Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)

Education International

Vocational Education and Training Round Table

Budapest, 21-22 October

The OECD work on VET

Bernard HugonnierDirectorate for Education

Outline

I. Systemic innovation in VET

II. Thematic review on VET

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)

I. Systemic Innovation in Vocational Education and Training

What is innovation

“The implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service), or process, a new marketing method, or a new organisational method in business practices, workplace organisation or external relations” (Oslo Manual, OECD/Eurostat)

Why concentrating on innovation

While in the current economic climate there might be a general pressure to cut in public expenditure, innovation should not be considered an unnecessary expenditure but rather the essential ingredient that would differentiate resistant VET systems from those hardest hit by the crisis and should thus be protected to the extent possible.

The ability to use the elements of the innovation process (planning, monitoring, evaluation) as a cost-effective mechanism to guide product and process development could, in the long run, save money.

What is systemic innovationSystemic innovation in education can be

defined as any kind of dynamic system-wide change that is intended to add value to educational processes and outcomes.

Systemic innovation analysis aims to improve:– The operation of systems– Their overall performance– The perceived satisfaction of the main

stakeholders with the system as a whole

Why concentrating on VET

Education systems, and Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems in particular, are often in the centre of policy debates at times of economic crises and rising unemployment, as it is a widely held assumption that a well-functioning training system can protect against unemployment, especially among youth

Periods of economic crisis can therefore be an opportunity for countries to examine how equipped their VET systems are to deal with change and to innovate.

Overview of the OECD study

Objectives– Investigate how VET systems go about innovation

Methodology– Desk research– Questionnaire – 14 case studies

Countries– Australia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Mexico,

Switzerland

Outputs– Country reports:

www.oecd.org/edu/systemicinnovation/vet

– Full report (MAY 2009)

Skills for tomorrow: Systemic innovation in VET

Part One: Analytical framework Definitions, Literature review Proposed model

Part Two: Empirical and comparative work Drivers , enabling factors and barriers Process and dynamics Role of the knowledge base

Part Three: Recommendations Government and policy Research agenda Conclusions

Model of Innovation in Education

Identification of needs

Development of

innovation

Implementation

Evaluation &

Monitoring

Outcomes Output

Knowledge base

Development of the innovation

Top-down vs. bottom-up?

Which stakeholders?

Output of the innovation

Product

Process

Marketing method

Organisational method

Implementation process

Without piloting: large-scale implementation With piloting: 1.Small-scale implementation2. Monitoring/evaluation3. Scaling-up

Outcomes

= impacts or consequences of the innovation

Is there an ‘implementation gap’?

Knowledge base

What types of knowledge?Tacit knowledge

Explicit knowledge

What knowledge sources?

Evaluation & Monitoring = surveillance/ judgement of outcomes

How and when?

What criteria are used?

Summative or formative purpose?

What are the findings?

Identification of needs

What are the drivers of change?

Which stakeholders are involved?

Drivers of changeEconomic

– Need of new skills– Need to increase efficiency

Social– Need to raise equity– Need to enhance inclusion

Political– Government’s achievement

Technological– Use of ICT– Other technological changes

Enabling factors

Public support

Political vision

Research evidence

Brokerage for the generation and dissemination of knowledge

The emergence of an innovative education industry?

Growth of patent applications: Worldwide new education technologies (1990-2006)

Educational research and development

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Education Health

Total expenditure as % of GDP (country average in recent years)

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Education Health

Share of total public research expenditures (2008) on

Barriers to change

Innovation fatigue

Competing policy agendas

Inappropriate accountability mechanisms and public policy agendas:• Restricted risk management

• Short-term planning

Policy conclusions

1. Develop a systemic approach to innovation in VET

2. Promote a continuous and evidence-informed dialogue about innovation with the stakeholders

3. Build a well-organised, formalised, easy to access and updated knowledge base about VET

4. Supplement investments in VET innovations 5. Support relevant research on VET according

to national priorities

Thank you

More information:www.oecd.org/edu/systemicinnovation

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)

II. Learning for Jobs

OECD Review of Vocational Education and Training (VET)

