Studies indicate that information provided by students may contribute to successful implementation of educational innovations, but educators seldom seek out student perspectives. In April and May 1997, over 160 high school students participated in 16 focus groups in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The students were primarily…

This book contains 21 chapters describing best practices in both the world of work and in school. The first section of the book, which focuses on the background and philosophy of work-based education, contains five chapters: "Education and Work: The Choices We Face" (Arthur G. Wirth); "Growth Patterns in Workplace Training"…

The problem of planning and making labor market forecasts by occupation and qualification in the context of a constantly changing labor market was examined. The examination focused on the following topics: assumptions, benefits, and pitfalls of the labor requirement model of projecting future imbalances between labor supply and demand for certain…

This guide is designed to help students understand civics and government as well as the social, organizational, and technological systems that effect citizenship. It proposes use of a multimedia curriculum intended to combine the skills, knowledge, and content of civics with the workplace. The guide provides a rationale for an interdisciplinary…

A study described the dynamics of integrated mathematics-vocational-technical education learning initiatives in high schools and postsecondary institutions that have adopted the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. A national survey of secondary and postsecondary sites engaged in linking mathematics and…

In an effort to link the K-12 systems with postsecondary education, Pima Community College (PCC) developed a number of outreach programs, one of which was the Summer Career Academy. During the summer of 1997, with the support of the Pima and Santa Cruz Counties School To Work Partnership and local business and industry, PCC conducted a series of…

The cooperative education program at LaGuardia Community College, New York, incorporates seminars that integrate school- and work-based learning. In the seminars, students examine issues related to work in general, the organizations in which they are placed, and the ways in which their academic preparation is applied at the work site. The…

The increasing emphasis on work force development as a policy goal is bringing to the forefront a continuing debate over which of two roads--work force education or literacy development--the field of adult education should take. The recent shift in the welfare reform policy from emphasis on investing in basic and job skills to emphasis on quick…

This curriculum guide provides resources that teachers and trainers can use to help learners improve their ability to apply technology problem-solving skills in the workplace. The instructional strategies and practice problems in the guide are patterned after those of the American College Testing (ACT) Work Keys System. Gains in skill levels can…

Since the passage of the Carl D. Perkins legislation in 1990 and the School to Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) in 1994, considerable funds and effort have been put into tech prep and school-to-work programs. To determine the extent to which these programs actually improve educational opportunities for students, case studies were undertaken of six…

The reading, writing, and numeracy skills of adults in Wales were examined by interviewing 2,853 adults aged 16-64 years. A quota sampling method and weighting procedure were used to obtain a study sample that was representative from the standpoints of age, gender, and geographic location. Respondents completed 12 literacy and 8 numeracy tasks…

During the 1990s, policymakers have become increasingly attentive to the relationship between education and national economic health and society's need to upgrade and equalize workforce skills, talent, and wages. The U.S. education and training system is fragmented, decentralized, and in flux, as more responsibility moves from federal to state…

The changing nature of the workplace is increasing recognition of the fact that employee career development is a lifelong process essential to the achievement and maintenance of a high-quality, competitive work force. Offering employees the opportunity to participate in growth and development programs that include career counseling, assessment,…

A study examined employer involvement in the school-to-work (STW) internship strategy by comparing characteristics of participating employers to a sample of nonparticipants. The five STW programs chosen for study were ones in which students spent a significant amount of time in work-based learning outside the classroom. A telephone survey gathered…

In many countries throughout the world, efforts to articulate the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of workers have translated into the development of organizations with the specific charter to establish industry-based skill standards with attendant new and/or expanded forms of certification of competencies. The new emphasis on skill…