Postcompulsory Pathways

This subject is not offered in 2013.

125 hours commitment

You must have successfully completed the following subject/s prior to enrolling in this subject

None

None

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Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

This subject examines the national context and range of approaches to postcompulsory education and training in Victoria and, more broadly, across Australia. Topics include trends in school completion, factors underlying retention, regional socio-economic differences in school completion, early leaving and its causes and outcomes, participation in vocational education and training (VET) and post-school transition to employment, training and higher education. Besides setting the context, the course focuses on social and economic influences on participation and on policy responses. The subject assesses the strengths and weaknesses of policies from both strategic and theoretical perspectives. It draws on the broad range of research studies conducted in the area of postcompulsory education and training by the Centre for Postcompulsory Education and Lifelong Learning (CPELL)

On completion of this subject teacher candidates will be able to:

• describe the national contexts for school completion and postcompulsory education;
• understand issues and trends influencing early leaving and participation in vocational education and training (VET), post-school transition to employment, and training and higher education;
• have an awareness of social and economic influences on participation in postcompulsory education;
• use strategic and theoretical perspectives to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of policy responses to issues concerning school retention and postcompulsory pathways.

There is 1 assessment task:

• An analytical report (4000 words) due end of semester (100%)

• Academic success and social power, Teese, R., Melbourne University Press, 2000
• Undemocratic schooling, Teese R. & J. Polesel, Melbourne University Press, 2003

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to:

• Be skilled communicators who can effectively articulate and justify their practices in relation to student outcomes in the compulsory and postcompulsory years of education.
• Be flexible and able to adapt to change through knowing how to learn;
• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence about the compulsory and postcompulsory years of education
• Work in teams with skills in cooperation, communication and negotiation to explore issues concerning the compulsory and postcompulsory years of education
• Be independent of mind, responsible, resilient, self-regulating;
• Apply a conscious personal and social values base to support the purpose of schooling and the postcompulsory pathways of exiting students.