We are now in a knowledge-based age and economy. Through this new era, we have seen the ascension of socioeconomic globalization, or the interconnectedness of the world economies. The vast reach of globalization and technology have had both positive and negative effects on adult, continuing, and postsecondary education. For instance, college…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the foundational theories in human resource development (HRD) by reviewing the literature from an HRD perspective. The following research questions guide the study: What are the core theories related to adult and professional education, organizational development and strategic HRD? What are the…

Skeptics of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trend for International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) argue that while US elementary and high school students are behind their peers in other nations, the US workforce is still excellent because of the high quality post-secondary educational institutions in the US. However, the…

This paper aims to discuss the emergence, form and likely effects of international surveys of adults' skills by locating them in the global context of policies on education and Life Long Learning (LLL). It focuses on adults' numeracy and discusses its conceptualisation and assessment in the Project for the International Assessment of Adult…

Adult learning systems have come to be dominated by the view that the essential role of adult learning is to generate the high levels of skills deemed necessary for competitiveness and growth in the globalised economy. This 'education gospel' is underpinned by human capital theory (HCT) and its contemporary conceptualisation in terms of…

From 2008-2009 the author was commissioned by AONTAS in partnership with Irish Aid to carry out a piece of research which aimed to examine how there could be a strategic focus on the integration of development education, or incorporating a global dimension to learning, into adult and community education in Ireland. It also examined whether or not…

Decades ago, most U.S. companies hired locally, few jobs required a college education and even high school dropouts could find well-paying work. However, the world has changed. With automation and overseas outsourcing eliminating many low-skilled jobs--and, increasingly, many higher-skilled ones--more and more Americans need postsecondary…

This article provides an analysis of shifts that have taken place in policy discourses on lifelong learning by organisations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organisation, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union. The article documents the shifts in these discourses over time,…

A number of perspectives on adult education are evident in the international literature, with publications from the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education held in Hamburg, Germany, in July 1997, a particularly rich source of information. A clear trend in the conference and the documents it produced was the critical importance of adult…

Across OECD countries, governments are seeking policies to make education more effective while searching for additional resources to meet the increasing demand for education. The 2009 edition of "Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators" enables countries to see themselves in the light of other countries' performance. It provides a rich,…

These proceedings contain 70 papers and summaries of panel discussions and workshops. Selected titles are as follows: "Consumer Access to Health Care" (Jones); "Credit Education for the Disadvantaged Consumer" (Schuchardt et al.); "The Jouranl of Consumer Affairs" (Herrmann et al.); "The Consumer's Role in a Changing Marketplace" (Edwards);…

These three volumes comprise the background publication of the second report on vocational education and training (VET) research in Europe. The two parts of Volume 1 contain 10 papers; Volume 2 contains 11 papers in two parts; and there are 10 papers in the two parts and annex of Volume 3. In Volume 1 are the following: "Steering, Networking,…

Recent international discussions provide information on various countries' responses to lifelong learning, including the following: (1) existing unmet needs and emerging needs for education and training; (2) funds required compared with what was provided; and (3) methods for acquiring additional funds, among them efficiency measures leading to…

This book, consisting of 17 chapters written by different authors, traces the progress that has been made in developing lifelong learning policies over the past 30 years and examines current challenges to lifelong learning policymakers. Focusing on a global agenda, the book is organized in six parts with thematic chapters following an introductory…