Three-capital approach to the study of young people who excel in vocational occupations: A case of WorldSkills competitors and entrepreneurship

This paper examines the entrepreneurial inclinations of young people who achieved excellence in vocational occupations. We propose a three-capital approach to the study of entrepreneurship. Relying on the existing theories and original qualitative and quantitative data analyses, findings from interviews with 30 entrepreneurial and 10 non-entrepreneurial WorldSkills competitors show that psychological capital, social capital and human capital can be combined to explore how young people who excel in vocational occupations develop entrepreneurial mindsets. We show that training for and participation in the largest vocational skills event globally - WorldSkills competition - develops selected aspects of three capitals. However, we also discover that the entrepreneurial motivation precedes competitors' involvement with WorldSkills. (DIPF/Orig.)

Coleman’s third report

The article analyses the (third) Coleman Report on private and public schools. The report scrutinises the relationship between private and public schools and shows that private school students show better academic achievement. Coleman concluded that these findings provided a strong argument in favour of public financial support for private schools. However, he identified a number of school characteristics that he believed to be related to student achievement. According to his analysis, these characteristics were not limited to private schools; public schools exhibiting the same characteristics also had good results. Coleman interpreted the available data in favour of financial aid to private schools, although this was not the only possible interpretation. An alternative conclusion would have been to encourage these characteristics in public schools. Why did Coleman disregard this possibility? Why did he deviate from his usual scientific rigour? The present article suggests that there appear to be two reasons for the narrow interpretation of the relationship between public and private schools in Coleman's third report. The first lies in Coleman's notion of contemporary society as a constructed system in which every individual actor holds a place in the structure and requires incentives in order to act to the benefit of society. In the case of education, the goal of the institution is to ensure the high cognitive achievement of students, and the incentive is related to choice and competition. The second reason is related to Coleman's vision of sociology as a discipline aiding the construction of an effective society. (DIPF/Orig.)

Strategisches Management von virtuellen Hochschulen. Positionierung auf dem Bildungsmarkt

Die Euphorie über die Zukunft virtueller Hochschulen trägt den realen Gegebenheiten nicht Rechnung. Der erhoffte Wandel virtueller Hochschulprojekte von technologieorientierten Informatikprojekten zu marktorientierten Bildungdienstleistern ist bislang ausgeblieben. Dieser Zusammenhang erfordert eine systematische Analyse der strategischen Positionierungen von Präsenz- und Fernhochschulen und von virtuellen Hochschulprojekten. Ausgehend von den Überlegungen des Wettbewerbskonzepts von M. E. Porter und der Systemtriade von B. R. Clark werden die strategischen Differenzen zwischen den Akteuren der Hochschullehre (Ministerien, Rektoraten und Professoren) und den virtuellen Hochschulprojekten aufgearbeitet. Diese Überlegungen basieren auf einer umfangreichen empirischen Erhebung der strategischen Positionierung deutscher Hochschulen und ihrer Bewertung des Nutzenpotenzials virtueller Hochschullehre. Aufgrund der Ergebnisse dieser empirischen Erhebungen werden Gestaltungsempfehlungen zur strategischen Positionierung virtueller Hochschulen entwickelt. Die Integration virtueller Lehre in die Hochschulen ist an folgende Prämissen geknüpft: Für eine nachhaltige Integration virtueller Hochschulprojekte in die Hochschulen muss die strategische Relevanz virtueller Hochschullehre in den Zielen und Strategien der Hochschulen verankert sein. Die Finanzierung virtueller Hochschulprojekte sollte durch die Steuerungslogik der „State Authority“ oder des „Market“ organisiert sein. Eine ausschließliche Finanzierung innerhalb der Steuerungslogik der „Academic Oligarchy“ ist kontraproduktiv für eine nachhaltige Integration. Zwischen den Ministerien und den Hochschulen besteht eine strategische Differenz in der Einschätzung der zukünftigen Relevanz von Fernstudiengängen und der Bedeutung von Effizienz und Wirtschaftlichkeit in der Hochschullehre. Unter den gegebenen Rahmendingungen sollten virtuelle Hochschulprojekte eine Differenzierungs- und/oder Nischenstrategie wählen. (DIPF/Orig.)

Examining barriers to internationalisation created by diverse systems and structures in vocational education and training

In a global society, all educational sectors need to recognise internationalism as a core, foundational principle. Whilst most educational sectors are taking up that challenge, vocational education and training (VET) is still being pulled towards the national agenda in terms of its structures and systems, and the policies driving it, disadvantaging those who graduate from VET, those who teach in it, and the businesses and countries that connect with it. This paper poses questions about the future of internationalisation in the sector. It examines whether there is a way to create a VET system that meets its primary point of value, to produce skilled workers for the local labour market, while still benefitting those graduates by providing international skills and knowledge, gained from VET institutions that are international in their outlook. The paper examines some of the key barriers created by systems and structures in VET to internationalisation and suggests that the efforts which have been made to address the problem have had limited success. It suggests that only a model which gives freedom to those with a direct vested interest, students, teachers, trainers and employers, to pursue international co-operation and liaison will have the opportunity to succeed. (DIPF/Orig.)