Business Education: Past, Present, and Future - Dr. Marty Yopp
- University of Idaho Boise Center
- 322 E. Front Street, Ste. 440
- Boise, ID 83702
- myopp@uidaho.edu
- In 1925 business courses were called “Commercial” courses and were considered part of the requirements for high school graduation.
- Typewriting, Business Math, Business Law, General Business, Accounting, and Marketing were considered essential to a well rounded high school curriculum.
- Initially the Smith-Hughes Act included agriculture, home economics, industrial technology but not business.
- In the mid-1960’s, federal legislation was passed to make business and marketing programs eligible for vocational dollars.
- The money was designed to:
- Promote programs & recruit students
- Purchase modern equipment
- Provide professional development for teachers.
Pros & Cons to Vocational Funds - Some business educators supported eligibility for vocational funds while others did not.
- Schools and programs had to apply to their state divisions of Vocational Education to receive funds. Not automatic.
- Teachers were supposed to complete the course work required for vocational certification.
- Many business educators wanted to retain their academic status.
- They viewed vocational education as attracting inferior students.
- This perception prevails today.
- The Big Shift began around 1970 when schools, in large numbers, wanted to replace their existing typewriters with IBM Selectric typewriters. They also wanted data processing equipment, and eventually microcomputers.
Spinoffs from Vocational Status - A group of business educators left FBLA programs and established the Office Education Association (now BPA) which was more supportive of vocational education and vocational funding.
- Business programs and classes were physically moved into vocational wings or buildings.
- Money for equipment was available.
- Programs, faculty, and students were lumped together with other vocational programs which were largely “blue collar” work with your hands programs.
- Fewer academic students enrolled in business, marketing, and office oriented classes.
- Some programs flourished while others struggled.
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