An essay review of Volume VI of the Youth in Transition series. (MLF)

In the context of Australian education, the increasing emphasis on outcomes assessment, especially measurable performance, is discussed and some of the concepts involved in this performance orientation are examined. The shift in emphasis from inputs to outcomes, difficulty in operationalizing desirable outcomes, issues specific to compulsory and…

Goals 2000, the Educate America Act, establishes a new role for the federal government in education by defining national education goals and by creating a voluntary system whereby states can receive funds in return for participation in national education reform. Summarizes the major provisions of Goals 2000, paying particular attention to…

Describes the controversy about the role and activities of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (England). Discusses the primary weaknesses of the council and its competency-based education and training strategies. Suggests that the only solution may be to abolish the present system of academic and vocational qualifications. (CFR)

If competency-based dental education is implemented in the United States, it will have a significant impact on postdoctoral general dentistry, particularly in the areas of accreditation standards and the specificity of competencies required. Development of a core of standards for all postdoctoral programs is recommended. (MSE)

Examines assumptions about Britain's Management Charter Initiative (MCI)--a competency-based approach to management education. Explores delegate motivation, significant in the process of accrediting prior learning. (JOW)

This paper describes the elements of outcome-based education (OBE) and identifies the corresponding research base for each. The eight steps of OBE, evolved from the early effective-schools research and mastery-learning concepts, include: (1) define students' future environments; (2) derive outcomes; (3) design student demonstrations of learner…

An overview of accountability in public education is presented in this publication. Contents include a review of recent accountability efforts, an outline of a comprehensive accountability model, an analysis of accountability strategies, and a discussion of means for incorporating system indicators into the larger systemic framework. A conclusion…

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) invited researchers, practitioners, and users to provide recommendations that would assist NCES in the redesign of its elementary and secondary education data program. This is a draft of the first of two volumes synthesizing the papers received by July 31, 1985. In Part I, Emerson J. Elliot,…

Over the past decade, vocational and technical education teachers were encouraged to use commercially produced task lists to develop their curriculum materials. Unfortunately, however, many commercially developed task lists distributed by private companies, state departments of education, universities, and many other agencies may, to some extent,…

A competency based learning approach as applied to public address instructional development can help to achieve the following goals: (1) to enable students to grasp the history of the period under study, (2) to enable students to develop and apply rhetorical criticism skills, (3) to provide students with a course format of high interest value, (4)…

This paper analyzes the role and competencies needed by teachers or coordinators who supervise experiential education. Guidelines are presented for the selection and preparation of personnel responsible for programs in which students are placed in work settings. Program purposes and goals are discussed for the following divisions: personnel…

The role of the teacher is viewed as that of a decision maker and problem solver. It is pointed out that in daily work teachers must deal not only with planning lessons, selecting educational materials, initiating activities suitable for students of different abilities and motivating students, but also must deal with discipline, parent-school…

Teachers should organize their instructional programs on objectives that relate to student and teacher understandings, attitudes, and appreciation rather than on objectives that emphasize performance or competencies. Studies to identify differences in schools achieving lower than expected results on state tests of basic skills indicate three…

THE FORUM is an occasional publication designed to disseminate ideas on educational topics and concerns of importance to public schools, colleges, universities, community agencies, and governing bodies. This issue addresses the following topics: the need for educational opportunity as a prerequisite to social equality; the controversy surrounding…