First Published in 1996. The transition from school to work has always been a crucial time in the lives of young people. How and when this transition is made can have a major impact upon the sense of identity they develop, the importance they feel they have in the eyes of others, the kind of person they want to be and their view of the world in general. This book is about the nature of that transition for one small group of young people, making the journey in the new policy environment of ...

The workplace is an important site for learning in today's society. This book examines the changing nature of the work and effect that this has on the skill and knowledge requirements of individuals, its implications for employment, and ways in which these changing requirements can be met.

Across the western world, there is a growing awareness of the importance of workplace learning, seen at the level of national and international policy, as well as in the developing practices of employers, training providers and Trades Unions. Authoritative, accessible, and appealing, it presents key findings on work-based learning, bringing together conclusions and investigating a variety of workplace contexts to show how such learning can be improved. An extensive practical treatment, bro...

Adult learning matters. There is now widespread agreement that modern countries depend on the creativity, skills and knowledge of the entire population for their prosperity. Many people talk of our future well-being in terms of a ‘knowledge economy’ or a ‘learning society’ in which every person’s ability to develop new capabilities will provide them with resources that will help them and the wider community to adapt and thrive. While in theory this makes lifelong learning into an exciting ...

Social Work: The Basics is an insightful introduction to the often misrepresented world of social work. This accessible book presents a broad view of contemporary social work, exploring its roots and its possible future. It dispels myths surrounding social work, addresses media debates, and offers a balanced account of what social workers do. The book argues for a social work that is partisan in support of social justice. Questions covered include:How did social work...

Social care needs excellent leaders now more than ever. Effective leaders aim high, listen to what the service users want and need, inspire their staff and continually question what they are doing and why.This book draws together the latest research on fundamental leadership issues in social care, discussing collaborative leadership and the importance of place-based development, exploring the key disciplines of supervision, management and leadership and examining the purpose of a l...

To do justice to the postgraduate journey as experienced by the students, quotations and anecdotes from the author′s own research ... are drawn upon. These anecdotes provide vivid insights into the postgraduate experience, thereby livening up the text and providing some solace to those facing similar issues in their postgraduate existence′ - Education and Training JournalFor anyone embarking on postgraduate study, this is an indispensable guide. Packed wit...

Being a woman, raising children, succeeding in a leadership role and living a full life remains a tall order in modern Australia if you don't happen to be extraordinary. Being a woman on a board, running an ASX top –listed company, or running a government department remains an exception rather than the norm. Despite the progress made towards a fairer workplace, in the discussion about the lack of women on boards or the size of the gap between men and women's pay, tired excuses are recycled...

This introductory text examines two different approaches to social psychology experimental and critical - and is updated with new developments.

Australian universities are not happy places. Despite the shiny rhetoric of excellence, quality, innovation and creativity, universities face a barrage of criticism over claims of declining standards, decreased funding, compromised assessment, increased vocationalism, overburdened academics and never-ending reviews and restructures. In a scathing insider exposé, Dr. Richard Hil lifts the lid on a higher education system that's corporatised beyond recognition, steeped in bureaucracy and dom...

Since its first publication, Action Research: Principles and Practice has become a key text in its field. This new updated edition clearly describes and explains the practices of action research and its underlying values, and introduces important new ideas, including:all professionals should be reflective practitionersthey should produce their personal theories of practice to show how they are holding themselves accountable for their educational influences ...

Forming part of the Understanding Organizational Change series, Managing Organizational Change in Public Services focuses on the organizational dimension of change management in public services. Combining aspects of change management theory with ‘real life’ practice in the form of organizational cases from different regions and sectors, this edited collection identifies and analyzes significant issues regarding the development, implementation and evaluation of public service chan...