Greening the Way Forward: A Qualitative Assessment of Green Technology Integration and Prospects in a Chinese Technical and Vocational Institute

Abstract

In an era of rapid change and sustainable development, reform of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems worldwide is essential. Integrating green technologies into TVET is key to training a competent workforce in this field. This study aims to determine the extent of faculty knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards green technology to better integrate green technology into future labor. Sixteen faculty from a public technical and vocational institute in China were interviewed, and the contents were analyzed with NVIVO 11 software. However, our research reveals a daunting challenge: 68% of vocational education teachers lack the necessary knowledge and understanding of green technologies. Despite this, the attitudes of these teachers toward integrating green technology into education vary widely, ranging from education about environmental protection to education about green production to education about good green habits. The majority of faculty recognize the need for green technology education due to governmental requirements, industry transformation, improving student employability, and creating environmentally friendly citizens. Unfortunately, faculty commitment to green technologies remains low. A few faculty members have integrated green technologies into their teaching, but research in this area remains limited, primarily due to heavy workloads, course and program irrelevance, lack of college support, and lack of industry demand. To address this problem, faculty members have proposed embedding green technology education into the talent development system rather than treating it as a stand-alone course. They also emphasize the need for closer collaboration with the industry to improve green technology education. This study serves as a foundation for understanding the current state of green technology in vocational education and a pathway for its improvement.

Exploring The Impact Of Workload Variation On Job Burnout Among Teachers In Higher Vocational Colleges: A Job Demand Resource Theory Perspective

“…Teachers frequently had to deal with varying class sizes, many courses to teach, and changes in the demands of the curriculum, according to research by Diao and Hu (2022) teachers' overall job happiness and well-being are impacted by these changes, which increase their sense of unpredictability and stress levels. According to Li et al (2023) such workload variations make it difficult to maintain constant teaching quality and student engagement. These results highlight how crucial it is to handle workload fluctuation in order to foster a positive teaching atmosphere and avoid burnout.…”

Greening TVET for Sustainable Development: A Path to a More Sustainable Future

“…Based on the findings, it is clear that educators know very little about green skills outside the realm of the environment. Still, they all agreed that teaching eco-friendly practices to pupils was crucial (Li et al, 2023). Despite this consensus, however, agricultural vocational schools did not include a section on the value of green skills in their curricula.…”

“…Tang (2021) concurred that the evolution of environmentally friendly technologies is in its infancy, and that advancements in environmentally friendly vocational education have been slow due to a lack of understanding among all parties involved, an insufficient development base, and a dearth of research results. Xu and Li (2019) noted the difficulties in educating green talents to satisfy the needs of the manufacturing industry's transition and upgrading (Li et al, 2023).…”

“…Only by working together in peace can we create a future that can support everyone. New and environmentally friendly technology can't be implemented without a trained workforce and engineering technicians (Li et al, 2023). Institutions of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) provide crucial information for adjusting to technological change in particular settings.…”

“…Agriculture, management, research and development, manufacturing, and services are just some of the sectors that have been making strides toward a green economy in recent years thanks to the "two-carbon" approach. Because of this shift, new technical sectors and green employment needs have arisen, highlighting the importance of education and training, especially in the form of vocational schools, in easing the way toward environmentally responsible, equitable, and sustainable economic expansion (Li et al, 2023). Vocational education, as one of the most essential types of education for social and economic growth, plays a pivotal role in green skills education.…”