Vocational Education at a Distance: International Perspectives (New Developments in Vocational Education)

Drawing on case studies, this volume highlights the common problems encountered by educators who must provide vocational training at a distance from their pupils. The contributors discuss the impact of modern technology on education and consider the future role of distance education methods. Vocational education is shaking off its Cinderella status and taking its place internationally at the forefront of social policy issues. Recognition of the link between vocational education and economic and social development is resulting in a wide range of educational and training strategies within individual nation states and supranational bodies like the European Community. The need to retrain individuals who have completed their initial education and who are working in the formal and informal economic sectors, without incurring the costs involved in releasing people from their jobs to attend traditional classes and courses, and to train those home-based individuals who are seeking employment, has led to a growing recognition of the importance of distance education as a means of delivering vocational education. This book brings together 12 case studies which illustrate the expansion strategies used by successful distance learning programmes to respond to the increasing demand for more flexibility and alternative delivery modes of vocational education. The case studies illustrate, for example the use of broadcasting in The Netherlands to reach the unemployed and those seeking training opportunities; provision of training opportunities for individuals in computing (in Canada) and agricultural development (world-wide); in-company training in an Italian and a Colombian bank; industry-wide training in engineering (USA), telecommunications administration (world-wide), banking (Indonesia) and telecommunications technologies (UK); technological developments affecting the delivery of distance education for vocational purposes in the USA and New Zealand; and the transfer of distance education know-how to firms in Colombia, to enable employers to develop their own distance-taught training programmes. Each case illustrates different implications of expanding distance learning systems as they affect corporate strategies and structures, planning, training design, marketing, delivery systems, as well as cost-effectiveness and the strategies for managing the change process associated with expansion. This book will be of value and interest to all those already in the field of planning and managing vocational education and distance learning systems, and to those taking steps towards it Contents 6 Acknowledgements 8 Series Editors’ Preface 10 A Note on the Contributors 12 Section 1: Introduction 14 1 Vocational Education at a Distance • João Oliveira and Greville Rumble 16 2 An Introduction to the Case Studies • João Oliveira and Greville Rumble 23 Section 2: Broad-based Programmes 40 3 ‘Working on Work’: Orientation on Work and the Labour Market in the Netherlands • Kees Jan Bender and Dorine Bronkhorst 42 4 Expanding Distance Learning through Technology Transfer to Employers in Colombia • Mercedes Millan Ruiz 52 5 The British Open College: A Flexible Response • Sheila Innes 60 6 Vocational Training at a Distance in Chile: Struggling to Survive • Maria E. Irigoin 74 Section 3: Niche-market Programmes 82 7 Distance-taught Computer Education for Managers and Professionals at the University of Victoria • Jeanette A. Muzio 84 8 The Technician Training Scheme at the National Extension College, United Kingdom • Ros Morpeth and Greville Rumble 95 9 Banking Education in Indonesia • Samali T. Budimulia, Atwi Suparman, and Alexander J. Romiszowski 106 10 The Wye College External Programme and Third World Agriculture • Jane Bryson and Hassan Hakimian 115 Section 4: Case Studies in the Technology of Delivery 128 11 The National Technological University (NTU) • Bih-jen Fwu, Dean Jamison, Randy Livingston, Joao Oliveira, Tom Skewes-Cox and Barry Vander Kelen 130 12 The Use of Interactive Multimedia for In-company Training • Claudio Dondi and Pier Paolo Ricuperati 144 13 Distance Training for Telecommunications Managers: The Telecom/Telematique International Course on Project Management • Greta Nettleton 152 14 The Technical Open Polytechnic, New Zealand • Lalita Rajasingham, David Nicoll, and Alexander J. Romiszowski 164 Section 5: Future Trends 176 15 The Future of Vocational Education at a Distance • João Oliveira and Greville Rumble 178 Index 186 This book contains the following papers on distance vocational education programs: "Vocational Education at a Distance" (Oliveira, Rumble); "An Introduction to Case Studies" (Oliveira, Rumble); "'Working on Work': Orientation on Work and the Labour Market in the Netherlands" (Bender, Bronkhorst); "Expanding Distance Learning through Technology Transfer to Employers in Colombia" (Ruiz); "The British Open College: A Flexible Response" (Innes); "Vocational Training at a Distance in Chile: Struggling to Survive" (Irigoin); "Distance-Taught Computer Education for Managers and Professional at the University of Victoria" (Muzio); "The Technician Training Scheme at the National Extension College, United Kingdom" (Morpeth, Rumble); "Banking Education in Indonesia" (Budimulia, Suparman, Romiszowski); "The Wye College External Programme and Third World Agriculture" (Bryson, Hakimian); "The National Technological University (NTU)" (Fwu et al.); "Use of Interactive Multimedia for In-company Training" (Dondi, Ricuperati); "Distance Training for Telecommunications Managers: The Telecom/Telematique International Course on Project Management" (Nettleton); "The Technical Open Polytechnic, New Zealand" (Rajasingham, Nicoll, Romiszowski); and "The Future of Vocational Education at Distance" (Oliveira, Rumble). Several papers contain substantial bibliographies. (MN)