School-Based Improvement in VET: “The 1,000 Schools in Vocational Education and Training Project”

Abstract

Vocational education and training (VET) faces a significant transformation after the 2000s, due to the widespread use of automation and artificial intelligence-based production technologies. VET also have other struggles including higher student flow to academic track and higher rate of socioeconomically disadvantaged students in VET institutions. In this context, it is of great importance to improve the school climate of VET institutions. The “1,000 Schools in Vocational Education and Training Project” was initiated by the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) in order to extending the paradigm shift in recent years in VET. This study aims to evaluate how school-based improvements are made across Turkey in the project. The project, which is the largest-scale programme for the improvement of Turkish VET system, covered approximately 25% of VET high schools in Turkey. Within the scope of the project, 1,000 disadvantaged schools based on education indicators were selected. As a part of multi-stage support; more than one hundred thousand students attended academic support programs, and more than four hundred thousand students attended psychosocial support and coping with addiction trainings. The number of participants in pedagogical and leadership skill programme for teachers and school administrators has exceeded three hundred thousand. Parents’ participation in open secondary schools, open high schools and vocational courses was encouraged, and more than 11 thousand parents were ensured to attend these trainings. Within the improving of schools’ physical infrastructure, new laboratories and libraries were established and workshops in schools. The project proofs that the school climate can be improved via multi-stage support and it has become a practical model the "10,000 Schools in Primary Education Project".

Keywords

• Vocational education and training
• educational equality
• academic support
• school climate

Mesleki Eğitimde Okul Temelli İyileştirme: “Mesleki Eğitimde 1.000 Okul Projesi”

Abstract

Mesleki eğitim, 2000’li yıllar sonrasında otomasyon ve yapay zekâya dayalı üretim teknolojilerinin yaygınlaşması nedeniyle önemli bir değişim sürecinden geçmektedir. Yükseköğretimin evrenselleşmesi ve sağladığı imkânlar dolayısıyla öğrencilerin akademik eğitime yönelmesi mesleki eğitime öğrenci akışını azaltmakta, mesleki eğitimde sosyoekonomik açıdan dezavantajlı öğrencilerin yoğunluğunun daha fazla olmasına yol açmaktadır. Bu bağlamda mesleki eğitim kurumlarının kendi ihtiyaçlarını merkeze alacak şekilde okul ikliminin iyileştirilmesi büyük bir önem teşkil etmektedir. Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı, son yıllarda mesleki eğitimde başlattığı paradigma değişimini daha da ileriye taşımak ve tüm mesleki eğitim kurumlarına yaygınlaştırılması amacıyla Mesleki Eğitimde 1.000 Okul Projesi başlatılmıştır. Bu çalışma, 2021 yılı içinde başarıyla gerçekleştirilen projede yapılan okul temelli iyileştirmelerin ayrıntılarıyla değerlendirilmesini amaçlamaktadır. Türkiye’de mesleki eğitimin iyileştirilmesi için yapılmış en büyük ölçekli projesi olan çalışma, tüm mesleki ve teknik Anadolu liselerinin yaklaşık %25’ini kapsamına almıştır. Proje kapsamında eğitim göstergelerine göre dezavantajlı olan 1.000 okul seçilmiş, ihtiyaçları gözetilerek okul ikliminin güçlendirilmesi sağlanmıştır. Öğrencilere yönelik akademik destek programlarına yüz binden fazla, psikososyal destek ve bağımlılıkla baş etme eğitimlerine ise dört yüz binden fazla öğrenci katılmıştır. Öğretmen ve okul yöneticilerine yönelik pedagojik ve liderlik becerilerine dair eğitimlere katılım sayısı üç yüz bini aşmıştır. Velilere ulaşılarak açık ortaokul, açık lise ve halk eğitim kurslarına katılımı teşvik edilmiş, on bir binden fazla velinin bu eğitimlere katılımı sağlanmıştır. Okulların fiziki altyapısının iyileştirilmesi için yeni laboratuvarlar kurulmuş, atölyeler yenilenmiş ve tüm okullara kütüphane kurulumu yapılmıştır. Proje, mesleki eğitimde okulların ihtiyaçlarını merkeze alacak şekilde yapılabileceğini göstermiş ve “Temel Eğitimde 10.000 Okul Projesi”ne öncü olmuştur.

