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Improvements in workforce skills are essential for European countries to attain higher economic growth and to compete effectively on product markets. Literature indicates a positive relationship between levels of education and productivity growth. This report builds on and expands this body of research in two ways: (1) It investigates the differential impact of various skill types--higher (academic), upper-intermediate vocational, lower-intermediate vocational, lower-intermediate general, and low--on labour productivity; and (2) It accounts for the stock of uncertified skills (i.e. those built through training). The analysis is carried out in six European Union Member States--Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom--representing different modes of vocational education and training (VET) and those for which data were available. The analysis suggests that general and vocational skills complement each other and that the effect of certified skills on productivity is stronger when certified skills are reinforced by training. This study underlines that learning in the workplace, both in initial and continuing VET, makes a fundamental contribution to productivity, and comes to support policy efforts to develop apprenticeship and adult learning. The following annex is included: (1) Overview of research methods used in the study. [This publication is the result of a team effort reflecting the work of a research consortium of Geoff Mason, Dawn Holland, Iana Liadze, Rebecca Riley, Ana Rincon-Aznar, and Mary O'Mahony, and their aids Tatiana Fic, Rachel Whitworth, Yasheng Maimaiti, and Fei Peng. This work was carried out under contract number 2009-0216/AO/RPA/GUTCHPDE/VET-Macroeconomic-benefits/010/0.]

This report focuses on children aged 8 to 11 and their enjoyment of reading, reading behaviour, and attitudes toward reading. It synthesises information from surveys that have been conducted since 2005, but most heavily exploits data from the fourth annual literacy survey conducted in November/December 2013 in which 10,946 8 to 11-year-olds participated. In addition, this report explores the link between reading, gender, and socio-economic background (assessed by free school meal uptake) for this age group and how certain subgroups of pupils are potentially doubly disadvantaged. Some general findings in this report include: (1) Nearly two-thirds (65.8%) of 8 to 11-year-olds enjoy reading either very much (34.4%) or quite a lot (31.4%); (2) Nearly three-quarters (72.8%) of 8 to 11-year-olds have a favourite book or story; (3) 84.6% of children aged 8 to 11 say that they have a book of their own at home; (4) Two-fifths (40.7%) read daily outside class, while over a third (34.7%) read a few times a week; (5) Nearly a quarter (22.8%) of 8 to 11-year-olds read for up to 10 minutes at a time, while another quarter (25.3%) read for up to 20 minutes; (6) When asked what types of materials they read outside class, most 8 to 11-year-olds say that they read text messages (56.4%), followed by magazines (51.6%) and fiction (50.5%); (7) A lot of 8 to 11-year-olds are avid readers of books; (8) Nearly 9 in 10 (87.0%) 8 to 11-year-olds have been given a book as a present, while 9 in 10 (92.7%) have also been to a library; and (9) Most 8 to 11-year-olds have positive attitudes toward reading. [The research for this report has informed the publication "How reading can help children escape poverty" produced by the Read On. Get On. coalition.]

Taking a gap year--a break between high school and university--is becoming increasingly popular with Australian students. In terms of length and purpose, the traditional notion of a gap year being a year off between school and university has expanded considerably over time. For the purposes of the analysis reported in this paper, a person who takes a gap year is defined as "an individual who commenced university one to two years after completing Year 12. This includes those who accept and defer their university placement for one to two years" (Curtis, Mlotkowski & Lumsden 2012). Highlights of this report include: (1) In Australia the incidence of taking a gap year has increased from 10% in the period 1999-2000 to 24% in 2009-10; (2) The top four primary activities undertaken by gap students in 2009-10 were work (51%), full-time study leading to a non-university qualification (10%), other study (6%), and travel (6%); (3) Characteristics of gap-takers include: (a) being academically less inclined than non-gap-takers; (b) living in regional locations when at school; (c) having English speaking backgrounds; (d) being employed when in Year 12 at school; and (e) being less likely to receive Youth Allowance payments while at school; (4) In their first year of university, gap-takers are more likely to study in the areas of education and creative arts; and (5) Those who don't take a gap year are substantially more likely at age 24 to be employed full-time and to work in professional occupations than gap-takers. Much of this difference can be attributed to the fact that, in terms of their careers, gap-takers are a year or two behind those who don't take a gap year. The data do not allow the authors to measure the longer-term outcomes of both groups because the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) stops at age 25. Appended are: (1) Gap year definitions; and (2) LSAY cohorts sample sizes and durations. (Contains 13 tables.) [For "Bridging the Gap: Who Takes a Gap Year and Why? Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. Research Report," see ED533077.]

