Work-related teaching and learning methods to foster generic skills in Higher Education. An Italian experience

open5siWithin the framework of modernisation of higher education systems in Europe, universities are invited to go beyond a knowledge-based perspective focused on disciplinary approaches and to be more concentrated on encouraging generic skills to deal with today’s complex and unpredictable career paths. The literature about Work-Related Learning and Work-Integrated Learning offers evidence to research regarding contributions of work-related experiences to the development of generic skills. The first part of the article presents a literature review carried out following the matching among three main keywords: work-related learning, generic skills, and higher education. Resources focused on the integration/teaching of generic skills in formal curriculum or in co-curriculum work-related activities and they were collected in order to explore the link between work-related learning in higher education and the development of generic skills. The focus is to identify valuable considerations to improve teaching strategies and methods. The second part presents an Italian work-related experience developed within the course of “Organizational Intervention Research Methods,” which involved 22 master’s degree students. The work-related assignment will be described in addition to the content analysis process of the 22 collected texts and the findings about the development of generic skills.openDaniela, Frison; Concetta, Tino; Jonathan, W., Tyner; Monica, FedeliFrison, Daniela; Tino, Concetta; Jonathan, W.; Tyner, ; Fedeli, Monic

Review of research and evaluation on improving adult literacy and numeracy skills

The purposes of this literature review are threefold. First, this review summarises findings of the research from the last decade in six fields identified by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) as critical to its forward planning: (1) the economic, personal and social returns to learning; (2) the quality and effectiveness of provision; (3) the number of learning hours needed for skills gain; (4) learner persistence; (5) the retention and loss of skills over time; (6) the literacy and numeracy skills that are needed. Second, this review assesses this evidence base in terms of its quality and robustness, identifying gaps and recommending ways in which the evidence base can be extended and improved. Thirdly, this review attempts to interpret the evidence base to suggest, where possible, how returns to ALN learning for individuals, employers and wider society might be increased through effective and cost-effective interventions

The Many Faces of Lifelong Learning: Recent Education Policy Trends in Europe

This article examines the rise of the discourse on lifelong learning across Europe and the variety of national policy trends which its rhetoric occludes. The ubiquitous presence of this meta-discourse in education and training policy-in-theory is seen as a singular event which can be ascribed to the impact of the variety of global forces on the education arena. It serves specific political functions in addition to signalling real changes in education and training systems. The duality of convergent rhetoric and divergent policy- in- practise is seen as a challenge to education policy analysis which requires multi-layered interpretation

Research on approaches to public funding and development of tertiary education within selected OECD nations

No abstract available

Lifelong guidance policy and practice in the EU

A study on lifelong guidance (LLG) policy and practice in the EU focusing on trends, challenges and opportunities. Lifelong guidance aims to provide career development support for individuals of all ages, at all career stages. It includes careers information, advice, counselling, assessment of skills and mentoring

Reviews

John Stephenson (ed.), Teaching and Learning Online: Pedagogies for New Technologies, Kogan Page, London, 2001. ISBN: 0–7494–3511–9. Softback, xi + 228 pages. £19.99

WWW.raising achievement: internet research resources on raising achievement in post-compulsory education; the agency comments

This report is designed to help practitioners and researchers find and use internet-based resources that deal with raising achievement. It contains a guide to useful research sources and organisations accessible via the internet; an introductory synthesis of research findings drawn from the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and suggestions for applying American research findings to raising achievement in the UK

World-class apprenticeship standards: Report and recommendations

The aim of this research was to identify world-class apprenticeship standards and to make suggestions as to how these could be applied to the English system. By ‘world class’ we mean that the standards described here are acknowledged to be among the best in the world. Thirteen indicators for world-class apprenticeship standards were identified through the research and these have been divided into four sub-sections: (1) training, (2) skills and expertise, (3) recognition and (4) progression. Each of the indicators is explained separately in this report but they have to be understood as being in close relationship to each other. As well as identifying world-class apprenticeship standards the indicators are also designed to compare these standards to apprenticeship standards that are of a good level but do not necessarily feature amongst the best in the world. Identifying and applying standards in apprenticeships is important because apprenticeship training, especially if delivered at a world-class standard, can raise the number of people in employment, increase individual and company productivity and enhance economic growth. The findings from our research suggest that world-class apprenticeship standards require: • extended apprenticeships of between three to four years; • broad and in-depth scientific and industrial skills and knowledge; • the presence of a ‘master’ in the company to train an apprentice; • high-quality knowledge-based education and training; • recognition through an occupational title on completion of the training; • apprentices to acquire all the skills and knowledge necessary to work effectively in an occupation; • apprentices to become skilled workers in an occupational area with a critical and creative approach; and • progression routes into employment as well as into further education and training. This report is based on interviews with seven experts from Australia, Denmark, England, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and South Korea on vocational education and training with a review of the literature