Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies

Committee Chair

Paul Chapman.

Abstract

Career and technical education in the United States has reached a critical juncture. A three round Delphi method was used to determine a consensus on the future events of career and technical education to better inform educational decision makers. Forty-one individual experts in the field were invited to serve as panelists for the Delphi study and 19 agreed to participate. The first round asked the panel to respond to a general statement about their views of the future of career and technical education. In Round Two, the panel of experts provided feedback by rating each event regarding the time frame in which it will occur, the desirability should it occur and the impact if it does occur. Round Three consisted of reaching a consensus and defending minority opinions. The events for which consensus was achieved led to constructed scenarios of the future of career and technical education. Compilation of expert responses forecast several important events. Among those were the demand for CTE students to exit programs with a nationally recognized industry certification will become the norm. There will be a blending of academic and technical programs of study which will result in an increased interest in CTE. Policy and practice must begin to address the issue of allowing CTE to continue as the dumping ground for students who cannot succeed in the general education classroom. Career and technical education will be called upon to retrain America's workforce as the economy continues to change.

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