This report reviews the use of loans for learning in 33 European countries and analyses the schemes in eight selected Member States: France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Finland, Sweden and the UK. The analysis shows that loan schemes vary considerably across Europe in terms of types and levels of learning covered, conditions of access, repayment and governance. Some loans aim to increase participation in learning in general, while others are designed to promote equity. The report attempts to assess the selected loans and discusses their strengths and weaknesses and determinants of performance, while considering if a given scheme operates on a large scale or targets niche groups. The evaluation results provide a basis for identifying good practice principles for designing and implementing loans. Policy recommendations are formulated based on these findings. Annexed are: (1) Methodology; (2) Key terms and definitions; (3) Information on countries/schemes selected for in-depth analysis; (4) Proposed typologies of VET loan schemes; (5) Tables and figures; (6) Tosmana truth tables; (7) Questionnaires; (8) Basic characteristics of non-European loan schemes. (Contains 37 tables, 5 figures, 20 boxes and 33 footnotes.)

This study analyzed why child poverty rates were so much higher in Great Britain than in Western Germany during the 1990s, focusing on why child poverty exit rates were lower and child poverty entry rates were higher in Great Britain. Researchers used a form of decomposition analysis comparing cross-nationally the prevalence of events that triggered poverty (changes in household composition, household labor market attachment, and labor earnings) and the chances of making a poverty transition conditional on experiencing a trigger event. Results found that the latter type of difference was the most important for both poverty exits and poverty entries. The findings reflected differences between the German and British welfare states, with the German one providing a greater cushion against adverse events and better reinforcement of positive events. Differences in the prevalence rates of trigger events also played a role. A notable example was the greater risk of job loss in Great Britain compared to Western Germany. (Contains 29 references.) (SM)

This paper outlines a framework for analyzing existing quality initiatives and for planning and implementing new ones particularly designed for colleges in Great Britain in their new status as independent, incorporated entities. It is designed to assist colleges in managing quality and in using quality management as a means of institutional development. The framework's starting premise is that each institution must find its own route to quality and that externally prescribed approaches are usually the least effective. Following a discussion of the purpose of a quality framework and of the difference between procedural and transformational notions of quality, the following framework components are listed: (1) leadership and strategy, (2) teamwork, (3) customer requirements, and (4) systems and procedures. Each of these is then discussed in detail with the use of a diagram that shows the relations between different elements and specific types of tasks. A section on evaluation looks at immediate, short-term and long-term evaluation. An exploration of the management of quality compares a quality college with a college managed along traditional lines and describes the quality college as having a flatter structure with strong, integrating horizontal links. A conclusion reviews linking the framework in this paper with the European Quality Award. (Contains 24 references.) (JB)

This paper discusses activity analysis and the identification of options as the first two stages of a structured approach to achieving budget savings at postsecondary institutions, focusing on schools and practices in the United Kingdom. It presents five checklists of opportunities for reducing spending and controlling costs. The checklists cover: (1) management staff costs; (2) other staff costs (including staff changes, resignations and dismissals, new appointments, and contractual changes); (3) capital assets costs; (4) non-staff recurrent costs (including security, insurance, utilities, catering services, professional services, finance and contract management, purchasing, examinations and validation, publicity and marketing, staff development, expense accounts, and hospitality); and (5) costing and pricing. The paper concludes that postsecondary institutions can eliminate waste and better utilize their limited resources through an analysis of their activities that focuses on the identification of possible budget savings. (MDM)

This paper examines methods that postsecondary institutions can use to cope with faculty and staff incapability, focusing on schools and practices in the United Kingdom. It first discusses the nature and scale of faculty/staff incapability in the United Kingdom, reviewing relevant court decisions. It then examines administration responses to incapability that may result from incompetence, short-term sickness, and long-term illness. The paper suggests that administration responses to incapability need to address the purpose of action, coverage, stages, time limits, appeals, sanctions, and records. It also discusses the conduct of review panels, investigations, and hearings, as well as the relevance of communication, training, and collective bargaining agreements. Appendices offer guidelines and procedures for decision-making in determining incapability. (Contains 15 references.) (MDM)

