THE ACADEMIC–VOCATIONAL DIVIDE AND THE ‘GIFTED & TALENTED’ DEBATE

Dr Annie Haight

Oxford Brookes University

16 November 2012ahaight@brookes.ac.uk

‘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.