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Descriptors:
Nontraditional Education; Youth Programs; Secondary Education

Abstract:
The intent of this brief overview is to define and describe alternative education, specifically as it applies to youth workforce development professionals who must provide it under Workforce Investment Act (WIA) requirements. The Brief begins by describing the types of youth who may attend alternative programs, including students with behavioral or academic problems, dropouts or potential dropouts, and gifted and talented students. Alternative education may be offered in a different location, it might use a different delivery system or educational model, or it might have a specialized curriculum. Alternative programs often demonstrate characteristic approaches to teaching and learning, school environment, and student support which are designed to meet youth needs that are not being met in the traditional school setting. For the purpose of meeting WIA performance measures, alternative education must result in: measurable gains in literacy and math skills; completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent; and successful transition to employment or postsecondary education or training. (Contains 3 charts and 16 references.) [ Produced by Center on Education and Training for Employment, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (175K)

Descriptors:
Education Work Relationship; Educational History; Educational Legislation; Educational Philosophy; Federal Legislation; Job Skills; Postsecondary Education; Role of Education; Secondary Education; Vocational Education

Abstract:
The purpose of this compilation is to sketch the evolution of the field from vocational education to career-technical education throughout the 20th century in the United States. It includes information and excerpts from a variety of sources, including both original and foundational documents from the early 20th century and more recent histories and syntheses from the end of the century. It begins by sketching traditional preparation for work and describing the influential philosophies of Snedden, Dewey, and Prosser. The changes brought about by federal legislation, including the Smith-Hughes Act and successive reauthorizations of the Perkins Act are detailed. The issues that underlie the reconceptualization of vocational education in the last decades of the 20th century are outlined, followed by a brief look at the future of the field. Throughout this compilation, excerpted material, which in some cases is extensive, is visually highlighted. Contains 36 references. (SK) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (396K)

Descriptors:
Cost Effectiveness; Disadvantaged; Education Work Relationship; Employment Level; Federal Programs; Job Training; Outcomes of Education; Program Effectiveness; Reentry Workers; State Programs; Welfare Recipients; Welfare Reform; Youth

Abstract:
Reauthorization of welfare reform legislation has focused attention on the effectiveness of short-term training as a means for welfare recipients to attain self-sufficiency. Its effects on employment and earnings have been one focus of recent evaluations of federal programs. Although some Job Opportunities and Basic Skills programs produced moderate employment and earnings gains for the most disadvantaged sample members, overall, few programs produced large effects. Job Corps participants enjoyed positive employment and earnings benefits that were relatively even across genders and high- and low-risk groups. Similar effects have been found in studies of state and local programs involving short-term training promoting self-sufficiency, among other services: (1) Connecticut's Jobs First evaluation; (2) Job Search Assistance Demonstration of unemployment insurance claimants in the District of Columbia and Florida; (3) the Los Angeles Jobs-First GAIN evaluation; and (4) Parents' Fair Share. Other research has identified characteristics of effective programs, including being targeted to the local labor market and to jobs with relatively high earnings, employment growth, and opportunities for advancement, a mix of academic education, occupational skills training, and work-based learning, and other supportive services. Short-term training programs can increase welfare recipients' employment and earnings, but increases are usually small. (Contains 21 references.) (SK) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (31K)

Descriptors:
Academic Education; Academic Persistence; Associate Degrees; Bachelors Degrees; Colleges; Education Work Relationship; Educational Certificates; Educational Indicators; Educational Trends; Employment Level; Employment Potential; Employment Statistics; Graduation Rate; Longitudinal Studies; Outcomes of Education; Postsecondary Education; Salary Wage Differentials; Sex Differences; Technical Education; Vocational Education

Abstract:
In 1970, 55 percent of the US population over age 25 had completed high school or some college and 11 percent had completed 4 or more years of college; by 1999, those figures had reached 83 percent and 25 percent, respectively. A comparison between 1982 and 1992 high school seniors found more completing some postsecondary credits (from 53 percent to 76 percent) and higher percentages completing degrees (from 27 percent completing an associate degree or higher to 29 percent completing a bachelors degree or higher). College offers a payoff in terms of lower unemployment and higher wages and the benefits increase with higher levels of education. An analysis of postsecondary technical certificates, academic and technical associate degrees and baccalaureate degrees shows that field of study, gender, related employment and program completion all have different effects on employment outcomes. However, many students enter but do not complete college, often because of inadequate academic preparation in high school. Analysts agree that some postsecondary training is essential for success in the workplace and that appropriate academic preparation for college is critical. For students lacking the academic foundations, a technical certificate or associate degree may be a wiser investment than attempting but failing to complete a bachelors degree. (CG) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (115K)

