The paper sets out the main characteristics of the school system in Wales since 1999 when responsibility for education was devolved to the newly-created National Assembly for Wales. It moves on to consider the advances made in student attainment during this period, some of which can be ascribed to progress in learning and teaching pedagogy,…

This article reflects on the reliability of the evidence contained in the National Qualifications Framework Impact Study, a longitudinal comparative study conducted by the South African Qualifications Authority since 2002. In so doing, the veracity of evidence-based research in determining the impact of the South African Qualifications Framework…

One of the salient concerns in contemporary higher education internationally is access, which is rapidly expanding. Another salient trend is the rapid expansion of private higher education. These two salient tendencies have not been treated in scholarship as heavily intertwined. Much of the reason is that many people associate "private"…

This paper argues that many internationally financed literacy programs do not sufficiently take into consideration important daily life issues of the learners, including nutritional deficiencies that may hinder learning, or of children-parent-society interactions that may improve learning. As a result, many programs have become synonymous with…

Eleven papers from an Australian Technical and Further Education (TAFE) conference are included: "The TAFE System and the Training Reform Agenda" (Gregor Ramsey) raises issues to keep the impetus going for national system improvement and development. "Towards the Best of Both Worlds: Models for Governance of TAFE Colleges" (Ian…

This book contains 13 chapters on issues related to the connections between learning and the economy. "Introduction" (David Bradshaw) provides an overview of the connection between work and learning. "Learning Does Pay" (Christopher Ball) explores this assertion about the value of human development. "Education and…

This book examines how educational development occurs by analyzing the actions of policymakers and the decisions they make regarding educational change. The book introduces an analytical framework that moves from the predecision and postdecision activities. Four case studies are used to exemplify the process of policymaking. Part 1, "The…

The technical and vocational education (TVE) system in Iran suffers from a lack of social status in comparison to academic education. Recent and future planning is directed toward changing the existing ratio of approximately 10:90 (TVE in comparison to academic) at the secondary level to 50:50 by the end of the second 5-year plan. The lack of…

Saint Francis College (SFC), in Pennsylvania, is a private, Catholic, coeducational institution of 1,200 full-time undergraduates. Over 55 percent of the student body is enrolled in pre-professional majors; majors in the traditional liberal arts now account for only 13 percent of the student population. Faculty some time ago began to question…

This paper describes a project at the Lone Star Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida developed to jointly investigate the effects of specific computer technology and training on: (1) teaching and learning in a first and second grade classroom; (2) the professional development of directing teachers and teaching interns; and (3) the university…

The Ontario Ministry of Education directive, Partners in Education, describes the purpose and the process for integrating the library resource center program with the school curriculum. It also provides implementation direction in the form of role descriptions for the teacher, teacher-librarian, principal, and board/system support staff. In this…

The rapid development and decreasing costs of communications technologies, including microcomputers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web, are affecting the delivery of distance education (DE) and expanding its potential audience. The DE literature reflects the increasing interest in the potential of current technologies to alter traditional…

An adequate description of the infrastructure system of adult literacy education needs to address three levels: national, state, and local. At the national level, infrastructure is currently shaped primarily by the Adult Education Act (AEA), amended by the National Literacy Act of 1991. Given that the AEA is a state grant program, state literacy…

The issue of how to integrate information technology in the teaching/learning environment remains strongly associated with the use of the computer as a tool. While technology based tools such as Logo have been advocated for problem solvers at the elementary level, spreadsheets have a great deal of potential for use at both the junior and senior…

This paper deals with the policy parameters of establishing distance education networks in New Zealand. The current decentralized educational system is described, including the role of the state through the Ministry of Education, funding and resource allocations, and staffing. Discussion includes the contracting out to third parties for the…