Specific examples of competency-based vocational education programs in the United States demonstrate the advantages of the method in training youth and adults. The British New Training Initiative, Youth Training Scheme, and open tech concept additionally support the effectiveness of competency-based programs and self-paced learning materials. (SK)

This article discusses similarities in educational trends in the United States and the United Kingdom, and criticizes the back-to-basics movements in each country. The need for further research in education and its application to the fullest development of children is suggested. (BH)

The ninth recommendation in ACTE's high school reform position statement is to move beyond "seat-time" and narrowly defined knowledge and skills. United States high schools operate on a well-established set of expectations for size, time of day and seasons of the year that programs and classes are offered, how instructional material is…

Political participation is critical for the legitimacy of democracy, yet we know surprisingly little about how political competencies develop and can be promoted in young adults. Many studies show low levels of political activity among young Americans, including college students and recent graduates. Although this is widely recognized as a…

An examination of Army instructional research and training programs in three specific areas may suggest implications for civilian instruction: (1) Performance-based instructional systems, (2) education and training for lower aptitude personnel, and (3) uses of instructional technology. The performance-based instructional system is based on…

This study investigates extent to which students in master's-level school library/media specialist programs are provided with instructional design competencies and reports findings of questionnaire mailed to accredited library school programs in the U.S. requesting information on the requirements and availability of 13 instructional design…

Seeking to determine the training methods that can most effectively develop highly proficient performance, this report describes the molecular analytic techniques currently used in the Air Force (the instructional systems (ISD) approach based on breaking a complex task into discrete steps) and presents the limitations of these techniques for…

Instructional System Development (ISD) methodologies and practices were examined in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, each of which prescribes the ISD system involving rigorous derivation of training requirements from job requirements, selection of instructional strategies to maximize training efficiency, and revision of instruction…

Aspiring middle school teachers in the United States take fewer math courses and are less knowledgeable in the subject than their counterparts in South Korea, Taiwan, and other countries. That gap in teacher preparation, coupled with curricular differences, could help explain achievement disparities between American students and their peers in…

The authors present a rationale for developing core competencies for training and organizational development in extension. Core competencies are defined as "the basic knowledge, attitudes, skills, and observable behaviors that lead to excellence in the workplace." Competency-based models can be used to create an infrastructure that…

This report covers a three-part project ("white paper", working papers, and discussion seminars) in adult open learning designed to provide the basis for an expansive discussion of the need for research in open learning. Following an executive summary, contents are presented in three parts. Part I consists of an introduction and…

Reports on the U.S. Air Force method of training biomedical equipment technicians. The 50 self-paced modules that make up the course are randomly sequenced to reduce capital investment in training equipment. Other useful bits of information from the military are included in this article. (Editor/HD)

This publication consists of 14 selected papers prepared for an international workshop on the problems and relationship between producing vocational competencies for skilled-worker level occupations and controlling and certifying these competencies. Part I outlines the production life and labor market contexts of vocational training and…

This article examines three conceptual reforms in US teacher education (competency-based teacher education (CBTE), reflective teacher education (RTE) and constructivist teacher education (CTE)) for their effects on the education of multicultural, multilingual youth, as well as considering alternative certification (AC), known here as an…

This publication contains materials from a conference to discuss modular approaches to curriculum design. The materials from the United States and five other countries address both national skills standards and modular systems of training delivery. An introduction provides brief summaries of the conference materials and the agenda. "National…