“[To] Achieve the Social and Economic Status of Worker": Vocational Education and Tracking in Québec

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Navigating Educational Inequities Abroad: Policy, Parental Influence, and Student Background (Table 1)

Abstract

Public education promises to foster self-actualization and democratic participation for all citizens, but policymakers often focus on promoting social mobility and meeting labor market demands. These conflicting goals are evident in debates around vocational education. In Québec, the vocational education system presents unique challenges, offering distinct credentials to secondary-age students based on their chosen pathway. This paper investigates the competing goals in Québec's vocational education policy using critical discourse analysis. It examines how policymakers frame the goals of vocational education and relates these findings to broader discussions in educational philosophy and critical policy studies, especially concerning tracking and ability grouping in schools.

Authors

• Lauren Ware Stark, Université de Sherbrooke

• Nolan Bazinet, Université de Sherbrooke