Over the last several years the author conducted 126 interviews and held four focus groups with academic staff, administrators and others associated with Australian universities, about the problems and challenges they believed faced the system of tertiary education. Widespread concern and pessimism pervaded the interviews about the future of…

The purpose of this article is to present a case of national achievement assessment at the primary level within a formative approach. Many countries experience an increasing obligation to attach high stakes to national assessments, which results in greater pressure on teachers and schools. The author's view is that this kind of approach is…

This publication is part of the study materials for the distance education course, Curriculum and Competencies, in the Open Campus Program at Deakin University. It contains 39 papers on the nature, historical development, and delivery of competency-based training (CBT) and on the Australian and international debates surrounding CBT. The following…

This paper, which is intended as a guide for state policymakers, examines issues and steps in building state-level school-to-work systems. Discussed in the introduction are the state's role in creating a coherent school-to-work system. The following aspects of state-level governance, oversight, and vision are considered: setting system goals,…

Family support programs have been attracting increased attention, and are at the center of efforts to build systems of integrated, comprehensive, and preventive family-focused services. This handbook, developed by the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP), profiles 73 school-affiliated family support and education programs in the United States to…

The 21 papers in this collection address changes and reforms in the preparation of teachers and other personnel concerned with early intervention with children having or at risk for disabilities. The papers are: (1) "Ecological Perspectives on Personnel Preparation: Rationale, Framework, and Guidelines for Change" (Pamela J. Winton,…

This report, which is intended for government officials, educators, and others interested in using technology in educational programs for adults, examines the effects of modern technologies on the accessibility, outcomes, and costs of adult learning programs. It draws on conclusions of previous Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI)…

This monograph examines vocational education and training (VT) in Denmark. Section 1 presents background information/framework data on the following: Denmark's political and administrative structure; population, employment, and unemployment; and the Danish economy. In section 2, the history of VT in Denmark is traced from before 1870 to the…

The state of Victoria (Australia) needs a well-educated, adaptable work force to face the numerous challenges stemming from the following: shifts in employment toward "knowledge workers"; the impact of competition, technological change, and microeconomic reform; aging of the population; disparate views regarding the purpose of education;…

This publication summarizes presentations and discussions from a conference that addressed specific issues in the National Assessment of Vocational Education and in the 1990 Perkins Act that mandated the assessment. Introductory materials include a summary of consensus issues from the conference (David Boesel), welcoming remarks (Bruno Manno), and…

This collection of 22 papers is organized by the five conference topics. "Part 1: Effects of the Perkins Act on Policy and Practice" contains five papers: "Federal Legislation as Rorschach Test: Methodological Issues in Assessing the Effects of the 1990 Perkins Act on States and Localities" (Grubb); "Effects of the 1990…

This document compiles representative resources to assist state and local administrators of vocational special needs programs, special needs educators, counselors, researchers, and policymakers in implementing and complying with the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990. Entries in the publications section are…

This report is based on the first international education indicators produced by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The 16 indicators were chosen to take advantage of data available in "Education at a Glance," the most up-to-date set of international educational indicators. Indicators are grouped into…

A collection of 15 articles on cross-cultural issues in Alaskan education addresses educational policy issues, educational development issues, community/school issues, and teaching/learning issues. The one theme that permeates all of the articles is the value of participation by community members in all levels of the education of their children.…

Three abstracts and seventy-five acquisitions related to adult literacy are presented. A few of the acquisition entries are in French. The abstracts are of the following: "Directory of Organizations Offering Literacy Training Courses," by the International Institute of Adult Literacy Methods; "Directory of Universities and Institutes Offering…