The professional development activities in which trainers and vocational teachers are engaging to acquire new expertise in e-learning were examined through a survey that was completed by 446 individuals. Nearly 80% of the respondents were from within the European Union (EU). The rest came from other European countries, North American, Australia,…

Appreciative inquiry (AI) is based on the heliotropic principle, which has been variously described as art and science, holistic theory and practice, and practical philosophy and change process. AI engages people and organizations in discovering what gives life to human systems when they are most effective and constructive and using that knowledge…

This Kids Count data book details statewide trends in the well-being of Maine's children. The statistical portrait is based on indicators in the areas of physical and mental health, including insurance enrollment, adolescent health and safety, and child welfare; social and economic status, including poverty, unemployment, and teen pregnancies; and…

The views of users of e-learning in Europe and elsewhere were examined through seven online surveys that were posted on the interactive World Wide Web site called The European Training Village. The surveys examined e-learning users' views regarding the following topics: technology-supported learning; e-mail in e-learning; trainers' skills for…

The push for higher academic standards has resulted in an increase in the numbers of high school students needing extra help. The need for extra help is most pervasive in high-poverty areas and most high school students need extra help not in traditional basic elementary skills but in reading, mathematics, and advanced reasoning skills. Most…

Historically, the role of career and technical education (CTE) has been a subject of debate. The various viewpoints regarding the best role for high school CTE can be condensed into the following options: (1) to provide an occupational sequence of courses that is integrated with rigorous academic course work as preparation for postsecondary…

Officials in charge of California's community colleges and universities worked with an advisory committee consisting of representatives of two- and four-year public and independent colleges to develop a plan to ensure an adequate nursing workforce for California. The group reviewed existing nursing education programs, trends in the health care…

The key issues, alternatives, and implications for developing countries to consider when designing systems to define occupational standards, related training standards, and assessments were analyzed. The analysis focused on the following issues: the rationale for development of standards; clarification of definitions, terminology, and assumptions;…

The evolving role of work in society and the factors driving emerging trends in work were examined to assist career development practitioners in helping individuals deal with life-role balance. Donald Super's life-space theory was presented as a framework for adult career development and used as a backdrop for discussing how adults can crystallize…

This document contains five papers from a 1999 workshop in Rome on enhancing the professional skills and qualifications of trainers in open and distance learning organized by the TTnet network (Training of Trainers network). "The Different Types of Open and Distance Training and Their Impact on Trainers' Skills" (Michel Tetart) examines…

Problems facing distance open learning in the developing Asian countries were examined, and possible solutions were proposed. The prominent features of distance and open learning in 10 developed nations were identified. Existing distance education (DE) systems in developing nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America were reviewed and found to…

The New Approaches to Lifelong Learning (NALL) project is a Canada-wide 5-year research initiative during which more than 70 academic and community members are working collaboratively within a framework of informal learning to address the following issues: informal computer-based learning, recognition of prior learning, informal learning in a…

Of the 477,800 students reported to Australia's national vocational education and training (VET) data collection in 2000, 237,900 were enrolled in a vocational adult and community education (ACE) program. More than 70% of the latter individuals undertook informal training. Vocational ACE programs accounted for 49.8% of all ACE students and nearly…

This book contains 15 papers examining European approaches to the theme of key qualifications. The following papers are included: "Key Qualifications Revisited: An Introduction" (Pekka Kamarainen); "Exploring Key Qualifications: Context, Theory, and Practice in Europe" (Pekka Kamarainen); "Rethinking Key Qualifications:…

Patterns of success and failure in the transition from school to work in Australia in the 1980s-1990s were examined by analyzing data from the Australian Youth Survey. Of those studied, 20% found full-time jobs upon leaving school and remained in full-time employment for the next 7 years, 13% obtained apprenticeships or traineeships leading to…