This article reviews literature on educational gerontology, adult education, and training and identifies factors that may encourage or discourage older workers from participation in training. Previous research has emphasized models based on either motivation or deterrent factors. This article offers a unique exploratory model combining five…

As nonprofit adult literacy programs are often the only options for low-income Latin American immigrants in North America, problems accompanying these programs affect the ability of immigrants to benefit from them. North American nonprofit adult literacy programs often struggle due to the difficulties inherent in using volunteer instructors (often…

As mobile devices become more prominent in the lives of students, the use of mobile devices has the potential to transform learning. Mobile learning, or mLearning, is defined as learning that is personalized, situated, and connected through the use of a mobile device. As mLearning activities are developed, there is a need for a framework within…

One of the greatest challenges that community colleges face in their efforts to increase graduation rates is improving the success of students in their developmental, or remedial, education programs--the courses that students without adequate academic preparation must take before they can enroll in courses for college credit. Emphasizing results…

Sound approaches to needs assessment can assist practitioners in using resources effectively to improve program decision making. An analysis of uses of the term needs assessment provides the basis for discussing purposes and strategies. Following a critique of major approaches, practical suggestions are offered for conducting needs assessment…

Reviews the needs assessment studies described in this journal issue. Concludes that (1) lessons from completed needs assessments can help continuing education practitioners plan and conduct future studies, and (2) a rational, need-reduction, decision-making approach can improve continuing education programs. (CT)

Strengths and weaknesses of prevailing evaluation models are analyzed, with attention to the role of feedback in each paradigm. A framework is then presented for analyzing issues faced by evaluators of interactive instructional technologies. The current practice of evaluation relies heavily on 3 models developed over 20 years ago: (1) the…

Although most school districts and schools are routinely involved in data collection, they do not typically use the data they collect in a systematic fashion to identify strengths and weaknesses and develop improvement strategies. One reason for the lack of data use is the perception that the data are being collected for someone else's purposes.…

Prepared as part of a program to develop both a system to assess information needs of teacher education decision makers and impact strategies to increase the probability that teacher educators will make appropriate use of research and development findings and products, this document reports on the literature review that led to the initial…

An analysis of the response of British health, social care, and housing agencies to the needs of the elderly was conducted. The purpose of the study was to determine how the British are improving their services to meet the needs of the rapidly increasing population of the elderly in an era of slow growth of public spending. The analysis showed the…

The Albuquerque Office of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Administration (OCETA) contracted with the Albuquerque Urban Observatory to conduct a study of employability skills needed by OCETA participants, to identify training programs that might be available to teach these skills, and to suggest a new model for OCETA job preparation…

This document is the second volume of a three-volume state-of-the-art report based on a study conducted to identify and analyze the effective mechanisms for facilitating coordination of vocational education programs with Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) Title IV youth programs. Included in this volume is a distillation of…

A project was conducted to develop a model for evaluating specialized and traditional programs in marketing and distributive education. The project included a review of literature containing information regarding the points of view expressed by advocates of the specialized, traditional, and middle-of-the-road approaches to program planning in…

Describes quality models that community colleges have adopted to improve program effectiveness and customer service, focusing on the use of these models in career development. Discusses exemplary college programs that focus on quality, teamwork and participatory management, and service to students as their prime customers. (AJL)

Discussion of instructional systems design and development projects focuses on improving project planning and analysis to avoid failures. Case studies of failures of educational technology projects, including projects in developing nations and distance education projects, are presented; project engineering is discussed; and a model for successful…