Intervention in vocational education and training by the federal level of government in Australia (the Commonwealth) expanded exponentially in the last quarter of the 20th century, after halting and intermittent involvement in earlier decades. Such intervention in a field of public policy once considered the exclusive preserve of the States…

The chapters in this volume give an account of the process of modernisation and educational reform in Russia, variously considering the cultural and political dilemmas provoked by democratisation, the structural and policy challenges associated with the reform of higher and vocational education, and the deep divisions exposed as socio-cultural…

The current dominant account of aid to education focuses on schooling and official development assistance and talks in terms of policy work, donor harmonisation and, increasingly, budgetary support. However, this approach is limited in a number of ways. The return of international policy interest in vocational education provides an opportunity to…

Many factors complicate the education of urban students. Among them have been issues related to population density; racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity; poverty; racism (individual and institutional); and funding levels. Although urban educators have been addressing these issues for decades, placing them under the umbrella of "urban…

The introduction to a series of articles on the 200-year history of vocational education in the United States summarizes major achievements during 50-year periods: 1776-1826, 1826-1876, 1876-1926, and 1926-1976. (EC)

A list of major historical events (3000 B.C. to 1970 A.D.) which have influenced the development of vocational-technical education in Canada, as well as the rest of the world, is presented. Each entry offers a brief description of the event or the activities of a particular personage. (EC)

The article contains excerpts from William F. Pierce's testimony before the House subcommittee on elementary, secondary, and vocational education discussing some of the positive achievements of vocational education since the enactment of the Vo-Ed Act of 1963 and Vocational Amendments of 1968. (Author/BP)

The development and expansion of junior colleges in the United States. Special emphasis is given to the impact of war on the character of junior colleges. (RA)

Looks at the evolution of career and technical education over the past 100 years. Provides milestones and biographical information about the leaders in the field. (JOW)

This article attempts to trace the origins of competency-based training (CBT), the theory of vocational education that underpins the National Training Framework in Australia. A distinction is made between societal and theoretical origins. This paper argues that CBT has its societal origins in the United States of America during the 1950s, 60s and…

The New Harmony, Indiana, utopian society is described as the location of the first publicly supported vocational education program. Starting in 1826, vocational education in 20 occupations was provided for students. The author discusses Pestalozzian influences on the program and implications for contemporary vocational education. (Author/CH)

Reviews the history of the American Vocational Association (AVA) and federal legislation concerning vocational education. (CH)

Looks at the backgrounds of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and their contributions to vocational education. (JOW)

A series of articles examines the history of the American Vocational Association from its beginnings in 1926 through its role during World War II, the changes wrought by the 1960s and the age of technology dominance to the rebirth of the organization as the Association for Career and Technical Education in 1998. (JOW)

The idea of mounting a research project on "the history of vocational education and training in Europe" was launched at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) in January 2000. The main aim of this project is to reach a better understanding of the current structure of the various vocational education and…