Search

A research project studied in depth four organizations using organizational learning approaches to embed continuous learning within actual work processes. The most sustainable benefits, in terms of both individual and organizational needs, tended to result from "action" or "situated" learning that is informal and accrues directly from work-related activities. This learning took place in the interstices of organizational life and was characterized by relationship and interpersonal interaction through basic social processes such as individual informal learning, team learning, learning through dealing with conflict; making and reflecting on mistakes; and shared leadership in support of informal learning. These three sets of activities were identified as key factors in ensuring an organizational climate conducive to learning: creating a values-based shared vision of both the task-related goals and the internal functioning of the organization; examining and revising systems, procedures, and processes, so that they clearly reflect the vision and values in action; and continuously evaluating progress towards achieving the vision, so the gap between the vision and the current reality is progressively decreased. (Contains 39 references.) (YLB)

Traditional Ojibway education is currently being delivered by eight First Nations communities on Manitoulin Island and the north shore of Lake Huron, in Ontario. Integration into the formal school system, with the exception of language programs, is not formally established. Elders and traditional teachers are only invited by individual teachers. Integration of the formal education system into the traditional Ojibway system also takes place, through field trips, albeit to a limited extent. Cultural knowledge is transmitted via one-to-one transmission, home-based learning, talking circles, community cultural events, workshops and conferences, and traditional Ojibway institution-based learning. Traditional educational approaches are profoundly different from those of the mainstream educational system. Wholistic (physical, mental, spiritual, emotional) growth and development of the person, experiential learning, oral tradition, and student-centeredness are key elements of the traditional approach. Further, and of vital importance, is the fact that education is grounded in spirituality. Western mainstream education has a narrower scope in that it emphasizes intellectual development to the exclusion of other dimensions. There are a number of concerns related to integrating informal Native education into the formal education system. These include research methodologies utilized; protection of cultural and intellectual property rights; and recognition of traditional indigenous knowledge, traditional teachers, and elders. (Contains 31 references.) (TD)

The purpose of this discussion paper is to explore the concept of block transfer as an alternative to, or a supplement to, traditional course by course transfer in British Columbia (BC). Transfer in BC is essentially a bilateral process in which sending and receiving institutions negotiate credit for a course or program. One of the assumptions that underlies Charting a New Course, the strategic plan issued in 1996 by the BC Ministry of Education, Skills, and Training, is that every academic course a student takes at a sending institution should transfer automatically to a receiving institution because it has been ratified by the sending institution. By virtue of the institution's membership in the public system, the ratification should extend to each and all facets of that system. Although block transfer is well established in the professional areas, there are few examples of its application to academic programs. There are a number of different block transfer models: system-wide transfer; general education core curriculum; standardized pre-major program; flexible pre-major program; learning outcomes; and descriptive pathways. Any successful revision, if needed, will require the full agreement of all partners in the system. (JA)

In 1998, as part of a larger national study examining informal learning practices across the general population, Canadian elementary and secondary teachers were surveyed regarding their practices and attitudes related to their own ongoing learning. The 753 respondents described any informal learning experiences in the past year within their workplaces, homes, and communities and any formal learning activities (courses, workshops, and conferences). Over 85 percent of the teachers had engaged in formal learning during the previous year, compared to 49 percent of the entire Canadian labor force and 67 percent of university-educated labor force members. Teachers spent over 8 hours per week engaged in their own formal learning activities (course time, reading, and preparing assignments). They spent an average of 4 hours per week in job-related informal learning and an average of 10 hours per week in informal learning activities overall (related to employment, housework, community volunteer work, and other interests). There were variations among teachers and within the general labor force. For example, 89 percent of teachers, as compared to 61 percent of the overall labor force and 71 percent of employed professionals, had engaged in informal computer learning in the previous year. Appendixes include additional tables from study results and the Canadian Teachers' Learning Survey. (Contains 36 bibliographic references, 24 tables, and 14 endnotes.) (SM)

The New Approaches to Lifelong Learning (NALL) project is a Canada-wide 5-year research initiative during which more than 70 academic and community members are working collaboratively within a framework of informal learning to address the following issues: informal computer-based learning, recognition of prior learning, informal learning in a variety of social locations, learning within marginalized or disadvantaged cultures, and learning about school-to-work transitions. The NALL project's primary objective is to identify major social barriers to integrating informal learning with formal/nonformal learning and certification and to support new program initiatives to overcome such barriers. The NALL project's focus is on the informal and nonformal learning practices of people involved with the Growing Jobs for Living Project (GJOBS) in the Quinte bioregion, located on the north shore of Lake Ontario in Canada. These learning practices are related to the principles and practices of environmental adult education, feminist adult education, and transformative learning. The global and ideational contexts of some of the major socio-environmental changes and problems that have affected the Quinte bioregion and been a catalyst for GJOBS were examined. The methods used to study the informal learning practices of GJOBS participants were reviewed. The major outcomes of the study were discussed from the standpoint of their relationship to the broader field of adult education. (Contains 25 references.) (MN)

