshops on integrating academics…

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…

A review of the draft Illinois Academic Standards was conducted to identify changes to incorporate career-related and employability aspects of the academic content. Activities included collection and review of materials on state standards or equivalent state initiatives as well as national and other initiatives. Promotion of the project's primary…

This document, which is designed to prepare teachers and administrators to integrate vocational and academic education successfully, contains 46 case studies illustrating the roles teachers must assume to facilitate such integration. The cases, which have been drawn from a 1992 study titled "Teachers' Roles in the Integration of Vocational…

Two major research and development initiatives have been undertaken at Temple University's Center for Vocational Education Professional Personnel Development. The first focused on student learning outcomes and delivery configurations relating to the integration of academic and vocational education. The second focused on building the capacity of…

This newsletter attempts to clarify the importance of academic and vocational integration in relation to emerging pedagogy, teaching and learning practices, and school-to-work efforts. One misconception about academic-vocational integration is that new theories overshadow its value. However, current research on teaching and learning supports a…

This competency-based module uses the Ocean County (New Jersey) Vocational-Technical Schools curriculum-infused model for infusing basic skills instruction into vocational education. The model demonstrates the relationship of vocational skills to communication, mathematics, and science. The document begins with a philosophy statement; preface; a…

Integrated programs provide students with a balanced mix of academic and vocational skills needed in the workplace and for lifelong learning. Basic skills in mathematics, science, and communication form the foundation for lifelong learning and the content for higher-order skills. Occupational skills depend on and do not exist apart from academic…

A study determined the perceptions of 254 high school principals toward integrating vocational education into the academic curriculum in Mississippi. Responses to the Principal's Perception Survey were received from 147 principals (93% males, 75% white) for a 57.9 percent return rate. The results of the one-way analysis of variance and frequency…

Twenty-three leaders in education, business, and government give their opinions on vocational education leadership, standards, business-education links, tech prep, misguided reforms, and integration of vocational and academic education. (SK)