The Center recently appointed two new advisory panels to assist with providing input and feedback concerning work done by NCRVE. The first panel is the "National Advisory Panel"which includes representatives of national organizations who have goals or interests in common with NCRVE, and will provide broad-based policy advice to help frame new directions for the Center's agenda. The second panel is the "Program Improvement Panel" which is comprised of individuals who are practitioners in education, particularly vocational education, at the local and state levels, and will provide advice relating to both research needs and implementation results from the perspective of practitioners.
Both panels met recently in Berkeley. The National Advisory Panel discussed national trends and issues that would effect the field of workforce development and helped identify potential research topics. Since the members represent organizations with common interests, future collaboration on projects where the organizations' goals are shared is possible. The Program Improvement Panel reviewed the work of the Center and discussed needs in the field. This panel will also be used to help review NCRVE site proposals for project assessment process.
Members of the panels include:
Phyllis
Herriage
Associate Director, NCRVE
The idea for a Distinguished Service Award grew out of an organizational need to recognize major contributions to the Center. Many of us, especially Charles, Phyllis and I get plenty of recognition for the Center's many achievements, those achievements really result from the efforts of a whole lot of hardworking and competent people who work for the Center in various, less visible capacities.
I talked about this with Allen Phelps, the President of the NCRVE Board of Directors who in turn advanced a proposal for an annual NCRVE Distinguished Service Award to the Board of Directors, who enthusiastically endorsed the concept. At a Board meeting in Berkeley this fall, the Board discussed possible recipients and quickly and unanimously reached agreement that the first recipient of the National Center for Research in Vocational Education Distinguished Achievement Award would be Lois Beeken, the former Director of Inservice Education for the Center.
The Board further decided that henceforth the award shall be called the Lois A. Beeken Distinguished Service Award.
The recipient of this annual award will receive a plaque. In addition, his or her name will be permanently engraved on a larger plaque which will be prominently on display at the National Center's headquarters. The number of potential future recipients displays a justified optimism about the prospects for the Center's future. Somewhere down the road a piece, it is my hope that when people talk about awards that mean something they will refer to the Tony, Emmy, Oscar and Lois awards in the same breath as in, "I wonder who will win the Lois this year." Or maybe the last name will prevail and we will have the Fullbright, Pulitzer and Beeken awards to speculate about.
Tonight's honoree, Lois A. Beeken has a long and distinguished career in vocational education. Lois has dedicated her professional life to improving the quality of teaching and learning. Lois has been a classroom teacher in both secondary and postsecondary education. She has taught assessment and evaluation courses for teachers and served as coordinator of professional development for student teachers and teacher educators. She served in the Virginia Community College System as a faculty member and a public information officer and assisted in college resource development. But it has been her work with the National Center which justifies this award. Starting from zero, with inadequate resources, Lois, using her substantial intelligence, organizational capability--laced with just the right amount of southern charm--catapulted the Center into a major national presence on vocational issues. Her national and regional workshops, national conferences, coordination of professional activities and most dramatically, her national teleconferences gave the kind of national prominence we sought for the Center. Parenthetically, much of our work before Lois reminded me of the last scene from the movie, The Candidate starring Robert Redford. You remember the scene where after they've won the election, Redford turns to his campaign manager and says "Now what'll we do?" After Lois Beeken became our director for inservice education, we had an answer: Let Lois do it. And do it she did.
Gerald C. Hayward
Deputy Director, NCRVE
Every year, Center documents are reviewed by experts in the field before being readied for publication. The Center wishes to thank the reviewers, listed below, who helped us in 1992-1993. (Note: if you reviewed products for the Center in 1992-1993 and your name is not on this list, please contact us so we can thank you.)
The following new reports are available from the National Center's Materials Distribution Service. You may order these documents by phone (800) 637-7652, by email msmds@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Internet), or by sending your request and/or purchase order to: NCRVE Materials Distribution Service, Western Illinois University, Horrabin Hall 46, Macomb, IL 61455.
Assessment 2000: An Exhibition
On October 6, 1993, the NCRVE conducted a national satellite teleconference titled "Assessment 2000: An Exhibition." The objective of the teleconference was to familiarize the audience with three forms of alternative assessment: performance event, student project/exhibit, and portfolio.
MDS-766 | DECEMBER 1993 | $15.00
Breaking the Mold: Educational Policy for a High Performance
Future
On September 22, 1993, the NCRVE conducted a national satellite teleconference titled "Breaking the Mold: Educational Policy for a High Performance Future." E. Gareth Hoachlander, Director, Evaluation, Planning, and Accountability Program, NCRVE, served as the moderator. The panelists included Richard Riley, United States Secretary of Education; Robert Reich, United States Secretary of Labor; and Phyllis Herriage, Associate Director of NCRVE. The objective of the teleconference was to discuss and share the direction of education under the Clinton Administration.
MDS-744 | DECEMBER 1993 | $15.00
Learning the Ropes: The Social Construction of Work-Based
Learning--S.Hart-Landsberg, J. Braunger, S. Reder
This paper investigates an unexplored type of work-based learning, termed 'learning the ropes.' In this pilot study, hospital unit secretaries apply relatively discrete skills; however, their work is more completely characterized as the development and application of a combination of skills, judgement, and knowledge within the system which comprises hospital activity. Although the secretaries' learning about the hospital activity system has a major impact on that system itself, their efforts are largely self-initiated. Forming a big picture of the context of their own work enables them to develop the underlying capabilities which are essential to their continual learning and effective job performance. Theoretical and practical implications are drawn for the workplace and vocational education.
MDS-413 | NOVEMBER 1993 | $6.00
Establishing Integrated Tech Prep Programs in Urban Schools--Plans
Developed at the NCRVE 1993 National Institute
The NCRVE held its third National Institute in Berkeley, California in July of 1993. Ten teams of vocational and academic educators, selected through a competitive application process, participated in this Institute. Each team developed a strategic plan for implementing an Integrated Tech Prep program within its institutions. This document contains the ten planning documents produced at the Institute.
MDS-770 | DECEMBER 1993 | $25.00
Gender Equity: A Resource List of Organizations and Information
Centers--Compiled by the Office of Special Populations
This resource guide contains descriptions of and contact information for organizations, educational information centers, and human resources focusing on gender equity.
MDS-744 | DECEMBER 1993 | $1.50
CenterWork
National Center for Reserach in Vocational
Education
University of California at Berkeley
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