A preliminary study explored how Canadian practitioners who are engaged in community economic development (CED) that includes or is specific to women gain new information relevant to their work and how they incorporate that new learning into their daily practice. Interview questions focused on sources of information, learning opportunities and processes, relative usefulness of different kinds of knowledge, and how practitioners managed to apply new knowledge to their work. Results indicated nearly all 15 participants identified lack of an organized source of information about women's CED as a problem. Other major themes were that all respondents reported multiple work duties that required different sets of knowledge; many sources were used to obtain the diverse information practitioners required; participant ratings suggested most organizations are engaged in ongoing efforts to incorporate and improve on CED best practice; failure to implement available knowledge was usually due to a lack of resources such as time and money; practitioners frequently reported applying their knowledge concerning class, gender, and other diversity issues to educate others involved in CED; and, for many practitioners, a clash of ideas about what counted as learning and valid knowledge occurred on a variety of fronts. The strongest implication of the results was the need for more CED funding. (Appendixes include interview results.) (YLB)

Despite Ontario's profusion of training programs, diplomas, and certificates for office workers, they need coherence and transferability in training that makes it possible to keep up with changes in their current work, and they need their work experience and training to be transferable to training for other occupations. There is a growing disjuncture among the new work, training needs of office workers, and kinds of training available. Office work is becoming more complex, and its links with other occupations need to be made more specific. Training is being delivered in shorter, more fragmented pieces that particularly focus on technical training or the so-called "soft" employability skills. Entry-level training is getting shorter, while entry-level requirements for many office support jobs are becoming more complex. Cuts in public funding to college and community-based programs have resulted in fewer seats in public programs. Setting standards--sometimes seen as a panacea or, at least, the requisite starting-point for a coherent training system--would add to the confusion and opacity of training options for individual workers. It would also be an instrument to further privatize training. Making training a more "profitable" enterprise makes it less accessible to workers. Through activism, advocacy, and support of unions and organizations, a truly worker-centered and worker-driven training system could begin to eliminate the current confusion, fragmentation, inequities, and ineffectiveness of training for office workers. (Appendixes include 31 endnotes and 18 references.) (YLB)

A gender-based analysis of training that focuses on barriers to women because of changes in the availability of sponsorship leads to the conclusion that training programs for women in New Brunswick have been spotty at best. Women's training has occurred during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s under the aegis of the Canadian Manpower Training Program, National Training Act, Canadian Jobs Strategy, Labor Force Development Strategy, and more recently since the shift to devolution, through Labor Market Development Agreements between Canada and each province. The literature identifies barriers, including personal, family, societal, and bureaucratic, that prevent women from getting training they want/need. Women have never played more than a very minor role in apprenticeship, probably because most trades are nontraditional occupations. Most students who receive student loans are women. Participants in the Skills, Loans, and Grants program have been 64 percent males; the discretionary aspect of the case manager's role may play a considerable part in a lower support rate for women. Issues that emerge in examining training programs for women concern sponsorship, eligibility requirements, women-only and bridging programs, and training opportunities for social assistance recipients. Arguably, absence of sponsorship is the most significant barrier to women's training. With virtual elimination of such sponsorship in the late 1990s market-driven approach to training, a signficant decline in women's training can be expected. (Appendixes include 38 endnotes and additional tables and charts.) (YLB)

This project is building on site-specific qualitative data to develop a profile of adult learning activity now largely unrecognized by education providers. It explores the various learning strategies used by adults in these three locations: unionized factory, community-based training program, and literacy program. At a half-way point in a two-year project, results have been obtained from 13 interviews, comments from 22 profiles, and a videotaped discussion among 5 people. All participants are women. One outstanding theme is that these women love to learn. Interviewees identify four themes that help them learn: an appreciation for their independence, a supportive community, a feeling of self-confidence, and applying or practicing the newly acquired skill in a real situation. The project is supplying researchers with a systematic approach to capturing the initiatives of working people as learners the Skills and Knowledge Profile that helps learners identify and value their skills and experience. (YLB)

