While researchers have often sought to understand the learning curve in terms of multiple component processes, few studies have measured and mathematically modeled these processes on a complex task. In particular, there remains a need to reconcile how abrupt changes in strategy use can co-occur with gradual changes in task completion time. Thus,…

In Australia we face a serious problem in that over the last twenty years the quality of students' mathematical knowledge and abilities has "deteriorated to a dangerous level" (Brown, 2009, p. 3). Too few students want to study further mathematics and are "unlikely to continue its study voluntarily" (Commonwealth of Australia,…

A fundamental aspect of adult education is engaging adults in becoming lifelong learners. More often than not, this requires removing barriers to learning, especially those relating to the actual organisational or institutional learning process. This article explores some of the main barriers to adult learning discussed in the literature and…

In the past, engineering programmes were developed with separate technical learning outcomes supplemented by generic attributes. The latter were in most cases a standalone set of attributes developed by academic institutions or professional societies overseeing engineering accreditation processes. Although the technical learning outcomes were well…

Marine wildlife tours can provide a range of education and conservation benefits for visitors, including emotional (i.e., affective) responses and learning (i.e., cognition). Interpretive programs cover the biology, ecology, and behavior of marine species; best practice guidelines; and human threats to marine areas. The author reviews the…

Lower-middle-level managers participated in workshops in which democratization of the learning process itself was essential to the discovery of the features of adaptive human organization. This led to changing working arrangements from individual-task relationships to that of a group of employees responsible for a set of tasks. (Author/MLF)

A study investigated the perceptions of vocational education and training (VET) students and teachers from New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria about ways students engage in learning in VET, practices currently used by VET teachers, and factors shaping learning and teaching in initial VET. Data were collected from the following sources:…

Given the current emphasis on the benefits of communication and information technologies (C&IT) for sustainable rural community development, effective evaluations of C&IT initiatives are increasingly important. This paper presents outcomes of a project that aimed to build capacities of people in two Australian rural communities to evaluate…

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…

This book contains 19 papers examining innovation in open and distance learning through development of online and World Wide Web-based learning. The following papers are included: "Innovation in Distributed Learning: Creating the Environment" (Fred Lockwood); "Innovation in Open and Distance Learning: Some Lessons from Experience…