CPAL's webpage on Workforce Development Research

From LiteracyTentWiki

[Below is pasted verbatim from CPAL Workforce Development Research: Overview, Data, and Analysis

CASAS: Products and Services Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System Includes a series of measurement and instruction tools—the Employability Competency System (ECS), the Workforce Learning System, the Workforce Skills Certification, and the Life and Work Series—designed for workplace education programs. Assessments, curriculum resources, and training are offered with each tool. http://www.casas.org/21SystemsProgServ/ProdctsSrvs.cfm? selected_id=198&wtarget=body

Cognitive Skills Matter in the Labor Market, Even for School Dropouts J. Tyler, R. Murnane and J. Willitt, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2000 Looks at the relationship between cognitive skill levels of high school dropouts and their earnings. Data are drawn from 16- to 21-year-old students in New York and Florida who took the GED exams between 1986 and 1990. Among the findings: higher-level basic skills improved yearly earnings for high school dropouts. http://www.gse.harvard.edu/~ncsall/research/report15.htm

Estimating the Labor Market Signaling Value of the GED J. Tyler, R. Munane and J. Willett, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2000 Synopsis of a report that combines demographic and earnings information with GED test score data (for a national sample of 1990 test-takers) to examine the economic impact of the GED. New methodology takes into account variability between states in GED passing standards in order to avoid selectivity bias issues. Provides executive summary and outlines data collected, methodology, results and conclusion. Full report available from NCSALL by request. http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/research/report_extra.html

Fact Sheet: Workforce Education National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) Facts on characteristics of the workforce, workforce education programs, and workforce skill requirements. http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/workforce.html

Improving Employee Development: Perspectives from Research and Practice B. Sheckley and M. Keeton, Institute for Research on Adults in Higher Education 2001 Applies six key principles of adult learning to workforce development and provides guidelines to creating and implementing formal workplace learning programs. Presents strategies to increase workers' skills, improve retention, and strengthen current training programs. Available for purchase from http://1stbooks.com

Integrating Adult Basic Education with Workforce Development and Workplace Change: How National - Level Policy Makers Can Help P. Jurmo, Learning Partnerships, April 1998 Traces the history of adult education and its role in workforce development and discusses integration of adult basic education with workforce development, workplace changes, and the roles of national and state policy makers. Download/view: PDF (145kb)

Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 2000 The final report from the International Adult Literacy Survey is a comparative study of literacy in 20 countries, including the United States. Offers a unique look into factors that influence adults' development of literacy skills at home and at work. Highlights available http://www.nald.ca/nls/ials/infoage/infoage1.htm

Literacy in the Labor Force: Results from the National Adult Literacy Survey A. Sum, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 1999 Analyzes literacy proficiencies of the nation's civilian labor force. Includes data on employed and unemployed adults. Results for employed civilians are viewed by socioeconomic and demographic subgroups and occupation/industry. Analyzes relationship between wages and literacy proficiency. Download/view: PDF (1,047kb)

Literacy Skills Analysis for Job Training J. Shaul Norback, Center for Skills Enhancement, Inc. for National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL), August 1998 Summarizes large-scale U.S. studies on literacy. Leads into discussion of literacy skills analysis for job training and offers recommendations and suggestions for policy on literacy skills analysis. Download/view: PDF (166kb)

New Skills for a New Economy: Adult Education's Key Role in Sustaining Economic Growth and Expanding Opportunity J. Comings, A. Sum and J. Uvan, for The Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, 2000 Argues that basic literacy skills required for economic security have changed and that insufficient skill levels among workers in Massachusetts put the state's future economic growth at risk. Defines basic literacy skills needed to meet demands of the new economy and analyzes the ability of the state's population to meet those demands. Also describes the role of and demand for adult basic education services. Presents case studies on building basic skills, examines the value of investing in ABE, and suggests ways to integrate ABE and other systems. http://www.massinc.org/publications/reports/New_Skills/index.html

Workforce 2020, Work and Workers in the 21st Century R. Judy and C. D'Amico, Brookings Institute, 1997 Examines the forces that shape the workforce and economy and the changes underway in work demands, compensation and occupations. Also explores the impact of rapid technological changes on the workplace and workers, and the need for a new model of education, training, and employment services. Available for purchase from http://www.brook.edu/press/books/clientpr/hudson/workforc.htm

Workplace ESL Instruction M. Burt, Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), 1997 Based on interviews with 18 workplace EL providers, this report examines program models and trends, challenges, and issues facing the field. Highlights five models of service-provider partnerships, including workplace-education, workplace-union, workplace-private contractors, workplace-EL, and workplace-community-based organization partnerships. http://literacynet.org/eslwp/home.html