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Attitudes and practices of Vermont vocational educators regarding the teaching of work ethics: A descriptive study
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to ascertain and describe the status of work ethic instruction in Vermont vocational schools and Vermont vocational educator attitudes regarding teaching work ethics. Work ethics has been identified as an issue of concern that has not been addressed in a practical fashion. The research study was based on a model developed by the Illinois Vocational Ethics Infusion Project. The Vermont study administered a questionnaire to all educators employed in Vermont vocational centers. The questionnaire was composed of three sections. The first was related to attitudes toward teaching work ethics as well as attitudes toward appropriate teaching strategies. The second section asked teachers how often they promoted certain work ethic characteristics. Both sections used a Likert-type scale. The final section surveyed basic demographic information. Standard statistical procedures for ordinal and nominal non-parametric data were used. Results indicate that Vermont vocational educators considered work ethic instruction important. Most educators report that they currently include work ethics as part of the curriculum they teach. Vermont educators feel that their business or industry experience has prepared them to teach work ethics. Yet less than half felt that their college course work had adequately prepared them to teach work ethics. They felt the most support for work ethic instruction from employers and the least from parents. When asked which of 20 work ethic characteristics they promote they indicated a high level of support for all 20. Truthfulness was reported as the highest ranking characteristic. School and classroom policies were identified most frequently of 11 possible teaching strategies. The second highest is mentoring. Analysis of responses by demographic characteristics indicate possible significant relationships in areas of years of business and industry work and in highest degree earned to work ethic attitudes and teaching practices. Conclusions and recommendations were framed as guidelines to assist the Vermont Department of Education for policy making in vocational curriculum and professional development.
Subject Area
Vocational education|Curriculum development
Recommended Citation
Ducolon, Anna Elizabeth, "Attitudes and practices of Vermont vocational educators regarding the teaching of work ethics: A descriptive study" (1990). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9022678.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9022678