Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)
Education International
Vocational Education and Training Round Table
Budapest, 21-22 October
The OECD work on VET
Bernard HugonnierDirectorate for Education
Outline
I. Systemic innovation in VET
II. Thematic review on VET
Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)
I. Systemic Innovation in Vocational Education and Training
What is innovation
“The implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service), or process, a new marketing method, or a new organisational method in business practices, workplace organisation or external relations” (Oslo Manual, OECD/Eurostat)
Why concentrating on innovation
While in the current economic climate there might be a general pressure to cut in public expenditure, innovation should not be considered an unnecessary expenditure but rather the essential ingredient that would differentiate resistant VET systems from those hardest hit by the crisis and should thus be protected to the extent possible.
The ability to use the elements of the innovation process (planning, monitoring, evaluation) as a cost-effective mechanism to guide product and process development could, in the long run, save money.
What is systemic innovationSystemic innovation in education can be
defined as any kind of dynamic system-wide change that is intended to add value to educational processes and outcomes.
Systemic innovation analysis aims to improve:– The operation of systems– Their overall performance– The perceived satisfaction of the main
stakeholders with the system as a whole
Why concentrating on VET
Education systems, and Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems in particular, are often in the centre of policy debates at times of economic crises and rising unemployment, as it is a widely held assumption that a well-functioning training system can protect against unemployment, especially among youth
Periods of economic crisis can therefore be an opportunity for countries to examine how equipped their VET systems are to deal with change and to innovate.
Overview of the OECD study
Objectives– Investigate how VET systems go about innovation
Methodology– Desk research– Questionnaire – 14 case studies
Countries– Australia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Mexico,
Switzerland
Outputs– Country reports:
www.oecd.org/edu/systemicinnovation/vet
– Full report (MAY 2009)
Skills for tomorrow: Systemic innovation in VET
Part One: Analytical framework Definitions, Literature review Proposed model
Part Two: Empirical and comparative work Drivers , enabling factors and barriers Process and dynamics Role of the knowledge base
Part Three: Recommendations Government and policy Research agenda Conclusions
Model of Innovation in Education
Identification of needs
Development of
innovation
Implementation
Evaluation &
Monitoring
Outcomes Output
Knowledge base
Development of the innovation
Top-down vs. bottom-up?
Which stakeholders?
Output of the innovation
Product
Process
Marketing method
Organisational method
Implementation process
Without piloting: large-scale implementation With piloting: 1.Small-scale implementation2. Monitoring/evaluation3. Scaling-up
Outcomes
= impacts or consequences of the innovation
Is there an ‘implementation gap’?
Knowledge base
What types of knowledge?Tacit knowledge
Explicit knowledge
What knowledge sources?
Evaluation & Monitoring = surveillance/ judgement of outcomes
How and when?
What criteria are used?
Summative or formative purpose?
What are the findings?
Identification of needs
What are the drivers of change?
Which stakeholders are involved?
Drivers of changeEconomic
– Need of new skills– Need to increase efficiency
Social– Need to raise equity– Need to enhance inclusion
Political– Government’s achievement
Technological– Use of ICT– Other technological changes
Enabling factors
Public support
Political vision
Research evidence
Brokerage for the generation and dissemination of knowledge
The emergence of an innovative education industry?
Growth of patent applications: Worldwide new education technologies (1990-2006)
Educational research and development
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Education Health
Total expenditure as % of GDP (country average in recent years)
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Education Health
Share of total public research expenditures (2008) on
Barriers to change
Innovation fatigue
Competing policy agendas
Inappropriate accountability mechanisms and public policy agendas:• Restricted risk management
• Short-term planning
Policy conclusions
1. Develop a systemic approach to innovation in VET
2. Promote a continuous and evidence-informed dialogue about innovation with the stakeholders
3. Build a well-organised, formalised, easy to access and updated knowledge base about VET
4. Supplement investments in VET innovations 5. Support relevant research on VET according
to national priorities
Thank you
More information:www.oecd.org/edu/systemicinnovation
Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)
II. Learning for Jobs
OECD Review of Vocational Education and Training (VET)
VET systems vary widely across OECD countries
Vocational education and training as a share of the upper secondary sector, 2006
Source: OECD (2008), Education at a Glance 2008, Indicators, Table C1.1, OECD, Paris
Objective of the study:
How to improve responsiveness of
VET systems to labour market
needs
An international perspective
Phase 12007-2008
AustraliaHungary
KoreaMexicoNorwaySweden
SwitzerlandUnited Kingdom
(England and Wales)
AustriaBelgium (Flanders)
Czech Republic ChileChina
Germany Ireland
United States (South Carolina, Texas)
Phase 22009-2010
Main policy recommendations
1) The international VET evidence base needs to be improved.
