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Lecturers use various electronic resources at different frequencies. The university library's information literacy skills workshops and seminars are the main sources of knowledge of accessing electronic resources. The use of electronic resources can be said to have positively affected lecturers' pedagogical practices and their work in general. The aim of this study was to reference an investigation of 30 lecturers' use of electronic resources in an effort to uncover correlations between library information literacy training and increased use of web based resources (for example, library journal databases, web search engines, open access journals, and so on), increased use of web resources and improved pedagogy as well as increased use of web resources and higher publication rates. Results indicated lecturers attended the Electronic Information Resources Skills Training and that they (86.7%) used at least one or more electronic information resources to find information for use for their teaching and/or research. 13.3% lecturers indicated non-usage of electronic information sources. Most of the lecturers (53.3%) indicated that they learnt about electronic resources through the workshops and seminars. The majority of the lecturers were motivated (motivate = 86.7%; 66.7% = very motivated and 20% = somewhat motivated) to learn how to use electronic resources. Lecturers mostly got information for their research papers through the Internet (83.3%) and 10% through electronic resources. The use of electronic information resources by lecturers proved to have positively affected their work as evidenced by the results. However, there is need to mount more and frequent electronic information resources training workshops.

Lecturers use various electronic resources at different frequencies. The university library's information literacy skills workshops and seminars are the main sources of knowledge of accessing electronic resources. The use of electronic resources can be said to have positively affected lecturers' pedagogical practices and their work in general. The aim of this study was to reference an investigation of 30 lecturers' use of electronic resources in an effort to uncover correlations between library information literacy training and increased use of web based resources (for example, library journal databases, web search engines, open access journals, and so on), increased use of web resources and improved pedagogy as well as increased use of web resources and higher publication rates. Results indicated lecturers attended the Electronic Information Resources Skills Training and that they (86.7%) used at least one or more electronic information resources to find information for use for their teaching and/or research. 13.3% lecturers indicated non-usage of electronic information sources. Most of the lecturers (53.3%) indicated that they learnt about electronic resources through the workshops and seminars. The majority of the lecturers were motivated (motivate = 86.7%; 66.7% = very motivated and 20% = somewhat motivated) to learn how to use electronic resources. Lecturers mostly got information for their research papers through the Internet (83.3%) and 10% through electronic resources. The use of electronic information resources by lecturers proved to have positively affected their work as evidenced by the results. However, there is need to mount more and frequent electronic information resources training workshops.

Studies have confirmed that there is a strong correlation between employees' levels of basic workplace skills and their productivity in the workplace. Programs to build basic workplace skills have been shown to yield the following positive results: more instances of employees using reading and writing on the job, higher employee participation in meetings, employees asking more questions and making more suggestions at work, improvements in job attendance and safety, and significant gains in supervisory ratings. Research has also established that basic skills programs also enhance firms' ability to undertake more comprehensive improvement strategies. Estimates of the percentage of current workers with low levels of basic workplace skills range from 20%-40%. Companies interested in developing basic workplace skills programs can obtain help from the following sources: community colleges, adult education centers in school districts, nonprofit community-based organizations, for-profit training firms, and volunteer basic skills programs. Financial assistance may be available to companies in the form of federal/state grants, tax credits, or cost sharing arrangements with unions. Many community colleges and volunteer organizations charge only a portion of the costs associated with developing and delivering programs. The National Workforce Assistance Collaborative offers several tools to help companies start basic skills programs. (MN)

An efficacy study for REST 2.0, a preventative workplace wellbeing programme aiming to improve and/or maintain participants psychological skills and promote good mental health and productivity

An efficacy study for REST 2.0, a preventative workplace wellbeing programme aiming to improve and/or maintain participants psychological skills and promote good mental health and productivity

The Colorado Workplace Learning Initiative was organized for the following purposes: (1) to design and implement a process for public/private partnerships to address workplace literacy; (2) to establish an effective method for curriculum adaptation and development based on specific workplace needs; (3) to provide accessible, relevant, and effective instruction at five demonstration sites (thus meeting the workplace literacy needs of more than 1,000 Colorado workers); and (4) to evaluate the project in order to ensure the creation of a valid statewide model. Business and community college partnerships at five different sites were formed in order to achieve these goals. During the project, curriculum guides were developed for eight literacy areas in mathematics, reading, and writing, with each guide containing materials for several courses developed by the community colleges. Programs were implemented and for the most part completed successfully, with more than 60 percent of participants experiencing improvement in the quality or quantity of their work. This report contains materials from the five program sites and a summary and analysis. Appendixes include an initial interview guide, a follow-up interview guide, a participant survey, a comparison of training evaluation instruments, and project profiles. The report also contains 11 references; an annotated resource guide to articles, assessment and testing materials, books, catalogs, computer-based programs, literacy projects, literature and reports, organizations and associations, and video courses; and a public relations guide. A program and other materials from the "Workplace Learning Showcase," a discussion meeting held September 22, 1992 in Aurora, Colorado, are also attached. (KC)

