By 1968, Research Coordinating Units were functioning in 46 of the states. These units were funded, primarily, with monies made available through P.L 88-210.
In an evaluation of Research Coordinating Unit Programs, Gold-hammer, et al., (1969) identified 16 varied objective of the units, with no consensus among the various states as to which objectives were of the highest priority.
In 1968, the Amendments to the Vocational Education Act of 1963 (P.O. 90-576), better known as the 1968 Amendments, a new thrust was provided the Research Coordinating Units. In addition to the additional funding and better identification of objectives for RCUs being included in the Amendments, further direction and coordination of research efforts in vocational-technical education was provided by the National Center for Vocational Education at the Ohio State University and the Center for Occupational Education, North Carolina State University at Raleigh. Among other activities, the Centers assisted with the development of guidelines for Statewide Information dissemination systems and cooperatively sponsored national meetings of research coordinating unit directors.
With the renewed support and coordination efforts, Research Coordinating Units began to formulate well-designed programmatic efforts and develop specific objectives. Four of the major objectives that have become trademarks of the RCUs are:
- To collect and disseminate information on the progress and application of research in vocational education.
- To stimulate and encourage vocational education research and development activities in State Departments of Education, colleges and universities, local school districts, and nonprofit educational organizations.
- To coordinate vocational education research activities within states.
- To conduct vocational education research and development projects.
The Tennessee Research Coordinating Unit (TRCU) was established in 1966. Original objectives of the TRCU were focused upon dissemination activities, research and development activities related to disadvantaged persons, and the development of programs to improve the literary research of vocational-technical clientele within the state. Recognizing the changing needs of personnel within the state, the basic needs and objectives of the Tennessee RCU were redefined in 1970. The resulting efforts developed into a systematic research and development program for vocational-technical education, aimed at implementing changes in local school vocational-technical programs with the changes based upon sound research findings.
In concert with objectives developed at the national level, the Tennessee RCU strategy for effecting change included four programmatic efforts. Initial development of an information dissemination program began in 1970. A management information system programmatic effort was initiated in 1971. Development of an occupational information system for students was begun in 1972 and a product utilization programmatic effort was initiated in 1973.
The Information Retrieval and Dissemination System
The information retrieval and dissemination system is essentially a document based system. The prime source of input to the system is the nationwide ERIC system. Components of that system include complete microfiche collections, computer search capabilities (using the "Query" program), and supporting publications such as "Research in Education" (RIE), "Abstracts of Research and Related Materials in Vocational Education" (ARM), "Abstracts of Instructional Materials in Vocational Education" (AIM), "Current Index to Journals in Education" (CIJE), and related indexes.
Regional Resource Center Component
Thirteen strategically located institutions serve as Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) where individuals have access to necessary indexes, view microfiche on a reader or reader-printer, and print out pages as necessary. Two RRCs are located in secondary schools, three in State Technical Institutes, seven in Area Vocational Schools, and one in a Community College. Workshops for Regional Resource Center personnel are held regularly in November and May as a means of keeping the individuals up-to-date on both RCU activities and current trends in information needs throughout the state. RRC personnel serve voluntarily as a liaison between their institution and local schools, and are supplied with 1500 free microfiche and a reader-printer. Additional microfiche may be requested from the central RCU.
Information Retrieval
To facilitate retrieval, dissemination, and consumption of research and research-related information at the local level, three Regional Research and Development Offices were established. These offices, staffed with professional and clerical personnel are located in east, middle and west Tennessee. In addition to operating as strategic contact points for referrals and requests, the Regional Research and Development Coordinators provide valuable technical assistance in the writing of research proposals, conducting small research projects and analyzing and utilizing package.
With the central data base located in the College of Education at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, retrieval and dissemination of library materials is supported and facilitated by both Regional Resource Center Representatives, where files are individually organized and maintained, and Regional Research and Development Offices (Jackson, Murfreesboro, Knoxville), which have been linked by a teletype system to the central RCU.
