This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Theorem 3 - Vocational Education Should Provide...
We have spent a couple of weeks talking about the history of CTE and we are going to blog about some of Prosser's Theorems this semester. I have chosen one of the 16 for us to discuss this week. Do you agree or disagree with theorem 3 and why? You could cite examples from your experience if you like. Here is theorem 3, "Vocational education should provide students with thinking habits - technical knowledge and scientific problem solving skills - and the manipulative skills required in the occupation itself."
I agree with Prosser's theorem number 3. I believe that vocational education should provide students with thinking habits, technical knowledge ans scientific problem solving skills. Certain career fields require you to think along a certain path to be able to understand and "fix" a presented problem. For instance, in the information technology (IT) field, depending upon the specialty, problems are presented and a certain way off thinking is required to fix that particular problem. Technical knowledge is a board category that can means knowledge involving hands on application. Most vocational fields require some sort of certificate to have a career in that field. In order to gain that particular certificate, technical knowledge must to obtained. All vocational education fields require scientific problem solving skills. A problem is presented, therefore that problem must be fixed.
Theorem 3 also represents what we are trying to accomplish in our classrooms. We set our lessons to give the students the necessary skills needed to be successful whether they enter college or go into the workforce. Our instructional strategies encompasses theorem 3. For example, we have students to take vitals but our students need to know the necessary questions to ask if vitals are not normal such as when was the last time you ate, have you drank anything cold. This allows our students to use critical thinking or their problem solving skills to determine the cause of a rise in temperature or a rise or fall in blood pressure. Students using project based learning to work as a team to reach a common goal is another example. Providing hands-on and certification in CPR is an example of manipulative skills. Making sure the students have correct hand placements while performing their skill check-offs. We give our students these tools within our pathway.
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