The Colorado Workplace Learning Initiative was organized for the following purposes: (1) to design and implement a process for public/private partnerships to address workplace literacy; (2) to establish an effective method for curriculum adaptation and development based on specific workplace needs; (3) to provide accessible, relevant, and effective instruction at five demonstration sites (thus meeting the workplace literacy needs of more than 1,000 Colorado workers); and (4) to evaluate the project in order to ensure the creation of a valid statewide model. Business and community college partnerships at five different sites were formed in order to achieve these goals. During the project, curriculum guides were developed for eight literacy areas in mathematics, reading, and writing, with each guide containing materials for several courses developed by the community colleges. Programs were implemented and for the most part completed successfully, with more than 60 percent of participants experiencing improvement in the quality or quantity of their work. This report contains materials from the five program sites and a summary and analysis. Appendixes include an initial interview guide, a follow-up interview guide, a participant survey, a comparison of training evaluation instruments, and project profiles. The report also contains 11 references; an annotated resource guide to articles, assessment and testing materials, books, catalogs, computer-based programs, literacy projects, literature and reports, organizations and associations, and video courses; and a public relations guide. A program and other materials from the "Workplace Learning Showcase," a discussion meeting held September 22, 1992 in Aurora, Colorado, are also attached. (KC)

The Colorado Workplace Learning Initiative was organized for the following purposes: (1) to design and implement a process for public/private partnerships to address workplace literacy; (2) to establish an effective method for curriculum adaptation and development based on specific workplace needs; (3) to provide accessible, relevant, and effective instruction at five demonstration sites (thus meeting the workplace literacy needs of more than 1,000 Colorado workers); and (4) to evaluate the project in order to ensure the creation of a valid statewide model. Business and community college partnerships at five different sites were formed in order to achieve these goals. During the project, curriculum guides were developed for eight literacy areas in mathematics, reading, and writing, with each guide containing materials for several courses developed by the community colleges. Programs were implemented and for the most part completed successfully, with more than 60 percent of participants experiencing improvement in the quality or quantity of their work. This report contains materials from the five program sites and a summary and analysis. Appendixes include an initial interview guide, a follow-up interview guide, a participant survey, a comparison of training evaluation instruments, and project profiles. The report also contains 11 references; an annotated resource guide to articles, assessment and testing materials, books, catalogs, computer-based programs, literacy projects, literature and reports, organizations and associations, and video courses; and a public relations guide. A program and other materials from the "Workplace Learning Showcase," a discussion meeting held September 22, 1992 in Aurora, Colorado, are also attached. (KC)

Building the Right Skills for Human Capital summarizes the findings from the 2019 skills survey for the adult Kyrgyz population. The skills measures used in the survey focused on literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology rich environments (PSTRE) and followed the same questions and approach as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult (PIAAC) surveys. Most jobs in the Kyrgyz Republic require regular use of reading, writing, numeracy, and information and communications technology (ICT) skills, and higher-skilled groups of people earn higher wages, suggesting that the labor market rewards higher skills. However, skills levels among the workforce are consistently low in absolute terms among varying sociodemographic groups and relative to countries that implemented PIAAC surveys. Results are not improving across cohorts, except for PSTRE. There is evidence that a substantial share of people is overschooled but underskilled. The lack of quality of education is an important driver for low skills performance. The report finds that higher levels of education are associated with higher skills levels, but even among the most educated, a large share has low skills scores, which helps explain why we find that a large share can be overeducated but underskilled for the jobs they occupy. Skill levels of secondary school teachers were also assessed. Teachers outperform the general population in both literacy and numeracy but underperform compared to professionals. Overall, one-third of teachers still have low proficiency in literacy and numeracy. With regards to ICT skills, the results suggest that nearly all secondary school teachers are currently not well equipped to impart ICT skills to their students. The book concludes with a series of policy recommendations at different levels of education, from early childhood education through life-long learning, including providing upskilling opportunities for those teachers with specific skill deficiencies.

Building the Right Skills for Human Capital summarizes the findings from the 2019 skills survey for the adult Kyrgyz population. The skills measures used in the survey focused on literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology rich environments (PSTRE) and followed the same questions and approach as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult (PIAAC) surveys. Most jobs in the Kyrgyz Republic require regular use of reading, writing, numeracy, and information and communications technology (ICT) skills, and higher-skilled groups of people earn higher wages, suggesting that the labor market rewards higher skills. However, skills levels among the workforce are consistently low in absolute terms among varying sociodemographic groups and relative to countries that implemented PIAAC surveys. Results are not improving across cohorts, except for PSTRE. There is evidence that a substantial share of people is overschooled but underskilled. The lack of quality of education is an important driver for low skills performance. The report finds that higher levels of education are associated with higher skills levels, but even among the most educated, a large share has low skills scores, which helps explain why we find that a large share can be overeducated but underskilled for the jobs they occupy. Skill levels of secondary school teachers were also assessed. Teachers outperform the general population in both literacy and numeracy but underperform compared to professionals. Overall, one-third of teachers still have low proficiency in literacy and numeracy. With regards to ICT skills, the results suggest that nearly all secondary school teachers are currently not well equipped to impart ICT skills to their students. The book concludes with a series of policy recommendations at different levels of education, from early childhood education through life-long learning, including providing upskilling opportunities for those teachers with specific skill deficiencies.

A number of recent policies have tried to improve science learning by increasing the number of science courses required for high school graduation or admission to higher education institutions. But it is highly unlikely that these mandates alone will materially affect the amount and quality of science education for students. Any effort to improve the outcome of science education must carefully consider the effectiveness of the science curriculum. This paper examines options for improving the science curriculum based on research, best extant practices and experience in other countries. Although the word "curriculum" has acquired many different meanings, both in the professional literature and in lay usage, this paper defines curriculum as the intended substantive and pedagogic content of science education to be presented to students in order to develop their knowledge and skills. [This document is a reissue of the July 1988 CPRE Research Report RR-006 under the same title (ED297956).]