STEP: Secondary-Tertiary Education Planning

Abstract

T he basic aim of STEP is to use existing information and, where necessary, to collect new data to build up a com puter-based information system to determine the flow of students with scientific and non-scientific course and career preferences through the Victorian education system into employment.

A major objective is to make information available to teachers and others who are responsible for advising second ary students.

The patterns discerned from the STEP data should define critical questions for education policy makers and social scientists to investigate.

STEP is concerned with Victorian data but the results should provide an indication of Australia- wide trends, and it is hoped that the projet will stimulate parallel work in other states.

The broad plan may be illustrated by the following diagram:

The Shell Company of Australia Limited has funded the publication of this excellent report to ensure that the urgent questions it raises are brought to the attention of parents and employers, as well as educators and policy makers.