This paper explores a framework of family ecological theory for overcoming the challenges facing family childcare educators (FCC educators), who care for small groups of children in their own home. Pathways to overcoming these barriers through an ecological approach will be outlined by critically examining current research on these challenges. In…

Research activities are a relatively new undertaking for Ontario colleges. The Government of Ontario enabled Ontario colleges to grant baccalaureate degrees in applied areas of study with the passing of the 2000 Postsecondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, and conduct applied research with the passing of the 2002 Colleges of Applied Arts and…

In the age of globalization, postsecondary institutions in Canada have been called upon to be more innovative to support the development of a workforce that is better able to respond to the rapidly changing environment. This exploratory study proposes a framework to examine applied entrepreneurship as a conceptual framework by exploring the…

This chapter describes the role small-scale organic farmers are playing as adult educators in alternative food networks and as leaders for food systems transformation. Findings are drawn from a survey of organic farmers in British Columbia, Western Canada.

Workers are faced with wider networks of knowledge generation amplified by the scale, diffusion, and critical mass of digital artefacts and web technologies globally. In this study of mobilities of work-learning practices, I draw on sociomaterial theorizing to explore how the work and everyday learning practices of self-employed workers or…

Since their creation, community colleges have had a mandate to be responsive to their communities, often through relationships with local business. As globalization and technological advancements increase pressure on small businesses (SMEs), the role of colleges in helping these SMEs to innovate in order to survive becomes clearer. Relationships…

Enterprise systems and business process management are the two key information technologies to integrate the functions of a modern business into a coherent and efficient system. While the benefits of these systems are easy to describe, students, especially those without business experience, have difficulty appreciating how these systems are used…

The purpose of this study was to assess the role of Competitive and Market Intelligence (CI/MI) Research as a potential source for improving the innovation capability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's) leading to successful new product/services/processes/capabilities development (Cooper & Edgett, 2002). This report highlights the…

Although a few published, multiindustry, firm-level, empirical studies have linked systems of high-investment or high-performance human resource management practices to enhanced small-firm performance, this stream of strategic human resource management research is underdeveloped and equivocal. Accordingly, in this study, we use a sample of…

The apprenticeship movement is reshaping skills, policies, and programs in the United States at a critical moment in our country's history. This reader offers a chorus of voices emanating from different countries and populations, echoing commitment to bright, sustainable workforce futures through a well-crafted approach to this talent development…

This briefing examines training and development (T&D) in Quebec, one of 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada. Quebec has three distinguishing characteristics that encourage analysis of its T&D separately from that of Canada as a whole. First, it is the only North American region with a majority francophone population.…

Applied research at Canada's colleges and institutes has expanded rapidly over the last five years. This report provides an overview of the current context and positions colleges and institutes as key players in Canada's innovation system. The report builds upon findings of previous research and reports on the results of the 2009-2010…

Integrated with the industrial and technical drivers of the economy, Canada's colleges, institutes, polytechnics and cegeps offer the advanced skills of faculty and staff to support the private sector's need for applied research, product and process innovation, commercialization and technology transfer. Federal investments in research over the…

As the country emerges from the recession, the Government of Canada must make difficult but critical decisions about where to invest public resources. Federal investments in research are overwhelmingly directed to pure or discovery research, with little support to applied research tied to commercialization. Innovation for the marketplace and the…

The purpose of the "State of the Literacy and Essential Skills Field" report is to provide an environmental scan showing the state of Literacy and Essential Skills (L/ES) across the country, from the perspective of the Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN) and its national network of partners, both within and outside the Literacy…