In the rapidly changing atmosphere of the global economy, productivity has become a very important concept for long-term economic growth, development, regional and global competitiveness, raising social living standards and increasing the level of welfare for countries. In the 21st century, when scientific knowledge, technology, innovation,…

With the increasing interdependence of international agriculture, agricultural education has, and will, continue to play a significant role in the success of all nations' agriculture. The purpose of this research synthesis was to examine the literature on international agricultural education since 1975 to identify major research themes and…

Latin American countries have evolved over the years. Still, after years of military reign, socioeconomicinstability, and civil wars, the region has been known for its anti-hegemonic economic growth (educationalpolicies) strategies. Central and South America's educational system has long been under investigation by researchers both theoretically…

Job uncertainty and ambiguity is a reality in many current societies, therefore, the idea of self-employment has taken a more active role, not only out of necessity, but also because it brings innovation and development to societies. In view of this situation, the following question arises: how can we strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit of our…

This article proposes a conceptual framework for how education can promote adolescent girls' empowerment and, by mapping the field, highlights promising examples of empowering education programs. We conclude by identifying both research and programmatic opportunities for the future that will harness the expertise of a range of specialists from the…

In 19 (sub)samples from seven countries (United States, Austria, Germany, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Vietnam, Brazil), we analyzed the impact of parental education compared with wealth on the cognitive ability of children (aged 4-22 years, total N = 15,297). The background of their families ranged from poor indigenous remote villagers to academic…

The purpose of this article is to share information about the Costa Rican Marine Education Programme in relation to the quality criteria for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Schools. We found that the application of these criteria is feasible, not only to the organisation and management of schools that are looking to become ESD Schools,…

Examination of the situation of archives in four Latin American countries--Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica--highlights national systems, buildings, staff, processing of documents, accessibility and services to the public and publications and extension services. (EJS)

Micro and small enterprises comprise approximately 60-70% of enterprises in South and Central America. Most of these enterprises, particularly micro enterprises, are managed and owned by women. These women for the most part lack both skills and training in the use of computers and the Internet, and access to the use of information and…

Barriers that hinder development of cooperative arrangements among libraries in Costa Rica are identified by studying librarians' perceptions of obstacles. A ranked list of barriers shows that the most important obstacles are related to administration and governance, absence of guidelines, poor public relations, and a limited number of…

Discusses the use of participatory video in rural underdeveloped countries and describes a video project in Costa Rica that helped farmers with agricultural management and soil erosion problems. Video production considerations are described, and the use of role playing to supplement documentation is explained. (four references) (LRW)

Costa Rica's Ministry of Education has documented the need for a stronger school-family partnership. Parents must communicate honestly with their children; address drugs, corruption, and behavior problems; reinstate a positive family culture; and encourage morally responsible behavior. Principals must become empowerers, protectors of values,…

This group of articles discuss a variety of studies related to vocational training and youth unemployment in both developing and developed nations. (SSH)

Various financing structures for nonformal education are presented, using examples from Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. Many resources of the formal education system can be used in the planning, coordination, and execution of nonformal education. The importance of community involvement and financial backing is stressed. (JA)

Focuses on the positive and negative economic and political effects of study abroad for students in developing nations. Presents an empirical model, comprising 84 developing nations, to assess the long-run impact of study abroad. Presents five qualitative case studies that demonstrate the effects of study abroad on development. (SB)