This book contains 14 case studies, written by those involved in the teaching and training initiatives, that illustrate the use of open and distance learning strategies. The case studies, drawn from many parts of the world (but mostly British based), feature efforts in large and small companies in a variety of industries. The first part of the…

With accelerating technology in the workplace, worker training has become a key component of almost every corporation's long-range strategic plan. Almost all companies provide some form of training in computer operations to new and existing employees, and more than 90 percent of companies also provided a range of management, leadership, and…

Apprenticeship came to Australia from England with the establishment of the colony of New South Wales in 1788. By the end of the 19th century, apprenticeship was well recognized throughout all the states, which retained responsibility for its regulation and administration after federation. A common provision in states' apprenticeship legislation…

A research project studied Canadian organizations that are using informal organizational learning approaches to embed ongoing learning within the actual work processes. Five organizations that self-identified as learning organizations at mature stages of development were studied in depth. No organization was a paragon of organizational learning.…

A 3-year research program on workplace learning was based on action research and involved the gradual implementation of "Work Activity Briefings" every 2 weeks or whenever a major task was to be undertaken at selected construction sites managed by an Australian mining and construction company. The briefings were regular meetings between…

Education and training in the workplace are quickly becoming survival tools for most organizations because their operating environments change constantly. Traditionally, many employers have looked externally to employ individuals with specific skills who can adapt to changing products and processes. Upgrading the skills of present employees was…

This three-part book contains 17 chapters that seek to explore and establish the framework around which global organizations might embed their own corporate virtual university. Part 1: Design Issues, contains the following chapters: "Customer Orientation and Motivation: The Key to Effective Learning Organizations" (Gordon…

The first of the four papers in this symposium, "Towards a Meaningful HRD [Human Resource Development] Function in the Post-Command Economies of Central and Eastern Europe" (Devi Jankowicz), examines the existing knowledge-base among managers who are to be trained as HRD practitioners and suggests that efforts may be constrained by…

This working paper is a product of a regional study in industrial South Wales of the determinants of participation and non-participation in post-compulsory education and training, with special reference to processes of change in the patterns of these determinants over time and to variations between geographical areas. Based on this data, three…

This book, which contains 15 chapters by various authors, aims to conceptualize new ways that knowledge is being "legitimized" through various formal and informal workplace-based research practices. It examines the new legitimations critically, and analyzes possible directions for future developments in work-based research and…

Previous research has shown that the majority of the characteristics of vocational education and training (VET) learners in Australia typically lie in the quadrant of "dependent" and "non-verbal," and preferred to learn from hands-on direct experience rather than through reading or listening. Workplace educational delivery…

A study researched the role of literacy, language, and numeracy as vehicles for learning in training packages delivered at South Australia industry sites. Data were gathered through onsite interviews or focus groups with trainees, workplace trainers, resource and training support persons, and managerial and supervisory persons, of their opinion of…

Britain's National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are work qualifications that measure what an employee or potential employee can do as well as how much he or she knows and understands about a particular job. Used as written proof of usable workplace skills that can be put to profitable use by an employer, NVQs range from basic Level 1, for…

A project was conducted for the following purposes: (1) improve the productivity and efficiency of 21 companies by providing workplace literacy instruction to workers lacking basic skills required for their jobs; and (2) improve the capability of educational providers to meet the basic skill needs of the manufacturing and financial services…

This paper documents an approach to meeting the training requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and the "reasonable accommodation" requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for individuals with developmental disabilities. It describes a training program used with three adult workers with mild mental…