Post on 14-Dec-2015
‘The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than
the discovery of a new star.’Anselem Brillat-Savarin, 1825
On meeting the French writer Colette, Truman Capote observed
that her meaty hands ‘are a reminder that writing is a manual
occupation’Truman Capote, ‘The White Rose’ c1948
IN THIS SESSION definition of terms context and background to ‘gifted & talented’ agenda
relationship of gifted & talented research to vocational education
factors narrowing the academic-vocational divide
factors maintaining the academic-vocational divide
implications and recommendations
ACADEMIC-VOCATIONAL DIVIDE
The ideas, attitudes and values underlying the view that conceptual, abstract thought, learning and work are qualitatively different and superior to practical, applied thought,
learning and work
‘GIFTED’ AND ‘TALENTED’ AS DEFINED BY NEW LABOUR 1997 TO 2010
Learners in the top 5 to 10% of their school or college populations in terms of potential or performance
‘Gifted’ refers to academic subjects
‘Talent’ refers to arts, sport and, by 2009, to interpersonal or vocational skills
'VOCATIONAL TALENT'A WORKING DEFINITION
an individual's capacity or potential to produce achievements of
notable excellence in vocational domains
THREE KEY QUESTIONS
Are notions from ‘gifted and talented’ education relevant and useful to vocational education?
What implications might they have for the academic-vocational divide?
What wider factors narrow or maintain the academic-vocational divide?
FACTORS NARROWING THE ACADEMIC-VOCATIONAL DIVIDE 1
educational theories emphasising: ‘learning by doing’, eg Pestalozzi, Rousseau , Dewey character development and citizenship
scholarship on high potential and performance emphasising: world-of-work skills and abilities, eg Taylor, Sternberg dispositional aspects such as motivation and practice, eg Renzulli,
Dweck, Ericcson et al real-world products and contexts, eg Renzulli, Sternberg
thinkers emphasising the continuity of: hand-based and brain-based learning, eg researchers in
‘embodied cognition’, Sennett, Crawford craft and professional occupations, eg Ryle, Winch, Erault,
MacIntyre
FACTORS NARROWING THE ACADEMIC-VOCATIONAL DIVIDE 2
thinkers and organisations advocating for practical and applied learning, eg Edge, the Talent Foundation, Education and Employers Taskforce
subjects/disciplines integrating theory and practice, eg design and technology, engineering, media
recent integrative educational approaches, eg 14-19 Diplomas
new structures promoting high-quality vocational and applied education, eg University Technical Colleges, the Technical Baccalaureate
FACTORS MAINTAINING THE ACADEMIC-VOCATIONAL DIVIDE 1
philosophical legacy of mind-body dualism (Plato, Descartes)
educational theories privileging abstract over concrete thinking (e g Piaget)
Taylorism, ie assembly-line efficiencies of production
the British class system: assumptions and manifestations
FACTORS MAINTAINING THE ACADEMIC-VOCATIONAL DIVIDE 2
pay and status differentials between craft and professional occupations
social mobility defined as university education and professional employment
intragenerational social mobility increased for graduates and decreased for non-graduates
intergenerational social mobility similarly affected
superior health and civic engagement outcomes for graduates
ARGUMENTS FOR VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS FOR TALENTED LEARNERS
• equity and distributive justice
• respect for agency of vocational learners and their families
• challenge to association of vocational education with lower SES and lower ability
• better educational experiences and opportunities
• parity of esteem
• social and economic gains
• healthier civil society
• eudaemonia / ‘soulcraft’
ARGUMENTS AGAINST VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS FOR TALENTED LEARNERS
real or perceived risk of trapping vocational learners in: low/er-paid jobs lower status occupations lower prospects for social mobility optimal health outcomes
HOW MIGHT IDEAS FROM ‘GIFTED & TALENTED’ EDUCATION INFORM THIS DISCUSSION? 1
Conceptually
to adopt awareness of high potential in vocational fields similarities between academic and vocational talents importance of motivation, applied learning and practice ‘emergentist’ models
to avoid vocabulary of ‘giftedness’ and associated stereotypes ‘reductivist’ models emphasising small, exceptional minorities elitism and divisiveness
HOW MIGHT IDEAS FROM ‘GIFTED & TALENTED’ EDUCATION INFORM THIS DISCUSSION? 2
Contextually
to adopt strengthen and extend structural access between vocational and academic
sectors professional conversations about domain-specific standards of excellence,
threshold concepts, talent-spotting and development
to avoid simplistic identification methods quotas and cut-off points for special provision low-trust reporting requirements
HOW MIGHT IDEAS FROM ‘GIFTED & TALENTED’ EDUCATION INFORM THIS DISCUSSION? 3
Pedagogically
to adopt necessary conceptual content at a rigorous level ‘expert performance’ model, access to practitioners and real equipment teaching and assessment true to the domain’s own standards of
excellence ‘teaching for challenge’ balanced with consolidation and practice ‘hands-on’, problem-based and collaborative learning strategies to inculcate persistence and resilience
to avoid ‘over-academicising’ assessment simplistic assumptions about linear progression and the attitude that ‘earlier / faster is always better’
AN OBSERVATION AND A PREDICTION
Educational advocacy and activism is necessary but not sufficient.
The academic-vocational divide will persist, and talented learners will be directed into
academic pathways, until income and mobility differentials narrow.