Journal for Vocational and Continuing Education and Training
The Institute for Post-School Studies (IPSS) at the University of the Western Cape is pleased to announce the launch of a new academic journal, the Journal for Vocational and Continuing Education and Training (JOVCET). This launch follows an intensive period of research, discussion and reflection around the need for, and scope of the new journal.
Background to the establishment of the new academic journal
Within the ambit of ‘post-schooling’ which in the South African context is directed at all those beyond the age of compulsory formal and general education, are youth and adults in public and private vocational colleges, adult learning centres, and universities; those employed and unemployed (White Paper on Post-School Education and Training, 2013).
Read moreIn 2013 the IPSS brought together three specialist units in the university that had longstanding expertise in Adult Education studies, TVET, and Higher Education studies. Students within institutions in these domains, and potential students outside of them in workplaces, or unemployed, face particular barriers in traversing across disparate institutional systems, hence the IPSS’ concern too with cross-cutting post-school issues and synergies.
Adult education, higher education and vocational education studies are recognised conceptual domains of knowledge and research. Of the three, in South Africa at least, higher education studies has historically been more prominent, and has generated the most scholarship. Despite its critical importance to the development of human resource capacity across the African continent, research in vocational and continuing education and training remains under-developed and marginalised, hence a substantial need exists for a platform from which new knowledge in the field can be disseminated, and ideas about practice can be debated and interrogated. This recognition gave impetus to the desire to establish a new journal for vocational and continuing education and training in the South African context, but also on the African continent.
The focus of the new journal
The Journal for Vocational and Continuing Education and Training recognises the need for critical engagement through studies in TVET and Adult/Continuing education and training, and for encouraging critical scrutiny of this expansive knowledge area on the African continent.
Read moreThe voices and experiences of practitioners, reflecting on all aspects of teaching and learning within vocational education and adult education settings, should be heard through publication of empirical and robust research. While the journal clearly wishes to take forward academic scholarship, it also seeks to strengthen opportunities for reflective practice that makes a scholarly contribution to the field. New knowledge emerging out of complex developmental contexts has significant value and needs to be show-cased beyond existing geographical and political boundaries. The journal is therefore committed to also supporting the development of emerging researchers by providing them a space to present and defend their research amongst a network of global scholars. Within the field of vocational and continuing education there is substantive ‘grey literature’ that remains in project report form. The journal is potentially a vehicle for the translation of this important work into an academic contribution to a wider community of practice and thereby enhancing its value.
Taking the journal forward
The Launch symposium will host an exciting array of international and local scholars in vocational and continuing education, who will present on their recent work in a range of research contexts. A first meeting of the Editorial Advisory Committee will also take place during this time. Two days of stimulating, creative and instructive debate and discussion will lay the foundation for papers to be invited and selected for the first edition of the journal that is scheduled for 2018. The intention is to meet the criteria of the Department of Higher Education and Training for a fully accredited academic journal within the stipulated timeframes. We look forward to your participation in this ground-breaking initiative.
We acknowledge the support of the Education Policy Consortium (EPC) who provided an initial seed-funding grant to conduct the scoping research and to convene a journal development workshop in October 2016. The encouragement of the Department of Higher Education and Training and the University of the Western Cape is also gratefully acknowledged, as is the advice and support of the workshop team in assisting to get the journal development to this stage.
We thank the MerSETA for recognising the need to build research capacity in the post-school domain. Their support for this Journal forms part of a broader strategic partnership that is making a significant contribution to TVET scholarship.
The establishment of the Journal is partly supported by a grant from the Department of Higher Education and Training /European Union as part of the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme.
Prof. Joy Papier
Director, IPSS
