Date of Award

5-1-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Jared Schlenker

Abstract

Career technical education (CTE) has evolved markedly over the past century to provide a viable avenue for high school students who may seek an alternative and successful academic path that leads to a well-paid future career in the workforce.Recent studies have found that Career and Technology Education can lower dropout rates among high school students (Stone and Lewis, 2012). Students that are enrolled in Career and Technical Education are exposed to a plethora of career opportunities that they may not be cognizant of. . . . (Smith, 2015, p. ii) If high-quality career and technical education (CTE) makes it possible for students to stay in school and graduate from high school, the natural next step is to examine what CTE high school senior students perceive that their CTE programs and experiences give them to achieve their post-secondary goals. A top-notch CTE program connects secondary and postsecondary education through a logical progression of courses, aligns curriculum with standards validated by the industry, and offers practical, work-based learning opportunities that let students put their knowledge to use. The present qualitative research study acknowledges the necessity for further investigation to ascertain the perceptions of students regarding the significance of their CTE experiences in accomplishing their post-secondary objectives. Students in CTE are given a vital and important voice, in sharing their experiences through qualitative research studies versus quantitative research studies. The participant selection and process of this study was to interview five and survey sixteen Grand Forks Area Career and Technology Center (GFACTC) medical career pathway students who were selected by the CTE medical career pathway teacher and were enrolled in the Grand Forks Area Career and Technology Center (GFACTC) in Grand Forks, North Dakota. This research study’s aim was to investigate high school senior students' perceptions about their high school career and technical education experiences and how those experiences influenced and helped them attain their post-secondary goals. School district board members, CTE administrators, CTE teachers, and CTE counselors could all benefit greatly from a deeper understanding of student perceptions and experiences that were most influential factors to these high school seniors in the medical career pathway in their CTE program in terms of preparing for their post-secondary goals.

Download

Share

COinS