Aggleton Peter

Andersen Dines

Atkins Liz

Ball Stephen J.

Beck Ulrich

Bloksgaard Lotte

Christian Helms Jørgensen

Colley Helen

Connell Robert W.

Dalskov Mie

Danmarks Statistik (Statistics Denmark)

Deding Mette

Estévez-Abe Margarita

Frosh Stephen

Gamoran Adam

Haasler Simone R.

Hansen Marianne

Hansen Rasmus Præstmann

Heinz Walter R.

Henningsen Inge

Holt Helle

Humlum Maria Knoth

Ianelli Christina

Illeris Knud

Jensen Torben Pilegaard

Jørgensen Christian Helms

Kimmel Michael

Lacey Colin

Larsen Britt

Lyng Selma Therese

Lønkommissionen

Mac an Ghaill Mairtin

MBU (Ministeriet for Børn og Unge)

Moreau Marie P.

Müller Walther

Niemi Anna- Maija

Nordahl Thomas

Nordberg Marie

Nygren Göran

Oakes Jeanie

Schwartz Frances

Smith Emma

Steno Anne Mia

Taylor Alison

Ugebrevet A4

Walby Sylvia

Whelen John

Willis Paul

Öhrn Elisabet

Ørum Bente

English

The last two decades has seen an increasing political concern for the high dropout rates and low perfor-mance in education of boys compared to girls – at times in the form of a ‘moral panic’ (Smith 2010). This has also been the case in Denmark where ‘the boy problem’ in education now is placed high on the agenda of education policy. The purpose of this article is first to examine this ‘boy problem’ in relation to VET. By considering the gender divisions and the value of the VET programmes on the labour market, it explores what kind of problems boys have in VET. Secondly it explores some the explanations from earlier research for boys problems in the education system: boys’ anti-school culture and the effects of institutional differentiation-polarisation. The article's empirical basis is two sets of qualitative interviews (individual and group) with around 170 students attending vocational schools, two thirds male.The last two decades have seen an increasing political concern in the high dropout rates and low performance in education of boys compared to girls – at times in the form of a ‘moral panic’. This has also been the case in Denmark where ‘the boy problem’ in education now is placed high on the agenda of education policy. The purpose of this article is to examine this ‘boy problem’ in relation to the dual system of vocational education and training (VET) in Denmark. By considering the gender divisions and the value of the VET programmes on the labour market, it explores what kind of problems boys have in VET. Secondly, it explores the role of VET for students at risk of dropping out based on individual qualitative interviews with 106 students, two-thirds male, attending vocational schools in Denmark. The analyses show that most students experience the dual system of VET as a valuable alternative to general education, but social and institutional processes of differentiation in the vocational schools place a significant group of students in a position where they have little chance of completing the programme. In the conclusion, some reflections are made on the effect of a recent reform of VET in relation to these problem

Jørgensen, Christian Helms

Roskilde Universitet

Some boys' problems in education:– what is the role of VET?

Crossref

Journal of Vocational Education and Training

Some boys’ problems in education – what is the role of VET?

https://forskning.ruc.dk/files/54028243/Pre_print_of_Boys_problem_in_VET_accepted.pdf

Some boys' problems in education:– what is the role of VET?

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Roskilde Universitet

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