Strong economic growth through much of the period since 2000 and demographic pressures such as workforce aging, have contributed to a robust demand for skilled tradespeople. Despite a decline following the economic recession in 2008 and 2009, new registrations in apprenticeship programs have increased nearly 200% since the 1990s. Apprenticeship…

Evidence regarding the impact of teachers' instructional development on student learning in higher education is scarce. In this study the authors investigate the impact of an instructional development programme for beginning university teachers on students' approach to studying. They also explore whether this impact is dependent on class size and…

Objectives: The study reported the pilot evaluation of the Healthy Start Home Visit Program for disadvantaged Chinese parents with preschool children, delivered by trained parent assistants. Home visiting was used to make services more accessible to disadvantaged families. Method: The participants included 21 parent-child dyads. Outcome measures…

A 3-year observational study of a project to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) conducted by a British university highlighted initial contacts and working methods that were effective. Results identified why some SMEs do not make full use of facilities offered and reasons for overall success. (Contains 13 references.) (JOW)

Nonparametric matching was used to estimate the effects of two Swedish youth employment programs: youth practice (subsidized work experience, n=1,657) and labor market training (n=606). Results indicate either zero or negative effects on earnings, employment probability, or probability of entering an education program in the short term. Youth…

Describes the School Administration and Management Systems (SAMS) that was developed to support elementary and secondary schools in Hong Kong in administrative and managerial tasks. Reports results of a survey that investigated the impact of SAMS, evaluated its effectiveness, and identified possible areas of improvement to SAMS operation.…

Data from four Ontario universities form the basis for the report on non-credit continuing education in that province, delineating the level of activity in each university through registration levels, program scope, and participation rates. Available from: Extension Division, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N OWO. (Author/MW)

Reporting on the second year of Sweden's experimental adult education program inititated in 1970, the article discusses the program's progress in reaching adults with inadequate education who, for geographic, economic, social, and psychological reasons, did not participate in adult education. (MW)

Findings of a survey of a sample of center-based child care (CBCC) programs and private home day care (PHDC) agencies listed in Ontario's Direct Operating Grant Calculation Data Base are reported. During 1988, licensed child care programs in Ontario received approximately 46.5 million dollars in Direct Operating Grants (DOGs). Grants were…

Describes the revision of the master's degree program undertaken by the Universite de Montreal School of Library and Information Studies. The theoretical framework and guiding principles used in the revision; studies of the revision process, including reconstruction, administration, and ongoing evaluation; and an outline of the revised program are…

This project had three goals: (1) to seek out the policies and practices currently in place to prepare academic teaching staff to develop, write, and teach in distance education; (2) to identify effective professional preparation and staff development practices for distance education currently in use in Australian postsecondary institutions; and…

This report is the sixth in a series of evaluations of the Queensland (Australia) Pre-School Correspondence Program (PSCP), a preschool program conducted by mail for families living in remote or isolated areas. This report represents teachers' perceptions and evaluations of the program. The introduction to the report outlines the administrative…

Describes a cost-benefit analysis of a proposed experimental program designed to solve Indonesia's serious dropout problem in elementary education. Discusses the data and methods used, the conclusions reached, and the unresolved questions that arise during evaluations carried out in less developed nations. (Author/RW)

In most of the Western European countries, innovations in the primary schools are introduced by a central authority. After a decision is made to adopt a new curriculum or recommend a particular instructional procedure, inspectors introduce it to the teachers. This research report examines on the one hand the extent to which inspectors and teachers…

Outlines a distance education course in telecommunications offered through Brunel Technical College, Bristol, England. Objectives of the college, the sponsor, college staff, and students enrolled in the course are investigated together with problems, cost implications, and student and staff perceptions. Distance and evening students' performance…