This report presents findings from a review of international trends in adult literacy and numeracy to identify innovative programs of interest to Australia. Section 1 offers definitions of literacy. Section 2 outlines the international context. Section 3 has case studies of innovative approaches in four Organization for Economic Cooperation and…

This article examines some impacts of neoliberal education policies during the current period of the intensification of neoliberal capital. Section 1 examines the relationship between education and capital, identifying three plans capital has in relation to education. It sets out some of the major aspects of neoliberal policy developments in…

Although language specialists do not always agree about the best age at which to introduce English language instruction, policy changes are increasingly mandating earlier introduction of English in foreign language (EFL) settings worldwide. In this volume, language educators and program implementers from various countries describe programs and…

From 3rd to 5th March 2008 the International Association of Technology, Education and Development organised its International Technology, Education and Development Conference in Valencia, Spain. Over a hundred papers were presented by participants from a great variety of countries. Summarising, this book provides a kaleidoscopic view of work that…

Given the difficulties and uncertainties of education reform, asking "what works" may be making simple and commonplace what is nearly always a messy and unfinished business. But the work of the International Youth Foundation's partners in 49 countries does reveal a common message of successful reform efforts: put young people at the…

Given the evident potential shown by developing new technologies, there are increasingly more companies that develop and implement training programs that use the new-technology-based facilities. Likewise, suppliers developing new-technology-based programs have emerged seeking greater effectiveness and cost reduction as opposed to traditional…

A meeting was held to discuss the findings of case studies examining the role of companies in generating qualifications and the training impact of work organization in Germany, Denmark, Spain, and France. New forms of work organization (NFOT) were identified and examined from the standpoint of sources of organizational change, the main areas of…

This study is a consolidation of the findings acquired in the course of three parallel surveys conducted in France, Italy, and Spain on the impact of new technologies in the telecommunications and administration/office sectors. Data are from an ad hoc interview questionnaire directed at the people in charge of functional areas of the firm and…

A study examined training in the retail trade in Spain. Employment, work, and training patterns in Spain's retail sector were researched, and case studies of five retail firms were conducted. Two retailers were too small to afford their own training organization but had formulated personnel policies providing for training. The third case was a…

The Second International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM2009) was held at the University of Cordoba, Spain, on July 1-3, 2009. EDM brings together researchers from computer science, education, psychology, psychometrics, and statistics to analyze large data sets to answer educational research questions. The increase in instrumented…

This study describes characteristics of reflective practical teaching, interprets the value of intellectualizing teaching by teachers, and summarizes a successful teaching/learning research process in the context of a large urban school in Spain. Data were gathered through review of curriculum documents and observations, interviews, and written…

A study investigated the effectiveness of tandem second language learning using electronic mail (e-mail). Tandem language learning refers to a partnership between two learners, each learning the other's native language. The underlying principles of reciprocity and learner autonomy are explored, use of asynchronous communication between individuals…

As part of a larger effort to pinpoint emerging training needs, case studies of the telecommunications and administration/offices sectors were conducted in Spain, Italy, and France to identify new information technology (IT) competencies required of employees in those fields and determine whether IT has similar consequences in individual European…

This report presents innovative vocational training (VT) initiatives to improve integration of low-skilled workers into lifelong learning and the labor market. Chapter 1 describes study structure and methodology. Chapter 2 addresses the theoretical basis for observing innovations. It analyzes the definition and significance of innovation in system…

This book narrates the story of a literacy circle that was created by adults who were attending basic literacy and new reader classes. The introduction provides in-depth discussions of each of the seven principles of dialogic learning, which are as follows: egalitarian dialogue; cultural intelligence; transformation; instrumental dimension;…