The purpose of this study is to systematize liberal education, which is required in high school vocational education for exploring execution aspects of liberal education in vocational high school and fostering lifelong vocational competencies of students.
The research questions are as follows.
First, what are execution aspects of liberal education in vocational high school?
Second, what is systematization of liberal education for fostering lifelong vocational competencies required in high school vocational education?
To look into execution aspects of liberal education in vocational high school, this study was conducted after obtaining approval(IRB No. 201904-SB-040-01) from Institutional Review Board(IRB). This study targeted 6 vocational specialized subject teachers and collected data through an interview.
Based on Giorgi's four stages of phenomenological analysis, dispositions of students in vocational high school and liberal education execution processes were analyzed. After that, systematized liberal education for developing lifelong vocational competencies and improving these in high school vocational education was theoretically devised through literature review and a delphi survey was conducted.
The three delphi survey were conducted through e-mail from April to May 2021. After measuring averages(M), standard deviations(SD), median values(Mdn) and inter-quartile range(Q₃-Q₁), consensus and convergence were extracted. Also, stability and estimated validity were additionally analyzed in the 3rd survey to supplement consensus and convergence between the delphi panels.
The results of liberal education execution aspect analysis in high school vocational education are as follows.
First, it was possible to know about characteristics of students in vocational high school. Students in vocational high school mostly fell short of accomplishment experience due to a lack of basic academic skills in elementary, middle and high school and became interested when there were extrinsic factors, which provided immediate rewards.
Second, there was a shortage of concern about liberal education that did not bring educational effect in a short period of time, since the employment rate among students was extremely important in high school vocational education. Besides, there was no common consensus on liberal education among the teachers.
Third, based on these results, this study presents implications for systematization of liberal education to foster lifelong vocational abilities of students in vocational high school.
The results of systematized liberal education for cultivating lifelong vocational abilities in high school vocational education are as follows.
First, on the basis of the implications extracted from a qualitative study, and literature review, a draft of systematized liberal education for cultivating lifelong vocational competencies in high school vocational education was devised.
In addition to existing basic vocational ability and job performance ability as lifelong vocational abilities, voluntary growth ability as a core competence was set. Then the concept, personality and objective of systematized liberal education for fostering lifelong vocational competencies in high school vocational education were defined. Lastly, sub-domains of voluntary growth ability of lifelong vocational competencies and liberal learning topics for individual sub-domains were constructed.
Second, three delphi surveys were conducted to investigate each item of systematized liberal education for cultivating lifelong vocational competencies in theoretically devised high school vocational education. According to the delphi panel selection criteria, 20 subjects were finally selected and 18 delphi panels responded to all the three surveys.
Third, after the three delphi surveys, a final draft of systematized liberal education for developing lifelong vocational competencies in high school vocational education was developed through opinion convergence and consensus between the panels.
The 1st delphi survey was a semi-structured questionnaire with a Likert 5-point scale and consisted of a total of 60 questions. After analyzing averages(M), standard deviations(SD), median values(Mdn) and inter-quartile range(Q1-Q3) of delphi panels, consensus, convergence, stability and estimated validity were measured.
According to the three delphi surveys, consensus, convergence, stability and estimated validity of basic vocational ability, job performance ability and voluntary growth ability that are lifelong vocational competencies were 0.75 or over, 0.50 or under, 0.50 or under and 0.50 or over, respectively.
Also, consensus, convergence, stability and estimated validity of the concept of systematization of liberal education for developing lifelong vocational competencies in high school vocational education, national and social personality, educational personalty, academic personalty, 4 objectives, sub-domains of voluntary growth ability, all the 17 learning topics in individual sub-domains of voluntary growth ability were 0.75 or over, 0.50 or under, 0.50 or under and 0.50 or over, respectively.
The conclusions of this study are as below.
First, it was possible to explore dispositions of students in vocational high school and liberal education execution processes through experiences of vocational high school students. Students in vocational high school lacked basic academic skills, under-achieved and received parents' support less. It is considered that although the study subjects agreed on the need for liberal education, there was no common consensus on liberal education in vocational high school.
Second, in addition to basic vocational ability and job performance ability, voluntary growth ability as a core competence inside the students was added to lifelong vocational abilities that students in vocational high school needed. Also, the definition of voluntary growth ability and the definitions of total 8 sub-domains were extracted from the three delphi surveys.
The 8 sub-domains of voluntary growth ability are 'voluntary objective setting and motivation ability', 'learning agility', 'self-regulation ability', 'active execution ability', 'ability to act with responsibility', 'ability to respond to social changes', 'ability to design a growth path' and 'ability to maintain balance between work and life'.
Third, the concept, personality, objective of systematized libera education for developing lifelong vocational competencies in high school vocational education, sub-domains of intermediate domains and 17 learning topics for individual sub-domains were finally designed.
Based on the study results, suggestions for further research are as follows.
First, this study selected voluntary growth ability as a sub-domain of lifelong vocational competencies. In addition to this, there is a need to develop supportive policies that can help students improve their vocational abilities voluntarily and continuously while growing up.
Second, liberal education execution plans considering characteristics of vocational high school are required. This study fails to suggest teaching and learning methods and evaluation methods, although this study suggests the concept, personality, objective and learning topics of liberal education as a framework providing experience of self-reflection for fostering lifelong vocational competencies. Liberal education is to make students find their own answers by rather than correct answers. Therefore, a qualitative study is required to examine cases of liberal education and observe changes of learners.
Third, a study promoting cooperation among teachers of general subjects and specialized subjects is required to design liberal education instructions for developing lifelong vocational competencies of students from unit schools. In other words, there is a need for research to seek obstacles to cooperation among teachers and eliminate these.
Fourth, there should be a study for reestablishing the role of vocational high school from the viewpoint of lifelong vocational education. Today, the proportion of jobs in personal life is increasing more. High school vocational education must reinforce its role to support growth of individual students and make individual development contribute to the society.