The question of whether inequality in skills explains inequality of earnings across advanced countries was examined through a review of data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), which examined the prose, document, and quantitative literacy skills of adults in 12 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. In all countries, jobless individuals tended to have lower skill levels than workers. The distribution of earnings and the distribution of skills varied widely among advanced countries, with the major English-speaking countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, having much greater inequality in both earnings and skills than continental European Union countries. According to data from the IALS, skill inequality explains only approximately 7% of the cross-country difference in earnings inequality. The dispersion of earnings in the United States was found to be larger in narrowly defined skill groups than was the dispersion of earnings for European workers overall. In the United States, IALS test scores rose substantially with movement up the income scale, with the increase in scores averaging 17 points per income quintile. The bulk of cross-country differences in earnings inequality were found to occur within skill groups rather than between them. (The bibliography contains 20 references. Twelve tables/figures are included.) (MN)

The patterns, extent, and problems of working at home in the United Kingdom were examined through a multivariate analysis of data from the Labour Force Survey, which has questioned respondents about the location of their workplace since 1992. The numbers of people working "mainly" at home increased from 345,920 (1.5%) in 1981 to 680,612 (2.5%) in 1998. Those working from home at least 1 day per week accounted for 3.5% of the employed workforce, with those working from home "sometimes" accounting for a further 22%. Higher occupational groups were overrepresented among those working mainly or sometimes at home. Three of five of those who work at home at least 1 day per week relied on computers and telecommunications to keep in touch with clients and colleagues. Approximately three-fourths of manual workers who work at home received low pay versus one-fifth of their conventionally located counterparts. Women accounted for 69% of those working mainly at home. Except in certain categories (which did not include manual work), ethnic minorities were underrepresented among those working at home. Women who worked mainly at home were more likely to report having dependent children. (The bibliography lists 51 references. Eight tables are included. Information on data availability and descriptions of variables are appended.) (MN)

This handbook, which is intended for individuals involved in program evaluation and improvement at British further education (FE) colleges, contains strategies and materials to help colleges work with industry to make their programs better able to build the skills and knowledge of their local communities. The first two sections offer rationales for making FE more responsive to the training needs of local business and industry and conducting a program audit. Presented in section 3 are 17 case studies that illustrate innovative programs and practices designed to establish/improve links between FE and business/industry and making FE programming more accessible and responsive to local employers. Section 4 lists key points for FE colleges regarding the following: managing the school-business interface; partnerships; flexibility and responsiveness; staffing; curriculum development; and National Vocational Qualifications development. The process of conducting an industry links audit and potential benefits of such audits are examined in section 5. The last section of the handbook is a 14-page audit tool to help FE colleges working with industry assess the following aspects of program development/improvement: strategic planning/policy development; management and coordination; marketing; image/ethos; curriculum planning, design, and delivery; monitoring and evaluation; resources; and costing/pricing and finance. (MN)

This publication offers practical support to those in British higher education implementing the Observation of Teaching governmental directives. It provides discussion of key issues as well as a range of materials on how to carry out teaching observation including 23 checklists. The materials are grouped in four main areas: general issues, self assessment, peer assessment, and student observation. The chapters are as follows: (1) "Editorial" (Sally Brown and Gareth Jones); (2) "Observing Teaching" (Stewart Rawnsley); (3) "Ways of Observing: Comment" (Gareth Jones); (4) "Observing Teaching: Issues and Outcomes" (Sally Brown, Clive Colling); (5) "Observing Teaching in Other Contexts" (George Brown); (6) "What To Do Before the Session: Some Guidance on Observation of Teaching in Higher Education" (Gareth Jones); (7) "Self Assessment: Reflecting on Your Own Teaching: Observation Checklists 2-6" (Graham Gibbs); (8) "Watching Yourself Teach and Learning from It" (Tony Claydon and Liz McDowell); (9) "Observing Teaching in Higher Education" (Sally Brown); (10) "Peer Assessment: Checklists 7-20, Giving and Receiving Feedback, Developing an Observation Schedule"; (11) "Observation of Teaching: Guidelines for Observers and Observed, Observation Checklist 21" (Hazel Fullerton); and (12) "Student Observation: Checklists 22 and 23." The thirteenth chapter is an annotated bibliography containing nine references. (JB)

This combination report/guide summarizes practical "how-to" information on the development and operation of national training boards that was gathered in a series of case studies of the effectiveness of national training boards in Canada, Singapore, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and in studies of training boards in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, and South Africa. The introductory chapter describes the research on which the guide is based, discusses common themes affecting the quality of training in the countries studied, and examines the rationale for training programs. Chapter 2 summarizes the subsequent discussion of the effectiveness of national training boards in the form of a checklist and guidelines for use by countries considering establishing a national training board. Chapters 3-9 synthesize research findings into practical recommendations dealing with the following aspects of initiating and operating national training boards: enabling legislation, training board composition, training board structure, financial resources, delivery of training, institutional planning and operations, and testing and certification. Chapters 10 and 11, which are more analytical than the chapters preceding them, examine the perception and images of national training boards and lessons learned from the case studies. Contains 59 references. (MN)