Descriptors:
Accessibility (for Disabled); Adult Education; Adults; Affirmative Action; Assistive Technology; Disabilities; Disability Discrimination; Employment Patterns; Employment Practices; Equal Opportunities (Jobs); Federal Legislation; Job Applicants; Job Search Methods; Labor Legislation; Personnel Policy; Personnel Selection; Physical Mobility; Salary Wage Differentials; Self Disclosure (Individuals)

Abstract:
With its definitions of individuals' and employers' rights and obligations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a mandate and a statement of our moral and ethical values as a culture. Persons with disabilities and employers must apply ADA's "triple standard" of reasonable accommodations for performing essential job functions without undue hardship to find individuals that match jobs and jobs that match individuals. Ten years after ADA's passage, workers with disabilities are older, work fewer hours, and are more likely to be single and less likely to have a college degree. They are still disproportionately represented in low-growth, low-wage occupations. Under ADA, the individual has the right to choose when or whether to disclose his or her disability or related information, but employers cannot be expected to provide reasonable accommodation for an undisclosed disability. Job seekers are advised to script and rehearse disclosure, minimizing medical terms, omitting medical treatment history, and describing the disability briefly with stress on strengths and willingness to improve and ability to perform with or without accommodations. Reasonable accommodations range from simple to complex and cheap to expensive; information on them is available from many sources, including websites. Strengthened mechanisms are needed to help workers with disabilities and employers find appropriate matches between jobs and skills. (Contains 14 references.) (YLB) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (31K)

Descriptors:
Adult Education; Computer Science Education; Costs; Credentials; Employee Attitudes; Employer Attitudes; Employment Qualifications; Industry; Influences; Information Technology; Job Performance; Job Skills; Labor Turnover; Literature Reviews; Personnel Selection; Postsecondary Education; Recruitment; School Business Relationship; Staff Development; Student Certification; Surveys

Abstract:
A study investigated the influence of information technology (IT) industry-sponsored credentials commonly called IT certifications (ITCs) from both organizational and individual perspectives. Findings indicated that there was increasing acceptance, prevalence, and benefits of ITCs in business and industry. Both executives and employees reported that ITCs were of great benefit in the recruitment and job application process indicating not only specific IT knowledge and skill but also motivation and attitude. Other research studies reported similar findings that more and more IT employees have ITCs as part of their qualifications and that HR personnel and employers value ITCs as a helpful employee selection tool. Of equal importance, the studies revealed possible negative impacts such as: (1) ITCs may or may not increase the likelihood of employee turnover; (2) ITCs might actually reduce IT employees' creative problem-solving abilities; and (3) ITCs may reflect only paper-and pencil performance and not hands-on application of IT skills. Generally, research about ITCs indicated that they would remain a valued, if debated, credential in the future. (The bibliography lists 20 references.) (AJ) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (111K)

Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Academic Education; Career Academies; Career Education; College Students; Curriculum Design; Effective Schools Research; Employment Level; Employment Potential; Experiential Learning; Grades (Scholastic); High Risk Students; High School Students; Integrated Curriculum; Job Skills; Learning Motivation; Literature Reviews; Longitudinal Studies; Outcomes of Education; Postsecondary Education; Program Effectiveness; Qualitative Research; Secondary Education; Socioeconomic Status; Student Attitudes; Student Employment; Student Motivation; Student Needs; Tech Prep; Vocational Education; Work Experience Programs

Abstract:
Recent educational approaches that have career and technical education (CTE) components have integrated work-based learning (WBL) with traditional academics. Among positive effects of the association between WBL and secondary students' educational outcomes are: (1) increased attendance, (2) decreased dropout rates, (3) increased number of academic courses; and (4) higher grade point averages. The longer-term effect in students' postsecondary experiences has been too little investigated. Additional positive effects of WBL are seen in students' attitudes toward such programs and in some employment statistics. Researchers are cautious about isolating the effects of WBL, but acknowledge that it may play a crucial indirect role in improving outcomes for at-risk students. (Contains 17 references.) (AJ) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (33K)

