In career and technical education (CTE), the vocational-academic divide continues to influence practices and policies that shape students' experiences. Drawing on a qualitative study and retrospective analysis, we argue that hands-on learning with critical praxis is important for engaging students in CTE. A theory of change, focused on the human potential of students in the process of becoming, offers possibilities for extending learning opportunities. For educators, enacting a theory of change in any learning environment is difficult and, at times, still not enough. In this article, the authors reflect on their experiences working with students interested in multimedia production who engaged in youth participatory action research at one particular CTE high school.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.