Numerous countries suffer from a shortage of technicians and skilled workers, particularly in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), due to a mismatch between the skills and interests of the students graduating from or leaving the current education system and the needs of the labor market. Often, parents and students…

Cooperative education has been a long-standing component of career and technical education. The practice embodies many established theories of learning and is a premier delivery model for the school-to-work connections espoused by modern legislation. Yet in this era of high-stakes testing and academic accountability, allocated time for cooperative…

U.S. strength in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines has formed the basis of innovations, technologies, and industries that have spurred the nation's economic growth throughout the last 150 years. Universities are essential to the creation and transfer of new knowledge that drives innovation. This knowledge moves…

Discusses issues that need to be addressed if Scotland is to nationally implement a system of workplace accreditation: standards, assessment, assessment records, equipment, timing, and module fit. Concludes that unless educators, who possess formal assessment expertise, take the initiative, development may forge ahead without them. (NEC)

Describes a program at the University of Iowa which introduces undergraduate engineering students to the rewards and responsibilities of teaching engineering through cooperative education positions as faculty assistants in introductory engineering courses. (TW)

This report is designed to familarize educators with systems of education in a selected sample of countries and with the development that has occurred in these systems between 1984 and 1986. The information presented is drawn largely from national reports and questionnaire reports summarized by member states of UNESCO at the International…

The Panel on Technology Education was one of four panels established by the Committee on the Education and Utilization of the Engineer of the National Research Council. This panel's task was to investigate the technology aspects of the preparation of engineers in the United States. This report deals with: (1) "The History of Technical…

This bulletin describes the growing Adopt-a-School Movement, a grass-roots initiative by the public schools' external constituencies to assist financially and materially either an individual school or an entire school system to design educationally enriching programs. Examples are given of banks, major corporations, local businesses, foundations,…

The dual-credit course option, in which classes are held at a nearby university or community college, is an exceptional marriage between secondary schools, community colleges, and some universities. Describes four types of dual-credit options between Olney Central College, Illinois, and participating high schools. (MLF)

The Early Employee Selector Program (EESP) at Peirce College (Pennsylvania) combines some features of a traditional co-op experience with a strong mentoring component. Ninety percent of the students at this urban two-year college are first generation college students. Placement at the work site occurs after one academic semester, and, unlike…

Reviews studies on the demand for learning at work, trends on currently working students, and the effects of both school-supervised and not-school-supervised work experiences. Concludes that labor market demands and the number of students currently working present an opportunity to use work as a deliberate learning experience. (FMW)

The relationship between education and work are addressed by a vice provost of Northeastern University in testimony to the National Commission on Excellence in Education. Attention is directed to the philosophical and social bases of cooperative education, its impact on learning, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. At Northeastern, the…

The role of Colorado community colleges in preparing people for a more productive role in society is discussed by a representative of the Colorado State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education. The following problems are identified: the increasing costs of providing quality education, and financial problems within the state's rural…

Articulation, the coordination of curricula at different levels of education in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness, has become increasingly important in secondary and postsecondary vocational-technical education. Among the types of articulation being practiced are time-shortened models, advanced skills models, and tech-prep models.…

This book offers a comprehensive guide to the Career Academy high school model, including detailed descriptions of the model, practical advice, case histories, histories of existing programs, evaluation results, and an analysis of the model in the context of other research and policy analysis. Part 1 of 3 gives an overview of the dilemmas and…