VET systems vary widely across OECD countries

Vocational education and training as a share of the upper secondary sector, 2006

Source: OECD (2008), Education at a Glance 2008, Indicators, Table C1.1, OECD, Paris

Objective of the study:

How to improve responsiveness of

VET systems to labour market

needs

An international perspective

Phase 12007-2008

AustraliaHungary

KoreaMexicoNorwaySweden

SwitzerlandUnited Kingdom

(England and Wales)

AustriaBelgium (Flanders)

Czech Republic ChileChina

Germany Ireland

United States (South Carolina, Texas)

Phase 22009-2010

Main policy recommendations

1) The international VET evidence base needs to be improved.

2) VET systems should deliver the right skills mix.

3) VET needs to be well taught.

4) VET should be delivered in the right place.

5) Cooperation with social partners is essential to make change happen.

1: The VET evidence base needs to be improved

The OECD International Survey of VET Systems

Source : Kuczera, M. (forthcoming), The OECD International Survey of VET Systems, OECD, Paris

Decision Advice Decision Advice Decision Advice Decision Advice

Australia - - ■■■ ■■■ ■■■ - ■■■ -

Austria ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■ ■■■

Czech Republic - ■■ - ■■ - ■■■■ - -

Denmark ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■

Finland ■■■ ■■■ - ■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■ -

France - - - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■

Germany - ■■ ■■■ ■■■■ - ■■ ■■■ ■■■■

Hungary - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ * ■■■■

Netherlands - ■■■■ - - - ■■■■ - ■■■■

Norway - ■■■■ ■■■■ - - ■■■■ ■■■■ -

Sweden - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■

Switzerland ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ -

Turkey ■■■■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ - - -

United States - ■■■■ ■ - ■■■■ - ■■■■ -

Curricula Practical training content

Acquired competencies

Delivered Qualifications

Social partner influence on upper secondary VET: - 0%; ■ 1-25%; ■■ 26-50%; ■■■ 51-75%; ■■■■ 76-100%

2: VET should deliver the right skills mix

What should students learn?

Lessons:•Specific skills smoothen school to work transition• General skills ensure flexibility later on.

General skills

or

specific skills?

How many students per programme?

Lessons:•Balance student preferences with employer demand, ideally through workplace training.• Provide government support in case of market failure.

• Students choose,

• Government plans

or

• Employers determine?

2’: VET should deliver the right skills mix

Effective trainers and teachers

3: VET needs to be well taught

How to prepare VET instructors?

Three Challenges:

• Teacher shortage

• Teachers lack industry experience

• Trainers lack pedagogical skills

Lessons:• Ensure adequate pedagogical and technical knowledge.• Promote interchange between VET institutions and firms.• Encourage flexible recruitment and part-time working.

Learning and work: two worlds?

4: VET should be delivered in the right place

Advantages of workplace training

Lessons: • Some skills are better taught in a school environment. • Tasks acquired in a firm might be too firm-specific.

• Prepares apprentices for the world of work

• Apprentices can make productive contributions

• Facilitates recruitment and transition to the labour market

5: Engagement of social partners is essential

Provision of apprenticeship places signals labour market relevance of the programme.

Participation in curricula design guarantees link between workplace training and teaching in schools.

Actual influence and interest for engagement are mutually reinforcing.

VET systems and the crisis

Source : Schweri und Müller (2008), Die Ausbildungsbereitschaft der Betriebe. Entwicklungen 1999 bis 2005, Bundesamt für Statistik, Neuenburg

Average GDP growth, current and previous year Share of apprentices among 16-year olds

Economic development and apprenticeship enrolment rates among 16 year olds in Switzerland

Responses to the crisis should aim to maintain the system

Increase the number of government-funded places in education and training (Ireland) Monitor demand and supply of the apprenticeship market (Switzerland) Give subsidies to employers who keep their apprentices (Germany) Provide government sponsored workshop-type apprenticeships (Austria) Increase the number of apprenticeship places in the public sector (England)

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)

Thank you

More information:

www.oecd.org/edu/learningforjobs www.oecd.edu.org

Bernard.hugonnier@oecd.org