The author surveys the era of science innovation initiated by a bonanza of National Science Foundation funding from 1956 to 1976. He looks at the methods and materials that were developed and considers the extent to which this unprecedented national effort met, or is still pursuing, its goals. (Editor/SJL)

This article reviews three historical phases of leadership development in England and Wales, together with parallel changes in in-service training and the broader professional infrastructure, in order to show how the idea of a national college developed and became viable. It argues that, as a policy innovation, the NCSL has built on earlier…

Results of new research into the anomalous results of the 1986 reading portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are reported. The original analysis of the 1986 data indicated that the estimated performance level of 9- and 17-year-old students had dropped dramatically since 1984, whereas the performance of 13-year-olds had…

Austrian higher education is described with specific reference to the organization and study reforms that Austrian universities have undergone. The increasing number of Austrian students may require continuing reform of the higher education system and the future outlook is discussed. (BH)

The structure of higher education in Switzerland is outlined and the roles of the universities, higher technical schools, and social schools are described. Also addressed are: research and higher education, the labor market, student characteristics, and the future outlook for Swiss higher education. (BH)

This document traces Australian training and literacy policy developments from 1974 to 1998. The document begins with a brief discussion of the global political, educational, social, and economic trends that have affected Australia's training and literacy policies. Discussed next are major events of the four policy "epochs" in…

This monograph summarizes educational policy trends of the past 5 years in terms of their implications for the educational outcomes of students with disabilities. The first section reviews the gradual development of federal and state policies concerning goal and standard-setting activities, accountability, and large-scale and alternative…

Analyses completed prior to November 2001 provided a context for examining vocational education (VE) and a description of participation at secondary and postsecondary levels, a logical first step in evaluating VE's status and effectiveness. They were a small, but significant part of a comprehensive research agenda being conducted under the…

This document contains the papers and questions submitted at the Australian National Training Authority's 1997 training update seminar, which focused on vocational education and training in schools and in technical and further education (TAFE) institutions across Australia. The following papers are included: "Welcome and Comments"…

The financing of vocational education and training (VET) in the Netherlands was examined through an analysis of the following: economic, political, legal and administrative context of financing of the VET system; public and private funding of initial and continuing VET; funding of training for unemployed individuals; and the future of VET…

This document contains the six of the seven keynote speeches from an international conference on vocational education and training (VET) for lifelong learning in the information era. "IVETA (International Vocational Education and Training Association) 2000 Conference 6-9 August 2000" (K.Y. Yeung) discusses the objectives and activities…

This document contains papers from a conference on the economic impact of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia and elsewhere. The following papers are included: "Introduction" (C. Selby Smith, Fran Ferrier); "Opening Address" (Peter LeP. Darvall); "Trends and Issues in Vocational Education and Training: A…

This book examines the New Labour policy on lifelong learning in Great Britain. Special attention is paid to developments surrounding the University for Industry and the New Deal initiatives and the issue of upgrading the British vocational education and training (VET) system to match those of Britain's European competitors. The following are…

This document contains 24 papers examining strategies for reforming initial vocational education and training (VET) in Europe. The following papers are included: "Reassessing VET Reform Strategies in a New Context: Implementation of the SPES-NET (Sharpening Post-16 Education Strategies by Horizontal and Vertical Networking) Project"…

Policies and practices in the areas of identification, assessment, and recognition of nonformal learning in the European Union (EU) were reviewed. The review focused on national and EU-level experiences regarding the following areas and issues: recognition of the contextual nature of learning; identification of methodological requirements for…