A study examined outcomes for graduates and module completers who studied in associate diploma, diploma, and advanced diploma courses, using data from the 1999 Student Outcomes Survey, together with focus groups in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. One aim was to determine whether module completers had different training needs than graduates;…

The impact of career development interventions on career and technical education (CTE) students' academic self-efficacy and motivation was explored in a pilot study that elicited responses from 293 students at 20 high schools across the United States. The study included a literature review, survey of high school seniors that examined 44…

A project examined a 25-year period of African Americans in adult education by accessing the archival holdings of these 3 major data centers: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Moorland-Spingarn Archives, and Hollis Burke Frissell Library. The study also examined the 1920-45 issues of The Journal of Negro History and The Journal of…

Adult participation in learning in the United Kingdom in 2002 was examined in a survey of a representative sample of 4,896 adults who were selected using a random location sampling method that involved dividing the study area into 600 areas of equal proportion. The findings from the 2002 survey were compared with those of surveys conducted in 1996…

This paper offers an example of how to apply action research to improve English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL)/English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing instruction. This research was conducted over a 5-year period while the researcher taught 9 semester-long sections of advanced EFL writing to Taiwanese undergraduates. Using Reid's (1987) Perceptual…

Reports on a multivariate study that examined the contribution of two independent variables--cognitive/academic proficiency in first language and attitudes and motivation toward English as a foreign language--on success in English as a foreign language in culturally different learners. (27 references) (Author/OD)

This report presents information on selected activities that preprimary children engage in with family members, based on the 1991 and 1993 National Household Education Surveys. Focusing on parent-child activities found to facilitate the development of literacy skills and the motivation to learn, the report examines (1) the changes between 1991 and…

A rationale for teaching foreign languages in Venezuelan schools is discussed. An included sociolinguistic profile of Venezuela indicates that Spanish is the sole language of internal communication needs. Other languages spoken in Venezuela serve primarily a group function among the immigrant and indigenous communities. However, the teaching of…

The impact of poor literacy and numeracy skills on employment and unemployment in Australia and elsewhere was examined through two case studies and a literature review. The first case study examined the role of literacy provision in helping 27 unemployed jobseekers find employment. The second focused on literacy and teamwork in the activities of…

This study investigated: (1) the causes and effects of Chinese students' beliefs about foreign language learning; (2) mismatches between teachers' and students' beliefs; and (3) how teachers' and students' beliefs compare across cultures. Subjects were 23 Chinese and English teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and 224 EFL university…

A study investigated influences on attrition in Japanese second language instruction in one U.S. university. Subjects were students enrolled in the fall semester of beginning (n=134 students) and intermediate (n=79) levels of Japanese courses. In the fifth week of classes, students were administered a series of questionnaires to gather data on…

An ongoing research project in Australia is focused on the concept of the transfer of competence across different working situations. It establishes a framework for learning that is student-centered and that integrates the concepts of activity theory, expansive learning, communities of practice, and multiple intelligences. Perceptions of those…

This study examined the relationships among a set of psychosocial variables (academic competence, physical appearance, self-worth, and motivation) and between the psychosocial variables and academic achievement for 236 third grade and fifth grade native Spanish speakers and native English speakers enrolled in a bilingual immersion program since…

Learning in the first professional job was examined in a study of 40 nurses, 27 engineers, and 16 accountants who were in their first full year of full-time employment after college in hospitals and firms located in the United Kingdom. Data were collected through the following activities: (1) interviews with the respondents; (2) 1- to 2-day visits…

Parental perspectives on family learning were examined through focus group discussions with parents who had participated in family learning courses at a nursery school, primary school, secondary school, and family support center in London, England. Five focus group discussions with a total of 25 family learning course participants, 2 in-depth…