Keywords

• mesleki eğitim
• eğitimde fırsat eşitliği
• akademik destek
• okul iklimi

References

1. Acemoğlu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2018). Artificial intelligence, automation and work. NBER Working Paper 24196. National Bureau of Economic Research.
2. Anderson, C. S. (1982). The search for school climate: A review of the research. Review of Educational Research, 52(3), 368–420.
3. Arum, R., & Velez, M. (Eds.) (2012). Improving learning environments: School discipline and student achievement in comparative perspective. Stanford University Press.
4. Banerjee, P. A. (2016). A systematic review of factors linked topoor academic performance of disadvantaged students in science and maths in schools. Cogent Education, 3(1), 117844.
5. Barrera-Osorio, F., Fasih, T., & Patrinos, H. (2009). Decentralized decision-making in schools: The theory and evidence on school-based management. World Bank.
6. Barrera-Osorio, F., Kugler, A. D., & Silliman, M. I. (2021). Hard and soft skills in vocational training: Experimental evidence from Colombia. NBER Working Paper Series – 27548. https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w27548/w27548.pdf
7. Barrett, P., Treves, A., Shmis, T., Ambasz, D., & Ustinova, M. (2019). The impact of school infrastructure on learning: A synthesis of the evidence. The World Bank Group. International Developments in Focus. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED604388.pdf
8. Becker, G. S. (1962). Investment in human capital: A theoretical analysis. Journal of Political Economy, 70(5), 9–49.