Descriptors:
Action Research; Adult Education; Annotated Bibliographies; Bias; Career Education; Case Studies; Constructivism (Learning); Critical Theory; Educational Research; Epistemology; Ethnography; Evaluation Methods; Experimenter Characteristics; Feminism; Glossaries; Hypothesis Testing; Literature Reviews; Longitudinal Studies; Methods Research; Organizational Theories; Participant Observation; Personal Narratives; Phenomenology; Postmodernism; Postsecondary Education; Qualitative Research; Realism; Research Design; Research Methodology; Rhetorical Theory; Social Science Research; Statistical Analysis; Technical Education; Technology Education; Theory Practice Relationship; Values; Vocational Education

Abstract:
Directed at practitioners in adult and career education, this document defines qualitative research, compares qualitative research to quantitative research, describes the "war" between proponents of each kind of research, describes how to assess qualitative research, and explains how to choose and use qualitative techniques. Pitfalls of using these techniques are also covered. The major narrative portion explains a variety of qualitative research methods and how they can be used in adult, career, and career-technical education. An annotated bibliography of 38 articles published between 1992 and 2002 presents qualitative research approaches. A further resource list of 22 websites, journals, books, and articles is included, as is a glossary of 7 philosophical terms used elsewhere to distinguish between qualitative and quantitative research. The bibliography lists 31 references used in the review of literature. (AJ) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (424K)

Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Academic Education; Career Academies; Case Studies; College Graduates; Dropout Prevention; Dropout Rate; Dropout Research; Dropouts; Education Work Relationship; Educational Research; Employment Level; Employment Potential; Employment Qualifications; Entry Workers; Graduation Requirements; High Risk Students; High School Graduates; Integrated Curriculum; Interviews; Literature Reviews; Longitudinal Studies; Magnet Schools; Outcomes of Education; Postsecondary Education; Potential Dropouts; Regression (Statistics); Sampling; School Holding Power; Secondary Education; Socioeconomic Status; Statistical Bias; Statistical Data; Surveys; Urban Schools; Vocational Education

Abstract:
Since 1982, studies have shown statistical evidence that career and technical education (CTE) can play a role in reducing the number of high school dropouts, especially among students who are at high risk of dropping out. Case studies at several High Schools That Work sites showed improvements in retention and graduation at the same time that academic achievement and graduation requirements were increased. Strong evidence that CTE can help reduce dropout rates also comes from studies of career academies. In particular, statistical evidence seems strongest when CTE involves an emphasis on learning both academic and CTE knowledge and skills. (18 references) (AJ) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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 ERIC Full Text (125K)

Descriptors:
Adult Education; Conventional Instruction; Definitions; Delivery Systems; Distance Education; Educational Benefits; Educational Practices; Educational Research; Educational Strategies; Educational Technology; Educational Trends; Guidelines; Information Technology; Instructional Design; Interaction; Teacher Student Relationship; Teaching Methods; Theory Practice Relationship; Trend Analysis; Vocational Education

Abstract:
Both face-to-face and distance learning methods are currently being used in adult education and career and technical education. In theory, the advantages of face-to-face and distance learning methods complement each other. In practice, however, both face-to-face and information and communications technology (ICT)-based distance programs often rely on transmissionist, teacher-centered provision of information rather than on interactive, student-centered construction of knowledge. Nevertheless, these two themes clearly emerge as the most frequently cited strengths of blended approaches: the personal contact allowed by face-to-face classroom learning and the flexibility allowed by distance learning. The following themes emerge from the discussions of effective blends of face-to-face and distance learning methods: (1) good practice in planning, monitoring, and managing distance learning has much in common with good practice of programs delivered through any mode; (2) the pedagogy of learning must be suited to the requirements of the content and needs of the learner and can be combined with face-to-face learning in various proportions; (3) distance learner engagement and interaction is critical and can be addressed by appropriate design and use of ICT; (4) like face-to-face students, distance students need appropriate preparation for participation and follow-up support; and (5) ICT must be used judiciously. (Contains 17 references.) (MN) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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