The document provides a summary of a validation workshop for the EMPATIC project regarding information literacy in the vocational education sector in Turkey. The workshop discussed: - The importance and current state of vocational education and information literacy in Turkey - Challenges integrating information literacy into the vocational education system in Turkey - Suggestions for best practices and case studies from other countries that could be applied, including developing an information literacy training database and training more information literacy trainers - Major issues identified were the lack of awareness of and budget for information literacy and the need for better cooperation between vocational education institutions in Turkey

1.
Validation
Report
Vocational
Education
&
Training
Sector
Author:
Bulent
Yilmaz
Ver:
Final
This
project
has
been
funded
with
support
from
the
European
Commission

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The
present
report
constitutes
the
delivery
D5.2
of
the
Work
Package
5:
Validation.
The
core
objectives
of
the
EMPATIC
project
are
to:
-­‐ draw
together
and
valorise
the
results
of
previous
Information
Literacy
initiatives
and
projects
across
the
school,
university,
adult
and
vocational
learning
sectors;
-­‐ use
this
evidence
to
influence
policy
makers’
perceptions
and
actions
to
support
a
marked
increase
in
piloting
and
mainstreaming
of
Information
Literacy;
-­‐ have
a
significant
impact
on
validating
new
learning
paradigms
and
strategic
thinking
on
curriculum
reform.
Within
the
work
plan
of
EMPATIC,
Work
Package
5
aimed
to
validate
the
models,
standards,
performance
measures
and
case
approaches
developed
in
the
previous
work
packages.
Round-­‐table
workshops
were
facilitated
for
each
of
the
four
transversal
sectors,
bringing
together
invited
policy
makers
together
with
expert
stakeholders
(including
researchers
and
representatives
from
the
learning/teaching
professions).
Brief
summaries
of
each
workshop
are
provided,
together
with
outlines
of
key
issues
identified.
2

3. Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 2
SECTION 1: WORKSHOP [THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION LITERACY IN THE
VOCATIONAL SECTOR] ............................................................................................... 4
1.1. VENUE; DATES ......................................................................................................... 4
1.2. WORKSHOP CHAIR; WORKSHOP RAPPORTEURS ............................................................... 4
1.3. AGENDA/PROGRAMME WITH SPEAKERS ......................................................................... 4
1.4 BRIEF OUTLINE OF POINTS DISCUSSED .......................................................................... 4
1.4.1 FUNCTION OF INFORMATION LITERACY IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (VET) ............................... 4
1.4.2 SITUATION OF VET IN TURKEY.................................................................................. 5
1.4.3 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROBLEMS IN TURKEY .............................................................. 6
1.4.4 HOW COULD INFORMATION LITERACY BE INTEGRATED INTO VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN TURKEY? .... 6
1.5 MAJOR ISSUES IDENTIFIED .......................................................................................... 6
1.5.1 THE LACK OF AWARENESS IN INFORMATION LITERACY ON THE LEVEL OF SOCIETY ........................ 6
1.5.2 THE LACK OF AWARENESS IN INFORMATION LITERACY BY POLITICIANS AND USERS ...................... 6
1.5.3 THE PROBLEM OF NOT ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND
INFORMATION LITERACY .................................................................................................. 7
1.5.4 THE LACK OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE INSTITUTIONS CONNECTED WITH VOCATIONAL EDUCATION7
1.6 MODIFICATIONS/ADDITIONS SUGGESTED TO BEST PRACTICES / CASE STUDIES ...................... 7
1.7 FINALIZED BEST PRACTICES/CASE STUDIES FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SECTOR ................. 7
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE BEST PRACTISES LISTED ABOVE HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED AT THE WORKSHOP. .... 7
SECTION 2: DESCRIPTION OF THE “REAL-LIFE” IL ACTIVITIES IN EACH COUNTRY
FOR EACH SECTOR...................................................................................................... 8
2.1 BRIEF OUTLINE OF POINTS DISCUSSED .......................................................................... 8
2.1.1 THE LACK OF BUDGET, TRAINERS AND CONTENT FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION .......................... 8
2.1.2 THE PROBLEM ABOUT INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION LITERACY INTO VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ....... 8
2.1.3 THE PROBLEM ABOUT THE LACK OF EFFECT OF THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TO CAREERS .............. 8
2.1.4 THE LACK OF INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS TO GIVE LESSON OF INFORMATION LITERACY IN
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ................................................................................................. 8
SECTION 3 CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................... 9
3

