Extending Learning Opportunities: Youth Research in CTE and the Limits of a Theory of Change

ABSTRACT

In career and technical education (CTE), the vocational-academic divide continues to influence practices and policies that shape students’ experiences. Drawing on a qualitative study and retrospective analysis, we argue that hands-on learning with critical praxis is important for engaging students in CTE. A theory of change, focused on the human potential of students in the process of becoming, offers possibilities for extending learning opportunities. For educators, enacting a theory of change in any learning environment is difficult and, at times, still not enough. In this article, the authors reflect on their experiences working with students interested in multimedia production who engaged in youth participatory action research at one particular CTE high school.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all of the youth researchers, students, teachers, and staff who welcomed us into their classrooms, offices, and other spaces in the school at Poly High. Also a big thank you to the research team members for their commitment to critical education and interest in youth-centered practice. Lastly, we are grateful to peer reviewers for their helpful comments on this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Here, we privilege the term “Latine.” While the term “Latinx” is more commonly known, we prefer the use of “Latine” to be gender inclusive but marking “e” as more in keeping with Spanish grammar than “x.” We recognize that “Latinx” is a political term established by the LGBTQ+ community in the early 2000s. However, “x” in the Spanish language is not used as a vowel; the inclusive “e” is and can be fluidly conjugated in “Latine.” We also use Latine to replace Hispanic, a term that commonly appears in school data.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Korina M. Jocson

Korina M. Jocson is an associate professor of education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her research interests include youth literacies, media technology, culturally responsive pedagogy, and equity issues in education. She has published a range of scholarly articles, essays, and books, including Youth Media Matters: Participatory Cultures and Literacies in Education and Youth Poets: Empowering Literacies In and Out of Schools.

Itza D. Martínez

Itza D. Martínez is a doctoral candidate in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her research interests include social justice and equity in educational policy and leadership. She is currently conducting research on the development and implementation of computer science for grades K-6 in western Massachusetts.