Supervisors and coworkers of 98 persons with mental retardation rated subjects' overall job performance and social interaction and their performance in specific social situations. Results suggest that both task-related and non-task-related social skills make unique and relatively equal contributions to supervisors' and coworkers' perceptions of a…

Economic factors, administrative changes, and productivity concerns require that higher education focus more clearly on a variety of issues in four areas of human resource management: (1) the need for leadership in the new, more diverse workforce; (2) work issues (quality of life, alternative scheduling, performance evaluation, training); (3)…

Estimated impacts of on- and off-campus work on first-year student (n=210) cognitive outcomes. With controls made for precollege cognitive level and other relevant influences, amount of on- and off-campus work had little negative impact on first-year students' reading comprehension, mathematics achievement, or critical thinking. (Author/NB)

Provides an overview of empowerment philosophies and practices in business and educational settings. Role changes for empowerment are discussed, and resistance factors regarding empowerment are described for each setting. (four references) (LRW)

Among 252 school-based occupational therapists surveyed in 5 northwestern states, the most common problems were large caseloads, too little time for paperwork, and inadequate physical facilities. Additional primary problems identified by rural therapists were excessive traveling, lack of interdisciplinary team communication, and lack of…

Interviews with skilled mine workers in Queensland, Australia, suggest that informal learning in the workplace enables authentic activities, access to experts, and sociocultural environment conductive to the development of expertise. Skilled work means technical competence in a context of sociocultural values. (SK)

Investigated possible causes for the high turnover rate among family day-care (FDC) providers by examining the effects of perceived social support, job satisfaction, and the establishment of boundaries between the FDC provider's nuclear family and her FDC system. Stable providers were more likely than nonstable providers to report high job…

A vice president of RJR Nabisco discusses concerns regarding the entire workforce and stresses the need for a system that ensures universal access to technical training for all high school students, upgrade training for current workers, and positive training enhancements for dislocated workers. (JOW)

Describes the Pittsburgh Public Schools' efforts to institutionalize a shared decision-making model in secondary schools to provide more supportive educational and professional environments. The article examines the Schenly High School Teacher Center staff development program, noting that organizational development takes time and effort by the…

Study investigated how new technology affects the working procedures and mental activity of industrial machinists, examining how machinists learn to use computer numerical control technology. Results indicate areas of cognitive difference requiring further study (e.g., differences in conceptualization, formalization, and perspective, and shifts to…

Data from a survey of 414 male and 217 female workers assessed the effects of human capital, household responsibilities, working conditions, and on-the-job training on wages. Household responsibilities had a negative effect on women's earnings; the presence of children positively affected wages of both sexes. (SK)

Presents possible prevention and treatment strategies for combating burnout among college student affairs professionals. Includes definition of burnout, review of symptoms of burnout, discussion of causes of burnout, and suggestions for treatment and prevention of burnout. Interventions discussed include personal counseling, using stress…

Clerical worker education tends to focus on socializing students for success. It should also examine the workplace organization and reward structure to prepare students to recognize and challenge social and economic inequities related to job value and job security. (SK)

This position statement outlines the major challenges facing labor education (human rights, employment, structural transition, poverty, marginalization, globalization) and areas for International Labour Organisation action (standards, technical cooperation, sectoral activities, research, publications, and communications). (SK)

Among 31 completers of a workplace literacy program and 37 dropouts, those who belonged to in-class cliques were more likely to remain in class than the more socially isolated. Dropouts networked in the workplace with others of similar educational levels; finishers networked with workers of higher educational levels. (SK)