Intended to introduce educators in secondary schools and colleges to discussion promoting economic literacy for all students, this paper offers a critique of the typical economics curriculum, a rationale for economics education, and a working definition of economic literacy. The first section reviews and critiques current curriculum planning in the United Kingdom's secondary schools, questioning the basis on which some writers have justified the inclusion of economics in the curriculum. In the second section, it is argued that inclusion of economics understanding in "core" curriculum would be too overwhelming, based on the rationale that it is only through an economics perspective that students can achieve sufficient objectivity to ensure realistic scrutiny and evaluation of economic issues, problem experiences, and policies that confront individuals and nations. The third section translates themes from this argument into a working definition of economic literacy. Appendices containing examples of economics reasoning conclude the publication. (LH)

This paper looks at the state of education in knowledge management (KM). It reports findings from a study of knowledge management courses included in the curriculum of academic disciplines of business, computing, and information that was conducted at the Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). Based on a review of course descriptions selected from Web sites of universities in Australia, Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the paper describes levels of courses, curriculum areas and topics, and differences in emphasis in teaching KM courses in different departments and schools. A table presents data on the details of KM courses for each university, including the school/department, course title, level, and academic program. A second table lists topics in KM courses for several curriculum areas, including foundations, technology, process (codification), applications, and strategies. (MES)

Learning outcomes and their assessment has given rise to considerable debate as to whether outcomes should be graded or just pass/fail. Assessment models employing learning outcomes have been used for some time in the United Kingdom (UK) in further education programs for example National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQs), however, they have only recently been introduced into Higher Education study programs for example Higher National Certificates and Diplomas (HNCs/HNDs). Learning outcome assessment models have not found favor in degree level programs in the university sector but this situation is likely to change as a result of the publication by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education in October 1998 entitled'The Way Ahead'. The new framework they have proposed will now be developed and implemented over the next few years and one of the key four areas is the program specification which will be outcome based. This paper reflects on the experience gained at the University of Derby where a learning outcomes model has been in operation since 1995. Where traditional grading systems and assessment regulations are in force the implementation of a learning outcomes model needs careful thought not only at program level, but also at institutional level. From the working experience a number of the pitfalls are examined at program level, for example, is the traditional end of module examination acceptable in this type of model? Should learning outcomes be tested on more than one occasion? Should referral work be similar to that set using the traditional model? At institutional level the purpose of the assessment boards needs to be re-examined as well as the appropriate method to present the assessment information. The author has joined a University working party whose remit is to reconsider the existing model and regulations and in addition has the responsibility as Programs Manager in the Division of Electronic Systems. Principles in the application of learning outcomes are proposed together with some thoughts on the necessary changes in assessment regulations. Requirements for the various levels of professional status are defined in terms of competencies and when coupled with the QAA's requirements offers a major challenge in curriculum design. (Author)

Three main areas related to the school leader's responsibility for continuous professional development are discussed. The first of these is the necessity for school leaders to have an understanding, or a theoretical framework, for how professionals learn. Serving as basis for discussion is the Kolb's Cycle of Learning Experience which has four movements: concrete experience (problem finding), reflective observation (question asking), abstract conceptualization (answer seeking), and active experimentation (portrayal of knowledge). The second part of the paper asks the question, "Is it fair or ethical to attempt to balance needs when planning for professional development?" The paper explains and challenges John Adair's set of three overlapping circles, (team, school, individual) as a means of initiating discussion about fairness when attempting to distribute professional development. Orthodox management of balancing needs is offered as an alternative approach. In part 3, the author encourages educational professionals to make their own suggestions for strategies for continuous professional development in busy schools. (JMD)

The specific characteristics of the World Wide Web mean that publishing documents using this medium has a number of unique requirements and presents a different challenge to anyone wishing to put documents on the Web. Key issues which have to be resolved include determining the nature of the documents to be published, identifying whether documents should be published directly or from an intermediate form, and deciding what sort of document creation tool should be used. Three types of documents can be published on the Web: formatted documents--documents which cannot be edited or have their contents searched, such as images; processable documents--the contents of which can be searched and/or edited, such as text documents; and formatted processable documents--documents that are content searchable and allow hypertext linking, but do not allow editing and require that documents exist as a collection of pages, such as documents produced in Adobe Acrobat. The paper defines HTML (hypertext mark-up language) and Adobe Acrobat, explains how HTML and Acrobat documents are created, and describes key characteristics of the two and to what Web applications each are suited. It also addresses converting documents that exist only in paper form to Web readable pages. Two case studies illustrate the conversion of paper based documents directly to Acrobat, and the use of SGML (standard generalized mark-up language) as a basis for output. (Author/SWC)