4. SECTION 1: WORKSHOP [THE
IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION
LITERACY IN THE VOCATIONAL SECTOR]
1.1. Venue; dates
Turkish National Library Ankara-Turkey, 30 May 2011
1.2. Workshop Chair; workshop rapporteurs
Prof. Dr. Bülent Yılmaz – Nevzat Özel
1.3. Agenda/programme with speakers
09.30 Registration and
Opening Speeches
10.00 Keynote Speech: “The Importance of Information Literacy” (Prof. Dr. Serap
Kurbanoğlu, Hacettepe University Department of Information Management)
10.45 Break
11.05 “Vocational Education & Training” (Ass. Prof. Dr. Mersini Moreleli-
Cacouris, Department of Library Science and Information Systems,
Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece)
12.00 Break
12.15 “What is EMPATIC Project?” (Prof. Dr. Bülent Yılmaz, Hacettepe University
Department of Information Management)
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Workshop: “Vocational Education and Information Literacy” (Chairman: Prof.
Dr. Bülent Yılmaz, Hacettepe University Department of Information
Management)
15.00 Break
15.20 “Remarks and Evaluation” (Prof. Dr. Serap Kurbanoğlu, Hacettepe
University Department of Information Management)
16.00 Close
1.4 Brief outline of points discussed
1.4.1 Function of Information Literacy in Vocational Education (VET)
At the workshop, the followings regarding the functions of information literacy in vocational
education have been determined:
Information literacy;
• is essential for productivity and efficiency at work.
• is a main provision for personal and institutional development and lifelong
learning.
• is related to the concepts of ongoing education, lifelong learning, self-education.
• facilitates the adaptation of changes/development at work.
• provides the work force of high quality.
• supports the economic growth.
4

5. 1.4.2 Situation of VET in Turkey
The Ministry of National Education is responsible for VET in Turkey. It is under the authority of
a general manager in the Ministry. In addition, the municipalities, universities and trade unions
organize VET activities.
Some data on VET in Turkey are introduced as follows:
Table 1. Numbers of Vocational Education in Turkey (2009)
Vocational Education Total Male Female
Participant 7 062 429 3 725 436 3 336 993
Teacher 92 976 53 673 39 303
Source: TÜİK 2011 (Turkish Statistical Year Book 2010. Ankara: TÜİK.)
• The students attending Vocational Education (VET) is not low in number.
• The number of males and females attending VET are nearby.
• The lack of teacher is the main problem. There are 76 students per teacher.
The distributions of VET activities in Turkey according to the institutions are presented in the
Table 2.
Table 2. VET Courses According to the Institutions in Turkey (2009)
Institutions Course Number Participant Number
Municipalities 11 726 359 116
Ministries 6 236 334 616
Universities 1 435 70 128
Trade Unions 420 46 419
TOTAL 19 817 810 279
Source: TÜİK 2011
• VET is mostly organized by municipalities.
• The number of VET organized by ministries is near to that of municipalities.
• VET activities organized by universities and trade unions are low in number.
The distribution of courses arranged in Turkey according to the subjects is as follows:
Table 3. VET Course Subjects in Turkey (2009)
Subject Course Numbers
General 529
Education 2 297
Humanities/Art 5 862
Social Sci./Business/Law 4 136
Science/Mathematics/Computer Sci. 2 458
5

6. Engineering 1 456
Agriculture 89
Health 559
Services 2431
TOPLAM 19 817
• VET is mostly organized in the fields of Humanities/Art and Social
Sciences/Business/Law.
• The courses in the fields of Agriculture and Health are low in number.
• The number of courses in the field of Engineering is not on the high level.
1.4.3 Vocational Education Problems in Turkey
The following points considering vocational education problems in Turkey have been
discussed at workshop:
• Institutional arrangements of vocational education complex
• The VET sector is the least understood and most poorly defined education sector,
facing also a status and image problem.
• There are some problems with quality of VET
• It is a problem that diversity in responsibility for VET development, management
and policy strategies on the national level
1.4.4 How could Information Literacy be integrated into Vocational Education in
Turkey?
One of the most important issues discussed at workshop is how information literacy could be
integrated into vocational education. In ongoing vocational education activities, information
literacy is not a component or a subject of them. Attracting the attention of The Ministry of
Education, municipalities and the other institutions to this issue and creating sensitivity have
been suggested.
1.5 Major issues identified
1.5.1 The Lack of Awareness in Information Literacy on the level of Society
One of the most significant problems about VET in Turkey is the lack of awareness in
information literacy on the level of society. The society has not conceived the importance of
information literacy yet. They do not think that the problems they face about utilizing
information and communication technologies in social life are caused by the lack of information
literacy.
1.5.2 The Lack of Awareness in Information Literacy by Politicians and Users
The lack of awareness in information literacy on the level of society is also seen for decision
makers, politicians and users in Turkey. They are not aware sufficiently of how much
information literacy is important for society. Moreover, they have not completely realized that
people outside formal education can gain the competence of information literacy via VET.
6

