The goal of
Alabama’s Career/Technical Education curriculum is to provide students
access to a flexible system of rigorous school and work-based learning
planned collaboratively by students, parents, educators, and employers.
This system will result in graduates having industry-recognized
credentials and preparation for advanced study or employment. This course
of study is designed to provide content that is student-centered, allowing
career pathways that include academic and Career/Technical Education
courses specifically directed to students’ key interests and required
skills. Upon graduation, students are prepared for postsecondary
education, apprenticeship programs, and employment, as well as individual,
family, employer, and community success.
The
twenty-first century global economy places a premium on innovation,
customization of new business models, and new ways for organizing work. To
succeed in this new environment, individuals and organizations must
continually acquire new skills and new ways of managing knowledge and
information.
This
curriculum, designed to address students’ needs both now and in the
future, encompasses the following principles/characteristics:
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Learning
addresses needs and interests of individual learners. |
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Students
assume a high level of responsibility and accountability for
developing specific skills and knowledge needed for their individual
goals.
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Teachers,
counselors, parents, and students are active participants in the
development of students’ instructional plans. |
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Technology
is used to support and customize content and delivery to match
students’ learning styles, experiences, and skills. |
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Learning
is a continuous process of inquiry that keeps pace with the speed of
change in business, industry, and society. |
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New
methods of assessment and certification of knowledge and skills
replace traditional measurements. |
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Implementation
of an open design process allows students to take advantage of
borderless, technology-rich environments that provide critical access
to rigorous technical and academic subject-area curricula. |
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Learning
is designed to broaden students’ opportunities and competitiveness
in a rapidly changing economy.
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