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It is argued here that ethical practice and being in adult lifelong learning are best understood as a feature of competing adult lifelong learning epistemologies informing practice and engagement in the field at all levels. The conceptions of ethics immanent to the epistemologies are not directly identifiable with any of the normative theories of modernist ethics, although they are tangentially informed by the critique generated in and between those theories. Of the five epistemologies and conceptions of ethics identified as important in the field, disciplinary, developmental and emancipatory epistemologies and ethics have been variously prominent throughout its history, but design epistemology and ethics are now generally dominant. However, in response to changes in the contemporary cultural context, the latter are now transforming into a reflexive epistemology and ethic of authenticity, raising the prospect of a number of morally disabling tendencies, the recognition and avoidance of which emerges as an imperative for the future of the field.

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This book addresses what is, perhaps, the single most important issue for vocational education; its relatively low standing in an era of high aspiration. The work explores the nature, extent and consequences for an educational sector that whilst having an increasingly important role in contemporary societies is seen to be of low standing across both countries with developed and developing economies. Some of the standing is associated with the occupation it serves and this is highlighted in an era of high aspiration by young people and their parents. The consequences are far-reaching. This includes how governments and community view and support vocational education, parents and familiars advise about participation in it and young people's decision-making associated with their post-school pathways.

More than describing this problem, the focus of this collection is how this issue can be redressed through the actions of supra-government agencies, governments, schools in tertiary education institutions, industry and professional bodies and employers. It sets out the quality and extent of societal sentiments in shaping how vocational education and the occupation it serves are projected, across countries, continents and cultures, and offers a range of perspectives and contributions from scholars on how this issue might be redressed. These contributions are drawn together and synthesised into sets of propositions, practices and approaches directed towards governments, schooling and tertiary education institutions, educators, researchers, industry and professional bodies and employers.

Edited excerpt from publisher's website.

The contents are as follows: Part one, 'The standing of vocational education: perennial issues, emerging concerns and ways forward', contains the following chapters: The standing of vocational education: a global concern with diverse meanings and implications / Barbara E. Stalder, Sarojni Choy, Anh Hai Le; Enhancing the standing and status of vocational education / Stephen Billett, Steven Hodge, Vibe Aarkrog. Part two, 'Issues, sources and consequences of the standing and status of vocational education', contains: Understanding the purpose and standing of technical and vocational education and training / Susan James Relly; Improving the standing of [vocational education and training] VET: perspectives from countries with developing economies / Stephen Billett, Anh Hai Le; The standing of dual apprenticeships in Germany: institutional stability and current challenges / Thomas Deissinger; Shaping young people's decision-making about post-school pathways: institutional and personal factors / Stephen Billett, Darryl Dymock, Steven Hodge, Sarojni Choy, Anh Hai Le.

Part three, 'Country studies of the standing of vocational education and the occupations it serves', contains the following chapters: Alternance training as a way to improve the attractivity of vocational education programmes in France / Laurent Veillard; Promoting the standing of VET in Finland: balancing the different aims of VET / Heta Rintala, Petri Nokelainen; Attractiveness of vocational education and training in India: perspectives of different actors with a special focus on employers / Matthias Pilz, Muthuveeran Ramasamy; The quality and status of school-based Norwegian VET / Hilde Hiim; Perspectives on informing post-school pathways: a Vietnamese case study / Anh Hai Le; Enhancing the standing of VET in Switzerland / Barbara E. Stalder, Fabienne Luthi; The significance of learning environment and decision-making for enrolment in and completion of VET: a Danish case / Vibe Aarkrog; Elevating the standing of vocational education and training in Romania / Maria-Carmen Pantea.

Part four, 'Enhancing the standing and status of vocational education: an Australian study', contains the following chapters: Investigating enhancing the standing of vocational education and the occupation it serves: purposes, processes and phases / Stephen Billett, Sarojni Choy, Steven Hodge, Anh Hai Le; Influences on post-school decision-making: perspectives of school students, parents, teachers (phase 1); Steven Hodge, Stephen Billett, Sarojni Choy; Surveys of students, parents and teachers (phase 2) / Sarojni Choy, Anh Hai Le, Steven Hodge, Stephen Billett; Informing and advising the zones of influence shaping young people's decision-making about post-school pathways (phase 3) / Stephen Billett, Darryl Dymock, Sarojni Choy, Steven Hodge, Anh Hai Le.

Individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 148.657 to TD/TNC 148.674. Show less

In Vietnam, while the importance of vocational education and training (VET) is increasingly recognised in national discourse and policies, its standing continues to be low compared to other educational pathways, such as higher education. There is often a mismatch between the material worth and benefits of VET and decision-making about it by young people and their parents. This decision-making has been shaped by historical influences in Vietnam about the standing of VET and the occupations it serves through the voices and sentiments of privileged others (e.g., government, schools, teachers and parents). Bringing about change in these sentiments requires transforming the views of those who engage with and subscribe to processes in decision-making.

In advancing this case, the chapter commences with an overview of the Vietnamese government initiatives in VET embarking on modernisation and industrialisation reform to enhance the country's standing in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and seeking competitiveness in the process of international economic integration. It then reports on a case study seeking to understand factors shaping young people's decision-making about post-school pathways and how to redress the low standing of VET. The qualitative study engaged a cohort of schoolteachers, school-aged students and their parents through interviews and an online survey.

The findings indicated differences between school students and parents' perspectives and suggestions about VET as a post-school pathway. These findings suggest that a reliance on the experiences and preferences of immediate family, which is traditionally exercised within community- and family-oriented Confucian culture such as Vietnam, is insufficient for informed, student-focused and impartial advice. Instead, the process of guidance about post-school pathways needs to comprise dialogic interactions with students and experiences to elaborate and advance what occupations they are suited to rather than relying upon their parents' experiences and perceptions.

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The standing of vocational education and training (VET) is often quite low in many countries. This includes those with developing economies as well those with advanced industrial economies. The outcomes of this low standing include a reluctance of young people and their parents to consider VET as a viable educational option, viewing it as a second option, at best. In addition, this standing can lead to reduced government, industry and enterprise sponsorship and support of VET, thereby adding to its lack of attractiveness for young people. Yet, there is often a mismatch between the worth and benefits of VET and decision-making about it. Consequently, it is necessary to identify factors shaping the standing of VET and initiatives to be enacted for this important educational sector to be considered on its own merits, and supported more by the community, government and employers. Hence, it is more likely to achieve its educational goals for young people, their communities, workplaces and nations.

This chapter presents sets of proposals and strategies to enhance the standing of VET that were advanced in a virtual conference organised by UNESCO-UNEVOC. Entitled 'Improving the standing of VET', the conference was held between the 16 to 24 July 2018 [report available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 135.960]. It had 346 delegates from 82 countries, most of whom have developing economies. Delegates shared their perspectives about the standing of VET and offered suggestions on how to make VET more attractive to young people in their countries, and elsewhere. The challenges to be overcome often have entrenched historical, cultural and institutional sources. Constructive contributions were posted by delegates from a wide range of countries, mainly from those with developing economies. The discussions in the chapter progress under five headings: (i) the standing of VET and its consequences, (ii) factors shaping the standing of VET, (iii) perspectives of young people, their parents and familiars, (iv) policies and practices that might enhance the standing of VET, and (v) evaluating the impact of those policies and practices.

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