2) VET systems should deliver the right skills mix.
3) VET needs to be well taught.
4) VET should be delivered in the right place.
5) Cooperation with social partners is essential to make change happen.
1: The VET evidence base needs to be improved
The OECD International Survey of VET Systems
Source : Kuczera, M. (forthcoming), The OECD International Survey of VET Systems, OECD, Paris
Decision Advice Decision Advice Decision Advice Decision Advice
Australia - - ■■■ ■■■ ■■■ - ■■■ -
Austria ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■ ■■■
Czech Republic - ■■ - ■■ - ■■■■ - -
Denmark ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■
Finland ■■■ ■■■ - ■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■ -
France - - - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■
Germany - ■■ ■■■ ■■■■ - ■■ ■■■ ■■■■
Hungary - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ * ■■■■
Netherlands - ■■■■ - - - ■■■■ - ■■■■
Norway - ■■■■ ■■■■ - - ■■■■ ■■■■ -
Sweden - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■
Switzerland ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ -
Turkey ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - - -
United States - ■■■■ ■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ -
Curricula Practical training content
Acquired competencies
Delivered Qualifications
Social partner influence on upper secondary VET: - 0%; ■ 1-25%; ■■ 26-50%; ■■■ 51-75%; ■■■■ 76-100%
2: VET should deliver the right skills mix
What should students learn?
Lessons:•Specific skills smoothen school to work transition• General skills ensure flexibility later on.
General skills
or
specific skills?
How many students per programme?
Lessons:•Balance student preferences with employer demand, ideally through workplace training.• Provide government support in case of market failure.
• Students choose,
• Government plans
or
• Employers determine?
2’: VET should deliver the right skills mix
Effective trainers and teachers
3: VET needs to be well taught
How to prepare VET instructors?
Three Challenges:
• Teacher shortage
• Teachers lack industry experience
• Trainers lack pedagogical skills
Lessons:• Ensure adequate pedagogical and technical knowledge.• Promote interchange between VET institutions and firms.• Encourage flexible recruitment and part-time working.
Learning and work: two worlds?
4: VET should be delivered in the right place
Advantages of workplace training
Lessons: • Some skills are better taught in a school environment. • Tasks acquired in a firm might be too firm-specific.
• Prepares apprentices for the world of work
• Apprentices can make productive contributions
• Facilitates recruitment and transition to the labour market
5: Engagement of social partners is essential
Provision of apprenticeship places signals labour market relevance of the programme.
Participation in curricula design guarantees link between workplace training and teaching in schools.
Actual influence and interest for engagement are mutually reinforcing.
VET systems and the crisis
Source : Schweri und Müller (2008), Die Ausbildungsbereitschaft der Betriebe. Entwicklungen 1999 bis 2005, Bundesamt für Statistik, Neuenburg
Average GDP growth, current and previous year Share of apprentices among 16-year olds
Economic development and apprenticeship enrolment rates among 16 year olds in Switzerland
Responses to the crisis should aim to maintain the system
Increase the number of government-funded places in education and training (Ireland) Monitor demand and supply of the apprenticeship market (Switzerland) Give subsidies to employers who keep their apprentices (Germany) Provide government sponsored workshop-type apprenticeships (Austria) Increase the number of apprenticeship places in the public sector (England)
Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)
Thank you
More information:
www.oecd.org/edu/learningforjobs www.oecd.edu.org