The "Query" computerized retrieval system is used to access ERIC files at the University of Tennessee Computing Center. Increased emphasis has been placed on maximum utilization of already completed computer searches by the printing and dissemination of an "Index to Query Computer Searches," with updates added to it every three months.
A monthly awareness paper is published by the RCU to focus attention on key research and development results. The "RCU Circulator" has proven to be a valuable feedback mechanism from readers and is mailed to approximately 4,500 persons bimonthly from September through May. The mailing list has expanded from the original total of 2,600 in 1970 to the above mentioned total by individual and group requests.
Selective Dissemination of Information
The Tennessee Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) Sub-System for Area Vocational Schools, State Technical Institutes, Community Colleges, and Secondary Schools was initiated in September of 1972. Using the "Directory of Personnel in Vocational Education in Tennessee," a faculty profile was constructed for each school, listing the total number of teachers in each vocational instructional area. The profile serves as a key for assembling the SDI package for each school. The package provides individual teachers with listings of available materials in specific instructional areas on a regular basis.
In many cases, documents from the AIM and ARM indexes on topics such as cosmetology and cooperative education were limited. The Tennessee RCU SDI sub-system has, therefore, proven to be a valuable checkpoint for the types of documents that are scarce in the Vocational-Technical ERIC Clearinghouse files and has put the RCU in a position to be able to make recommendations to ERIC Clearinghouses to put greater emphasis in the instructional areas for which there is both a demand and little supply throughout the State.
Management Information System
The Management Information System is a data based information system consisting of files of student enrollment, instructional personnel, census data, program cost, and student placement.
The total system is a computerized data bank with the primary goal of providing comprehensive, current and accurate data to educators and administrators at all levels. Approximately twenty items of information are collected on each secondary and contract adult vocational-technical student and teacher in the state. From the initial input, basic demographic, attitudinal and enrollment accounting data are generated on units varying in size from the entire state to a single class. After initial data collection in the fall, output is sent to contributors in January and April for updating. The following fall, follow-up information is collected on each student in the previous year's records.
Profiles and analyses are regularly disseminated to teachers, superintendents, and regional and state offices of the state Division of Vocational-Technical Education. Appropriate data is generated for required state reports to the U.S. Office of Education. Additionally, all data are stored for specialized analysis in the future by these groups and other individuals or organizations involved in educational economic research. The single most important use for the data generated is for evaluating the adequacy and effectiveness of existing programs so that better planning of future educational programs can be achieved.
The Occupational Information System for Students
Project INFOE (Information Needed for Occupational Entry) was developed and implemented to disseminate career information to students in grades 7 through 14.
An INFO-E-script format, which provided for general career information on three pages and for specific information, pertinent to local communities, was developed. In localizing information for the fourth page, data were obtained from local offices of the Tennessee State Employment Service, regional vocational education supervisors, state area vocational-technical schools, state technical institutes, state community colleges, and businesses and industries. Content for the first three pages of general information was adapted from existing guidance materials. After being validated for use in Tennessee, the four pages were photographed and reproduced on aperture cards.
Elementary INFOE
In cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority the RCU developed a career information system for students in grades 4, 5, and 6. The system, called Elementary INFOE (Information Needed for Occupational Exploration) was designed to provide students with basic information on career clusters as well as general information on specific job titles. The key to INFOE is an INFO-E-script reproduced on a microfilm aperture card. Twenty INFO-E-scripts have been developed for each of the fifteen career clusters identified by U.S. Office of Education.
One INFO-E-script for each cluster consists of an introduction and an overview of the careers contained in the cluster. In addition, nineteen scripts for each cluster contain general information on specific job titles.
Summary
The primary purpose of the Research Coordinating Unit in the State of Tennessee is to bring about change in the vocational-technical education system in the State. Utilizing strategies suggested by Rogers and Havelock, a system consisting of data and information bases, human resources, product utilization coordinators, extension-change agents, and regional resource centers was developed. Pairing various components of the system, it has become possible to work with all levels of clientele, from the local school teacher to the researcher, and all types of individuals from the innovator to the laggard. In this way it is possible to move nearly anyone from the awareness stage through the adoption stage in the long process of change.