9. Berkowitz, R., Moore, H., Astor, R. A., & Benbenishty, R. (2016). A research synthesis of the associations between socioeconomic background, inequality, school climate, and academic achievement. Review of Educational Research, 87(2), 425–469.
10. Berkowitz, R. (2020). School matters: The contribution of positive school climate to equal educational opportunities among ethnocultural minority students. Youth & Society, https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X20970235
11. Berliner, D. C. (2009). Poverty and potential: Out-of-school factors and school success. Arizona State University Education Policy Research Unit. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED507359.pdf
12. Caillods, F. (1998). Education strategies for disadvantaged groups: Some basic issues. International Institute for Educational Planning Contributions - No. 31, UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000114204/PDF/114204eng.pdf.multi
13. Carter, P. L. (2018). The multidimensional problems of educational inequality require multidimensional solutions. Educational Studies, 54(1), 1-16.
14. Cohen, J., McCabe, E. M., Michelli, N. M., & Pickeral, T. (2009). School climate: Research, policy, practice, and teacher education. Teachers College Record, 111(1), 180–213.
15. Cotton, K. (1989). Expectations and student outcomes. School Improvement Research Series, https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/expectations-and-student-outcomes.pdf
16. Crans, S., Gerken, M., Beausaert, S., & Segers, M. (2021). The mediating role of social informal learning in the relationship between learning climate and employability. Career Development International, 26(5), 678-696.
17. Darling-Hammond, L., & Cook-Harvey, C. M. (2018). Educating the whole child: Improving school climate to support student success. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/product-files/Educating_Whole_Child_REPORT.pdf
18. Doran, J. (2004). Effective school characteristics and student achievement correlates as. Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 182.
19. Finn, J. D., & Voelkl, K. E. (1993). School characteristics related to student engagement. The Journal of Negro Education, 62(3), 249-268.
20. Foley, P. (2007). The socio-economic status of vocational education and training students in Australia. National Centre for Vocational Education Research. https://www.ncver.edu.au/__data/assets/file/0013/3406/sp407.pdf
21. Hampden-Thompson, G., & Johnston, J. S. (2006). Variation in the relationship between nonschool factors and student achievement on international assessments. US Department of Education National Center for Educational Statistics. https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/72575/1/Non_school_factors.pdf
22. Holzberger, D., Reinhold, S., Lüdtke, O., & Seidel, T. (2020). A meta-analysis on therelationship between school characteristics and student outcomes in science and math –Evidence from large-scale studies. Studies in Science Education, 56(1), 1-34.
23. ILO (2021). Digitalization of national TVET and skills systems - Harnessing technology to support LLL: An enquiry and action framework. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_826682.pdf
24. Kotok, S., Ikoma, S., & Bodovski, K. (2016). School climate and dropping out of school in the era of accountability. American Journal of Education, 122(4).
25. Kutsyuruba, B., Klinger, D. A., & Hussain, A. (2015). Relationships among school climate, school safety, and student achievement and well-being: A review of the literature. Review of Education, 3(2), 103-135.
26. Kwong, D., & Ryan, J. (2015). School climate for academic success: A multilevel analysis of school climate and student outcomes. Journal of Research in Education, 25(2), 68-81.
27. Lombardi, E., Traficante, D., Betton, R., Offredi, I., Marisa, G., & Mirta, V. (2019). The impact of school climate on well-being experience and school engagement: A study with high-school students. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02482
28. MacNeil, A. J., Prater, D. L., & Busch, S. (2009) The effects of school culture and climate on student achievement. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 12(1), 73-84.
29. Margrain, S.A. (1978). Student characteristics and academic performance in higher education: A review. Res High Educ, 8, 111–123.
30. Maxwell, S., Reynolds, K. J., Lee, E., Subasic, E., & Bromhead, D. (2017). The impact of school climate and school identification on academic achievement: Multilevel modeling with student and teacher data. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.0206.
31. McMahon, S. D., Wernsman, J., & Rose, D. S. (2009). The relation of classroom environment and school belonging to academic self-efficacy among urban fourth- and fifth-grade students. The Elementary School Journal, 109(3), 267-281.
32. MEB (2019). PISA 2018 Türkiye raporu. Eğitim, Analiz ve Değerlendirme Raporları Serisi No: 10. MEB Yayınları.
33. MEB (2020a). 2020 yılı Liselere Geçiş Sistemi (LGS) kapsamında ilk yerleştirme sonuçları. Eğitim, Analiz ve Değerlendirme Raporları Serisi No: 14. MEB Yayınları.
34. MEB (2020b). TIMSS 2019 Türkiye raporu. Eğitim, Analiz ve Değerlendirme Raporları Serisi No: 15. MEB Yayınları.
35. MEB (2021a). 2021 yılı Liselere Geçiş Sistemi (LGS) kapsamında ilk yerleştirme sonuçları. Eğitim, Analiz ve Değerlendirme Raporları Serisi No: 18. MEB Yayınları.
