Identifying connections between career and technical education (CTE) and academic programs through standards of learning

Abstract

This article describes a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pre-service teacher preparation class project requiring students to identify academic standards of learning relating to the competencies that they teach in their program areas with a view to encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration between CTE teachers and colleagues in academic disciplines. Demonstrating that CTE can contribute significantly to academic growth as measured by SOLs should help in de-stigmatizing CTE. The method underlying the project described in this article comprised requiring CTE pre-service teacher education students to incorporate in their lessons standards of learning relating to (for example, English, Mathematics, Science, and History/Social science). The aim of this study was to show the relationship between CTE and academic subjects as a way of enhancing student motivation in CTE courses and also providing a rationale for co-ordination and cooperation between CTE teachers and teachers of academic subjects.   Key words: Standards of learning, collaboration, career and technical education, situated learning, reflections, best practices.