A preview of forthcoming content

Citation

(2002), "A preview of forthcoming content", Education + Training, Vol. 44 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2002.00444aaa.002

A preview of forthcoming content

A preview of forthcoming content

The following topics will be addressed in the next issue of Education + Training.

Six sigma and introductory statistics education

A conflict exists between the way statistics is practised in contemporary business environments and the way statistics is taught in schools of management. While businesses are embracing programs, such as six sigma and TQM, that bring statistical methods to the forefront of management decision making, students do not graduate with the skills to apply these methods effectively. Using the concept of process thinking, this article argues that evolutionary rather than revolutionary changes should be made in the way statistics is taught. The difference between the process thinking approach and the classic statistical approach is illustrated using several business-related examples.

The corporate university model for continuous learning, training and development

This article discusses the emerging model of "Corporate university" (CU) for continuous learning in the corporate world. With specially tailored training, CUs aim at improving the productivity and skills of employees using the latest advances in information and telecommunication technology. Training in this model particularly is more responsive to corporate needs than other learning intervention methods and adds value to the company business goals by helping recruit and retain talent. Their special focus of CUs is on disseminating common culture and driving changes in the entire organisation. The article presents, briefly, the main characteristics of corporate universities and three examples. The article suggests that the CU model is sustainable to suit continuous employee learning and skill development and highlights the new approach of "active learning" that is increasingly being adopted as the future tool for training and development.

The utilisation of NVQs in higher education

In 2000 a survey was undertaken in an attempt to establish a sustainable, coherent database of empirical information on NVQ level 3, 4 and 5 activity in English and Welsh Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). As a result of this work, a report, The Utilisation of NVQs in Higher Education in England and Wales, which set out the survey findings, was produced. This article reviews the findings of the data collection and highlights a range of issues concerned with accurate and consistent reporting of data by organisations charged with this responsibility. The penetration of NVQs into higher education is discussed and reference made to a number of case studies. These studies offer valuable insights into the ways in which various institutions have addressed the problems of the integration of NVQs into higher education provision.

The effects of term-time employment on academic performance

The article reports on a study which aimed to examine to what extent students' academic performance is affected by their part-time, term-time employment and to explore individual perceptions of the phenomena using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study was conducted during the academic year 1999/2000 and involved full-time undergraduates from the BA in business studies programme at the University of Brighton, UK. A total of 12 semi-structured individual interviews were conducted and a quantitative dimension was included to provide a more objective picture to the student perceptions. The key findings are discussed under the following headings: issues for the students; issues for the academic staff; issues for employers; issues for the institution.

The challenge of education for active citizenship

This article draws on the Crick Report (1998), Citizenship and the Teaching of Democracy in Schools, to provide a "viewpoint" on citizenship education in the UK. The article summarises the purpose and nature of citizenship education in schools and then explores the implications of this for government, the education sector and schools. The author stresses the relationship between emerging political thinking, societal values and citizenship education and that the "challenge" is to nurture a new political consensus with active citizenship at its heart. The article assesses the prospects for citizenship education and utilises case study data to illustrate positive developments and encouraging practice, although conclusions as to whether citizenship education can ultimately achieve a change in the political culture of the country remain essentially speculative.

The next issue also includes news of UK and European developments, book and product reviews, and key conference and diary dates.