With a greater focus on employability upon graduation, universities are increasingly considering how the course experience links to knowledge and skill development. To assist with skill development, industry practice and authentic activities should be embedded into the curriculum. Designing and incl…
In this study, we compared students’ engagement in college and career readiness experiences between three academies and a traditional, comprehensive high school. The three academies differed on fidelity in implementing the NAF career academy model. We found that students in the high fidelity NAF aca…
While there has been a scholarly call to enhance authenticity in assessment in secondary English classrooms, whether and how secondary English teachers perceive authentic assessment (AA) and engage with it remains under-explored. Drawing on data gathered through survey, classroom observations and in…
Increasing numbers of youngsters are at risk of early school leaving. In this study, we examine educational decision-making of inner-city youth during their educational trajectories and how this could contribute to the decision to leave school without an educational qualification. Based on interview…
College and Career Pathways is an educational policy initiative widely acclaimed as a common-sensical and effective measure to ease students’ transitions between secondary and postsecondary education and into the middle-skill jobs. This article investigates the internal dynamics of the Path-ways’ cu…
Within teacher education, it is widely recognised that internships play a major role in preparing prospective teachers. The current research examines if the learning activities students’ undertake in the workplace can be explained by students’ goal orientation and their perceptions of the workplace.…
This report provides a summary of findings from an ethnographic study of workbased learning provision for 16-18-year-olds who would otherwise fall into the UK Government category of not in education, employment or training (NEET). The research project took place in the north of England during 2008-2…
The concept of 'therapeutic education' is being increasingly used in contemporary education policy studies to identify learning initiatives which are dominated by objectives linked to personal and social skills, emotional intelligence and building self-esteem. Contemporary educational goals connecte…
The University for Industry (UfI) is set to become the chief vehicle and change mechanism for the government's new policies for vocational education and training (VET) and lifelong learning. A principal target and priority for the UfI will be the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector, which…
At a time when Britain's vocational education and training (VET) system and vocational qualifications are undergoing a major review and restructuring in response to critical reports about the model established under the former National Council for Vocational Qualifications, the British Council and a…
The recent Smithers critique of the role of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) has opened up the debate about the effectiveness of this system for achieving the current goals of upgrading vocational studies and reforming the 14–19 curriculum. It is argued that, although Smithe…
The rapid expansion of competence-based education (CBE) through the work of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) has now, thanks to generous public funding and official endorsement by the Department for Education, penetrated the theory and practice of professional studies in tea…
The impact of the enterprise culture on education has resulted in a closer identification with industrial and economic activity. This has brought about an ideological and value shift which has given primacy to the efficiency of the education system in meeting the needs of the economy, and a correspo…
