Examines the social, economic, political, and philosophical influences on the development of Key Skills in Britain, particularly the work of R. H. Tawney. Describes their evolution into the current set (communication, number application, information technology, working with others, improving one's own learning and performance, problem solving) and…

A study of 4,014 high school graduates 1 year after graduation found that career and technical education participants earned more, experienced greater relevance of secondary to postsecondary education, and felt better prepared for work. Internship participants felt prepared for work but had lower earnings and fewer quarters worked. Improvements in…

Interviews with 17 students in Foundation-level General National Vocational Qualifications courses identified their most important issue as moving from disaffection to acceptance as postsecondary students. Relationships with teachers were the most significant factor in building their confidence and overcoming past schooling failure. (Contains 39…

Task-based learning (TBL) is a method used to develop transferable skills in radiography students. It involves developing in-depth understanding of concepts and mechanisms underlying tasks as well as capability to perform them. TBL forms the basis of clinical practice modules that contextualize knowledge. (Contains 23 references.) (SK)

Uses the experiences of health care staff in a dementia facility to build a model of workplace learning, based on postmodern scholarship, with these elements: community of practice; dynamic engagement with diversity, power, and discourses; and a context integrated with the wider environment. (SK)

For beginning students in Scottish further education colleges (n=701), printed material was the most important preenrollment communication method. Support for attendance in the form of child care and financial aid was crucial. Location, local reputation, and the development of social relationships were also important motivational factors. (SK)

After a study identified inconsistencies between cognitive research findings and accounting teaching methods, accounting instructors in Scottish colleges implemented a cognitive approach with 49 students. Compared to 31 controls, these students were better able to adapt what they had learned to complete nonroutine tasks. (Contains 44 references.)…

A causal model that examined links between teacher stress and characteristics of the school system, teachers, and students was tested with 235 high school vocational teachers. The model successfully identified the sources of teacher stress. (Contains 62 references.) (SK)

A central issue in professional education is who has a mandate for determining the appropriateness of university curriculum and monitoring its quality. Examination of the accreditation guidelines of seven professions (law, medicine, nursing, psychology, physiotherapy, social work, and teaching) suggests that the relevance of professional…

Interviews with 195 Australian training managers found that competency-based training is effective for workplace-relevant learning, organizational development, and standardization. However, it marginalizes cultural, conceptual, and tacit knowledge. Although it achieves some stakeholders' objectives, it privileges certain enterprises, workers, and…

A placement coordinator and career advisor combined industrial and career counseling expertise in preparing industry placements for British college students, who learned creative job searching, application, and interviewing techniques. Student feedback indicated the program enhanced employability and job search skills. (SK)

This overview of the Irish educational system examines vocational education and training, the role of the European Union, legislative measures, and institutional reforms. The following challenges are discussed: economic infrastructure, skill shortages, and the inclusiveness of the educational system. (SK)

To overcome problems of assessment and verification of National Vocational Qualifications, the system should move from narrow quality control to total quality management. Situated learning in communities of practice, including assessors and assessees, should be developed. This requires radically different quality criteria and professional…

Korean human resource development practitioners (n=10) attended a training program on performance improvement technology. All showed a high perceived degree of learning, but more in skill than conceptual areas. There were different degrees of transfer, some due to lack of opportunities or lack of relevance to the job. (SK)

Competency-based training is not a singular model; it embeds radically different conceptions of competence, depending on whether delivery and assessment of training incorporate industry standards. Models that maintain a tension between the outcomes and processes of education and training, rather than a focus solely on outcomes, are most…