Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is becoming more important to vocational education, since at least 2 million schools now have computers, and by the year 2000, 75 percent of jobs may require computer knowledge. A review of the literature about CAI in vocational education produced the following findings: (1) although CAI can be effective in…

School-to-work transition services are intended to help youth develop the skills and attitudes they need to find and keep employment, maintain a meaningful adult life-style, and develop positive social interactions. Eligibility for such services has now been broadened beyond disabled students to include students with economic or educational…

Businesses are working with schools in ways that can affect every aspect of the education process. The most widespread form of business help takes place in the classrooms. School leaders need to be clear with themselves as to how much and what kind of involvement they want businesses to have in their schools. Business leaders can also help schools…

Business has begun to play a more active role in education, spurred on by the need of education to obtain alternate sources of funding and by the desire of business to reduce youth unemployment and educational deficiencies. Research has shown that a communication gap exists among business executives, educators, and students. Some…

Facts and figures related to the underemployment of college graduates are presented. Underemployment is defined as holding a job that requires less education than the employee has obtained. Topics which are discussed in this digest include: (1) the implications of underemployment for career development; (2) statistics on college enrollment and the…

This digest examines reasons for youth unemployment and its effects, the counselor's role in school-to-work transitions, vocational adjustment, intervention strategies, and current needs. (BH)

The simplicity and "common-sense" quality of school-to-work's (STW) basic concepts are the greatest threats to the full implementation of STW. Implementation requires a fundamental restructuring of secondary education and far greater involvement of employers in the preparation of young people for work. A synthesis of findings from eight…

The new vocationalism arising out of 1980s educational reforms caused a resurgence of interest in high school vocational education and in the integration of academic and vocational education. The dominant economic motive of the new vocationalism has found expression in the 1990s school-to-work movement. These reform efforts signal the triumph of…

Intended to help secondary school composition instructors develop a useful, pragmatic unit on technical writing, this monograph explores the theory, research, and pedagogy of technical writing. The first section discusses the purpose and forms of technical writing, as well as elements of technical style including diction, paragraphing, and…

Parents have a major influence on their children's attitudes toward work and life. Handicapped youth, who have more difficulty than other youth in making the transition from school to work and adult life, have a special need for parental guidance. Parents can play key roles in transition, especially in the areas of career exploration, job search…

Intended for employers, human resource staff, and adult educators, this digest addresses the purposes of career development programs in the workplace and describes the components of such programs. In the first section, the term career development is defined and labeled as just one component of organizations' human resource management. Eight…

Employment-bound youth have largely been ignored in the literature on careers and on counseling and guidance. Divided into seven chapters, this book provides recommendations and specific suggestions for actions that counselors, administrators, and policy makers can adopt to respond to the challenge of providing for employment-bound youth. Chapter…

This Digest discusses how to integrate basic public speaking concepts into college students' personal and professional lives. The Digest first considers the relevance of the basic course and then suggests the application speech as one instructional activity which illustrates how the oral communication concepts presented in the basic course are…

This pamphlet reviews 11 recent documents and journal articles from the ERIC database that focus on the topic of school-business partnerships: (1) "Schools Are Bullish on Business" by Mary Harbaugh (EJ319210); (2) "Salem Program Demonstrates Five Keys to a Successful Business-School Partnership" by Mary C. Jensen (ED261459);…

Focusing on the role of community colleges in implementing the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, the 12 essays in this volume describe strategies and practices developed by colleges to address the provisions of the Act and help develop a global workforce. The following articles are provided: "Assessing the Community College Role in…