Reports the results of a Speech Communication Association Task Force investigating communication skills needed by community college graduates. Summarizes relevant literature and survey results from state instructional offices and community college committee members in various occupational areas. Findings indicate a strong need for group…

Many teachers in Tennessee believe that the primary causes of low scores on state mandated competency tests are the lack of encouragement at home and social promotion; "too much TV, not enough supervision on the part of parents, poor study habits and lack of motivation and self-discipline" are also cited. (CM)

The competency-based format of the College of Public and Community Service (CPCS) of the University of Massachusetts at Boston is discussed. Guidelines for assessment and the CPCS model are described. Examples of adequate criteria and standards for general competencies required in the human services field are provided. (MLW)

A University of Rhode Island course in pharmaceutical law and ethics has been redesigned to allow time for small group discussions, role-playing and case studies. This format was developed to elevate learning activities above the recall level and to incorporate activities into the areas of personal and professional ethics. Learning levels and…

Describes the audiotutorial program in earth science at St. Petersburg Junior College's Clearwater Campus started ten years ago. Although initial expenses were considered high, they are now equivalent to those of traditional delivery systems, and students come away with better grades and more positive attitudes. (Author/JN)

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside's comprehensive collegiate skills program is described from proposal to implementation. Junior year students must demonstrate competence in: writing, reading, mathematics, research paper writing, and library skills. (MLW)

Many states are turning to minimum-competency testing at the secondary school level. Although at least 17 states have enacted legislation that sets minimum-competency standards for graduation from public high schools, the basic skills testing movement at the postsecondary level is still in its infancy. (MLW)

Reports on a survey of 93 teachers of international financial management (IFM) courses who ranked validated IFM competencies for both the importance currently given them and the importance that should be given. All but one of the 93 competencies had a higher mean score for the importance that should be given than for the importance currently…

Describes one elementary principal's experience with implementing outcome-based education (OBE), which combines competency based education and mastery learning. The principal explains that he is not convinced that OBE is a worthwhile philosophy to pursue, and he lists problems and common objections from teachers and community members. (SM)

Six articles and case studies examine continuing education in the United Kingdom. Highlights include vocational education and training; the Professional, Industrial and Commercial Updating Programme (PICKUP); retraining in software engineering; Higher Introductory Technology and Engineering Conversion Course (HITECC); training needs in…

The mission of the library in the information age and the implications for human resources management are discussed in eight articles. Areas discussed include the role of library education, classification and integration of public and technical services staff, staff allocation, staff training, the role of the personnel officer, and accountability…

Issues involved in preparing personnel for intergenerational work include the following: (1) the scope of intergenerational practice; (2) expanded personnel roles in intergenerational programs; (3) competencies and skills identification; and (4) the need to integrate intergenerational preparation into formal human services training and education.…

A professor at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (New York) describes an instructional approach used in a computer applications course. The approach employed classroom and individual interactions with deaf and hard-of-hearing students, personal computer demonstrations, laboratory sessions for hands-on learning, and criterion-referenced…

Mastery and performance goals can dramatically influence college students' self-regulated learning. These independent but complementary types of goals are shaped in important ways by how faculty organize and structure their classrooms for learning, particularly through the tasks assigned, development of student authority, and the focus of student…

A discussion of competency-based dental curricula describes broad changes in educational thought that heighten interest in competency-based education and offers suggestions: revise the teacher-student relationship; base curriculum development on heightened aspirations for students and dentistry; view dental schools as learning organizations; and…