The questions of what and how working people learn about labor organization and activity in Canada were explored through a review of available literature and face-to-face interviews with more than 30 education officers and union leaders. Unions continue to be the principal source of labor education. Of the many courses and educational experiences that unions offer their membership, steward-training courses tend to be the best developed and documented. However, steward-training courses constitute only a small portion of the labor education that is currently being made available to trade union members and staff. Many unions are offering a sophisticated and integrated educational experience that is allowing union members to learn a variety of skills and knowledge that could be recognized by the formal education system. Special events and schools range from modest 1-day affairs to week-long functions. The measure of the various courses/programs is their success in preparing union members and activists to deal with the concrete demands they face in the workplace, their union, and their community. Some unions insist that labor education be provided primarily by rank-and-file members, others deliver courses through an educational officer, and yet others have "specialists" deliver courses. (A description of the Learning Labour project is appended.) (MN)

A study investigated effects of implementation of a new policy by the Ontario Ministry of Education that decreased grants for adults and amended the Ontario Education Act, forcing school boards to develop a parallel but "basic service" system of education for everyone over age 21. All adult students in daytime secondary school programs were asked to supply basic demographics; human rights information such as whether students had a disability or belonged to a visible minority; whether they had special education needs; and information pertaining to student knowledge of pending changes in the grant system and their possible effects. Submissions were received from 117 schools, representing 7,723 completed questionnaires. The next phase of the research examined the changes that had occurred in five Target Boards (TBs) in the year following implementation of the adult funding model. Findings indicated that TBs responded to the changes in government policy by redesigning their adult programs using a continuing education model and creating policies directing adults to the new system. This resulted in a narrowing of educational opportunities for adults. Women, visible minorities, people with disabilities, and people who registered in English as second language courses were disproportionately represented among those adults who attended secondary school programs before and after the changes in government policy. (Instruments are appended.) (YLB)

The report on areas needing further development in provision of quality literacy services for Ontario's (Canada) native populations, based on site visits to native literacy programs, identifies seven key areas for change: (1) strategic planning for program development and implementation and advocacy; (2) program growth and administration; (3) native languages; (4) teacher training; (5) curriculum development; (6) standards and accountability; and (7) partnerships in delivery of literacy services. Each of these areas is defined and described, and some options for change are outlined for further discussion. In addition, literacy funding at the Ontario Training and Adjustment Board (OTAB) and the National Literacy Secretariat is described briefly. Appended materials include a list of OTAB-supported literacy programs, and a descriptive list of aboriginal stakeholder groups. Contains 15 references. (MSE) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)

To make the education system more open and accountable, Alberta (Canada) designated in 1994 the formation of an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) implementation team for educational accountability. The MLA team is consulting with Albertans about which results should be included in school reports, which measures should be used to report educational outcomes, and how the results should be communicated. This document is comprised of a discussion paper, which is being used by the MLA team to conduct a third, broader phase of consultation with educational stakeholders during January and February 1995. Following the introduction, section 2 summarizes themes that emerged from the MLA team's consultations, some of which include: (1) parents want more information and better access to results at all levels of reporting; (2) people feel that accountability data must be used to improve education; (3) the public wants to be involved in developing improvement plans; (4) people want to know how the budget relates to educational outcomes; (5) student results should reflect the range of academic and nonacademic achievements; and (6) measures must make sense and be closely linked to improvement goals. Section 3 contains a prototype school report and school board report. The fourth section reports what consultants said they wanted to see regarding contextual information, student results, financial information, satisfaction measures, improvement goals and action plans, communication of educational outcomes, and their suggestions for improving the prototype reports. An attached booklet contains a questionnaire for gathering feedback on the prototype reports. (LMI)

In 1992 the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) surveyed administrators in member libraries regarding resource strategies of the previous three years. This paper summarizes revenue activities, adaptive tactics, and budgetary practices reported by 87 Canadian, U.S. private, and U.S. public university libraries and establishes a baseline for comparing these factors. The period from 1990 to 1992 has been a difficult one for ARL members, with the largest reductions in public support experienced by public university libraries. All respondents sought outside revenues to supplement their campus allocations. Virtually every responding library had experienced some form of internal restructuring, and three of every five had eliminated positions over the three-year survey period. Administrators valued flexibility in fund reallocation very highly, but few had much control over carrying unspent funds to the next year. While 88% of respondents expected the demand for services to grow, only 32% anticipated budget increases. Greater selectivity in activities and greater library sharing are likely to result from the economic realities. Three appendixes contain the survey summary results, the cover letter, and the questionnaire. (Contains 33 references.) (SLD)

