Article by Dr Richard Evans CGLI Learning occurs everywhere and at all times; people acquire new skills, knowledge and competences just by the virtue of their existence and experience e.g. it is truly inclusive. Learning can occur in a number of different ways largely determined by the context and resources available whether they are physical, human or financial. The OECD identifies three kinds of learning namely: formal, non-formal and informal. ‘Formal learning is always organised and structured and has learning objectives. From the learner’s standpoint, it is always intentional: e.g. the learner’s explicit objective is to gain knowledge, skills and/or
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Institutional Self-Assessment
Institutional and departmental self-assessment will become increasingly important instruments in inspection systems operated by the Further Education Funding Council (FEFQ and the Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs). Their introduction is being primarily driven by the need to reduce costs associated with quality assurance. Post-16 institutions can currently be required to report to a number of external sponsors and over the past three to four years the cost of these, not only to the institution but to the sponsors, has become prohibitive. The FEFC has yet to publish the guidelines for self-assessment and these should be available during 1997. At present
Issues Associated with the Teaching of Mathematics
Richard Evans is concerned about the quality of new maths teachers. A recent feature in the Observer (1) highlighted some of the consequences of the current recession namely the migration of people from the private sector in areas such as banking, IT, PR executives and journalism into teaching. 13,500 career changers have applied for teacher training programmes – this represents a 35% increase over the past year. Coupled with more applications from graduates this has made entering teaching a more competitive activity. So how does this increased flow of teachers align with the impending massive cuts in the public services?
Labour Market Research and Information
Three key questions successive Government have failed to tackle adequately are: How is the supply of sources of labour and skills changing? How is the demand for labour changing? How is the balance between supply and demand changing? In this article Dick Evans examines the consequences. These are the questions that drive and in form labour market research and information. In spite of an immense amount of effort over many years skills gaps and shortages continue to occur. Skills gaps and shortages occur when there is an imbalance in the labour market namely a mismatch between the demand for and
Learning Banquet or Dog’s Dinner?
Dick Evans helps us make sense of the Learning and Skills Bill and the changes that will affect us all in the years ahead. In December 1999, the DfEE published the Bill that will establish the Learning and Skills Council for England. The Bill set out the range of responsibilities for the Council, which would include: * planning and funding post-16 further education and work-based training. * assuring the quality of provision that the Council funds, and * taking forward a strategy for quality improvement. As a result the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will take over the funding responsibilities
Learning on Whose Account?
Dick Evans looks at the problems and possibilities of Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs). Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) are one of the major elements of this Government’s campaign to develop a culture of lifelong learning. The national framework for ILAs will be launched in April 2000 and will operate UK wide, covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Between April 2000 and March 2002 the focus of the ILA national framework will be on the world of work with a potential coverage of 27 million individuals (but,it is important to note, not the unemployed) and approximately 3 million employers. During this
Learning Organisations
In the 2nd of a two part article, Dick Evans of Stockport College looks at products, services and environment. Part 1 of this article – The Learning College – last month (September 1998) began to explore the concept of the Learning Or ganisation and focused on the value associated with ‘people’. A number of pitfalls and difficulties were highlighted and it was pointed out that these are present in all areas of employment and are not exclusive to education. Part 2 focuses on the other two chosen values, namely ‘services and products’ and ‘environment’. The emphasis will again be on
Libraries and Learning
Richard Evans looks at the college library of the future What should the library of the future look like in the further education sector? An important question that needs to be asked and answered by staff in the institutions within the new sector. The sector has at long last been recognised by the Government and has been required to expand its student numbers by 25 per cent over the next three years with 16 per cent additional resources over that period. It will play a significant role in achieving the National Education and Training Targets (NETTS) which set out the
LICENCE TO PRACTISE?
Richard Evans is the Chairman of the CIPHE’s Education and Training Group. In this issue of ETM he looks at attitudes concerning licencing of plumbers. Why No Licence to Practise – An Historical Perspective I would like to focus on three inter-related issues, namely the existence of rogue traders and training providers and the reluctance of this country to introduce a licence to work for a number of occupations. These issues have sadly created an unfair and negative view of a number of professional trades including plumbing and the majority of practitioners employed within them. These issues continue to be
Managing and Creating Quality in Colleges
Dick Evans The first question to address is ‘What is quality in the context of education and training?’ Quality, after all, is subjective and it is an individual’s perception of a particular product or service and this in turn is influenced by what they experience and what they think. People may not agree on what constitutes quality, but they have a common idea of what it involves. It is about values and these critically depend on a wide range of factors that operate at particular times for that individual. Education is also concerned with a complex blend of production and