The different perceptions of literacy that inform the work of various groups working with disadvantaged groups within society were explored in a case study in which individuals providing services to low-skilled, disadvantaged clients in an outer urban area of Brisbane, Australia, were interviewed regarding their perceptions of their clients'…

This document presents 13 papers that are intended to serve as a professional development resource for language, literacy, and numeracy practitioners and others involved in enterprise-based training provision in Australia and to provide a framework for evaluating workplace language, literacy, and numeracy programs. The following papers are…

This document presents the key principles underpinning effective evaluations as applied to policy initiatives in the field of lifelong learning (LL) and the various methods available to implement them. The following are among the topics discussed in Chapters 1-6: (1) the distinction between monitoring, modeling, and evaluation and considerations…

This book presents 22 personal narratives in which library directors, program administrators, teachers, tutors, librarians, and adult learners explain firsthand how literacy programs at libraries across the United States have changed people's lives. The following narratives are included: "Gloria's Story: 'She Wanted Me to Be Somebody'";…

This publication contains descriptions of "outstanding practices" in high schools that had the most success in improving student performance by doing the best job of implementing one particular High Schools That Work key practice. The 33 efforts are organized according to which of these 10 key practices they reflect: high expectations…

A study examined the feasibility of using case studies to convince enterprises to value training and learning. First, 10 Australian enterprises were studied in sufficient depth to construct a comprehensive picture of each enterprise, its culture, and the strategies it uses to develop the skills and knowledge of individual employees and the…

Australia's career guidance system and policies were evaluated. The review team met with policymakers and guidance practitioners in four states and at the national level, conducted site visits to various career guidance providers in the public and private sectors, analyzed data from a national questionnaire, and reviewed pertinent documentation.…

In this report, transformative learning processes in 10 successful extension staff partnerships involving a campus researcher and a county extension staff member were studied with a methodology that combines grounded theory and case study traditions with a constructivist approach. Data collection activities included a literature review;…

With the recent and increasing attention to accountability and standards, teacher preparation programs are more than ever in need of tools that vicariously acquaint future teachers with the difficult situations they will face. This book is the perfect catalyst for this sort of teacher development. The cases encourage students to immerse themselves…

This report examines best practices in the delivery of Student Support Services (SSS), one of the three Special Programs for Disadvantaged Students known as the TRIO programs. Data have shown that participation in student support services has a positive effect on student outcomes, but many participants do not receive enough services to receive…

This case study of two postsecondary schools in England attempts to assess the effects of a recently established and radically changed administrative structure and funding method on educational quality. These changes allowed schools to opt out of local educational authority control to become semiautonomous corporations and to create a separate…

State policies regarding funding programs to serve at-risk students and dropouts through school-to-work activities in alternative learning environments were examined in a national survey. Data were collected through the following: surveys sent to finance directors in state departments of education and education committee chairs in both legislative…

This book examines the successes of the Open University (OU), a concept now 25 years old, in overcoming obstacles to higher education faced by nontraditional students, and particularly those faced by older women. The OU has no entry qualification, requires no tests, admits all applicants on a space-available basis, and awards a Bachelor's degree.…

This volume is part of a series of 18 monographs on service learning and the academic disciplines. These essays focus on nursing, examining partnerships between education and service, nurse and person, and profession and community. Chapters describe both theoretical and experiential ways in which nursing has begun to incorporate service-learning…

This document includes the following papers: "The European Training Foundation's Experience in Supporting Human Resource Development in South-Eastern Europe" (Peter de Rooij); "Transition, Reconstruction and Stability in South-Eastern Europe; The Role of Vocational Education and Training" (Cesar Birzea, Peter Grootings, Tzako…