This issue of "Multiple Voices" contains the following articles: (1) "A Self-Study of Diversity: Preservice Teachers' Beliefs Revealed through Classroom Practices" (Donna M. Sobel and others), which presents the results of seven preservice teachers' self-study that reveals ways in which the teachers' beliefs regarding diversity issues were…

The impact of individual learning accounts (ILAs) on the success of learners in post-16 education sector in the United Kingdom was explored through an examination of available research on ILAs. The following were among the study's 12 messages for providers, the Department for Education and Skills, and the Individual Learning Account Centre: (1)…

Career academies are schools within schools that link students with peers, teachers, and community partners in a disciplined environment, thereby fostering academic success and mental and emotional health. The career academy concept includes the following three key elements: (1) small learning communities; (2) a college preparatory curriculum with…

This document is comprised of two main parts: (1) Role and Nature of State Leadership; and (2) Developing Leaders. Issues related to state leadership for career and technical education (CTE) were studied. CTE-related research, policy, and practice were reviewed. State directors of CTE were surveyed, and 39 individuals considered opinion leaders in…

This discussion paper explores the extent to which new learning technologies can help make learning more available, accessible, and compatible with women's needs and goals. The following topics are discussed: the paper's framework and data sources (discussions with individuals from all regions of Canada whose experience encompasses a range of…

It is widely agreed that the United Kingdom's post-16 qualification system must be made coherent and intelligible to users. Developing a credit-based certification system is the key to increasing participation in further education (FE) and achieving a broader, more flexible curriculum. The benefits of a credit-based certification framework for…

Those who advocate for developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) do so based on the conviction that these classroom practices enhance children's development and facilitate learning. This ERIC Digest examines recent research on DAP and social-emotional and cognitive development, and describes what we have learned about DAP in early childhood…

The vocational education and training (VET) system of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was studied by two consultants who visited the country and held discussions with senior officials from selected government ministries, universities, trade unions, and vocational schools. The study focused on the following: Macedonia's socioeconomic and…

This document, which includes German, English, and French translations of all text, outlines the 1998 work program of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). The document begins with an executive summary and a brief foreword. Presented next is an overview of how CEDEFOP will serve as an interface between research,…

This document contains six papers examining the theoretical and practical development of university adult continuing education (ACE) curricula in the late 1990s. The following are among the factors considered in "An Exploration of the Factors Affecting the Adult Continuing Education Curriculum" (Roseanne Benn): goals; cultural,…

The five-volume directory describes more than 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments (1997), Part D. This…

This proceedings contains 64 papers on rural special education. Papers present promising practices in rural special education, discussions of theory and research, research findings, program descriptions, and topics of current concern. The papers are organized in order of presentation, and are categorized in a topical index under the following…

Public examinations in developing countries play a critical role in the selection of students for participation in the educational system. The examinations tend to be highly academic, bearing little reference to the everyday lives of students, limited to paper-and-pencil tests, and geared toward discriminating among high achieving students.…

This document contains eight papers on social literacies across communities, cultures, and contexts in Australia. "Social Literacies" (Jean Searle) is an introduction to the other papers, which each report on small action research projects examining how particular groups of people use literacy. "Recognising Shifting Delivery Modes:…

The Framework of Work Based Foundation Skills Project was undertaken to facilitate development of Pennsylvania's new workforce investment system Team PA CareerLink by identifying and developing common definitions of the foundation skills all workers need to function effectively in any workplace. A framework of 19 work-based foundation skills and…