1. Sen's Capability Approach and Year 12 Completers' Post-School Destinations: Implications for Teacher Education
- Author
-
Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA), Singh, Michael, Li, Bingyi, and Harreveld, Bobby
- Abstract
This paper situates school-to-work transitional purpose of VETiS in Queensland by comparison of young adults who complete Year 12 for their different groups such as gender, geographic location, indigenous and socio-economic status. The literature indicates that students' educational outcomes are related to their social environment and culture, an issue need to be paid attention by the teachers engaging in senior education. Methodologically, this study is situated in relation to the Australian Governments' "Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians" (MCEETYA, 2008) and the fourth edition of the AQF (Australian Qualification Framework) Implementation Handbook (2007) on Guidelines for Certificates I-IV. Our data analysis based on Queensland "Next Step" surveys (2005-2008) represents an attempt of Sen's (1992, 1999) conceptualisation of individual capability and achievement, freedom to choice as well as their interrelationship to their social groupings. The paper explores how the teacher educators as well student teachers position themselves based on Senior Learning innovation, how to balance tensions between the reality of a working market model and teaching young adults in VETiS. Finally, some recommendations are proposed on how to cultivate multifunctional student-teachers for enhancing Senior Learning education and empower them to contribute to effective and efficient teaching in senior level education. (Contains 5 tables and 2 footnotes.) [This paper is the result of a research project supported by the Australian Research Council.]
- Published
- 2009