This report provides an overview of child care in rural areas of Ontario. Chapter 1 outlines the paper's purpose, defining "child care" and "rural." It discusses the nature of rural Ontario in the 1990s and the need for child care in rural areas. Also, implications for child care provision in a rural context are highlighted. Chapter 2 reviews child care in Ontario with regard to the roles of different levels of government. Issues of child care availability, affordability, and quality are discussed, along with child care reform initiatives. Chapter 3 looks at rural child care in Ontario in terms of the characteristics of rural communities and characteristics of successful child care programs. Chapters 4 through 6 focus on rural center-based child care, regulated home child care, and the provision of care in the child's own home, including the special challenges and issues related to each setting. Chapter 7 considers resource centers, school-age care, and care for children with special needs. Finally, chapter 8 highlights programs in Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec that specifically target the needs of rural families. A list of key informants, demographic information, and information on the availability and affordability of child care in Ontario are topics covered in the four Appendices. (Contains a 37-item bibliography and glossary). (AC)

This publication contains nine articles about the process of doing research by literacy practitioners and volunteers in several areas of the Ontario (Canada) literacy field. "Implementing a Workplace Program: A Look Back" (Maria Ioannou-Makrakis) describes the process followed and the learning outcomes from planning, implementing, and developing a workplace literacy program in a rural community. "The Open Learning Network" (Frances Lever) focuses on researching and developing a cross-sectoral accreditation system with planned involvement of experts, students, providers, and information users. "Course Charting" (Deborah LeForestier) is a description of the participatory assessment process as practiced in an adult skills upgrading project. "How Are New Learners Socialized into an Existing Literacy Program?" (Michael G. Wodlinger, Regina Muetze) examines the process that would best facilitate a literacy learner's entry into a new program. "Group Process in Literacy: Program-Based Research" (Heather Lennie Segsworth) looks at the development of groups in literacy classes. "The ESL [English as a Second Language] and Literacy Bridging Project" (Judy Bernstein, Lori Rothschild) describes a curriculum development project that was allowed to evolve towards an initially undefined outcome. "Trial, Error, and Back to the Drawing Board" (Suzy Harris) tells how testing methods and instruments before starting on a full-scale evaluation saved time and made the information more interesting and useful. "Evaluation and Change in a Literacy Program" (Patrick Cummins) is a case study that explores some factors leading to evaluation use. "Dialogue: Questions of a Novice Researcher" (Suzy Harris, Michael Wodlinger) is an edited dialogue dealing with some issues around program evaluation. Also included is a review of a research report, "Literacy in South Muskoka." (YLB)

The geographic distribution of college-level technical programs is one of the major elements which has distinguished the development of the system of "colleges d'enseignement general et professionel" (CEGEP's) in Quebec. Spring 1992 efforts to identify inactive or scarcely viable programs afforded the Commission on Professional Education of the Council of Colleges the opportunity to reflect on the development of technical education and the more optimal geographic distribution of programs within the service areas of the CEGEP's. This working paper offers preliminary thoughts on the redistribution of technical programs and invites comments from other interested sectors of the provincial government. Part 1 provides a context for the discussion of the distribution of technical programs, and the educational objectives which inspired the investigation. Part 2 attempts to reconcile different ways of determining program locations; e.g., based on economics, educational supply and demand, and institutional characteristics. Part 3 appeals to different types of educational commitments, presenting calls for leadership, student-centered decision making, change and development, and system coherence. Extensive appendixes provide data on enrollment projections, regional program administration and authorization, college admissions, and student mobility. (AC)

This study developed a classification scheme to critically compare performance assessment projects at higher education universities in North America and Europe. Performance indicators and assessment initiatives were compared using nine basic dimensions: (1) locus of control, (2) degree of governmental involvement, (3) focus of performance indicators, (4) sources of quality variation, (5) data selection, (6) intended audiences, (7) emphasis of use, (8) impact on student learning, and (9) relationship to institutional mission. A sample of six systems of generation performance indicators was examined using the nine criteria; the six systems are: National Education Goals (United States National System); Critical Choices (United States State System); Key Success Indices (United States Institutional System); The Committee for Vice Chancellors and Principals listing of performance indicators (British National System); Queen's University (Canadian Model); and MONEY magazine (United States Media System). Analysis found that performance indicators are mostly variations of input/output mechanistic thinking, that remarkable similarities exist between North American and European initiatives, that most models are unprepared to address conversion or process variables, that most are built on an assumption that outcomes can be attributed to something in the system or institution, and that the absence of linkages back to the learning environment leaves internal decisionmakers without information to correct causes that explain variations in quality. (Contains 92 references.) (JB)

