This premier issue of "The Equipped for the Future (EFF) Voice" has been put together to give everyone a snapshot of EFF-related activities across the country. It includes reports on the 12 states that have been participating in the EFF field development process since 1998, and on the many other programs and states that have begun…

Ensuring that people have the appropriate level of numeracy skills is particularly important in jobs which involve a risk to public safety and the environment. This research investigates the job-related numeracy requirements in the chemical spraying and handling operations of the horticulture, local government, outdoor recreation and warehousing…

After teaching the advanced spreadsheet course at a major university in Louisiana as a traditional classroom course for a number of years, it was decided to create a prototype-blended course, with a considerable portion offered via distance education. This research, which uses a prototyping methodology, is exploratory in nature. Prototyping can…

This report describes a program to advance library research skills in two sixth grade science classes. The problem was assessed through a survey, questionnaire, and worksheet, and by direct observation. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students displayed a lack of research skills related to library research. Some of the causes were…

Fables and trickster stories are short narratives that use animal characters with human features to convey folk wisdom and to help people understand human nature and human behavior. These stories were originally passed down through oral tradition and were eventually written down. These lesson plans are intended for students in grades 3-5 and…

In the school year 2000-2001 students in Grade 10 took the Graduation Exit Examination for the 21st Century (GEE 21) Language Arts and Mathematics tests for the first time. For GEE 21, student scores are reported in terms of five achievement levels: Advanced, Proficient, Basic, Approaching Basic, and Unsatisfactory. This booklet is part of a…

Canada's school-to-work transition efforts have failed too many youth and adults because there has not been a framework for essential life and work skills for all to learn. These skills are needed to complement the academic and technical skills now required for completion of formal education and training. The Blueprint for Life and Work Design,…

Secondary educators are using ways other than the traditional high school diploma and transcript to communicate students' new and different sets of knowledge and skills to employers. A career passport may be characterized as a formal product or document in which students present the many marketable skills they have developed through their life…

In this issue, we explore how community partnerships to support formal learning and development matter and how they can be created and sustained. In "Research Update," we discuss the results of a new report and poll on 21st century skills that affirms that every student needs a "basics plus" education that pushes beyond core academic knowledge to…

A program was developed and implemented to improve and motivate students' writing in the elementary grades. Research data suggests probable causes for lack of student motivation and progress in writing. These causes include: overloaded and product driven curriculum, lack of appropriate teacher training, time-consuming and subjective grading…

The teacher's guide was developed as part of an initiative by the Council on Family Health to encourage speakers of English as a second language (ESL) to read and understand the information on over-the-counter and prescription drugs. It contains classroom activities, handout materials, and suggestions for presenting lessons on label reading. It is…

Improving reading instruction has been the primary focus at the Benchmark School in Media, Pennsylvania. This book describes the various phases of Benchmark's development of a program to create strategic learners, thinkers, and problem solvers across the curriculum. The goal is to provide teachers and administrators with a handbook that can be…

"Work Keys" is a comprehensive program for assessing and teaching workplace skills. This serial "special issue" features 18 first-hand reports on Work Keys projects in action in states across North America. They show how the Work Keys is helping businesses and educators solve the challenge of building a world-class work force.…

A review of the literature on employer-based training (EBT) and case studies of 17 exemplary EBT programs (9 of which were Job Training Partnership Act [JTPA] programs) were used to determine best practices in EBT and make recommendations for effective strategies for implementing EBT programs. Some of these strategies included the following: (1)…

This study explored the collaborative production of mathematical knowledge during computer-mediated learning activities. In particular, it focused on opportunities for undergraduate students from a local university to collaborate with elementary-aged at-risk children on commercially available computer games in an urban after-school club. Two types…