There is increasing worldwide focus on education reform, driven by rising pressures for lifelong learning, the burgeoning impact of technology, and an escalating pace of change in much of industry and society. This report examines the key trends in Europe and North America in finding more effective means of strengthening the impact of educational research on practice. It analyses trends to accumulate, communicate and achieve stronger interaction and interface between research, policy, and practice. The author suggests that the knowledge development process in vocational education and training should involve three stages - the first stage providing initial research information, before moving toward an 'intermediate' and then a 'mature' stage of evidence building through feedback and testing of the research.
This review of research examines how sets of key competencies/key skills/generic skills have developed in Britain, United States and Australia. The review analyses the literature that relates to the following questions: *What are the generic skills? *What are the teaching and learning implications for VET providers? *What impact do generic skills have on business performance?
Examines recent Australian research in the area of flexible delivery of training. Issues uncovered include the need for future research to focus on managing change and to address the learning aspects associated with flexible delivery.