This document considers the position, plight, and needs of recent Central American immigrants to Canada. It seeks to answer three questions: What kind of support do they need? What kind of programs can respond to their needs? How can they be helped to integrate into Canadian society? Several facts are uncovered, and conclusions are reached based on anecdotal information. Among the findings are these: Most of these immigrants come from rural areas in their own countries and have limited or no literacy in their native Spanish. They are often very unfamiliar with what basic appliances are in Canada (e.g., stoves). They encounter significant ethnic and racial-based hostility and prejudice from Canadian citizens. Many untrue and largely negative stereotypes about them are widely believed. Recommendations are made for effectively teaching these immigrants to survive and thrive in Canada. Immigrant success stories are chronicled in a number of vivid examples. It is concluded that the acquisition of literacy skills in Spanish is a necessary first step before acquiring similar literacy in English or French. Literacy is viewed as more than just reading and writing, but a necessary tool for problem solving in every-day life in a modern society. Other useful resources are provided. (KFT)

This publication is a handbook of Canadian nongovernmental, nonprofit organizations (NGOs) working for change and the establishment of democracy in South Africa. It is offered as a companion to an earlier handbook on similar European NGOs. In particular, this publication illuminates the framework in which NGOs operate; clarifies appropriate sources of financial, technical, and informational assistance for sustainable development programs; and draws lessons from the development aid and education policies described. The handbook was developed during one week through a series of interviews in Canada of 25 organizations (or individuals) identified as relevant to the preparation of the handbook. An introduction and overview are followed by sections describing organizations, programs and agencies under the categories: (1) Canadian government corporations; (2) NGO networks and coalitions; (3) crown corporations; (4) nongovernmental institutions; (5) development (and development education) agencies; (6) trade union-related organizations; (7) church agencies; (8) support organizations raising money for South African causes; (9) solidarity groups; and (10) research, information, and documentation centers. A subject index and a glossary of abbreviations are included. (JB)

The rapid expansion of charter schools would suggest that there is evidence of their effectiveness, but this is not the case. The lack of objective evidence of their success reinforces the claim that charter school reforms are political and ideological rather than educational reforms. The arguments in favor of charter schools have exploited some myths, and these myths have swayed some people whose goals are to strengthen the quality of public education. The following myths are addressed and countered: (1) there is a crisis in public education; (2) thecharter school movement invented school choice; (3) charter schools make choice equally available to all; (4) the competition of market forces improves the quality of education; (5) charter schools improve curriculum, instruction, and student achievement; (6) charter schools promote equity; (7) results from charter schools have been favorable; (8) charter schools break the "gridlock" of bureaucracy; (9) teachers support charter schools; and (10) charter schools are an innovative educational reform. (Contains 67 references) (SLD)

The rapid expansion of charter schools would suggest that there is evidence of their effectiveness, but this is not the case. The lack of objective evidence of their success reinforces the claim that charter school reforms are political and ideological rather than educational reforms. The arguments in favor of charter schools have exploited some myths, and these myths have swayed some people whose goals are to strengthen the quality of public education. The following myths are addressed and countered: (1) there is a crisis in public education; (2) the charter school movement invented school choice; (3) charter schools make choice equally available to all; (4) the competition of market forces improves the quality of education; (5) charter schools improve curriculum, instruction, and student achievement; (6) charter schools promote equity; (7) results from charter schools have been favorable; (8) charter schools break the "gridlock" of bureaucracy; (9) teachers support charter schools; and (10) charter schools are an innovative educational reform. (Contains 67 references.) (SLD)

The Self-Sufficiency Project (SSP) entry effect experiment was designed to measure the effect of the future availability of an earnings supplement on the behavior of newly enrolled income assistance (IA) recipients. It used a classical randomized design. From a sample of 3,315 single parents who recently started a new period of IA, one-half were assigned to the program group and were informed that if they remained on IA for the next 12 months they would be eligible for the SSP supplement; the other half were assigned to the control group. SSP group members were asked questions and attended focus-group interviews to verify they understood the nature of the SSP supplement offer. Results indicated between one-half and three-fourths of them had relatively precise knowledge. The primary focus of the experiment was to determine whether some individuals would prolong their stay on IA to gain SSP eligibility. Analysis of the delayed exit effect suggested it was fairly small, on the order of 3 percentage points, i.e. 3 percent of all new applicants for IA. (Appendixes include additional data tables and list of 21 references.) (YLB)

