Nearly two-thirds of students require some form of remediation before taking college-level classes, and community colleges have become increasingly important in providing this education. Unfortunately, relatively few students complete the developmental courses required to make a transition to college-level work. Based on a three-year study of over…

This first "OECD Skills Outlook" presents the initial results of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), which evaluates the skills of adults in 22 OECD member countries and two partner countries. The PIAAC survey was designed to provide insights into the availability of some key skills and how they are used at work and at home through the…

The principal aspects that characterize the illiteracy problem in 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries and the achievements of 22 currently established literacy programs were determined through a 1981 UNESCO study. The purpose of this study was to obtain data useful in the planning of future literacy programs. Section one identifies…

In most Australian schools, there are significant numbers of students who are failing to learn effectively. They underachieve in all or some of the basic skill areas of the curriculum. Concerns regarding the most appropriate methods with which to address the needs of these students remain widespread amongst teachers. This publication examines the…

This report organizes the discussion of six key messages from the European Union's Memorandum on Lifelong Learning that stressed the importance of lifelong learning for all citizens in the member states. Before considering the messages, Chapters 1-3 discuss the following three characteristic trends in the Netherlands in the area of lifelong…

Questions of what to teach and what ought to be taught in the public schools are explored. Before addressing the current controversy about content in education, it is important to know as precisely as possible what has actually been taught and whether the teachings have been effective. The content of school history, literature, and language is…

The authors review what is known about the relationship between education and employment and what is not known but should be. Having decided that education does not mean only schools and colleges, nor employment only work for pay, they concentrate on nine areas: (1) "Where We Stand"; (2) Present and Future Labor Market Realities; (3) Youths'…

The role of adult education in sustaining economic growth and expanding opportunity in Massachusetts was explored. The analysis focused on the new basic skills needed for a new economy, groups lacking the new basic skills, the demand for adult basic education (ABE), funding for ABE, building basic skills through adult education, ABE's costs and…

The labor market prospects of out-of-school young adults and options for improving the employment and earnings potential of all young adults were examined. The following issues were among those considered: demographic and social factors affecting young adults' employment prospects; employment trends and labor market problems in the United States…