This document is designed to provide tutors, teachers, lecturers, and other supporters of online learners in the United Kingdom with ideas and suggestions for developing learners' online learning skills. The materials presented are based on the premise that learning skills are best developed in an environment that encourages active participation…

Adult and continuing education developed as ad hoc responses to concrete and partial needs. The fact that adult education has gained a broader mission and become regarded as encompassing political and citizenship education, vocational training, general adult education and access courses, and leisure courses presents an ambiguous challenge to the…

In autumn 2001, the United Kingdom's (UK's) government published the following key documents concerning workforce development: (1) "In Demand: Adult Skills in the 21st Century"; (2) "The UK Productivity Challenge"; and (3) "Building a Stronger, Fairer Britain in an Uncertain World." Key positions and policies included…

Since 1997, policymakers in the United Kingdom and Europe have devoted extensive effort to devising policies and programs to reconnect young people with learning and work. In April 2001, England's government launched the Connexions Service, which is designed to meet young people's needs through a comprehensive, coherent, and holistic system of…

An intrinsic part of the transition to a modern market economy in Hungary has been the restructuring of the vocational education and training (VET) system. A positive side effect of the socioeconomic transition is the emergence of human resources development (HRD). The transition process has been successful in the school-based education system,…

This report on vocational education and training (VET) in Poland has nine chapters. Chapter 1 presents the socioeconomic situation; explains reasons for different rates of development in particular regions; and presents trends in job creation and rise and fall in unemployment. Chapter 2 deals with changes in the VET field in these areas: VET's…

Reduced training costs, worldwide accessibility, and improved technological capabilities have made Web-based training (WBT) a viable alternative to classroom instruction. WBT enables businesses to cut their training costs. Efficiency of operation is another major advantage of WBT. The flexibility of time, place, and programs offered via WBT…

In the context of the United Kingdom's further education (FE) system, continuous professional development (CPD) can be considered to include study for further qualifications and formal and informal in-college development programs. The tradition has been for teachers to determine their own development. In situations where resources to support…

This document details the position of the Further Education Development Agency (FEDA) regarding 21 issues included in a recent initiative to introduce compulsory initial teaching qualifications into further education (FE) and the requirement that such qualifications should meet national standards. The following are among the positions taken by the…

Vocational education and training (VET) in 10 Central and Eastern European countries--Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia--was examined. The analysis focused on the following issues: socioeconomic context of VET reforms; VET at the start of reforms; the European Union Phare…

Law and policy regarding vocational education and training (VET) in Australia was systematically examined to explore these three hypotheses: (1) Australian law and policy on VET have not evolved in a systematic manner; (2) they also do not provide a coherent and internally consistent program for VET in Australia; and (3) they do not provide…

The proportion of individuals with little training varies greatly among European countries. Throughout Europe, nonparticipation in the labor market and unemployment seem relatively synonymous. Three degrees of labor market openness with regard to individuals with low levels of training are apparent throughout Europe: (1) in Portugal, skill…

This publication contains the three communication skills units of the three levels of Support Materials for Agricultural Training (SMAT) in farm management and leadership: Level 1 (starting), 2 (continuing), and 3 (completing). The units are designed to help the learner with the reading, writing, and spoken communication skills needed to deal with…

A study examined processes of state training authorities, group training companies (GTCs), training colleges, and employers to ensure that apprentices/trainees (A/Ts) who are suspended or terminated due to lack of work have access to on-the-job training. Data on apprenticeship and traineeship commencements and cancellations were collected from…

Australia's accommodation, cafes, and restaurants industry represents more than half of the nation's total tourism and hospitality employment. It accounts for roughly 4.5% of all jobs in Australia (400,000 workers). Since 1987, the number of jobs in the sector has risen from about 257,000 to about 372,000. Approximately 57% of employees are…