WebFlash - Edition 170

Edition 170 - 16/06/2010

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Editorial Dear Web-Flash recipient… The news that Craig Venner has created artificial life was greeted with the usual heady mix of genuine curiosity, religious objection and mass-obliviousness from the tabloids (assuming I didn't just make that word up). Logically this now gives us, at last, the opportunity to create boring stuff like pollution-munching bacteria and viruses that cure disease… but far more importantly we can now create fun stuff like… mermaids, pet-dinosaurs and giant killer bees… leaving us to marvel at the joy of being alive… at the very moment we reallise how special that isn't… The ongoing bonfire of education and skills bodies does not look like easing for a while… so it would be remiss of me not to mention how fantastic we are here at Marchmont and that we remain able to do virtually anything for cash… particularly if this involves labour market intelligence, European funding, evaluations and anything at all to do with lifelong learning research… At least the World Cup is here… and following guidance from HR that we can flex-off to support our national team, whichever nation that may be… this half Franco-Dutch and half Uruguayan-Slovak Englishman is looking forward to some serious flexi-time… (for the sake of those who are welcoming the sacking of 'lazy' public servants, and journalists on the Daily Mail, I would point out that this is a joke). Ciao! Andy Quote of the day... Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can't read them either. Gore Vidal Publications and Reports Fair work: fighting poverty through decent jobs The Fair Work Coalition has come together to launch a new campaign for fairness at work for those in low-paid and precarious jobs. The coalition includes faith groups, voluntary and community organisations and trade unions. Visions of Britain 2020: the workplace "By the end of the last decade, the UK had undergone profound economic and social change since the Millennium celebrations. For most of it, we prospered like never before, as the global economy boomed and British business flourished. Then came the great recession and the shattering of the illusion that growth would – somehow – never end". Interesting report from Friends Provident State of the nation report: poverty, worklessness and welfare dependency in the UK This report sets out a comprehensive assessment of poverty in the UK at the start of the new Government, establishing a clear ‘state of the nation’ overview that will be used to inform policy decisions in the months and years ahead as the Government advances its aims of tackling poverty and improving life chances. Tackling worklessness: understanding the role of Jobcentre Plus and contracted providers This Guide provides further detail of this provision, setting out the respective roles of Jobcentre Plus and DWP contractors. It highlights areas where flexibility and discretion within the system has been improved and provides examples of how local authorities are working with Jobcentre Plus, DWP, and contracted suppliers to add value to their provision. Progression: moving on in life and learning This report contributes to broader understandings of progression and personalisation and how these are linked, by exploring people's experience of support in their learning and progression both inside and outside of the classroom. Opening the door: the role of social partners in fostering social inclusion It is perhaps striking that, as one of the most prosperous regions in the world, the EU should still need to struggle with social exclusion within its borders. An appetite for learning: increasing employee demand for skills development This edition of Praxis highlights a number of policy interventions that the evidence suggests can work, and proposes a policy framework for describing and understanding these. Poor schools and HE Poor attainment in secondary schools is more important in explaining lower higher education (HE) participation rates among students from disadvantaged backgrounds in England than barriers arising at the point of entry into HE.	News The future UK labour market: skills, jobs and poverty - call for proposals Joseph Rowntree are now commissioning research for the following areas: - Understanding the links between skills and poverty - International review and lessons for the UK - A forecast of future poverty, inequality and worklessness in 2020 - Alternative labour market futures Deficit reduction measures will raise UK unemployment close to 3 million by 2012 So says CIPD… University challenge Mr Willetts delivered his first keynote speech on higher education at Oxford Brookes University today. He told the audience that an innovative approach was needed if the higher education sector was to continue to meet the aspirations of students and the hopes of universities. Skills Speech by John hayes Putting more flesh on the bones of the coalition's approach to workplace skills. Fifty colleges may close - report Obtained under freedom of information laws, the report for the former college funding body the Learning and Skills Council, says 50 colleges could close as the sector "down-sizes". CBI warning on weaker universities The poorest performing universities may have to be closed so as not to hinder more successful institutions, a business leader warns. EU Latest Guiding at-risk youth through learning to work: lessons from across Europe This Cedefop study is placed in the context of the European economy gradually starting to recover in 2010 from the deepest recession since the 1930s. To overcome the crisis and to stimulate the economy, the EU budget 2010 provides funds to boost the recovery, to improve labour market activity and to increase overall EU competitiveness. Vocational Training across Europe European companies are converging in terms of the continuing vocational training (CVT) they provide. Impact of globalisation on skills and competitiveness The latest edition of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills’ Praxis series of exploratory think-pieces contends that an expanded skills supply is not sufficient to secure the UK’s place at the high value end of production or to maintain its competitive advantage.	Horoscope Leo This weekend sees you bravely save the life of a world-leader, chase a lion away from a school-bus and engineer a new strain of vaccine that will bring relief to millions… yet you will still fail to impress that good looking person in accounts… Events Employment Week (2 day conference) 24 and 25 November 2010, Brussels This most inappropriately monikered 2-day conference is still very much alive and kicking and boasting a number of major speakers and an unrivalled opportunity to network with existing, and potential European projects… still one to get to every couple of years… Managing in the Next Society – The Global Peter Drucker Forum 18 and 19 November, Vienna Following the tribute paid to Peter Drucker, the father of modern management at the centennial event in 2009 the 2010 Forum will focus on the future. “The current crisis is accentuating and accelerating the transformation of our societies and our economies. The 2010 Forum will deal with the new challenges seen from the vantage point of management”. Capita's Autumn 2010 National Conferences - Not in Education, Employment or Training London, Leeds and Cardiff The problem of young NEETs has been getting steadily worse, estimated at 840,000. Following the formulation of the coalition government, reducing the number of NEETs remains a priority issue with support across the political spectrum. e-Appendix Bankers' pay and extreme wage inequality in the UK It is well known that the distribution of income in the United Kingdom has widened considerably in the last three decades. This rise has been a result of a widening at both the top and bottom of the wage distribution. More recently, most of the action appears to have occurred at the top of the distribution with lower wage workers keeping pace with the median. The three divides: the digital divide and its relation to basic skills and employment in Portland, USA and London, England Recent studies have consistently shown that individuals who have ?digital' access' have had more education and higher status occupations. National Research and Development Centre, Institute of Technology for learning: keeping up the pace There are few in our generation who would not accept that the application of digital technology has been one of, if not the most significant factor in changing the way we live and work (Available on the internet at: Feature: Social Network Tools that Boost Your Business By Daniel Burrus Once you understand the power of these applications and how to use them in your company, you’ll quickly find that they can be invaluable tools to boost your bottom line. MoodleTool Guide for Teachers *Vigorous seedlings of training wisdom from the garden centre of HR know-how…TrainingZone…*** - How trainers can blog to win business. - Where were all the coaches when the banks went down?. - Call for more leadership training to plug skills gap. The LATEST FROM www.schmoller.net … top snippets and stories from the world of online learning and the internet … All the stories below are from Seb’s excellent Newsletter… Catching the Learning Wave - Guest Contribution by Ray Schroeder Click here. Donald Clark has posted a terse and informative, which deserves to be widely read Click here. Teaching with games - Katie Salen from New York's "Quest to Learn" school explains Click here.

© May. 2010, Marchmont Observatory, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2LU.