Improving Secondary Career and Technical Education through Professional Development: Alternative Certification and Use of Technical Assessment Data
Author: National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Strategies,Instructional Development,Teacher Education Programs,Professional Development,Vocational Education,Alternative Teacher Certification,Teacher Shortage,Case Studies,Intervention,Secondary School Teachers,Evaluation Utilization,Educational Improvement,Beginning Teacher Induction,Learning Modules,Relevance (Education),Course Content,Delivery Systems,Educational Principles,Competence,Field Tests,Interviews,Observation,Focus Groups,Pretests Posttests

Secondary career and technical education (CTE) is a field in transition. It is moving from a primary focus on preparing students for entry-level employment to preparing them for continuing education and training as well as employment. The rapid pace of change in technology and the global economy has created a demand for workers who are able to learn and adapt, and CTE must prepare its students to meet these demands. The National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) is responding to these developments with a number of projects, some of which are being conducted by its own staff and others that are being directed by institutions that are partners in the NRCCTE consortium. Two of the projects are developing professional development models for improving the skills of secondary CTE teachers. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) is developing and testing an induction model for alternatively certified teachers; that is, those who have not completed a traditional teacher education program. NOCTI (formerly the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute) is applying its expertise to a professional development model designed to improve the ability of secondary-level CTE teachers and administrators to interpret data from technical skill assessments to improve instruction. An analysis of the field test data provided clear indicators as to changes needed in program materials to meet the needs of alternative route teachers. Many learning activities were revised to fit the audience in order to provide more time for reflection or to clarify content. Field test participants identified key elements of the modules that they felt would be necessary for new teachers prior to entering the classroom, including: (a) the use of rubrics, (b) formative and summative assessment, (c) how to use a table of specifications to align their instructional goals and assessments to technical standards and 21st century skills, (d) getting to know students, (e) engaging students in developing classroom rules and  procedures, and (f) classroom management scenarios. Data suggested that three strategies used by program developers were particularly effective in supporting participant learning: (a) use of examples in participants' content areas, (b) use of &quot;floating&quot; one-on-one and small group coaching during cooperative learning segments, and (c) facilitated small group discussion in the afternoon or evening to structure reflection. Field testing on the model will continue through 2012, when the fully-developed model will be ready for rigorous experimental testing. Appendices include: (1) Concept Paper for Instructional Planning Module; (2) Concept Paper for Instructional Strategies Module; (3) Concept Paper for Classroom Assessment Module; (4) Concept Paper for Classroom Management Module; (5) Flowcharts of Module Units and Lessons; (6) Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale Results; (7) Focus Group and Instructor Debrief Protocols; (8) Results of Year 1 Five-State Survey, Summary of Survey Responses; and (9) Material Review Protocol. (Contains 16 tables, 9 figures and 5 footnotes.)