The challenge of funding a high quality higher education system, ensuring it has the capacity to help meet the increasing demand for high level skills in our economy and the aspirations of our students, has been an ongoing concern for successive Australian governments over many years. This paper reviews the findings and recommendations of significant reviews of Australia's higher education funding system from the 1988 Dawkins white paper through to the 2014 "Review of the Demand Driven Funding System." It summarises the challenges identified and responses proposed across that period as well as some recent international literature about higher education reform. What is clear from the survey of major reviews from 1988 to the present is the similarity of issues that were of concern to governments of the day. Successive governments have sought to build and fund a higher education system to meet the need for high level skills and innovative research for the Australian economy. The challenge for all governments has been how to enable greater numbers of students to access the benefits higher education offers--in terms of employment, earnings, social and cultural opportunities--while ensuring the system remains fair, high quality and affordable for both individuals and taxpayers. The number of domestic higher education students has more than doubled since 1989, reaching just over a million in 2014. International students comprised another 350,000 students in 2014. As student numbers have grown, they have come from more diverse social, economic and academic backgrounds. The number of providers and their diversity has also grown, with around 20 new public universities since the late 1980s and the emergence of significant numbers of non-university providers. The proportion of the Australian working age population with a bachelor degree or higher qualification has tripled since 1989 to just over 25 per cent. Direct Australian Government funding for teaching, learning and research has grown both in absolute and real terms, rising from $3.2 billion in 1989 to $15.4 billion in 2014, more than doubling when adjusted for inflation. Australia is not unique in facing this growth and higher education systems around the world are increasingly moving from elite to mass systems, and beyond to universal systems.

This paper presents additional information from the 2009 survey of young people's reading and writing. The authors conducted an online survey of 17,089 pupils aged 8 to 16 from 112 schools, conducted in November-December 2009, which consisted of 32 questions exploring young people's background, reading and writing behaviour, perceived ability and attitudes. The survey included questions exploring school library use, which are examined in the separate National Literacy Trust research report "Linking School Libraries and Literacy (Clark, 2010)". In addition, the survey contained a few questions that explored public library use, which is the focus of the present paper. (Contains 8 tables, 2 figures and 11 endnotes.)

This paper presents additional information from the 2009 survey of young people's reading and writing; for more information see the full report "Young People's Reading and Writing Today", to be published July 2010. This paper explores the types of resources young people have at home that support literacy and how this differs according to demographic background, and how home resources relate to reading enjoyment, attitudes and behaviour as well as reading attainment. It also explores who in their family encourages young people to read, who in their family is seen reading and how frequently young people talk with their family about what they are reading. It also outlines how these differ according to demographic background, and how each of these relate to reading enjoyment, attitudes and behaviour as well as reading attainment. Family-specific questions is appended. (Contains 18 tables and 4 figures.)

Policy-makers in almost all countries agree on one thing: namely on the importance of education and skills to ensuring future economic prosperity. A fruitful line of research has focused on determining the impact that acquiring education or training has on an individual's labour market productivity and earning prospects: this is known as rate of return analysis. The Centre for the Economics of Education (CEE) has undertaken extensive research in this area and provided evidence on the returns to a variety of qualifications in the UK (CEE Discussion Papers 4, 6, 35 and 47). The CEE has also investigated specific issues such as the return to basic skills (CEE DP 3), returns to the marginal learner (CEE DP 45), returns to NVQ2 (CEE DP 46), the returns to qualifications acquired in adulthood (CEE DPs 19 and 39) and the returns to training (CEE DP 36). In addition the CEE has researched the range of methodological issues pertaining to rate of return analysis (see CEE DP 5 and 16). In this paper the authors summarise current understanding on the returns to qualifications, focusing specifically on differences in the economic values of qualifications by sector. First they explain what they mean by rate of return analysis in section 2. In section 3 they then discuss how rates of return estimates might be useful for policy-makers, and in particular how those who are trying to understand and meet the skill needs of different sectors of the economy might use such information. In section 4 they describe how rates of return are actually calculated in practice, before going on to summarise the evidence base. They start with a discussion of aggregate supply and demand in section 5, before focusing on the rate of return to specific qualifications and types of education in section 6. They conclude with an analysis of what the empirical evidence implies for policy-makers working on sector skills issues (section 7). A complex picture emerges from the evidence base: (1) In the UK there has been a massive expansion in the supply of qualified labour; (2) Qualifications that are supposedly tailored to employers' skill needs, such as NVQs, are actually valued less highly in the labour market; (3) Newer vocational qualifications (particularly NVQ2) yield a zero or minimal return in the labour market, although they do increase an individual's likelihood of being in employment; (4) The return to lower level vocational qualifications varies substantially across sectors; (5) NVQ qualifications yield a respectably high return if they are acquired through a modern apprenticeship; (6) Rapid expansion of the supply of graduates has resulted in much more variation in graduate outcomes; (7) Much of the apparent fall in the return to a degree for very new graduates is concentrated specifically on graduates who fail to get graduate level jobs; (8) There is substantial variation in returns across different degree subjects, and by implication across different sectors of the economy; and (9) In particular, the return to arts and humanities degrees for very recent graduates appears to have fallen to zero. Additional tables are appended. (Contains 7 figures, 10 tables and 14 footnotes.) [Additional funding was provided by the Sector Skills Development Agency.]

