Describes the impact of the introduction of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in the United Kingdom on the field of child care and education. Explains the structure of NVQs; how to get an NVQ accreditation; Child Care and Education NVQs; the NVQ assessment process; the roles of assessors and verifiers; how the NVQ system works; and the…

The evaluator is an instructional system product that provides practice, testing capability, and feedback in a way not yet seen in computer-assisted instruction. Training methods using an evaluator contain scenario-based simulation exercises, followed by a critique of performance. A focus on competency-based education and performance makes the…

Argues that the application of competency-based education strategies have served to reduce the educator's role and marginalize teachers' commitment. Criticizes the British approach and describes alternative concepts. Recommends models of professionalism based on "expertise." (CFR)

In response to overseas economic competition and changing technologies, Australia's national vocational education and training system was recently restructured, with emphases on competency-based training and industry participation. This national training system has had little relevance for geographically remote Aboriginal communities. Issues of…

This article describes the Pathways to Prevention (PTP) infant mental health initiative conducted by Early Head Start (EHS). The authors note that staff members who want to build their early childhood programs' capacity in infant mental health are often at a loss about how to do it. They suggest establishing an intensive, ongoing relationship with…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of the active learning models that supports flexibility and creativity in learning, and takes individual differences into consideration. The basic principle of PBL is to make students come face-to-face with conditions that could be similar to real ones in their professions. This objective is accomplished by…

This essay aims to provide beginning and experienced history teachers as well as history teaching methods professors with a helpful strategy designed to improve students' knowledge of historical content and competence in historical thinking. It introduces a systematic approach to the use of primary sources which emphasizes the "doing" of history,…

This article reviews recent policies and government initiatives that have aimed to improve the uptake of vocational qualifications amongst hard-to-reach groups in the working population. The Employer Training Pilots and the Sector Skills Pilots have been designed to trial new ways of engaging employers in training and encouraging the take-up of…

This article presents questions and answers on the topic of competency-based instruction. (RC)

Examines the educational reform movement of the 1960's, especially the competency-based approach to teacher education. Some of the major accomplishments and mistakes of the reform movement are discussed and ideas for future educational directions are presented. (JMB)

The competency-based teaching program in business education at the University of Houston has been divided into three phases that end with the certification of the business educator. The program phases are: observation, tutoring, and student teaching. (Author)

The study explored preparation of 38 instructors of motor skills for the handicapped through a competency-based mastery learning format. Both mastery learning and non-mastery learning formats of instruction were used to train the potential teachers. A systems approach to training was employed in a performance-based practical competency-based…

This article discusses the competency-based teacher education movement in relation to early childhood education. (PD)