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TVET Policies in Chile: A critical analysis of the predominant discourse.
Objectives
- Understand how the institutional framework and dependency patterns explain the changes in TVET policy orientations in Chile.
- Analyse how the ideological nature of the economic outlooks (knowledge-based economy) and educational outlooks (lifelong learning) are embedded in TVET educational reforms.
- Identify the “political technologies” that have an impact in the structure of the TVET educational model and in the orientation for the actions of different actors in the system.
- Map the relevant political actors and research their interests- perceptions- strategies, levels of power (hard and soft) as well as their time horizons and scales of action.
Methodology
We will review documents and interview key actors, aiming to analyse the current foundations of TVET policy in Chile in the context of the international discussion about this educational model.
On the documentation level, we will perform an historical analysis from documents such as assessments, newspaper stories and articles, public statements, presidential addresses, debates from the congress.
On the actors’ level, we will research the political actors connected to each reforms, seeking to single out persons that were directly or indirectly involved in the process, meaning technocrats, ideologues, student movement’s leaders, unions, trade associations, international organisations.
The milestones of this project are: 1998 Educational Reform; Chile Califica, 2006 Council, 2008 Commission, and current TVET reform.
In the final phase of the study we will hold a workshop with the political actors to validate the research results
TVET Local and/or Regional Dynamics in Chile: Seeking for a governance approach.
Objectives
- Understand how the TVET policies interact with the local economy, the labour market and the formal and informal educational system.
- Analyse the coordination level between the activities of the actors for the implementation of TVET supporting actions.
- Understand the main barriers and opportunities for the development of agreements/coordination efforts between these actors.
- Identify the supporting mechanisms to the youth’s educational- work transitions currently developing at local levels, analysing its correlation with regional and national policies.
Methodology
Case studies will be conducted in three regions: Antofagasta, Valparaiso and the Metropolitan Region
We will analyse documents of local development policies and interview several actors. In addition, we will analyse the orientation and supporting mechanisms for transitions along with youth pathways on the regional, municipal and secondary educational institutions levels.
Preliminary, the interviews will be held with local authorities in educational- work matters, actors involved in the productive development (entrepreneurs and workers), development promotion associations, labour intermediation services, higher education institutions and secondary educational institutions.
In order to focus the analysis, the research will be carried out in certain productive sectors of the territory: the mining sector in Antofagasta, the port sector in Valparaiso and the industrial and telecom sectors in the Metropolitan Region.
In the Metropolitan region the study will analyse in depth four TVET secondary education institutions under “Administración Delegada” (In Chile these are government-owned institutions managed by private organisations). The aim is to recognise the particular characteristics of this type of institutions.
Educational-Work Pathways of TVET Secondary Education Graduates: Background and Challenges for current times’ policies.
Objectives
– Identify the influence of past experiences, expectations and future aspirations, and social relations in the selection of educational- work projects.
– Understand the perceptions of TVET secondary education students regarding the context opportunities of the job markets of the specialisations they are pursuing.
– Acknowledge the adjustment of educational- work expectations the youths endure from their educational and work experiences after graduation and their context opportunities.
– Know the perception of TVET secondary education students about the influence of individual action and structural variables when following lifelong projects and possible consequences in their social mobility.
– Define the predominant transition models in the educational-labour experience of TVET secondary education students, distinguishing different types of pathways based on gender variables, type of experience according to TVET program and characteristics of the labour market in different productive sectors.
Methodology
This project will follow a mixed approach, both quantitative and qualitative.
The quantitative approach will be based on a longitudinal survey applied between 2016 and2018, to an initial sample of 1,000 TVET students. The first instrument is a survey applied to students during the period when they are finishing secondary education, and includes questions to characterise general aspects, their educational experience, personal interests, aspirations and future projects, as well as considerations about educational and labour markets. Later on, we will carry out a follow-up survey whose purpose is to collect information about the youths’ educational- work pathways, new socialisation experiences, degrees of satisfaction and adjustment of expectations expressed before finishing TVET education.
Additionally, we will conduct the qualitative research through interviews and focus groups with TVET graduates in order to assess their perceptions of underlying social expectations in policies and initiatives; their aspirations, expectations, and life projects; the value given to education and work in their career options; how they see opportunities available for them and which cultural resources they use in their educational- work pathways.
In the same way as in module 2, and in order to focus the analysis, the research will be carried out in certain productive sectors on the territory: mining sector in Antofagasta, port sector in Valparaiso and industrial and telecom sectors in the Metropolitan Region.