A distributed union catalog is a network of bibliographic systems that cooperate to enable their users to discover sites that hold copies of known items. Some participating systems will be traditional union catalogs, others will be single sites with comprehensive collections, and others will be local or regional resource sharing systems. A principal goal of the distributed union catalog is to allow the user to obtain a useful number of locations for an item with a minimal number of searches. Z39.50 (an information protocol standard) is a vital tool in enabling libraries and their patrons handle resource sharing in libraries and the computing environment. For Z39.50 to be used effectively for resource sharing, implementors, particularly library system vendors, must begin to support agreed-upon mechanisms transferring locations, holdings, and circulation information in a standardized way. Various approaches and issues surrounding the electronic transfer of library holdings information through union catalogs are discussed. Appendices include a definition of an OPAC record; and USMARC for "holdings" field list. (SWC)

In fall 1996, the British Columbia Ministry of Education, Skills and Training released a strategic plan calling for the development of block transfer agreements between institutions to eliminate the time-consuming process of course-by-course credit assessment. Currently, institutions conduct independent evaluations of elements of an incoming transcript and establish their own requirements and regulations. As of 1996-97, however, there were 155 block transfer agreements in the province, with the majority of these between two-year diploma programs in career areas and professional degrees. Such agreements are rare in academic programs, due in part to the well-established tradition of course-by-course arrangements, the varying number of credits with which academic students transfer, and the lack of common elements for all province degrees. The following models exist, however, for extending block transfer to academic programs, based primarily on the experiences of community colleges in the United States: (1) system-wide transfer arrangements; (2) a general education core curriculum and/or a first-year transfer program of 30 credits; (3) a standardized pre-major curriculum; (4) a flexible pre-major program to allow for innovation and diversity; (5) the learning outcomes model, in which transferability is determined by an assessment of student learning; and (6) the descriptive pathways model, in which clearly-defined grids are prepared of all recommended or acceptable courses. (BCY)

Current trends and issues in second language education are summarized to provide background data for discussion in these areas: language use patterns in Canada and in the world; language education in Canada, with a focus on Alberta's situation (federal and provincial roles in multicultural education and second language study throughout Canada, and language enrollments and program designs in Alberta); international perspectives on language education, in particular in Europe, the United States, and Australia; languages and economic development in Alberta; post-secondary level language programming and enrollment in Alberta; availability of and research on technology-assisted language learning; and research on language acquisition, particularly learning processes, subject matter instruction in a second language, age of acquisition, and time required to develop proficiency. Contains 100 references. (MSE)

As part of a study which is following college graduates for 5 years, a survey of 2,264 graduates of York University (Ontario, Canada) who received B.A. degrees in 1995-96 shows that within 3 months of graduation, 54 percent of those seeking full-time employment had achieved this objective. The factors considered included background characteristics, institutional experiences, activities outside the university, potential job networks, generic skills, field of study, and grade point average. Independent of grades, academic honors, area of specialization, basic computer skills, and other factors, graduates from low-income families were less likely to be employed. Black graduates were also less likely to be employed. The findings of this survey are generally consistent with the labor market segmentation theory. Logistic regression of the single variables found the following variables had a statistically significant relationship to employment status: class (family income), ethnicity, weekly tutorial attendance, library use, participation in organized sports, having worked part-time in the final year, hours per week worked, help from professor in finding job, help from boy or girl friend in finding job, help from former employer in finding job, analytic skills, communication skills, organization skills, personal skills, basic computer skills, degree status, and departmental grouping. (Contains 18 references.) (JLS)

The Canadian Association of College and Technical Libraries (CTCL) survey was mailed out to 135 CTCL member libraries in February 1996. Results paint a positive picture of the ability of Canadian college and technical libraries to incorporate new technology into their service delivery within a relatively short time frame. Eighty-five libraries (88% of the respondents) indicated that they were providing student and/or staff access to the Internet at workstations in their libraries. Most of the respondents had been offering access for less than one year. The survey revealed that two key issues related to Internet access are: (1) providing effective training for library staff, and (2) finding the resources to meet rising user expectations about services and accessibility in the library. The survey instrument was divided into two main parts. Part One--to be answered by all libraries providing any Internet access to own staff or to students or instructors--focused on general questions about Internet access and services being offered in the library. Part Two--to be answered by libraries that provide Internet access to library staff only--was designed to find out what services are provided and what conditions govern Internet use in libraries where student and instructional staff access is supported. (AEF)