36. MEB (2021b). OECD Sosyal ve Duygusal Beceriler Araştırması Türkiye raporu. Eğitim, Analiz ve Değerlendirme Raporları Serisi No: 19. MEB Yayınları.
37. MEB (2022). Yüz yüze eğitime dönüşte 180 Gün: 6 Ağustos 2021 – 6 Şubat 2022. MEB Yayınları.
38. OECD (2012). Equity and quality in education: Supporting disadvantaged students and schools. OECD Publishment.
39. Özer, M. (2019a). Reconsidering the fundamental problems of vocational education and training in Turkey and proposed solutions for restructuring. İstanbul Üniversitesi Sosyoloji Dergisi, 39(2), 1–19.
40. Özer, M. (2019b). Background of problems in vocational education and training and its road map to solution in Turkey’s Education Vision 2023. Journal of Higher Education and Science, 9(1), 1–11.
41. Özer, M. (2020a). Türkiye’nin mesleki eğitim ile imtihanı. Maltepe Üniversitesi Yayınları.
42. Özer, M. (2020b). Türkiye’de mesleki eğitimde paradigma değişimi. GEFAD / GUJGEF, 40(2), 357-384.
43. Özer, M. (2020c). The contribution of the strengthened capacity of vocational education and training system in Turkey to the fight against Covid-19. Yükseköğretim Dergisi, 10(2), 134–140.
44. Özer, M., & Perc, M. (2020). Dreams and realities of school tracking and vocational education. Palgrave Commun, 6, 34.
45. Özer, M., Suna, H. E., & Sunar, L. (2021). Türkiye’de mesleki ve teknik eğitimde hizmet içi öğretmen eğitimine yönelik öğretmen görüşlerinin değerlendirilmesi. Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 54, 1-22.
46. Özer, M. (2021a). Eğitim politikalarında sistemik uyum. Maltepe Üniversitesi Yayınları.
47. Özer, M. (2021b). A new step towards narrowing the achievement gap in Turkey: “1.000 Schools in Vocational Education and Training” Project. Maltepe Üniversitesi Yayınları.
48. Özer, M. (2021c). Türkiye’de mesleki eğitimi güçlendirmek için atılan yeni adımlar. Uluslararası Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 9(16), 1-16.
49. Özer, M. (2022). Türkiye’de eğitimin evrenselleşmesi. Maltepe Üniversitesi Yayınları.
50. Perc, M., Özer, M., & Hojnik, J. (2019). Correction: Social and juristic challenges of artificial intelligence. Palgrave Commun, 5, 100.
51. Rice, J. K. (2003). Teacher quality: Understanding the effectiveness of teacher attributes. Economic Polict Institute.
52. Schneider, M. (2002). Do school facilities affect academic outcomes?. Educational Resources Information Center, United States Department of Education.
53. Suna, H. E., Gür, B. S., Gelbal, S., & Özer, M. (2020). Fen lisesi öğrencilerinin sosyoekonomik arkaplanı ve yükseköğretime geçişteki tercihleri. Yükseköğretim Dergisi, 10(3), 356–370.
54. Suna, H. E., Tanberkan, H., & Özer, M. (2020). Changes in literacy of students in Turkey by years and school types: Performance of students in PISA applications. Eğitimde ve Psikolojide Ölçme ve Değerlendirme Dergisi, 11(1), 76-97.
55. Suna, H. E., & Özer, M. (2021). The impact of school tracking on secondary vocational education and training in Turkey. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 36(4), 855-870.
56. Suna, H. E., & Özer, M. (2022). The relationship of preschool attendance with academic achievement and socioeconomic status in Turkey. Eğitimde ve Psikolojide Ölçme ve Değerlendirme Dergisi, 13(1), 54-68.
57. Sweetland, S. R., & Hoy, W. K. (2000). School characteristics and educational outcomes: Toward an organizational model of student achievement in middle schools. Educational Administration Quarterly, 36(5), 703–729.
58. Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Guffey, S., & Higgins-D’Allessandro, A. (2013). A review of school climate research. Review of Educational Research, 83(3), 357–385.
59. Traqueia, A., Nogueira, S., Barbosa, B., Costa, F., Dias, G. P., Filipe, S., Melo, A. I., Rodrigues, C., & Santos, C. A. (2020). Vocational education and training vs. general education: The influence of the socioeconomic context on students’ choices. INTED2020 Proceedings, 8450-8455.
60. The World Bank. (2013). School-based education improvement initiatives: The experience and options for Sri Lanka. The World Bank Discussion Series Report No. 58. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/16561/777590NWP0p113001300IDU0Report0Copy.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
61. Thomson, S. (2018). Achievement at school and socioeconomic background—an educational perspective. NPJ Science of Learning, 3(5).
62. Topor, D. R., Keane, S. P., Shelton, T. L., & Calkins, S. D. (2010). Parent involvement and student academic performance: A multiple mediational analysis. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 38(3), 183–197.
63. UNESCO (2012). Transforming technical and vocational education and training: Building skills for work and life. Main Working Document TVET 3-3. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000216065
64. Yalçın, S., & Tavşancıl, E. (2014). The comparison of Turkish students’ PISA achievement levels by year via data envelopment analysis. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 14(3), 961- 968.
65. Zhao, J. (2021). Vocational education paradigm transformation through ınformation technology: An innovation case study of China. IGI Global.
66. Zysberg, L., & Schwabsky, N. (2021). School climate, academic self-efficacy and student achievement. Educational Psychology, 41(4), 467-482.