Crazy Paving or Stepping Stones? Learning Pathways within and between Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education

One of the significant issues in vocational education and training is student pathways and how students use them to achieve their personal goals. These "pathways" can be within or across sectors, as well as into and out of paid work. This study focuses on the pathways--to and fro--between vocational education and training (VET) and higher education. The magnitude of these pathways can be contested ground. However, this study is predominantly qualitative and builds on an earlier study by the same authors and published in 2005: "Student Traffic: Two-Way Movement between Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education" [ED495183]. This project draws on the experiences of 49 South Australian students who had experienced learning in both the VET and higher education sectors and who were part of that earlier study. The study found that patterns of movements are quite complex, within and across different fields of study. This suggested the title of the report, for what was found were not linear and seamless pathways, but rather "stepping stones, zig zags or lurches"--crazy paving or stepping stones. These were overlaid with a range of barriers along the learning journey, including finance, juggling work, other commitments, transportation and institutional location, as well as a range of other personal and provider issues. The report reveals the richness and complexity of ways individual learners use and exploit available options. As such, the report is not only of interest to those in policy, but also to staff involved in teaching and counseling students in both the higher education and VET sectors. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.) [This document was produced with funding provided through the Department of Education, Science and Training. The author/project team was funded to undertake this research via a grant under the National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation (NVETRE) Program.]