During 1985, the Center for Professional Development of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory identified and supported five internships in various aspects of educational research and development work. Programs with which the interns were affiliated included a goal-based education program, the Center for Sex Equity, an assessment and…

This publication reviews available literature regarding apprenticeship in the United States and 17 other industrialized market-economy nations. It notes outstanding practices that may be replicated or transferred to strengthen U.S. apprenticeship. The publication begins by defining apprenticeships and outlining the unique features of U.S.…

This paper notes that vocational education has been associated with economic growth since the turn of the century, when such growth was used as a justification for the funding of early vocational training. Today, vocational education's contributions to economic growth include efforts such as employer demand research, dislocated worker programs,…

In winter 1985, a survey of all California community colleges was conducted to identify and describe the types of programs and services provided by the colleges to students with developmental disabilities (DD). Questionnaires mailed to all 106 community colleges yielded a 100% response rate. Study findings included the following: (1) 44% of the…

This issue of the Courier contains articles loosely connected to each other by the underlying theme of developing people's capacity to improve the quality of their lives. The following articles are included: "Development of Human Resources--A Basic Needs Approach," by Mohiuddin Ahmad; "Rural Poverty," by the United Nations Food…

A study was conducted to determine how job clubs help two-year college students with learning disabilities improve their job-seeking skills and knowledge of the world of work in preparation for making a successful transition from school to work. The approach was based on a previous demonstration project in which job clubs showed promising results…

Principles and characteristics of program quality review are described as one means of evaluating values-based outcomes of day programs for persons with mental retardation. Program quality review may be distinguished from other evaluation systems in its focus on program outcomes--what actually happens to the people in the program--rather than on…

This paper reports on the degree to which teacher educators have addressed the current calls for reform in teacher education. The data were taken from the Institutional Questionnaire of the Research about Teacher Education (RATE) Project of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). The 90 respondents, each representing…

Microcomputers have revolutionized distance education in virtually every area. Used alone, personal computers provide students with a wide range of utilities, including word processing, graphics packages, and spreadsheets. When linked to a mainframe computer or connected to other personal computers in local area networks, microcomputers can…

This document reports on a needs assessment conducted to determine demographic, occupational, and educational data in Pennsylvania, results of which were to be used to update the state's comprehensive vocational education plan. Answers to three major questions were sought for Pennsylvania and its 67 counties. The questions and their subtopics were…

These appendices accompany a study that was conducted to determine whether the state and federal performance standards for Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs have influenced Service Delivery Area (SDA) and service provider decisions about program design and implementation practices in ways that have affected the clients served, the types…

A study examined the relationship between vocational-technical education (including guidance) and apprenticeship. The existing literature was examined, and key issues in this relationship were identified. These issues were then validated through personal interviews with a sample of state guidance leaders. The information gathered during these…

A training evaluation system should address four major areas: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. The training evaluation system at GPU Nuclear Corporation addresses each of these areas through practical approaches such as course and program evaluation. GPU's program evaluation instrument uses a Likert-type scale to assess task development,…

An accountability model has been derived from a research based staff development model used in secondary school classrooms. This accountability model contains four components: (1) baseline/pretest; (2) inform; (3) guided practice; and (4) post-test observations. In the first component, teachers are observed; individual profiles of behavior are…

This document presents in detail the master plans for the 1983-84 school year of the District of Columbia public schools. Priority areas were identified as instruction, management improvement, planning, quality assurance, resource development, and community relations. General statements of long-range objectives and achievement indicators are…