Canonical human capital theories posit that education, by enhancing worker skills, reduces the likelihood that a worker will be laid-off during times of economic change. Yet, this has not been demonstrated causally. We link administrative education records from 1987 through 2002 to nationally representative surveys conducted before and after…

We draw on theories of policy enactment to explore the ways in which the situated, material and external contexts and professional cultures in adult literacy in the UK have influenced practitioners. Our analysis of the transnational (OECD, EU) and UK external policy contexts found that skills-related education is prioritised, with a focus on…

This paper explores the experience, impression and understanding of student centred learning by 44 business education students at a university in Jamaica. The study sought to establish whether such a learning approach enhances the competencies of students in accord with the demands made by employers for critical employee characteristics in the…

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the link between age and proficiency in information-processing skills, based on information drawn from the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). The data reveal significant age-related differences in proficiencies, strongly suggesting that proficiency tends to "naturally" decline with age. Age…

"Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development," a 2011 book by Timothy Bartik, Senior Economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, provides a new evidence-based approach for effective economic development. This approach is designed to support business growth and job creation by improving…

"Research Messages 2014" is a collection of summaries of research published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in 2014 in the context of changing economic, industrial, social and education conditions, organised under the following broad categories: (1) Productivity: to sustain and build Australia's human…

"Research messages 2011" is a collection of summaries of research projects published by National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in 2011. The publication also has an overview essay that captures the themes and highlights from the research for the year, including: (1) the initial education and training of young people and…

Canada weathered the global economic crisis well, mainly reflecting sustained growth in domestic pending, and the economy is continuing to grow despite the persistence of international turbulence, most recently stemming from the euro zone sovereign debt crisis. In Canada's case, several factors are acting in its favour. Federal fiscal plans are…

Changing conditions in the workplace and the impact of these changes on the individual worker are examined in this paper, which also discusses the implications of these changes for education and training. Major workplace trends likely to continue through the year 2000 include changes in work force demographics, in the industry mix, and in the…

A professional economist criticizes Gerald Bracey's view that the condition of public education has little to do with the state of the nation's economy. Most studies indicate that education contributes to growing productivity, higher wages, and a sound economy. Education can serve the nation's economic needs without sacrificing education's other…

This paper traces the development of human capital theory and shows how it has been used to justify public vocational education programs that emphasize the development of job-specific skills. Possessing vocational skills does not guarantee employment in the related field; consequently, education should emphasize the teaching of basic intellectual…

Technological change and other innovations affect the way Canadians work. These changes demand increasingly higher levels of literacy for today and for the future. Basic skills are not enough. A low level of schooling is associated with higher unemployment. People who invest in their own higher education are likely to reap the reward of higher…

This book provides a detailed analysis of the development of education and training systems in Asia and the relationship with the process of economic growth. Focus is on four impoverished agrarian economies--Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan--that were transformed in little more than a generation into East Asian "tigers":…

According to traditional measures, the productivity of the American worker has declined. If education's contribution to economic productivity is to be imprortant in this decade, the measures need better definition. Technology has affected our perception of how much education is required to keep pace with growth. Those who believe there is a…

Demographic trends, technological change, and increased international competition are creating shortages of skilled workers and an excess of unskilled workers. In response to this growing crisis, the Commission on Workforce Quality and Labor Market Efficiency made 44 recommendations for a substantial, ongoing national commitment to investment in…