This paper describes a study whose aim was to identify key factors and reasons why people choose secondary science teaching as a career. It also aimed to evaluate current United Kingdom marketing strategies for the teaching profession. Among the conclusions are that job satisfaction and working with children are the most important factors in the desire to be a science teacher, with sharing of knowledge and contributing to child development also important. (MM)

A library has the capacity to deliver much more than just its locally stored and owned resources. By using telecommunications, information can be sought from online databases and from other pupils in schools across the world. This paper includes: (1) an explanation of the link between "virtual reality" and the "virtual library," and the projected impact on traditional school libraries of the concept of the virtual collection; (2) a description of Campus 2000 in Britain and NEXUS in Australia, two online information services geared to the needs of schools; (3) an explanation of the use of commercial online databases in schools; (4) an explanation of the use of telecommunications by pupils to gather information from other pupils; (5) a case study of the use of electronic mail in Northern Ireland to help Protestant and Roman Catholic schools break down barriers; and (6) comments on the virtual school library and the role of the librarian. (Contains 21 references.) (KRN)

This publication is part of the study materials for the distance education course, The Changing Workplace: Part B, in the Open Campus Program at Deakin University. The first part of the document examines current thinking regarding knowledge and control in workplaces emphasizing flexible production systems, flexible technology, and a flexible work force. The following topics are discussed: the rhetoric of public and private sector reports; mass production technologies and the rise of Fordism (alienation and the transformation of work); organization of work in Japan (dual labor markets, gender and the labor market, and just-in-time production systems); and educating flexible workers (education and training in the national interest and the resurgence of human capital theory, high technology and education, and skills in the workplace). The first part of the document contains 159 references. The following papers constitute approximately two-thirds of the document: "Flexible Production Systems and Regional Development" (A. J. Scott); "Fordism's Unknown Successor: A Comment on Scott's Theory of Flexible Accumulation and the Re-emergence of Regional Economies" (J. Lovering); "Towards Flexible Skill Formation and Technological Literacy: Challenges Facing the Education System" (J. Mathews, G. Hall, H. Smith); "The Australian Trade Union Movement and Post-Fordism" (I. Campbell); "Circuits of Capital and Industrial Restructuring: Adjustment in the Australian Clothing Industry" (J. A. Peck); and "The Limits to 'Japanisation': Just-in-Time, Labour Relations and the UK Automotive Industry" (P. Turnbull). Each paper contains references. The document also contains an eight-item annotated bibliography. (MN)

This handbook on participative learning is designed for workers involved in community and adult education programs, staff development, and youth, community, and social work organizations. The introduction explores a theoretical basis for participative learning and defines terms. Chapter 1 examines program planning issues and includes some useful checklists. Chapter 2 addresses mixing the group, selecting warm-up exercises, networking, and developing facilitating skills. Chapter 3 promotes thinking about community work values and the stages involved in a community work approach. Exercises encourage participants to share their understanding and practice and to consider the links between this practice and the underlying aims of community work. Exercises in Chapter 4 provide a structure for examining work with community groups, developing a theoretical approach, and recording experience. Chapter 5 explores the purpose and functions of committees. Exercises encourage participants to share experiences of committees, examine roles and desirable qualities of officers and members, and tackle relevant problems for workers and committee members. Chapter 6 outlines practical ways to keep track of participative learning. The handbook contains over 60 exercises with the following parts: a summary, aims, warm-up exercise; additions or variations, and necessary handouts, worksheets, and working papers. Appendixes include 28 working papers for use in exercises, useful contacts, and 38 useful books. (YLB)

