The Roles of Evaluation for Vocational Education and Training: Plain Talk on the Field of Dreams

The Roles of Evaluation for Vocational Education and Training: Plain Talk on the Field of Dreams

W. Norton Grubs and Paul RyanInternational Labour Office (ILO)1999ISBN 92 2 110855 430 Swiss francs

Keywords: Vocational training, Education

In this enlightening book, the authors start from the premiss that some plain talk is needed on the subject of vocational education and training evaluation. After discussing the conceptual issues involved, they focus on the "why" and"how" of evaluation before presenting and assessing the value of a broad range of evaluation techniques. Finally, they consider the use and abuse of evaluation results in policy making, particularly in relation to recent trends and issues in vocational education and training, such as decentralization, the declining role of the state, a shift towards work-based learning and a concern for issues of equality.