Search Results for
"learning"

Modern societies demand high levels of literacy. The written word is pervasive; individuals with poor literacy skills are deeply disadvantaged; and governments are increasingly pre-occupied with the contribution that skills can make to economic growth. As a result, the basic skills of adult workers are of concern as never before, a focus for workplace and education policy and practice. While Improving Literacy at Work builds on detailed research from the UK, the issue is a universal one and rising skill requirements mean the conclusions drawn will be of equal interest elsewhere in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The research findings have very direct implications and practical relevance for teaching and learning, as this valuable book demonstrates, providing clear advice on how to develop effective provision and how best to support learners at work. Throughout the study, the authors address the following fundamental questions: How do adults' literacy skills impact on their working lives, and on the enterprises where they work? How can we develop these essential skills in the workforce? When and how can literacy instruction change individuals' employability and engagement with further learning? Essential reading for trainers and managers in industry, teachers, researchers and lecturers in adult and further education and stakeholders implementing evidence-based policy, this book maps the fundamental changes taking place in workplace literacy. © 2011 Alison Wolf and Karen Evans. All rights reserved.

Since 1998, the Flanders' educational government in Belgium has been urging teacher education institutions by decree to implement competences in teacher training programs. Since then, years have gone by, and institutions have acted in order to achieve the competence-based goals. However, have they succeeded in implementing them? This is the research question that is central to the current study. An online survey inquiry was set up in eight elementary teacher education institutions using two questionnaires; one for final year elementary institution pre-service teachers, who were about to graduate at the time of completing the questionnaire (N = 218), the other for teacher trainers throughout the elementary teacher training program (N = 51). Ten years after the decree was issued, results show that competence-based education has become a reality in terms of its implementation. However, the process has not yet come to an end. Whereas some competences are clearly present in the institutions' policies and practices (e.g. teacher as guide to learning and development, teacher as subject expert), others are poorly represented (e.g. teacher as partner of parents, external parties and as a member of the educational community). Moreover, teacher trainers tend to take four different approaches to the implementation of competences (1) during internship, (2) through the institution's policy and program planning, (3) by means of their integration in both theoretical and practical components of the curriculum and finally, (4) a lack of implementation because the competences are considered insufficiently applicable by the teacher trainers. In particular, more experienced and subject expert teacher trainers tend to adopt the final approach more often than do younger colleagues and pedagogues. Student teachers' results, on the other hand, suggest important differences between institutions concerning their understanding of competences and the integration of these competences in the curriculum; suggesting different paces of adaptation between teacher education institutions. Moreover, even within schools, the trajectory towards implementation is not always clear for all members of the teaching team, nor for the students of most teacher education institutions. Consequently, there is still important work to be done in order for successful competence-based change to occur. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

The doctorate in educational administration is a relatively new degree at many small colleges, including some historically Black universities and colleges. The advent of such a program has allowed for innovations in higher education for the predominantly minority populations who attend these universities; furthermore, using problem-based learning as a pedagogical approach for the yearlong administrative internship has proven to be a sound method for this clientele. The elements and characteristics of problem-based learning provide the context that suited candidates in the program of focus here. These candidates had established the practice of working together in the classroom such that it was a natural progression to the field internship as a problem-solving activity that gave them autonomy and control, as well as the chance to practice the collaborative skills garnered during the classroom activities with fellow students. This article presents examples of three case studies drawn from projects identified by practicing administrators who served as mentors for students. © The Author(s) 2010.

In his article 'Globalisation, the learning Society, and Comparative Education', Peter Jarvis recommends lifelong learning in the period of globalisation as a topic ripe for scholarly research. In particular, he argues for the examination of the extent of lifelong learning around the world and its relation to different levels of employment. This article contributes to this line of inquiry by analysing how education policies facilitate adjustment to economic change and examining how advanced industrialised countries (AICs) compare in their promotion. Principal component analysis is used to construct indices for education systems that reflect these two objectives, and the results reveal considerable cross-national variation. The Nordic countries appear well-positioned to cope with changed skill needs. A closer look at the cases of Denmark and Italy portrays how a national education system can facilitate or hinder adaptation, respectively. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.

This chapter traces the history, purposes, and distinctive features of the foundation degree, a short-cycle higher education qualification introduced in England in 2000-2001 and offered by both universities and further education colleges. The key characteristics of the foundation degree are discussed: employer involvement in curriculum development and assessment, accessibility to higher education, articulation and progression, flexibility, partnerships, and work-based learning. © The Author(s) 2010.

Purpose: This paper seeks to challenge the view that student part time employment detracts from academic attainment and presents evidence that when linked to formal undergraduate study provides rich learning experiences. It also explores the extent to which formerly accepted pre-requisites for work based learning (WBL) apply in this model and how the workplace adds value to student learning, while essentially being a source of income through low level and not necessarily degree related employment. Design/methodology/approach: The authors explore the literature on WBL, most of which refers to a model that differs in form to the one described here. The paper draws on small-scale research data on the student experience, gathered through tutorial groups, sample interviews and a reflective essay. This data was analysed against both pre-determined and emergent themes. Findings: There is clear evidence of benefits to students from this form of WBL, both in their studies and learning skills, which were anticipated, but also in their performance, job satisfaction, reward and prospects in the workplace, which were not. Practical implications: This study suggests that student part time employment, derived from economic necessity can deliver real benefits to students and reduce some of the limitations of classroom based HRD learning by using a Virtual learning Environment to link the University's academic delivery with the student workplace. This has implications not only for how academics regard the workplace as a vehicle for learning but also for how HRD students and practitioners might view the training and development of part-time/casual (student) employees. Originality/value: There is very little published research on this form of work based learning. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

This paper presents an educational methodology of cooperative project-based learning. This methodology emerges in the final years of the undergraduate programme of the Technical University of Madrid. The paper focuses on the evolution of this experience up to its insertion in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), incorporating the project management competences of the International Project Management Association (IPMA) and broadening its scope to an entire educational strategy for undergraduate and graduate programmes. The results show how the methodology provides three main advantages: (1) it facilitates training in technical, personal, and contextual competences; (2) real problems in the professional sphere are dealt with; and (3) collaborative learning is facilitated through the integration of teaching and research. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Project-based learning (PBL) is a learning approach that organizes students' learning activities around projects. This approach gives students the opportunity for detailed investigations on worthy topics and enables them to learn from the experiences and apply gained knowledge, skills and attitudes to real cases in their lives. This paper describes a web based system designed and developed to support project-based learning activities in "Web Design and Programming" course given at Information Technologies program of vocational high schools. The system aims to enable students to learn web site designing and programming by creating a web site with advanced tools. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In recent decades, workplaces have undergone numerous changes. These changes are due to the introduction of new technologies to workplace. In this paper we report a study in the maritime vocational setting. My study reveals that the introduction of new technologies into the ship environment and automation also leaves limited visible traces for the trainees to learn the job through pure observation at work. As a consequence, new learning and curriculum theories need to be applied to the current vocational education and training system to adapt them to the novel context. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This paper argues that successive governments since the 1980s have struggled to establish the necessary foundations to enable the majority of young people to make effective and supported transitions from education to the labour market and, further, to create labour market conditions that protect and nurture young people's potential. The paper sets its analysis within a time-frame that began in 1981 and has come full circle in 2010 with the Labour Government's announcement of the Young Person's Guarantee. Whilst acknowledging that current economic conditions, and the predicted severe cuts in public spending, will make it difficult for an incoming government to make significant changes, the paper argues that new approaches are required to revitalise both the economy and individual life chances.