The development and delivery of child care services in Canada has never been without controversy. This case study examines the development of the child care system in Alberta, Canada, showing how the role of the government proceeded through four distinct phases, each determining a different outcome for child care stakeholders. Power mechanisms and covert policy making are described as mitigating against strengthening the child care system in Alberta, including failing to develop a bureaucratic infrastructure, creating tensions in the child care community, limiting resources for policy implementation, and delaying action by studying the issues. The study notes that under the tenets of neo-conservatism, the current fifth phase is redefining the child care paradigm and has resulted in the marginalization of child care. The neo-conservative principles of decreased government spending, privatization, and minimized government intervention have resulted in a radically decentralized approach to social service management that has not worked well for the child care system. Explanations that child care was developed and maintained to buttress the welfare system for needy families or to support increased employment for women are cited to rationalize the dismantling of care because it reinforces the breakdown of normal community self-help programs and constrains mothers from taking responsibility for their children. To the extent that the example of Alberta is a prototype of child care developments elsewhere, the analysis of developments and outcomes can assist in forewarning those who are concerned about the maintenance and development of public child care. (Contains 43 references.) (Author/KB)

This report highlights some of the programs that have been begun by and for Hispanic Americans, particularly in the field of higher education. Of particular interest are the cooperative efforts between the United States and Mexico in developing programs for the Latino population. Some of the programs include: the Julian Samora Research Institute; the Mexico-United States Consortium for Academic Cooperation; programs started by the University of Arizona; the University of Texas, El Paso; the California State University System; the North American Regional Academic Mobility Program; the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education; the Mexican Association for International Education; the North American Forum; and the Mexican American Partnership. (JM)

A study of national identity and social integration in two multilingual societies, Canada and Switzerland, examines the relations between Quebec and anglophone Canada and between French and German Switzerland. First, the historical setting for the emergence of multilingualism is outlined for both countries, and the demography of the major language groups is summarized. Then the role of group attitudes in preserving ethnic and national identity, and the degree to which majority and minority language groups adhere to the same core values, are analyzed. Finally, the relative social and political stability in Switzerland and the more tenuous linguistic equilibrium in Canada are reviewed. It is concluded that attitudinal differences between language groups do not disappear, even in contexts with low intergroup tension, but that mediating factors such as the unity of common political and civic culture in Switzerland affect social integration. Survey data on multiple loyalties, divergence/consensus on political issues and core values, and attitudes toward diversity and multilingualism in each country are appended. Contains 59 references. (MSE)

Most academic libraries undertake the collection and reporting of statistical information on activity levels for many aspects of both technical and public services. Data on reference activity are used for a variety of purposes within the library, primarily to facilitate planning and improve delivery of reference services, and also externally, where they are used for broad inter-institutional comparisons which often have a direct impact on operations. The Canadian Association of College and University Libraries (CACUL) Task Force on Reference Statistics was established in October 1985 with a dual mandate: (1) to develop definitions, forms, and procedures, and to conduct a pilot study to establish a body of data on reference activities in Canadian academic libraries; and (2) to develop a means of measuring patron satisfaction with reference service. In 1990, the Working Group on Reference Statistics was formed to address the first part of the mandate. Questionnaires were developed and sent to academic libraries, the results of which led to the development of draft definitions and forms. A pilot project to test the efficacy and acceptability of definitions and forms was undertaken in March 1993. Responses were received from 10 universities (66.6%) and 15 colleges (93.8%). Results are discussed. Appendices include: a pretest questionnaire; a survey questionnaire; instructions; definitions; forms; and a questionnaire distributed after the test period. (SWC)

This report examines access to lifelong learning opportunities on Canada's information highway. The report begins with a glossary and a learner-centered model in which the information highway links learners with learning opportunities provided through educational institutions, community organizations, government, and business and industry. Presented next is an overview of the economic, technological, social, and education and training-related factors that have led to recognition in Canada and worldwide of the leading role that lifelong learning must play in preparing individuals for the competitive, information-based global economy of the 21st century. The following three challenges facing Canada as it develops a lifelong learning system are discussed: (1) economic and social restructuring; (2) situational, dispositional, and institutional barriers to lifelong learning; and (3) learning models in response to new learning technologies. Trends and best practices in lifelong learning, the formal education sector, and nonformal education sector are reviewed. Next is a "made in Canada" response to the challenges. Included in the response are a conceptual framework and goals for lifelong learning in Canada. Appended are the following: barriers to learning identified in a 1982 survey; goal summary of a lifelong learning framework; overview of lifelong learning in the formal and nonformal sectors; and selected bibliography. Contains 39 references. (MN)

