There are changes in society and labour market demands made to TVET and in the TVET system itself. To deal with both types of challenges, the aim for TVET planning and development is to anticipate how employment will evolve and to determine how to give individuals a knowledge base that will enable them to adapt to the changing demands and benefit from the mobility. Major research areas connected to relevant problem areas in the TVET planning and development process can be constituted by analysis of labour market developments and changes in learning contents, new insights into the development of skills, competences and expertise, integration of learning places in school and workplace, professional development of VET teachers and trainers and VET and organisational development in organisations.
Purpose - This paper provides an overview on the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) program components/mechanisms and their overall effect on learning outcomes in a developing country context. Design/methodology/approach - Using secondary data, this descriptive case study integrates the realistic evaluation framework of Pawson and Tilley (1997) with Total Quality Management (TQM) frameworks. Findings - Ethiopia's TVET system adopts/adapts international best practices. Following the implementation of the 2008 TVET strategy, the proportion of formal TVET graduates who were recognized as competent by the assessment and certification system increased from 17.42 percent in 2009/2010 to 40.23 percent in 2011/2012. Nevertheless, there is regional variation. Research limitations/implications - Outcome-based TVET reforms that are based on TQM frameworks could improve learning outcome achievements in developing countries by enhancing awareness, coordination, integration, flexibility, participation, empowerment, accountability and a quality culture. Nevertheless, this research is limited by lack of longitudinal data on competency test results. There is also a need for further investigation into the practice of TQM and the sources of differences in internal effectiveness across TVET institutions. Practical implications - Our description of the Ethiopian reform experience, which is based on international best experience, could better inform policy makers and practitioners in TVETelsewhere in Africa. Originality/value - A realistic evaluation of TVET programs, the articulation of the mechanisms, especially based on TQM, that affect TVET effectiveness would add some insight into the literature. The evidence we have provided from the Ethiopian case is also fresh. Keywords TVET reform, TVET quality, Total quality management, Internal effectiveness, Realistic evaluation, Developing countries, Ethiopia
MULTIFILE
Kennis uit onderzoek is van cruciaal belang om het onderwijs te verbeteren en te innoveren. Dit vraagt om een nauwe verbinding tussen onderwijsonderzoek en de dagelijkse onderwijspraktijk. De roep om een meer lerende cultuur in het onderwijs en de ambitie om onderwijsonderzoek meer te benutten voor het verbeteren van de onderwijspraktijk is niet nieuw: in het onderwijswerkveld zijn steeds meer scholen bezig met kennisbenutting, en het vraagstuk staat al langere tijd op de politieke agenda. Tegelijkertijd blijkt uit verschillende studies dat dit nog geen vanzelfsprekendheid is en dat het versterken van een kennisinfrastructuur een bijzonder complexe opgave is. In opdracht van de onderwijsraad heeft het lectoraat Public Governance een internationale vergelijking uitgevoerd naar de kennisinfrastructuur in andere – met Nederland vergelijkbare – landen. Deze ‘best practices’ zijn beschreven vanuit de vraag: wat kan Nederland van deze andere landen leren?
