Initiatives in response to current trends and

The broad thinking around 21st century learning acknowledges the need for new “form and function” to be added to education goals. This thinking is informed by a belief that learning must leverage the affordances of new technologies, employ better pedagogies based on recent research on how people learn, and be cognizant of the characteristics of a new breed of learners. This is not say that “basics” and “core subject learning” need to be done away with Smartbean, 2009. To summarize, the 21st century skills can be stated as the following, “To be productive contributors to society in our 21st century, you need to be able to quickly learn the core content of a field of knowledge while also mastering a broad portfolio of essentials learning, innovation, technology, and careers skills needed for work and life” Trilling Fadel, 2009, p16.

15. Enhancing

TVET efficiency and effectiveness To enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of TVET, there are few suggestions to be considered: horizontal and vertical articulations, breaking down the barriers between formal, non-formal and informal approaches, and enhancing school- business and industry partnerships. Increased possibilities for transfer between vocational and academic courses have been initiated in Indonesia, including improved progression routes into, and out of, the vocational tracks. In practice, however, there are many obstacles in the fields. For vertical articulation, a further development has been to devise progression routes for the vocational tracks so that successful students may have further access to tertiary level education and some courses taken at secondary level can be matriculated for tertiary level courses. The implementation of National Qualification Framework NQF that recognizes all forms of learning at various levels will minimize the barriers between formal, non-formal and informal learning and promote lifelong learning. NQF incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework which is very useful for recognizing various types of learning. To improve the relevancy of TVET programmes, partnerships between school and industry is necessary. School and industry can share resources that will benefit both parties. The strong partnership with industry can also improve job information and career guidance for the students. To address the issue of access and equality, TVET should open to all by including minorities, disadvantages groups, and reaching the unreached regardless of gender, ethnic, and religious background by using the ICTs and other approaches,. This expansion, however, should correspond to the needs of labour market and national economy. The government has a role to provide education, especially TVET for all, providing career guidance to the students, and in the end let them decide what type of education they want to pursue. 16. Continuous Improvement through Research and Development The initiation of research division at the school level or district level is necessary at least to tackle institutional research in this knowledge- based economy. Secondary and postsecondary educational institutions should work hand in hand to conduct research to proliferate research-based policies and practices. Some of the research agenda that can be tackled are TVET management and quality assurance that eventually can improve of overall TVET quality and the image of TVET. By utilizing the data from school, alumni, and industries, a school management should encourage their staff to conduct institutional research. This type of research can among others continuously update school statistics, tracer study, and labour market prediction. To improve teaching-learning process, teachers should be equipped with skills in conducting classroom action research. This will provide opportunity for teachers to share their experiences with others in conferences or through publication of their findings that eventually will inspire them to improve their teaching, improve their creativity and innovativeness.

17. Concluding remarks

TVET does not exist in a vacuum; it is shaped and should correspond to the changing demand of labour market, economy, and socio-cultural phenomena that is affected by globalization. TVET roles in the 21st century are paramount, providing opportunities for individuals for better careers and lives, helping industries improve their Top: Represent students outcomes Bottom: Represent the support system 76