The National Literacy Secretariat (NLS) is a grants and contributions initiative established in 1987. The NLS has two objectives: (1) To increase opportunities and take-up, so that people improve their reading and writing skills; and (2) To work towards making Canada's social, economic and political life more accessible to those with weak literacy…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) examined private-sector workforce training practices for information technology (IT) and non-IT professionals. Data were collected from the following sources: a literature review; discussions with academic and professional authorities; interviews with executives and managers at leading companies regarding their…

These Illinois skill standards for the agricultural laboratory and field technician cluster are intended to serve as a guide to workforce preparation program providers as they define content for their programs and to employers as they establish the skills and standards necessary for job acquisition. They could also serve as a mechanism for…

This book presents systematic guidelines and practical tools to assist adult and continuing education program coordinators in planning and conducting successful program evaluations. Chapters 1-3 explain how to accomplish the following tasks: (1) assess their existing experience and familiarity with evaluation concepts and procedures; (2) identify…

This training manual is intended to introduce local government representatives (LGRs) to the concepts of literacy and development and the role of LGRs in nonformal education (NFE). The manual's primary objective is to encourage participatory dialogue and shaping of experiences by LGRs. It can also serve as a tool for demonstrating the essential…

This document consists of case studies documenting how distance education (DE) changed the lives of 23 women from the following locations: China; Hong Kong; India; Pakistan; Sri Lanka; and Bangladesh. The case studies illustrate that participating in DE can benefit not only a woman herself but also her husband, children, other family members, and…

Research on how the brain works has resulted in wider-scale adoption of the principles of problem-based learning (PBL) in many areas of education, including technology education. The PBL approach is attractive to curriculum developers because it is based on interdisciplinary learning, results in multiple outcomes, is integrated and…

This document details the work program of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) for 2002. The following are among the topics discussed in Chapters 1-5: (1) developing research (the Cedefop research arena; the report on vocational training research in Europe; the "European Journal Vocational Training";…

This document, which is intended as a guide for workforce preparation program providers, details the Illinois occupational skill standards for programs preparing students for employment in occupations in the (vehicle) collision repair technician cluster. It begins with a brief overview of the Illinois perspective on occupational skill standards…

This book contains 11 papers on higher education and lifelong learners. The following papers are included: "Traditions and New Directions in Higher Education: A Comparative Perspective on Non-Traditional Students and Lifelong Learners" (Hans G. Schuetze, Maria Slowey); "Austria: The Enduring Myth of the Full-Time Student: An…

The financing of adult learning in civil society in Europe was examined in an exploratory study that focused on the relationship between nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the status of financing in the general field of adult learning. Adult education experts from the following countries were subcontracted to develop "country…

To commemorate 2002 as the centennial year of America's 4-H Movement, the National 4-H Council held a national conversation to identify ways of improving youth development programs. The conversation process included the following activities: 1,577 local conversations that yielded more than 10,000 specific action items; a review of those items at…

Collaborative initiatives between schools and voluntary organizations and between schools and the community service provided by local authorities were examined in 10 case studies of different community education "locations" across Scotland. The case studies, which identified examples of effective practice in collaboration and joint…

Continuing vocational training (CVT) was officially introduced and codified in France in 1971 to promote individuals' employability, career development, and job flexibility. Self-directed learning was initially considered among the most important instruments for its implementation in addition to employer-directed CVT. Despite increased and…

This package of training materials is intended for use in a professional development program for teachers of two courses in New South Wales: Human Society and the Environment and Technological and Applied Studies. The package consists of nine booklets and a course outline for each course. The first module contains the following: introduction to…