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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)

Individual lifelong learning accounts (ILLAs) promise to improve the way postschool education and training is financed in the United Kingdom. ILLAs should comprise three distinct functions: save to learn (all individuals would be allowed to save into a special account dedicated to learning); borrow to learn (account holders could borrow for learning through overdrafts or medium-term loans); and credit to learn (account holders would be allowed to gather vouchers or credits to buy or partially pay for specified learning). ILLAs would be held and operated by individuals on a lifelong basis, and only the individual ILLA holder would have the authority to use the account for spending on learning. The proposed model for ILLAs would allow single learning transactions to be financed with funds from savings, loans, and vouchers/credits. The proposed ILLA system would encourage individual commitment to learning, support the development of social commitment to learning, and give lifelong learners a long-term stable financial context in which to seek guidance and pursue a progressive learning plan. Britain's government has shown considerable interest in the potential of voluntary ILLAs and will likely develop a three-function prototype ILLA infrastructure aimed at people in the workplace. (Contains 11 figures) (MN)

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 report calls for the phased closure of separate, special schools in the United Kingdom as a main task in developing inclusive education. It argues that the central problem in the development of inclusive education in the United Kingdom is the continuing philosophical, financial and legislative support of segregated schooling. The report discusses how segregation in separate special schools is internationally recognized as discriminatory and damaging to individuals and society, and how segregated schooling breaches all 4 principles underpinning the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The report challenges assumptions sustaining segregation, including false beliefs about the impossibility of ever including all children in the mainstream, the "huge expense" of full inclusion, and the sanctity of parental choice. Further barriers to inclusion are then examined, including legislative barriers, inattention to acceptability and adaptability, and the contradictory purposes of education. The report closes with specific action points for the development of inclusive education in which every child is able to enjoy the right to education on the basis of equal opportunity and non-discrimination. A list of additional resources is included. (CR)

Shows that information technology (IT) hardware and software are having an effect on literacy. Argues that English teachers should be aware of these changes and should be exploiting IT for the development of those reading and writing skills necessary for the future. Exemplifies some of the processes and opportunities already identified. (PA)

This report presents an analysis of the diversity of income streams in UK higher education institutions (HEIs) at a time when the sector is facing considerable uncertainty. The research was conducted over a six-week period from March to April 2010 and, as such, it predated the establishment of the new Coalition Government in the UK. In the period since, both the Government's Emergency Budget of June 2010 and subsequent announcements have introduced a series of measures with important implications for higher education (HE) in the UK. With Lord Browne's "Independent review of higher education funding and student finance" due to report in the autumn, it is inevitable that there will be substantial changes across the HE sector. This report is intended to highlight some of the issues to be considered as the sector plans for the future. It is, however, important that it is read with its timing in mind. It is possible that the recent announcements by the new Government would elicit different responses if the research were to be repeated now. This notwithstanding, the report offers both an analysis of trends in HE income over time as well as a snapshot of the views of the sector at a time of great challenge and uncertainty. List of contributing institutions is appended. (Contains 17 figures and 9 endnotes.) [This paper was prepared by EKOS.]