The eLib (Electronic Libraries) Program in United Kingdom higher education began in the spring of 1995, as a result of the Follett Report (Joint Funding Councils' Libraries Review Group, 1993) that emphasized the need for higher education libraries to be involved in the development of information and communication technologies. A "clump"…

This paper, written in 1991, examines some of the problems related to technological and cultural change common to American, British, and continental universities citing, for example, global competition; adaptability of the national workforce; changing concepts about the role of higher education; changing relationships among business, governments,…

This report describes the process of changing one British special school for children with physical disabilities to an inclusion service providing support services to children attending local mainstream schools. The process involved such steps as developing a mission statement, major changes in the personnel structure, involvement of parents, and…

The focus of this article is on a comparison of the national policies for internationalisation in seven Western European countries (Austria, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United Kingdom). In this comparison, it will be shown that the trend suggested in previous research of increasing economical rationales for…

This report documents the main challenges associated with the implementation of the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) and suggestions for overcoming some of these barriers. The evaluation is examining the implementation of OLASS in three development regions, prior to a national roll out in July 2006. Within a flexible framework, the…

This is the third and final report from the evaluation of the new Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS). The evaluation examined the impact of OLASS on: (1) Assessment of learners; (2) Monitoring procedures; (3) Information, advice and guidance (IAG); (4) On the offender learning/criminal justice workforce on provision for offenders (in…

This paper uses results of postal surveys carried out in the United Kingdom further education (FE) and university sectors to highlight themes and elaborate on suggestions for advancing performance measurement. Academic libraries face insecurity arising from the political and educational changes taking place in academic institutions, competition…

The purpose of this annual publication is to report, evaluate, encourage, and help guide progress in Environmental Education (EE) in the United Kingdom and to provide information on important initiatives and comparative international developments. Issues and priorities are identified with an emphasis on current EE philosophy rather than practice…

This book presents nine case studies describing the experiences of practitioners involved in the first, developmental phase of the Effective Early Learning Research Project, providing a topical discussion of criteria and methodologies for evaluating and improving the quality of learning in a variety of early years settings in the United Kingdom.…

A recent report of the British Mental Health Foundation identified key issues in service provision for children with learning disabilities and severe challenging behavior. Recommendations addressed issues such as definitions of challenging behavior, early intervention, implications for educational services, residential education, and…

The crisis in UK mathematics education, both in schools and universities, has been widely reported. Currently, 24% of full-time mathematics teachers in English secondary education have "weak" or "nil" qualifications in the subject, 31% of secondary mathematics teachers are now over the age of 50, and it is estimated that…

Parental involvement and participation, partnership with parents, and community-focused development are important features of government initiatives such as the Sure Start project for children under four years of age and their families. A common feature of the rhetoric is "empowerment" as a means of achieving this. This article describes…

Since the first toy libraries opened in the 1960s and 1970s to support families of children with special educational needs, they have expanded to serve broader communities. Toy libraries do more than lend toys: they can provide family support services and specialist support to families with children with special educational needs, benefit…

Five studies assessed the impact on systems and jobs of the recognition of qualifications in the field of the restoration and rehabilitation of the architectural heritage in five countries: Germany, Belgium Dutch-speaking region, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. A striking feature in all five countries was the insignificant share of initial…

This paper looks at private interest involvement in education Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policymaking and implementation in the United Kingdom, using the National Grid for Learning (NGfL), an initiative to connect every U.K. school to the Internet and create an online connected learning community of teachers and students with…