scholarly journals Acknowledgements

Author(s):  
Joy Papier

The Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training could not have become a reality without the commitment of a number of individuals and organisations who provided support at critical stages of its development.   We are grateful for the vision of the University of the Western Cape Faculty of Education, especially that of the former Dean of Education, Prof. Zubeida Desai, for her enthusiasm for this venture.   We thank the Education Policy Consortium (EPC) for its initial seed funding grant which enabled the scoping research and the journal development workshop in 2016.   The encouragement of members of the Department of Higher Education and Training in the early phase of conceptualisation of the journal is gratefully acknowledged.   Our appreciation also goes to the MerSETA for their strategic partnership in this initiative and for making a consistent contributution towards developing TVET scholarship.   The publication of this issue of the journal has been made possible by the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme which is being implemented through a partnership between the Department of Higher Education and Training and the European Union.   We are enormously grateful to our colleagues across the spectrum of post-school provision, who offered helpful advice as the journal processes unfolded.   Thank you to the authors who allowed us to subject their work to scrutiny and for being willing to publish in the JOVACET.   Our reviewers, who gave so generously of their time and talent, deserve a special word of thanks.   Thank you to our Editorial Committee and Advisory Board – we look forward to your continued participation and support.

Author(s):  
Joy Papier

We once again acknowledge our reviewers for the insight and developmental critique which they so unstintingly offered. Each journal article is anonymised and subjected to ‘blind’ peer review by two reviewers and, in this process, it is inevitable that variations of interpretation and evaluation occurred, at times resulting in a third reviewer being consulted. We are grateful for the grace with which reviewers engaged and attempted to resolve any sticking points on such occasions. This has served to enhance the quality of our articles and strengthen our authors going forward. Thanks to all the authors who made submissions to JOVACET and subjected their work to scrutiny. We trust that you will continue to contribute to this important vehicle for research in vocational, adult and continuing education and training. Finally, the publication of this third issue of JOVACET was made possible by the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme (TLDCIP) which is being implemented through a partnership between the Department of Higher Education and Training and the European Union. We are grateful for this support to the third issue of the journal, Volume 2, Issue 2. We look forward to the ongoing support of our Editorial Committee and Advisory Board members who are advocates for JOVACET in the various spheres of their lives, and thank you all most sincerely.


Author(s):  
Joy Papier

Message of Support from Mrs GNM Pandor,Minister of Higher Education and Training Internationally there is a scarcity of peer-reviewed academic publications that are specifically intended to promote and disseminate scholarly research into post-school TVET and Adult and Continuing Education and Training. The first edition of the Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training and its focus on the African continent and the global South is thus timely and most welcome. The enormous importance of the TVET, Adult and Continuing Education sector to the social and economic wellbeing of our people is not disputed. However, there has been an absence of a credible and quality publication to promote scholarly debate in the field. I am hopeful that this Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training will provide such a platform for the theoretical and conceptual understanding of this sector. I hope also that the Journal will provide a platform for a rigorous and sound analysis of the implementation of the analyses of the scholars that will be published in the Journal. I welcome the first edition of the Journal of Vocational, Adult and Continuing Education and Training and look forward to the interdisciplinary and globally comparative publications that will assist policymakers, practitioners, researchers and scholars to contribute to and enhance the understanding of this important sector. Congratulations to the Institute for Post-School Studies at the University of the Western Cape and your partners on this milestone. I wish you, your contributors and your readers every success in this first edition and continued strength in the years ahead. Mrs GNM Pandor MPMinister of Higher Education and Training


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Mogiveny Rajkoomar

The core interest in blended learning lies in the need to provide more engaged learning experiences while recognizing the potential of ICTs which has a profound impact on all aspects of life including the Library and Information Service (LIS) field. This doctoral study was undertaken with the objective of exploring the educational and pedagogical issues in blended learning for the development of a framework for designing and implementing blended learning in the delivery of LIS curricula in South African universities. The target populations for this study included, LIS educators from higher education institutions in South Africa offering LIS education, LIS students from these institutions exposed to blended learning interventions and facilitators of blended learning (individuals in institutional teaching and learning units) from the various institutions offering LIS education and using blended learning. The study adopted a mixed method research approach using a fully mixed dominant status design to explore and understand the phenomenon of blended learning at a more detailed level by using qualitative follow-up data (for example, interviews with LIS educators and institutional facilitators of blended learning and focus group discussions with LIS students) to explain and explore the results of a largely quantitative Web survey. The theoretical framework that underpinned the study involved various learning theories, learning styles as well as blended learning models relating to the higher education environment. The key findings of the study reveal that blended learning remains a complex concept with no clear consensus on the key components that need to be blended, how much of each component to blend and the criteria that are needed for the interventions to be regarded as blended learning. This flexibility, to an extent, allows for institutions to tailor the concept and maximise the potential of blended learning while still being responsive to the diverse student populations at South African higher institutions. The framework for blended learning in the delivery of LIS curricula at South African universities proposed by this study is generated from the theories informing this study; the literature reviewed; existing frameworks for blended learning such as Khan’s octagonal framework and the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework; the findings of this study; the researcher’s own educational experiences; and, is grounded in the larger field of higher education. The use of blended learning has the potential to transform LIS education and training by encouraging LIS educators to reflect on their teaching and learning practices and to use the proposed framework as a guideline to design and implement pedagogically sound blended learning interventions for LIS education and training.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-371
Author(s):  
George Bucăţa

