The terms roles, functions, and skills are based on different views of expertise. Functional analysis is normative and behaviorist. Skill analysis concentrates on interpersonal skills and the person in the role. Role analysis is the study of more than the job; it encompasses the human interactions involved in its performance. (SK)

Interviews with 124 social-services workers in inservice training showed there was more resistance when learning was supplantive (replacing or threatening existing knowledge or skills) than additive. To overcome resistance, trainers can find guidance in crisis-intervention techniques. (SK)

Australian implementation of competency-based training fails to recognize that mere competency statements are inadequate as a basis for teaching. Many vocational teachers lack sufficient background in psychology for successful implementation. Good curriculum documents can help by incorporating key research on skill learning, transfer, expertise,…

To determine who benefits from investment in continuing-vocational training, it is necessary to differentiate between types and funding levels. Different types yield different outcomes. Various funders (government, employers, individuals) have different objectives for investment. A focus on measurable outcomes helps clarify benefits. (SK)

ExecutiveLink(TM) is a learning community of farm businesses engaged in nonformal education. Social capital is developed through shared language and experiences, the building of trust, self-development, and identification with the community. (SK)

Tacit knowledge and judgment associated with vocational education requires high levels of expertise on the part of assessors. A new model of competency-based education emphasizes the exchange of tacit knowledge and exercise of tacit judgment on learning, shedding new light on old debates about competency-based education and training. (SK)

Interviews with three students with learning disabilities about their employment problems suggest that transition services need improvement. Recommendations are for coordination among special and vocational instructors, counselors, and other support personnel, attention to the topic in teacher preparation programs, and responsiveness to workplace…

Describes economic, social, and educational trends and policy directions related to lifelong learning. Examines research on student satisfaction with educational and career guidance in Australian vocational education and training. Highlights the need for better career information, advice, and guidance to assist people of all ages with lifelong…

Luton Business School's approach to assessing management competence is learner centered and involves reflection, action learning, and portfolios. It has a 75% completion rate, compared to 30% for National Vocational Qualifications in management overall. (SK)

A British study of 410 students in years 6, 10, and 12 categorized their occupational choices and parents' occupations as traditional/customary, high-status, or lottery (jobs relying on luck, chance, or talent spotting). Students appeared to focus on high-status or lottery jobs and were not inclined toward careers in which most parents were…

Examines the current understanding of competence and move toward a holistic perspective. Uses examples from research to develop an interpretive-relational perspective in which the individual's conception of competence cannot be separated from the context of their work, situation, and experience. (SK)

Traces the origins of experiential learning in the work of Erasmus, Rousseau, and Dewey. Points out problems in Dewey's theory of experience. Explains four learning strategies that define experiential learning as meaningful learning. (SK)

Interviews in 17 Australian vocational education and training enterprises found they engaged in 3 models of research intended to shape organizational development: informal, network based; instrumental strategic planning; and internally motivated capacity building. The capacity building model appeared to have the most utility in transforming…

Most states allow alternative teacher certification to compensate for teacher shortages or move private-sector specialists into teaching. The instructional and cost effectiveness of such teachers, especially regarding special needs students in vocational education, lacks conclusive research evidence. (SK)

Many British further education colleges have cross-college coordinators overseeing procedural implementation across the college without direct management of staff. These coordinators derive power from a continuum of sources. The stronger the external requirements, the greater the coordinator's power. (SK)