In recent decades, education at all levels has been seriously impoverished by a growing obsession with standards, targets, skills and competences. According to this model, only a circumscribed range of basic cognitive skills and competences are the business of education, whose main role is to provide employability credentials for people competing for jobs in the global economy. The result is a one-dimensional, economistic and bleakly utilitarian conception of the educational task.
In" Mindfulness and Learning: Celebrating the Affective Dimension of Education," Terry Hyland advances the thesis that education stands in need of a rejuvenation of its affective function - the impact it has on the emotional, social, moral and personal development of learners. Drawing on the Buddhist conception of mindfulness, he advances a powerful argument for redressing this imbalance by enhancing the affective domain of learning.
"Mindfulness and Learning: Celebrating the Affective" "Dimension of Education" shows how the concept and practice of 'mindfulness' - non-judgmental, present moment awareness and experience - can enrich learning at all levels. Mindfulness thus contributes to the enhanced achievement of general educational goals, and helps remedy the gross deficiency of the affective/emotional aspects of contemporary theory and practice.
The author outlines a mindfulness-based affective education (MBAE) programme and shows how it might be introduced into educational provision from the early years to adult education with a view to harmonising the cognitive-affective balance across the system."

Published in 1999. Lifelong learning is the slogan with which the Labour Government has chosen to publicise and popularise its values and policies for post-16 education and training under the new administration. Dr. Hyland's book subjects New Labour policy - particularly developments surrounding the University for Industry and the New Deal - to searching scrutiny and offers a number of recommendations designed to upgrade vocational education and training (VET). If we are to create a high status and high quality VET system comparable to those of our European competitors we will need, Dr. Hyland argues, to move towards a unified curriculum in the post-school sector bringing with it the abolition of the present three-track model of NVQs, GNVQs and GCSEs/A Levels. More significantly it is argued that all vocational learning - both work-based and college-based - needs to be underpinned by a common core of knowledge and understanding and crucially, be located within a values framework which gives due attention to social justice and community interests rather than simplistic and utilitarian economistic objectives and employability skills. Moreover, the aesthetic and moral dimensions of vocational studies are not optional extras but areas of vocational learning experience which are essential and foundational if vocational education and training is to be enhanced in order to satisfy current lifelong learning criteria. Dr. Hyland's challenging account provides one of the first comprehensive philosophical and policy critiques of New Labour VET developments and will be of interest to those committed to high quality vocational studies on all sides of education and industry as well as to lecturers, tutors, trainers and students working in post-compulsory education and training.

What are the values and policies which are driving the development of Further Education institutions?

The rapid expansion and development of the post-compulsory sector of education means that further education institutions have to cope with ever-evolving government policies.
This book comprehensively examines the current trends in further education by means of both policy analysis and research in the field. It offers an insightful evaluation of FE colleges today, set against the background of New Labour Lifelong Learning initiatives and, in particular, the links between college and community.
This timely investigation of FE and New Labour policy, takes a unique community education perspective to determine whether the social objectives of current policy can be achieved by policy-makers, managers, staff and students in FE institutions.
For students, lecturers and educators in the post-compulsory sector, in addition to policy-makers and managers, this is an invaluable source of information on a subject which is still largely under-researched.

What are the values and policies which are driving the development of Further Education institutions?

The rapid expansion and development of the post-compulsory sector of education means that further education institutions have to cope with ever-evolving government policies.
This book comprehensively examines the current trends in further education by means of both policy analysis and research in the field. It offers an insightful evaluation of FE colleges today, set against the background of New Labour Lifelong Learning initiatives and, in particular, the links between college and community.
This timely investigation of FE and New Labour policy, takes a unique community education perspective to determine whether the social objectives of current policy can be achieved by policy-makers, managers, staff and students in FE institutions.
For students, lecturers and educators in the post-compulsory sector, in addition to policy-makers and managers, this is an invaluable source of information on a subject which is still largely under-researched.

This is an accessible and clearly written survival guide to Vocational Education and Training in the UK. Christopher Winch draws on recent research to answer key questions such as: * Why is VET such an important area? * How can European models be used to develop VET in the UK? * How is VET structured and provided? * What are the main issues facing VET today? All in all, the most user-friendly and useful guide to VET ever published.