In March 1994, the Alberta Education Minister, Halvar Johnson, established five implementation teams to assist in restructuring education in the province. One of those teams focused on business involvement and technology integration, with information collected by a Technology Integration Advisory Committee. This committee, whose members are listed, reviewed current literature, distributed questionnaires to educators and administrators, and heard presentations from education partners. This document synthesizes that research, which addressed the questions of how technology can be used to improve student performance, what evidence exists to prove that technology has a positive impact on learning and teaching, and how can technology best be used to improve access to programs and overall productivity in the education system. The report identifies eight goals, for improving: (1) student learning; (2) teacher preparation and support; (3) curriculum and assessment; (4) learning resources; (5) access; (6) technological capabilities of classrooms; (7) community and business partnerships; and (8) planning and coordination. For each goal there are lists of desired outcomes ("We want Alberta to be a province where...") and recommendations. Also included are a call for response, a glossary, a list of questionnaire respondents and presenters, and a survey to the readership. (BEW)

The Learning Resource Centres (LRCs) of Ontario (Canada) are in the midst of a technological metamorphosis unprecedented in their 25-year history. The LRCs are becoming centers for independent, self-paced, experiential learning, places in which students actively create, evaluate, experience, and interpret a world of information through technology. LRCs in Ontario are being influenced by national, provincial, and local trends. As they adopt a broader vision of the future, they plan for important roles in: (1) information literacy; (2) alternative learning; (3) software; (4) production; (5) instructional telecommunications; (6) distance education; (7) curriculum design and delivery; and (8) classroom design. Few of the Ontario LRCs are structurally, financially, or technologically prepared for their new and expanded roles. A transformed role for the LRCs implies significant change in alternative learning, information literacy, leadership, access, standards, staff training, and funding. (Contains 44 references.) (SLD)

In January 1991 the Federal Minister of Employment and Immigration announced the establishment of the Canadian Labour Force Development Board (CLFDB) as Canada's national training board. Training boards at the provincial and local levels are still in the developmental stage. The lack of a national coordinating mechanism for all aspects of training in Canada until only recently is a reflection of Canada's unique historical context. Both the CLFDB and Canada's first provincial board in Ontario have taken elements from the national training boards of Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere and adapted them to the Canadian context. The following topics pertaining to the CLFDB are discussed in this report: enabling legislation, training board composition, training board structure and functions, finance, delivery of training, institutional planning and operations, testing and certification, and perceptions of training and training boards. Even though the reform of the Canadian training infrastructure and establishment of the CLFDB are too recent to permit any definitive assessment of their success, there is reason to hope that changing employer, government, labor union, and education/training institution attitudes will foster the development of a "training culture" such as exists in Germany, Japan, and elsewhere and will thus make it possible for the CLFDB to succeed. (Contains 26 references.) (MN)

This report describes Canada's current child care policy and service provisions, presents the findings from a survey of work-related child care services in Canada and goes on to analyze work-related child care within the broader context of child care policy. The survey questioned the directors of 176 employer-supported child care centers throughout Canada. Detailed results of this survey are presented, outlining levels of financial support, schedules, fees, auspice, reported problems, benefits, and disadvantages. The survey found that work-related child care is a growing trend, that it receives significant public financial support, that its rates are similar or higher to community-based programs, and that work-related child care is not very flexible to employees' needs. The report concludes that work-related child care is not an answer to Canada's child care situation. It is not a solution from a practical point of view, since it is a discretionary, individual response to a societal issue, not a public policy solution. (MDM)

This study examined the academic and social experiences of first-year science students at "Big U," a large multi-cultural and multi-racial commuter university located in a large Canadian city. A total of 498 incoming science students were surveyed in September, November, and February-March of the first year. Response rates for the surveys were 89 percent, 84 percent, and 68 percent, respectively. Data were also gathered through focus groups and administrative records. The study found that students who were satisfied with the quality of instruction, and students who felt that topics covered in classes were important to future career success, were more likely than others to score high on a number of desired outcome variables, such as increased intellectual development, science knowledge, and the likelihood that students would continue in science in their second year. The results also indicated an increased level of tolerance toward females, gays, and members of minority groups, along with an increased preference for learning on one's own. Overall, experiences in the classroom rather than out-of-class contacts with faculty were particularly important in explanations of desirable outcomes. As a result, it is argued that improvements in curriculum and teaching would have significant positive effects on both students and the institution. (Contains 32 references.) (MDM)

Describes the goals, planning, implementation, and assessment of a term paper clinic for undergraduates conducted by Master of Library Science students and provides recommendations for similar undertakings. The results of a participant survey, including how students heard of the course and their impressions of it, are presented. A copy of the survey is appended. (12 references) (KRN)