Identification and validation of student competencies necessary for entry into vocational programs with implications for special needs learners

Abstract

Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to identify and validate competencies needed by students for entering selected vocational programs. A secondary purpose was to conduct an assessment of existing vocational agriculture curricula in Texas to determine where the entry level competencies are required within the subject matter areas of the curriculum. Methodology. The identification and validation of student competencies necessary for entry into vocational education was accomplished by surveying the perceptions of exemplary vocational teachers. Data were collected on the importance of selected competencies for entering vocational education and on the comparative frequency with which the competencies would be required of a student enrolled in vocational education. Competencies were identified in five categories: language skills, computational skills, social skills, physical/sensory skills and specialized skills. The secondary school programs of vocational agriculture, vocational home economics and the buildings trades program of vocational industrial education were selected for study. Survey instruments were developed and mailed to an expert panel of teachers for each vocational program. This comprised Round I of the data collection procedure. The Round I surveys were evaluated and Round II instruments were developed to bring each panel member closer to consensus on the importance of the identified competencies for entering a vocational program. A curriculum evaluation survey was developed and mailed to the expert panel of vocational agriculture teachers. Major Findings. (1) Sixty-nine entry level competencies were identified for vocational agriculture, 67 for home economics, and 67 for building trades. (2) Competencies in the social skills category were considered to be the most important entry level skills by all three panels of vocational teachers. (3) Specialized skills related to the subject matter of the vocational program were considered to be the least important prerequisite skills. (4) In general, the members of the three expert panels were in agreement as to the importance of language skills for entering vocational education but disagreed as to the importance of physical/sensory skills. (5) The competencies identified as necessary for entry into vocational agriculture were considered as requirements for most of the areas of the Production Agriculture I curriculum.