Internationally, quality assurance schemes persist despite long-standing dissatisfaction and critique of their impact and outcomes. Adopting a critical systems perspective, the article explores the relationships between the knowledge, power and meanings that stakeholder groups bring to the design and implementation of quality assurance systems.…

Seeds of public education's current failures are found in its past successes (transmitting culture and providing custodial care). Education is experiencing paradigm paralysis because of piecemeal reform approaches, failure to integrate solution ideas, and reductionist, boundary-limiting orientation. The old system is no longer adequate. Total…

This brief document summarizes the content of a paper by Sharon L. Kagan, entitled "Excellence in Early Childhood Education: Defining Characteristics and Next-Decade Strategies," that analyzes the field of early childhood education and defines excellence in terms of quality, equality, and integrity. The critical component of quality is discussed…

The future of educational design, development, and improvement lies in integrating "how" with "what" and "why." Critical strategic thinking factors include abandoning comfort zones; focusing on ends, not means; linking all three planning and result levels; starting with an ideal vision; preparing measurable…

This paper on identifying education outcomes for students with disabilities proposes a framework for applying an outcome-based approach throughout the education system, by looking at the needs of the three major levels of the system (local, state, and national); defining different uses for the term "outcome" in order to achieve consensus…

A proposal has been made that calls for the development and use of training indicators to improve planning for vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. The idea behind the proposal is to develop indicators to inform policymakers and providers in Australia about changes in the nature of training demand flowing from demographic changes…

The prospects for managing the tension between accountability and improvement in further and higher education (FHE) were examined through a literature review and a 5-year ethnographic study of a change management project at a higher education college in Wales. Special attention was paid to the following challenges facing FHE: globalization; the…

This document discusses and presents Pennsylvania's family literacy indicators of program quality (IPQs). The booklet begins with an overview of the IPQs development and integration with Pennsylvania's system for educational accountability. Next, 18 key terms are defined. The remainder of the booklet lists the five categories of standards, key…

This document introduces community leaders and practitioners to innovative approaches to improving workforce literacy by building accessible lifelong learning systems to prepare adults with the array of skills needed to prosper in the new economy. The introduction defines literacy and workforce literacy and outlines the challenges that education,…

This book, which is intended for academics, educators, educational managers, and policymakers concerned with higher education, examines how universities and colleges can prepare their students for lifelong learning through continuing education, specialized courses for adults, and mainstream teaching programs geared toward traditional students. The…