Polish Post-Secondary Vocational Schools And Canadian Community Colleges Dr. Norman L. Butler AGH University of Science and Technology, Cracow, Poland 13 December, 2005 292006-08-1414:22:11 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................................................................................ 4 Preface .................................................................................................................................. 6 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 7 List of tables ......................................................................................................................... 8 List of figures ....................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 1: Introduction to the study............................................................................... 11 − Definitions ..................................................................................................................... 11 − Objectives of the investigation ...................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2: The school as an organization and social institution .................................. 14 Notes.................................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 3: Education in Poland and Canada................................................................. 19 A. Politics, goals and features of the formal educational systems ..................................... 19 1. Primary and secondary school education ................................................................ 21 2. Post-secondary (grammar) vocational schools in Poland and Canadian community colleges.......................................................................... 23 3. Higher education...................................................................................................... 24 B. Administrative and supervisory structure and operation of the systems of education ................................................................................................................... 25 1. Primary and secondary school education ................................................................ 25 2. Higher education...................................................................................................... 26 C. Supplying personnel for the systems of education ........................................................ 29 D. Nonformal education ..................................................................................................... 30 Concluding comment........................................................................................................... 31 Notes.................................................................................................................................... 32 Chapter 4: Post-secondary (grammar) vocational schools in Poland and Canadian community colleges................................................................................... 35 − Introduction ................................................................................................................... 35 − Accessibility .................................................................................................................. 40 − Governance.................................................................................................................... 43 − Post-secondary vocational school and college programs .............................................. 48 − Concluding remarks....................................................................................................... 52 − Notes.............................................................................................................................. 54 392006-08-1414:22:11 3 Chapter 5: The research questions .................................................................................. 59 Chapter 6: The research methodology ............................................................................ 60 − The research approaches................................................................................................ 60 – Methods of data collection ............................................................................................ 60 – The program evaluation form........................................................................................ 60 – Methodological concerns............................................................................................... 61 – Limitations of the study................................................................................................. 61 – The procedure................................................................................................................ 61 – Notes.............................................................................................................................. 63 Chapter 7: The analysis .................................................................................................... 64 – The participating schools............................................................................................... 64 – The nursing programs.................................................................................................... 67 – The tourism programs.................................................................................................... 71 – The information technology programs .......................................................................... 75 Concluding remarks............................................................................................................. 80 Research question 1............................................................................................................. 83 Research question 2............................................................................................................. 84 Notes.................................................................................................................................. 108 Chapter 8: Conclusions and recommendations............................................................ 110 Notes.................................................................................................................................. 113 Appendix A: Glossary of terms........................................................................................ 114 Appendix B: List of Community Colleges by Province and Territory ............................ 115 Appendix C: Interview Guide .......................................................................................... 128 Appendix D: Program Evaluation Form (English Version)............................................. 129 Appendix E: Program Evaluation Form (Polish Version) ............................................... 133 Appendix F: Information Sheet........................................................................................ 137 Appendix G: School Diploma.......................................................................................... 138 Appendix H: Poster.......................................................................................................... 139 Appendix I: School Diplomas.......................................................................................... 140 Appendix J: Student Feedback Questionnaire (Confederation College) ......................... 142 Appendix K: Coded Responses........................................................................................ 144 Appendix L: Additional Figures ...................................................................................... 160 Interviews ......................................................................................................................... 187 References......................................................................................................................... 188 492006-08-1414:22:11 4 ABSTRACT 'I'his dissertation compared Canadian community colleges with post-secondary vocational schools in Poland. The comparison concentrated upon programs in nursing (2), tourism (2) and information technology (3) that are delivered by three Polish schools and four colleges: Krakowska Szkola Medyczna, Policealne Studium Zawodowe, Cracow School of Information Technology, Red Deer College, Centennial College, Durham College and Confederation College. Two research approaches were used in this study: qualitative and quantitative mixed research methodologies. Moreover, the theoretical framework was supplied by the general notion of the school as an organization and social institution. Data collection was both at the institutional and system level, and involved. 1. Visits to the Polish Ministry of' National Education an Sport and post-grammar vocational schools. 2. Using the Internet and libraries in Cracow. 3. Open-ended interviews. 4. Semi-structured interviews accompanied by an interview guide. 5. Telephone conversations. 6. Contacting community colleges. 7. Administering a program evaluation form to learners in both Poland and Canada. We tried to answer the following research questions. 1. Are post-secondary vocational institutions meeting the requirements of the labor market as well as Canadian community