Situated learning theory provides a rich conceptual framework for analysing the processes by which apprentices become (full) participants in a community of practice. This article uses case study evidence from the UK's Modern Apprenticeship programme to show how this framework can be developed by identifying features of expansive and restrictive…

Internationally, governments are keen to identify and enact policies to encourage increased contributions from enterprises for the skill development of their employees. However, the goals for these policies often remain unclear and the means of securing these purposes are vexed. Drawing on a review of international literature and interviews with…

The authors of this article were involved in designing and delivering a vocational education and training (VET) program for employees of a large Australian government agency. Learning partnerships were included as an integral part of this program and research was conducted to determine whether learning partnerships could be used effectively in…

The focus in recent studies of workplace learning has been on "communities of practice" and the ways that learning is shaped by such communities. In the process, there has been a downplaying of the importance of broader institutional arrangements, including the impact of organisational structures and management practice, as well as…

This volume, Interim Report No. 1 in a 3-year study, recommends that employers who want to enlarge the pool of applicants for entry-level career-oriented jobs give serious attention to "vestibule training." The volume is divided into two parts: report and case studies. The report suggests that vestibule training programs can provide job candidates…

This guide provides Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act practitioners with information about effective strategies to serve dislocated workers under a variety of local conditions. Chapter 1 describes responsive services and explains the study methods by which examples were selected for this guide and the data collection…

In 1977 approximately 17% of Minnesota's population aged 16 and over (478,000 people) felt that they definitely needed more job-related training in the next year. Another 9% felt that they perhaps needed more training. Of those indicating training interest, 40% were interested enough to pay a non-refundable course fee; 85% were willing to read…

A DESCRIPTION IS GIVEN OF CONCEPTS, METHODS, AND A STRATEGY TO AID TRAINING OFFICERS AND OTHERS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROGRAMS OF CHANGE IN CONDUCTING EVALUATION STUDIES INVOLVING SYSTEMATIC PLANNING, CONTROL, AND ASSESSMENT OF THE PROCESS OF CHANGE. BEGINNING WITH A MODEL OF PERCEPTION AND OF ITS APPLICATION TO LEARNING, THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES A TYPOLOGY…

A project to develop a system of vocational evaluation and training to help the mildly mentally retarded (IQ 50 to 79) enter certain service occupations is described. Methods of procedure are discussed; these include research reading and surveys of both facilities for the retarded and commercial facilities. Specifications of jobs are presented in…

Vocational and technical training in Singapore has a relatively short history. Only after Singapore became independent did the need to formalize a national system of training to support the labor force needs of industrialization become evident. Singapore's first vocational institute was established in 1964. The system has experienced several…

Expanded learning opportunities (ELOs), which include afterschool, summer learning, and extended day and extended year programs, can help states reduce dropout rates and increase graduation rates. Effective elementary, middle, and high school ELOs support academic rigor, boost student engagement, and provide students with supportive relationships.…

This fact sheet summarizes data gathered in the 2009 survey of National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant recipients. Conducted by The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University, this was the tenth annual survey of ATE projects and centers. Included here are statistics about the program's grantees and…

MDC's mission is to help organizations and communities close the gaps that separate people from opportunity. The organization has been working to create positive change in disadvantaged communities for 40 years--by conducting research and demonstrating effective programs at the community level. MDC focuses on three areas: education, economic and…

Interactive digital media, or video games, are a powerful new medium. They offer immersive experiences in which players solve problems. Players learn more than just facts--ways of seeing and understanding problems so that they "become" different kinds of people. "Serious games" coming from business strategy, advergaming, and entertainment gaming…

As part of a project funded by the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) and the Desert Knowledge CRC (DKCRC), the "Growing the desert" research team have conducted a broad-ranging analysis of the role of formal and non-formal training opportunities that lead to employment and enterprise opportunities in the…