This packet contains three papers from a symposium on feedback systems held at a conference on human resource development (HRD). The first paper, "The Role of Feedback in Management Development Training" (K. Peter Kuchinke), reports on a survey-based study that investigated the role of feedback in nine management development training…

A review of the literature suggests that choice of control group may have affected the policy implications of the major evaluations of governmental training programs. It is argued that the usual evaluation designs underadjust for preprogram differences between trainees and the control group and thus yield biased estimates of program impact.…

The National Alliance of Business (NAB) reported recently on the National Workforce Assistance Collaborative that works with community colleges and other educational institutions to build their capacity to develop the work force of the 21st century. NAB had conducted a series of focus groups with participants from business, industry, education,…

The Skills Standards Projects have provided further emphasis on the need for benchmarking U.S. vocational-technical education (VTE) against international competition. Benchmarking is an ongoing systematic process designed to identify, as quantitatively as possible, those practices that produce world class performance. Metrics are those things that…

Intended as a forum for the discussion of customized workforce training at community colleges, this book addresses the practical considerations, programs, and strategies that come into play when colleges engage in customized contract training for fully-employed learners. The 10 chapters are as follows: (1) "Training for Customized Training:…

The U.S. General Accounting Office studied the characteristics of individual participants in training provided by the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), the kinds and intensity of services they received, and the occupations in which they were employed after leaving the program. Visits to 63 randomly selected service delivery areas provided…

This study examines the intent and operation of postsecondary education linkages with business and industry. Following an introduction, chapter II describes the Industry Services Training Program, which provides occupational training for jobs created by new, expanding, and diversified industry, and the Sunshine State Skills Program, which helps to…

This first annual report of the National Commission for Manpower Policy addresses three subject areas. Addressed first are the dimensions of a national manpower policy. This discussion includes the examination of the principle areas in the work plan of the commission and an assessment of the manpower policy in the United States in the Fall of…

Five studies were conducted by the Experimental Manpower Laboratory for Corrections (EMLC) during this reporting period. One dealt with barriers to the employment of released offenders; another examined the post-release economic status of the offender, and still another dealt with factors within the prison environment which appeared to markedly…

The report describes the impact on the nation of a nine-year effort in research and development in vocational-technical education. Major impact projects are described: (1) developing and restructuring vocational curriculum, (2) developing prevocational curricula, (3) vocational information and guidance systems, (4) management information systems,…

After 4 years of operation, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) presents this 1969 annual report and evaluation of its activities as required by the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965. A brief overview is given of the history of the program, the Federal-state relationship, and strategies for regional development. Appalachia is then…

"Research results indicate that the Neighborhood Youth Corps (NYC) has been effective in reaching seriously disadvantaged youth and in improving the community and work adjustments of these youths. At the same time, these achievements appear to fall far short of the full potential of the NYC Programs." Among the problems of program and…

This study concentrated on evaluating the success of the Lincoln Skills Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan, in helping trainees improve their basic education and vocational skills and then to find suitable employment. Relationships were also investigated between vocational proficiency and literacy skill levels as well as between basic education…

This thesis attempts to deal with difficult methodological problems of program evaluation; the particular programs considered are two types of manpower training programs: institutional or "classroom" training and government-subsidized on the job training. Characteristics of cost-benefit analysis are investigated and the method is…

The introductory section to the Advisory Council's report lists the two mandates it is responsible for: (1) To advise on regulations and policy matters relating to Title I ("community service and continuing education") of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and (2) to review the administration and effectiveness of all federally financed…