Three aspects of problems, issues, and questions facing curriculum development teams, local authority advisors, and teacher trainers interested in helping teachers in the United Kingdom (UK) construct and shape an effective economics curriculum are examined. First, in an investigation of the curriculum context dimension, the paper predicts that…

In this paper we evaluate the labour market value of basic skills in the UK, focusing on the wage and employment returns to having better literacy and numeracy skills. We draw on literacy and numeracy assessments undertaken by all cohort members of the UK 1970 British Cohort Study. The data used are very rich and allow us to account for potential…

This document describes basic skills, their place in programs of vocational preparation, and their potential for progression into more advanced programs. Section 1 reviews the present situation and concepts regarding the provision and acquisition of skills. The need for progression is described, and the possibility of creating programs for…

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…

These nine papers from a conference of the International Research Network for Training and Development focus on occupational classification, standards, and certification. "Introduction" (Joao Oliveria) presents synopses with highlights from the papers. Part I offers an overview of recent developments in the United States in…

This book addresses the issue of quality in vocational education in the United Kingdom. Part 1 explores the concept of quality in relation to vocational education and discusses the managerial and industrial perspectives on quality. Included in Part 2, which examines quality in the context of students as clients, are the following articles:…

This publication is a summary of the E2E (Entry to Employment) Learning Framework that provides guidance on program implementation. (E2E is a new learning program for young people not yet ready or able to enter Modern Apprenticeship programs, a Level 2 program, or employment directly.) Section 2 highlights core values to which all involved should…

In 1997, a skills task force began a 2-year process of gathering input from English employers and post-16 education and training practitioners and formulating a national skills agenda. The agenda's goals included instilling a culture of lifelong learning in the United Kingdom, better anticipating the evolving skill requirements of employment, and…

The United Kingdom's Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA), UK SKILLS, and the Further Education Skills Competition Council conducted a collaborative action research project to improve students' vocational learning and skills through enhanced learning experiences. From February 2001 to April 2002, three further education colleges worked to…

The cost benefits of lifelong learning in the United Kingdom were estimated, based on quantitative evidence. Between 1975-1996, 43 police force areas in England and Wales were studied to determine the effect of wages on crime. It was found that a 10 percent rise in the average pay of those on low pay reduces the overall area property crime rate by…

This document outlines how the government of the United Kingdom intends to achieve and sustain full employment and social justice across the country. Chapter 1 discusses the United Kingdom's economic, educational, and social problems and details plans to solve them through a policy based on the following principles: (1) building an economy with…

This basic math skills teaching and learning guide contains practical advice and resources for British vocational teachers who have little formal mathematics education training and for beginning teachers. The document has five sections on these topics dealing with numeracy instruction: (1) overview of the basic skill and its application to other…