Model 3: Making the Academic Curriculum More Vocationally Relevant

Model 3: Making the Academic Curriculum More Vocationally Relevant

The third model proposed by Grubb, Davis, Lum, Phihal, and Morgaine (1991) calls for modifying the academic curriculum to make it more vocationally relevent. Two approaches for this model are: incorporating vocational applications in academic courses, and designing applied academic courses to be more relevant to vocational students.

"The most common approach is for principals to urge academic teachers to incorporate vocational applications whenever possible; examples include:

Using reading materials that describe individuals at work or [reading] literature about work.

Assigning instruction manuals for comprehension exercises.

Including job-related writing exercises, such as business letters and resume writing, in English classes.

Using job-related examples from carpentry, machining, electronics, and other occupational areas in math classes.

Investigating occupations and the occupational composition of different states or countries in social studies classes.

Examining the implications of biology for health workers, of electricity for electronics and computer occupations, and of physics for the design of machines." (Grubb, Davis, Lum, Phihal, and Morgaine, 1991, p. 30)

Another approach is to create applied academics courses, such as Principles of Technology, Applied Mathematics, Applied Communications, and Applied Science. Such courses typically satisfy graduation requirements and are taught by academic teachers who are certified in the respective field.

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