Evaluation of the agricultural vocational training programmes conducted by the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Farm Science Centres) in Indian Punjab

Krishin Vigyan Kendras-KVKs (Farm Science Centres) have been established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in 569 districts. The trust areas of KVKs are refinement and demonstration of technologies, and training of farmers and extension functionaries. Imparting vocational trainings in agriculture and allied fields for the rural youth is one of its mandates. The study was undertaken to do a formative and summative (outcome and impact) evaluation of the beekeeping and mushroom growing vocational training programmes in the Indian state of Punjab. One-group pre and post evaluation design was employed for conducting a formative and outcome evaluation. The knowledge tests were administered to 35 beekeeping and 25 mushroom cultivation trainees, before and after the training programmes organized in 2004. The trainees significantly gained in knowledge. A separate sample of 640 trainees, trained prior to 2004, was selected for finding the adoption status. Out of 640, a sample of 200 was selected by proportionate sampling technique out of three categories, namely: non-adopters, discontinued-adopters and continued-adopters for evaluating the long-term impact of these training programmes. Ex-post-facto one-shot case study design was applied for this impact analysis. The vocational training programmes have resulted in continued-adoption of beekeeping and mushroom cultivation enterprises by 20% and 51% trained farmers, respectively. Age and trainee occupation had significant influence on the adoption decision of beekeeping vocation, whereas education and family income significantly affected the adoption decision of mushroom cultivation. The continued adopters of beekeeping and mushroom growing had increased their family income by 49% and 24%, respectively. These training programmes are augmenting the dwindling farm income of the farmers in Indian Punjab.

The impact of distance deterrence on the choice of field of study in vocational education in the Netherlands. 'El impacto de la disuasión por la distancia en la elección de un campo de estudios en la Formación Profesional en los Países Bajos'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación

High and steady or low and rising? : vocational versus general education in life-cycle earnings. 'Alto y estable o bajo y en alza? : formación profesional versus general en los ingresos del ciclo de vida'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

Vocational training : international perspectives.

Durante los últimos años del siglo XX y principios del XXI se ha producido un fuerte debate público en muchos de los países con economías muy industrializadas, sobre la importancia de una mano de obra cualificada como respuesta a la alta competitividad fomentada por la globalización. El reto, ahora, para los distintos sistemas educativos es doble: atraer a los jóvenes a la formación profesional reglada, y al mismo tiempo seguir formando a los trabajadores ya en activo. Sin embargo muchos países han fracasado en este objetivo, por lo que el libro presenta un análisis comparativo de los sistemas de diez países (Australia, Canadá, Dinamarca, Francia, Alemania, Corea, México, Marruecos, Gran Bretaña y Estados Unidos) para intentar encontrar respuestas.

The Career Interest Test. A brief, standardised assessment of interests for use in educational and vocational guidance.'El test de intereses profesionales. Un instrumento de diagnóstico breve y estandarizado para su uso en orientación educativa y profesional'.

El Career Interest Test está disponible de forma gratuita para su uso profesional y también se puede acceder al mismo a través de las siguientes direcciones web: www.my future.edu.au ; www.qualifax.ie ; www.smartfutire.edu.au. Resumen tomado de la publicación

Metode.Bach : método para la toma de decisiones académicas y profesionales en el Bachillerato. 'Metode.Bach : method for educational and vocational decisions making within Bachillerato'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación. Con el apoyo económico del departamento MIDE de la UNED

Vocational students??? intention to drop out in Flanders : the role of teacher beliefs

Monogr??fico con el t??tulo: "??De nuevo con el abandono escolar? : un an??lisis de pol??ticas, pr??cticas y subjetividades"

Testing Delivery Systems in Transnational virtual learning: the vocational management training for the european tourism industry (VocMat) case study

This article discusses the lessons learned from developing and delivering the Vocational Management Training for the European Tourism Industry (VocMat) online training programme, which was aimed at providing flexible, online distance learning for the European tourism industry. The programme was designed to address managers ‘need for flexible, senior management level training which they could access at a time and place which fitted in with their working and non-work commitments. The authors present two main approaches to using the Virtual Learning Environment, the feedback from the participants, and the implications of online Technology in extending tourism training opportunities