All too often innovative and informative studies get waylaid with the passage of time and replacement of Governments. In this article Dr Dick Evans re-examines one such study and illustrates just how relevant its findings around employer requirements still are. One of the interesting facts of existence is the persistent inability of politicians to acknowledge let alone learn from history. New policies and initiatives abound without reference to or knowledge of previous attempts to tackle and develop public policy on the same issues and this sad reality is true in most areas of political life. Perhaps it is an inevitable
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Technical Education Matters
Dick Evans, well known to T Mag readers as a regular contributor, tells us why it’s important to stay up to date with history As a former student at a further education college, and having been employed in the sector for over thirty years, it’s natural that I have strong views. Many of you have been kind enough to listen to them over the years, not least in these pages. So you won’t be surprised to hear that one of the things I feel most strongly is that the area of technical education and training is not given the attention that
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Richard Evans is the Chairman of the CIPHE’s Education and Training Group. In this issue of ETM, he focusses on teaching methods. Time for a rethink? Two of the recurring themes in the history of technical education and training were the continuing negative perception of scientific and technological subjects and the teaching of these and related subjects. These critical factors have contributed to the low participation in these subjects in education and training institutions and thwarted attempts to address, resolve and raise the low esteem of scientific and technological disciplines. In addition the continuing low level of skills and the
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Richard Evans is the Chairman of the CIPHE’s Education and Training Group. In this issue of ETM, he focusses on teaching methods. Time for a rethink? Two of the recurring themes in the history of technical education and training were the continuing negative perception of scientific and technological subjects and the teaching of these and related subjects. These critical factors have contributed to the low participation in these subjects in education and training institutions and thwarted attempts to address, resolve and raise the low esteem of scientific and technological disciplines. In addition the continuing low level of skills and the
Teacher Shortages Revisited
Richard Evans returns to his theme of teacher shortages and what can be done It’s been said before but here is my take on the current situation. It’s a case of good and bad news. First the good news: the government seems to have recognised the long standing crisis associated with the supply of teachers in mathematics and numeracy both in terms of quantity and quality. The bad news is that there is continuing difficulty in significantly increasing the flow of qualified teachers let alone retaining the stock of both new and experienced teachers. To highlight the paucity of thinking
Strategic Plans — What Value?
Dick Evans argues for living with uncertainty as less stressful and more realistic There is a quotation that goes as follows: “You cannot predict the future, but at least you can plan for it”. However, in the current climate of the free market and increasing deregulation, even the second statement is now highly questionable in education particularly in the FE sector. Continual changes in Government policy, many of which are contradictory, make it almost impossible for colleges to plan their futures. It is practically impossible to plan other than for a very short period because of all the uncertainties associated
Skills Shortages Update
Dr Dick Evans continues his analysis of the Skills Shortages facing the UK, and draws some depressing conclusions. The time is overdue for real Government action on the subject. There have been a number of interesting developments and pronouncements on skills shortages recently, which further highlight this country’s inability in planning its overall labour force requirements. It is only recently that the press has picked up shortages in science, engineering, mathematics and statistics even though these key strategic areas have been experiencing difficulties for a number of years. According to evidence from the CBI and its regional offices shortages of
Skills Shortage Update
Dr Dick Evans produced a series of articles for us on the theme of skill shortages and as a follow up we asked him to provide updates on performance. This is the third update. The debates continue apace about skills shortages with all the paradoxes and contradictions that one has come to accept from this government. The skills summits meet and regurgitate all the old theories about the causes and the supposed remedies but little seems to happen with no subsequent action or improvement. The country excels in establishing committees, committees of enquiry and focus groups, which have created numerous
Skills for the future.
Skills are still a top priority for the government, but Dick Evans questions whether the agenda is valid and asks how we can hope to solve our future skills problems. Resources, human, time and financial, continue to be expended on developing frameworks and models to address the problems of skills shortages and gaps among people already in employment and those wishing to enter employment. Turbulent times require radical decisions and strategies. But will the current efforts resolve today’s challenges and those of the future? Fallout Let’s look into the crystal ball and suppose that fallout from the financial crisis is
Skills for the Future (part2)
Read: Skills for the Future (part 1) Dick Evans continues his consideration of skills required forthe future UK economy In Part 1 I briefly explored some of the current issues associated with skills gaps and shortages and the failure by this and previous governments to tackle and resolve these long-term problems. In this piece I want to address the problem of innumeracy and low maths skills in the population and possible solutions to the problem. I, along with many other committed and enthusiastic individuals and organisations, have highlighted some of the factors involved in perpetuating low mathematical skills amongst the