Problems of Vocational Education and Evaluation of Solution Seeking: A Meta-Synthesis Study

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to examine studies which researched problems in vocational education and evaluation of solution proposals by using meta-synthesis method. Data were reached by searching for “vocational education, vocational education problems, vocational education problems and seeking solutions and vocational education in Turkey” from the Turkish Higher Education Board National Thesis Center, and from the Google Scholar and (Turkish Academic Network and Information Center) databases. A total of 54 studies (5 Doctoral dissertations, 11 Master’s theses, 30 articles, and 8 reports) were compiled based on criteria determined for studies to be included in the research. The included studies were analyzed according to thematic synthesis approach, which is one of the meta-synthesis methods. Frequency tables of problems and suggestions about vocational education were established by examining the studies. Accordingly, problem titles and solution proposal titles were then categorized as main themes and subthemes and then interpreted. As a result of this study, it was observed that vocational education in Turkey faces some problems, especially with regard to education and training structure, legal regulation structure, technological and physical substructure, economic and social structure, and educational management