Taking a break between completing high school and entering university is common overseas, and is becoming more popular in Australia. There are many reasons why young people take a gap year. It may be to travel, to take a break, to study, or to work. The authors' definition of a "gapper" is a young person who commenced university one to two years after completing Year 12. While the concept of a gap year is related to the deferral of a university offer, it is different. Some gappers have deferred, others decide to enrol during their gap year, not beforehand. Similarly, some who defer a university offer subsequently do not take up a place and are thus not defined as gappers. This report was prepared for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations in 2009 prior to the Australian Government's announcement of proposed changes to Youth Allowance as an initiative in the 2009-10 Budget and the subsequent reforms based on recommendations from the "Review of Student Income Support Reforms" (Dow 2011). The research uses data from three cohorts of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) to throw light on the incidence of gap-taking, the characteristics of those taking a gap year, the activities undertaken in the gap years, and subsequent study and employment outcomes. The report also looks at whether there is any evidence that young people were taking a gap year in order to qualify for Youth Allowance payments. This report reveals that: (1) The incidence of gap-taking has increased and it is estimated that around 20% of Australian students who complete high school will take a gap year; (2) Gap-takers tend to be weaker academically, with lower-than-average tertiary entrance rank (TER) scores, lower than average Year 9 mathematics achievement, and less favourable attitudes to school. In addition to academic factors, young people from English speaking backgrounds and from regional locations are more likely to take a gap year. Students who do not receive Youth Allowance payments while at school (and thus who were from higher socioeconomic status families) are also more likely to take a gap year; (3) The most common activities of Australian gap students are work (40%) and study or training (33%), with only 3% reporting travel as their main activity; (4) It appears that relatively few took a gap year principally to qualify for Youth Allowance: four out of 69 who deferred a university place gave "needing to qualify for Youth Allowance" as a reason for their deferral; and (5) The university completion rates of "gappers" are a little lower than "non-gappers". Appended are: (1) Variables and methods; and (2) Supplementary tables. (Contains 25 tables and 15 footnotes.) [For "Who Takes a Gap Year and Why? Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. Briefing Paper 28," see ED533076.]

This is the first large-scale survey of young people's views on communication skills in the UK. The purpose of this survey was three-fold. Since a search of the published literature had highlighted real gaps in knowledge, the author and her colleagues wanted answers to the following questions: What do young people think about communication skills? Are they confident in their skills and how important do they think these skills are at school, in the workplace or in wider society? This report explores these issues by gender. An online survey was conducted in June/July 2010. Overall, 6,865 young people aged 8 to 16 from 47 schools participated in the online survey. 46 were schools from England, one was from Wales. There was an almost equal gender split in the sample, with 51.5% of boys (N = 3,511) and 48.5% of girls (N = 3,309) participating in this survey. Findings reveal that while boys and girls agreed on the importance of good communication skills to succeed in life, at school, at university/college and in the workplace, there were some interesting differences between girls and boys in terms of their understanding of what good communication skills are, how they view these skills and how confident they are using certain communication skills. It is perhaps particularly interesting that boys generally rate themselves as more confident communicators with people in authority (teachers) as well as known and unknown adults than do girls. Boys also appear to be more concerned about the social implications of communication, being more concerned than girls about a perceived link between communication and intelligence for example. (Contains 7 tables and 6 figures.) [Funding for this paper was provided by The Communication Trust.]

Is the United States getting it wrong when it comes to educating tomorrow's innovators in critical fields? It has been known for years that the only way to compete globally in information technology, engineering, nanotechnology, robotics and other fields is to give students the best educational opportunities possible. But do individuals have a successful formula when it comes to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education? In this report, the authors challenge the nation's approach to STEM education and argue that reforms are urgently needed to better match the talents of students, the needs of employers, and its goals. (Contains 19 tables, 42 figures, and 623 endnotes.) [Funding for this paper was provided by the Intel Corporation. For "Refueling the U.S. Innovation Economy: Fresh Approaches to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Executive Summary," see ED521736.]

