Executive summaries and/or full text of recent NCRVE publications are available electronically on NCRVE's various online services. See the Cyberspace Update in this issue for instructions on how to access them.
What do students think about the new programs that link education and work? What kind of learning do they get in these programs? How does gender influence their perspectives? What happens to them when they graduate? This series of briefs highlights findings derived from a national study of students enrolled in programs structured by current education reform ideas. Of particular interest were the perspectives of students who are traditionally underrepresented, e.g., female, Latino, and Asian. Practitioners, educators, policymakers, and researchers will gain a better understanding of students' high school and two-year college experiences from these briefs.
931a: Learning From Students' Perspectives on Programs Linking Education and Work. Background information on the study design and the participants and procedures. The five secondary and four postsecondary sites participating are described.
931b: Quality Indicators of Programs Linking Education and Work. Student perspectives on three major reform efforts.
931c: Building a School Climate Conducive to Learning: Students' Perspectives. What students perceive as necessary for a good education.
931d: Grounding Career Development in Authentic Learning Activities. Considerations for enhancing students' career development.
931e: Connecting Education and Work Through Authentic Instruction. Problem solving, research projects, and critical thinking activities integrated into authentic instruction.
931f: Gender Perspectives on Programs Linking Education and Work. Equity and access in programs linking education and work.
MDS-931a,b,c,d,e,f July 1997 $3.00 each
Using Alternative Assessments in Vocational Education--B. M. Stecher, M. L. Rahn, A. Ruby, M. Alt, A. Robyn, with B. Ward
Alternative assessment is now an especially important issue because both vocational education and educational assessment are undergoing significant changes. In education, enrollment in high school vocational courses is dropping, the nature of vocational students is changing, and employers are calling for applicants who possess skills different from those of the past. In assessment, new forms are gaining popularity, such as performance tasks, portfolios, and senior projects, and assessment is being used more prominently as a policy tool. This report describes a variety of assessment alternatives, reviews examples from six extended case studies, and discusses criteria for choosing among the alternatives. Vocational educators at the local and state level, particularly those responsible for decisions about the form and use of assessment systems, will be especially interested in this report.
MDS-946 July 1997 $16.00
New Visions: Education and Training for an Innovative Workforce--L. McFarland, Editor
This volume originated in the second joint United States-European Union conference, held in November 1994. This international conference was constructed around three central issues: (1) inclusivity: the legal and political struggle for equality; (2) local leadership and the innovative workforce; and (3) the involvement of small- and medium-sized employers in school-to-work programs. More than a transcription of conference proceedings, New Visions includes significant revisions and expansions of presenters' ideas. Topics include European and American perspectives on student diversity, local training partnerships, building school-to-work systems, the German dual system, and more. Anyone interested in international perspectives on linking education and work will find this report valuable.
MDS-1073 July 1997 $20.00
1996 National Exemplary Career Guidance Programs: Making the Connection--E. S. Cunanan and C. Maddy-Bernstein
School counselors may be the crucial link between students and their chances for rewarding careers. However, meeting the needs of today's increasingly diverse students is a challenge that requires a highly efficient system of delivering services to students. The six programs described in this report have been especially successful in assisting students with their career development. Also presented are the criteria used for the search for exemplary career guidance and counseling programs; the name, phone number, and address of a contact person for each exemplary program; and suggestions for effective program implementation. Abstracts of the 1995 exemplary programs are appended. All educators interested in improving career development models will be interested in this document.
MDS-1091 September 1997 $6.00
Note: references to work, written by NCRVE researchers and published by other publishers, is included here for informational purposes.