7. 1.5.3 The Problem of Not Establishing Relationship between Vocational Education
and Information Literacy
The fact that information literacy is or should be a part of vocational education (VET) is not
known in Turkey. In other words, information literacy has not been regarded as the field of
VET yet.
1.5.4 The Lack of Cooperation between the Institutions Connected with Vocational
Education
There is not sufficient coordination and cooperation within and between related formal and civil
institutions on VET. This leads to unproductiveness and extravagance in VET activities.
1.5.5 The Lack of National Policy in the Subject of Vocational Education
The other significant problem about VET in Turkey is lack of national policy in the subject of
vocational education. That is why, the VET activities can not disciplined and continued neatly,
the cooperation between institutions can not be established, the fields lack of education can
not be determined and VET activities on national level can not be realized.
1.6 Modifications/additions suggested to Best Practices / case studies
The participants at the workshop have concerned with the following 3 best practises:
1. Database of training offers/PARP - the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development: It has
been stated that this practice can be applied in Turkey and a database can be developed by
the Ministry of Education cooperating with Turkish Librarians’ Association and The Departments
of Information Management at universities.
2. Training-the-Trainers in Information Literacy/UNESCO: Since one of the most important
problems in Turkey about VET is the lack of trainers about information literacy, it will be
possible to have trainers in that subject by a project. Also, that kind of project can supply the
trainers, who are still giving education, with educational support.
3. Training of Information Professionals/UNESCO: It has been thought that information
professionals holding the most important role in the training of information literacy also need
education in this subject. Information professionals can also be educated so as to give
education about information literacy.
1.7 Finalized Best Practices/case studies for Vocational Education Sector
The improvement of the best practises listed above has been appropriated at the workshop.
7

8. SECTION 2: DESCRIPTION OF THE “REAL-LIFE” IL ACTIVITIES IN EACH COUNTRY FOR EACH
SECTOR
2.1 Brief outline of points discussed
2.1.1 The Lack of Budget, Trainers and Content for Vocational Education
One of the most significant points for VET in Turkey is the lack of budget, trainers and
educational content (material) for vocational education.
2.1.2 The Problem about Integration of Information Literacy into Vocational Education
Information literacy has not been included into VET yet in Turkey. Information literacy is not thought to
be a part of VET.
2.1.3 The Problem about the lack of effect of the Vocational Education to Careers
Attending vocational activities in Turkey does not lead to increase in salary and cause workers
to find work and to be promoted. For this reason, people do not feel a desire to join VET
activities.
2.1.4 The Lack of Information Professionals to Give Lesson of Information Literacy in
Vocational Education
Information professionals to give lesson of information literacy in the scope of VET are not only
inadequate in number but also have insufficient knowledge and competence in this subject.
8

9. SECTION 3 CONCLUSIONS
In the framework of the discussion made at the workshop, the following suggestions have
been given on the subject of Information literacy in VET for Turkey.
1. Awareness of society, decision makers, politicians and users should be created about
information literacy. In this context, the Ministry of Education, Turkish Librarians’
Association (TKD) and the Departments of Information Management at universities
should cooperate with each other.
2. Information literacy should be integrated into the VET activities still arranged by
municipalities, ministries, universities and the other institutions. In this framework, TKD
should connect with municipalities and ministries
3. In cooperation with Turkish Librarians’ Association (TKD), the Departments of
Information Management at universities should organize projects and curriculum about
information literacy realizing the education of trainers.
4. The Departments of Information Management at universities should prepare educational
contents/materials related to information literacy.
5. Turkish Librarians’ Association (TKD) should organize courses to provide people with
competence in information literacy by cooperating with public libraries.
6. Enterprises by Ministries for the reflection of the attendance in education on information
literacy and VET to the workers’ careers should be made.
7. International projects and cooperations concerning VET and information literacy should
be developed.
9

10. http://empat-ic.eu/eng/
Project funded by the European Commission
under the Lifelong Learning Programme
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be
held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
1