Writing is an important issue in the UK today. While children's and young people's writing standards steadily improved until 2006, levels have not increased in recent years. Writing is much more than just an educational issue--it is an essential skill that allows people to participate fully in today's society and to contribute to the economy. Since relatively little is known about young people's views about writing in the UK, the key objectives of this survey were: to explore how much young people enjoy writing, what type of writing they engage in, how good at writing they think they are and what they think about writing. This research provides everyone with an up-to-date insight into young people's attitudes towards writing. Most young people write regularly and young people write technology-based materials, such as text and instant messages, most frequently. While owning a mobile phone does not appear to alter young people's writing behaviour, having a profile on a social networking site or having a blog is connected to enjoyment of writing and confidence in writing. Young people today use computers regularly and believe that computers are beneficial to their writing. Appended are: (1) Writing attitudes questionnaire; (2) Technology and young people's background characteristics; (3) Reasons for writing ability by demographic background; and (4) Writing frequency of 18 types of format for whole sample. (Contains 13 tables and 8 figures.) [This paper was created in collaboration with Booktrust.]

There is an increasing emphasis on seeking and using the views of children and young people in research, evaluation and consultation. This question was at the centre of a day-long event of presentations and workshops organized by the National Foundation for Education Research in November 2007. Key objectives for the workshop included. (1) Review current issues and challenges concerning participation; (2) Decide on what actions are needed and who should take them; and (3) Consider what can be done to speed up the process of change. The workshop brought together senior officials, leading policy makers, major service providers, researchers and children and young people from across the UK with relevant experience of the issues and challenges in taking participation forward at individual, community, local and national level. The action plan includes recommendations in the areas of: (1) Policy; (2) Practice; (3) Spending/Funding; (4) Evaluation/Research; and (5) Campaigning/Advocacy.

This 22-country survey was conducted between 1994 and 1998. Representative samples of adults aged 16-65 were interviewed and tested at home using the same literacy tests. The main purpose of the survey was to find out how well adults use information to function in society. Another aim was to investigate the factors that influence literacy proficiency and to compare these between countries. Ten international indicators are presented that allow readers to compare the literary proficiency of Americans with that of other populations as measured on the prose literary scale; similar results are provided in quantitative scales. The findings confirm how low literacy is an important issue in all regions in all countries surveyed. On the whole, the findings show that Americans are at an average level of prose literacy performance, behind the Nordic countries and the Netherlands but on a par with adults in Australia, Canada, and Germany. Literacy proficiency is more unequally distributed in the United States and Canada than in Europe, with the most literate 25% of North Americans scoring far higher than average. "Life-long" learning programs, as well as early childhood education, more access to adult education and to information and communication technologies, and the promotion of literacy-rich environments at work, home, and in the community are proposed as solutions to improve adult literacy. The paper is divided into 3 chapters, 4 annexes, and 10 data-rich figures. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (KFT)

This book presents an introduction to the range of technology that can be used to assist in the education of students with visual impairments, with descriptions of the main features of approximately 45 systems. After an introductory chapter, Chapter 1 identifies four key uses for technology: in communication, in the production of materials, to provide access to information, and as a curriculum tool. Chapter 2 explains different computers and accessories including expansion cards, ink printers, scanners, CD-ROMs, special access systems, and overlay boards. Chapter 3 describes large display systems, including large text on screen, large print word processors, computer magnification systems, magnification system hardware, closed circuit television systems, and large print (paper). Chapter 4 reviews a variety of Braille systems such as electronic Braille displays, Braille note takers, mechanical Braille keyboards, and translation software for Braille. Chapter 5 evaluates speech systems, including screen readers, speech synthesizers, talking word processors, and different speech devices. A final section includes articles and information intended for specialists. Articles address materials production, selection of a laptop, the Internet, and sources of information and support in the United Kingdom. Includes a list of resources in the United Kingdom and a glossary. (CR)

The program for City Technical Colleges (CTCs) draws on ideas and resources from government, private industry, and education to focus on the educational needs of inner city and urban children. Mathematics, science, and technology are at the center of the CTCs' mission, in a context which includes economic awareness and a commitment to enterprise and wealth creation. This discussion addresses the question of computer provision in the context of the need for children to learn skills in the technologies now central to their existence, and their need for sufficient access to relevant equipment through their learning experiences at school if they are to develop such skills. This paper presents a rationale for providing information technology (IT); a discussion of how subject areas in the National Curriculum, ranging from science to dance, can be enhanced by its use; suggestions for staffing and administering IT programs; and a discussion of issues concerned with system purchase, support, and maintenance. Suggestions are based on an analysis of needs, value for money, the nature of educational computing, parity between CTCs and the external world, and an attempt to predict the future direction of educational information technology. Two appendices provide an annotated list of sources of information and resources for curricular issues, the purchase and evaluation of equipment, satellite systems and remote sensing, issues relating to the management of information technology, MS-DOS educational software, and software for alternative computing platforms; and a glossary and explanation of terms. (KRN)