Abstract The pandemic COVID-19 has had an impact around the world and in the European Union, putting unprecedented pressure on education and training systems. It has fundamentally changed the way we learn, teach, communicate and collaborate in our education and training communities. This has implications for students, families, teachers, trainers, institutional leaders and society as a whole. Most European Member States have decided to extend the physical closure of education and training institutions, while mobilising alternative solutions and support for distance education and learning, especially digital solutions. This transformation has challenged education and training systems and stakeholders in these areas in Member States, particularly students and families, as well as teachers and trainers, but it has also provided them with valuable learning and training experiences, accelerated the digital transformation of education and training institutions. Emerging and disruptive technologies have undergone numerous and sufficient changes to ensure this. Thus, they will change the face and vision of higher education institutions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Liudmyla I. Berezovska ◽  
Galyna D. Kondratska ◽  
Anna A. Zarytska ◽  
Kateryna S. Volkova ◽  
Taras M. Matsevko

This article sets sights on highlighting the effectiveness and efficiency of higher and vocational education and training, as well as exploring ways to address and implement the current reform agenda in the field. The research was conducted on the basis of a generalizing and comparative method, to identify the problems and development of vocational and higher education. Within the framework of the conducted research the current state of vocational and higher education has been characterized; the features of online learning at leading universities and its advantages has been clarified; the prospects of introduction of continuity of education have been studied, for the development of personality abilities, taking into account changes in society in the context of improvement of the system of vocational and higher education caused by the European integration process of education; directions for the development of vocational and higher education as part of the national education system and society in general have been outlined. It is determined, that at the present stage the domestic education system should be improved and transferred to an innovative way of development in accordance with developed countries. In the near future, such modern forms of education as: distance education, dual education, continuing vocational education and others, should be improved and implemented into the educational process.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Graf ◽  
Justin J. W. Powell ◽  
Johann Fortwengel ◽  
Nadine Bernhard

Dual study programs are hybrid forms of work-based higher education that have expanded very rapidly in Germany—a country traditionally considered a key model in both higher education (HE) and vocational education and training (VET). The continued expansion of these hybrid programs increasingly raises questions if, how, and why they may be internationalized. Although comparative research suggests that this could be challenging due to the uniqueness of the German education and training system, strong forces support internationalization. This study examines the current state and the future prospects of internationalization of such innovative dual study programs by focusing on student mobility, a key dimension of internationalization. We find growing interest in but still relatively little mobility related to dual study programs, whether among German (outgoing) or international (incoming) students. Based on expert interviews and document analysis, we extend existing typologies of student mobility regarding specific features of work-based HE programs. Furthermore, we discuss opportunities—at home and abroad—for increasing student mobility in this rapidly expanding sector.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa Chinyere Ogbuanya ◽  
Taiwo Olabanji Shodipe

Purpose With critical reviews of previous studies in workplace learning, this paper aims to investigate workplace learning for pre-service teachers’ practice and quality teaching and learning in technical vocational education and training: key to professional development. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted multistage sampling technique to select sample for the study. Empirical analysis was adopted to analyse the data collected from technical vocational education and training pre-service teachers. Findings The result of the study revealed that the constructs of social learning theory had a stronger linkage with the constructive teaching than traditional management. Originality/value This study emphasizes the need to adequately train pre-service teachers on instructional delivery processes, building strong relationship with learners and build the ability to organize and execute necessary actions required to successfully carry out a specific educational task in a particular context.


Author(s):  
A. Alekseev

The article explores the interrelation between the main factors of national economy competitiveness on the basis of logical and correlation analysis of the data on 144 countries presented in The Global Competitiveness Report issued by the World Economic Forum. The analysis of the strength and nature of the relations between the factors gives grounds to assume that institutions, infrastructure, higher education and training are core problems; goods market efficiency, technological readiness are key problems; business sophistication and innovation are resulting problems. The analysis shows that the competitiveness indicators of other BRICS countries which are better than Russian ones, are achieved not due to any remarkable progress in economic policy, but owing to the lack of serious failures typical for Russian economy. For instance, the high level of Russian infrastructure, macroeconomic stability, sizes of home market and some other indicators come to nothing because of extremely low level of Russian institutions, market efficiency, financial market, and business sophistication. As a result, other BRICS countries' progress, which is not so remarkable itself, gives much better cumulative result in comparison with Russian breakthrough, which cannot be accomplished in the environment that is unfavorable for it. With the view of Russian economy competitiveness and innovation upgrade, firstly, it is essential to increase the quality of Russian institutions (the necessity of reforms is indubitable: Russia occupies the 133d place in the world in accordance with the quality of its institutions), to improve the infrastructure, higher education and training. The advancement in solving these problems will facilitate the situation or solve the large part of the problems of goods market efficiency and improve the existing technological readiness. The increasing of the goods market quality and the improvement of technological readiness will, in their turn, upgrade business sophistication and innovations. The proposed approach gives ground to claim that the reforms need to be made in the sequence described above. The upgrade of Russian companies’ business sophistication and their innovation will be to a great extent the result of the solution of the mentioned problems.


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