The importance of people gaining new, and high-level, qualifications in adulthood has been much emphasised in policy rhetoric. It is widely assumed that adults should engage in learning throughout their working life in order to adapt to changing conditions in the labour market and to ensure that national economies remain competitive in a global…

Here we draw on recent research and on earlier contributions on convergence and divergence across Great Britain to consider possible future trajectories for 14-19 education and training in England. We use a UK-wide lens to reflect on 14-19 strategies in England by showing how common issues can be tackled in different ways in Scotland, Wales and…

Educational studies as a discipline is now a feature in many British universities, but little research has been undertaken to explore what kinds of student choose the subject, how easily they access it or how they fare as undergraduate students. This article attempts to address this paucity of research by drawing on a selection of findings from a…

This article presents findings from an investigation into the experiences of a single cohort of students, studying on a BA (Hons) degree in Britain. It examines the students' attainment on the degree and relates this to their profile on entry, examining their previous work experiences taken as part of a vocationally focused entry qualification,…

This article examines the impact of single-sex schooling on a range of academic outcomes for a sample of British people born in 1958. In terms of the overall level of qualifications achieved, single-sex schooling is positive for girls at age 16 but neutral for boys, while at later ages, single-sex schooling is neutral for both sexes. However,…

Reviews contributions of National Vocational Qualifications in Child Care and Education to early childhood workers. Argues that whether or not introduction of the qualifications is seen as an advance depends on whether the focus is on improving the training of currently unqualified workers or on the need to develop a new graduate-level education…

Discusses a British survey of training methods for "commercial studies" (business) teachers. The survey showed that there is a shortage of trained commercial-studies teachers and that education and training opportunities are overdue. (JOW)

Describes a project that developed software for the production of skills profiles for individual students as an appendix to the curriculum vitae submitted with employment applications. The software is specifically designed for students in modular degree programs in environmental education. (DDR)

Comparison of training and qualifications in engineering and construction in Germany and Britain showed that National Vocational Qualifications have not improved training activity in Britain. Britain lags behind Germany in production of intermediate engineering skills and craft qualifications in the building trades. (SK)

Three British outdoor educators point out that the push to license the outdoor industry now means that paper qualifications are favored over experience, thus increasing risk; argue that riskless adventure is impossible and pointless; and suggest returning to the real outdoors, rather than attempting to develop watered-down, imitation adventure…

An accreditation program for community workers uses accreditation of prior learning (APL) as a means of awarding full professional qualifications in community work. However, APL may be waning in the context of professional higher education. (SK)

Discusses a study designed to assess the supply and demand of economics teachers in Great Britain. Finding a 34 percent shortfall in the supply of beginning economics teachers, the study concludes that more teachers should be trained so that schools can provide quality instruction and meet demands for new courses. (GEA)

Examines changes in competence-based training. Competence is defined as the ability to perform actions within an occupation, and the main form of assessment of such competence is observation of performance in the workplace. This industrial model is now to be applied to education, and those teachers who supervise new entrants to the profession will…

Describes a survey of expert system producers that examined the number, nature, and scope of expert systems in Great Britain; methodologies used in their development; and the background and skills of those working in this area. The potential for library and information science professionals to become involved in expert system development is then…

Shares background information on the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) assessment systems which were developed from the United Kingdom's national standards for laboratory technicians working in schools and colleges. Offers recommendations for individuals or institutions that are preparing to…