Research Information System
Thesis Type: Doctorate
Institution Of The Thesis: Gazi University, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Turkey
Approval Date: 2019
Thesis Language: Turkish
Student: NESLİHAN KILIÇ
Supervisor: Mehmet Taşpınar
Abstract:The current study aimed to determine the extent to which students attending vocational and technical high schools possess the national occupational competencies on the basis of the opinions of the students own, their teachers and master instructors. The universe of the study was determined to be the city of Ankara. The study was conducted on a total of 877 students from 20 different formal vocational and technical high schools, trained on 12 different occupations from 9 different sectors, 148 teachers who are responsible for the education of these students and 44 master instructors working in the organizations where the students do their apprenticeship. Moreover, interviews were made with 44 teachers. The study was designed in the mixed model; thus, qualitative and quantitative research methods were used together. The quantitative part of the study was carried out on the basis of the descriptive survey model. The qualitative part of the study on the other hand was designed as the phenomenological study. Scales were administered to the students to elicit their opinions about the extent to which they have the occupational competencies determined by VQA. With the scale administered to the participating teachers, it was attempted to determine the teachers’ opinions about their students’ occupational competencies. Moreover, interviews were conducted with 44 teachers; two from each school, and 44 master instructors who were dealing with students in the organizations and thus the qualitative data were collected. In addition to these, 2 students from the branch of welding and 2 students from the branch of Computer Numerical Control (CNC); thus a total of 4 students took the occupational knowledge and skills exam in a test centre authorized by VQA. The reason for having these four students take this test was to be able to make a comparison between the results to be obtained from a real test in relation to students’ occupational competencies and the opinions of the students own, their teachers and master instructors about the students’ occupational competencies. In the occupational areas investigated within the context of the current study, the master instructors stated that the students are inadequate/mostly inadequate to a great extent. Only in the occupational area of services, they found the students moderately adequate. According to the teachers; however, the students are mostly adequate in the occupational areas of ready-made-clothing model mechanic, architecture technical draftsman, vii hair care and services while in the occupational areas of network operation, computer numerical control (CNC) and kitchen and rail systems machines, the teachers found them moderately adequate and in the occupational areas of electric wiring and electrical board installation, welding, chemistry laboratory and rail systems electric-electronic, the teachers found them mostly inadequate. On the other hand, it was found that the students see themselves adequate/mostly adequate in the occupational areas; only in the occupational areas of network operation and welding, the students see themselves moderately adequate. There is a lack of compliance between the competencies gained by the students at school and the competencies required from the students by the sector or the competencies gained at school are found to be inadequate by the sector. The master instructors found the students moderately adequate in the occupational area of services while they found them inadequate/mostly inadequate in all the other occupational areas. The significant difference between the teachers and the master instructors’ opinions is remarkable. The field experts interviewed about the results of the test taken by four students in a text and certification centre stated that “the students are not at the desired achievement level and their level of achievement is lower in practice exams. The main reason for this was stated to be lack of practice opportunities provided at schools and inefficiency of the skills taught at schools to meet the national occupational standards. The competencies attained by students at school do not comply with the ones required by the sector or fall short of these requirements. In light of the findings of the current study, it can be suggested that curriculums of the institutions giving vocational and technical education should be made compliant to the national occupational competencies and should be revised to meet the expectations of the sector, students should be allowed to visit occupational test and certification centres, make observations in these centres and if possible to participate in sample exams during their education, more importance should be attached to practice and workshop activities, more training should be given to students about occupational health and safety, students should be made more competent in foreign languages and they should be informed about international mobility and promoted to be part of this mobility. Moreover, it is clear that the borders between countries are removed and that the main goal of education is to educate individuals who are self-confident and competent in foreign languages, basic skills, entrepreneurship, problem-solving skills, thinking and fast perception, sharing and communication and interested in arts and the issues of aesthetics and happy, more productive and more conducive to their countries