Does renaming improve public attitudes toward vocational education and training in higher education? Evidence from a survey experiment

Does renaming improve public attitudes toward vocational education and training in higher education? Evidence from a survey experiment

• Lee, Siu Yau The Education University of Hong Kong
• Lee, Chi Kin John The Education University of Hong Kong
• Lam, Bess Yin Hung Hong Kong Shue Yan University

Education and Training, 2022

Emerald

2022

• Q Philosophy of Education, Educational System & School At Different Levels
  • QF Vocational & Technical Education

Vocational Education and Training Policy Social Status Public Perception Framing Survey Experiment

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Post-Secondary Education

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to offer direct tests of the effectiveness of renaming vocational education and training (VET) in enhancing the image and popularity of the subject. Although many proponents of renaming argue that the word “vocational” is associated with lower levels of skills and knowledge and should therefore be supplemented by better recognised words, empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of this strategy is scant. Design/methodology/approach: This study exploits a rare policy change in Hong Kong, where VET was renamed as vocational and professional education and training (VPET) and conducted an original survey experiment of 1,004 parents in the city to test if the new name would improve respondents' perceptions of the subject. Findings: The findings reveal a complex picture regarding the effects of renaming. Although renaming does not seem to improve the overall popularity of vocational education, it may widen the support base for vocational education by diluting its class character. Specifically, while attitudes toward VET are significantly and negatively correlated with family income, no such association is found in regard to VPET. Originality/value: This paper offers the first direct and comprehensive test of the effectiveness of renaming vocational education – a popular policy suggestion in many countries. Its findings complicate conventional expectations and contribute to the study of educational preferences in advanced economies. Copyright © 2022 Emerald Publishing Limited.

• English

Journal Articles

• 00400912

• 10.1108/ET-01-2021-0014

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/fe8c88f3

2022-07-07