Argues that philosophical, programmatic, and curricular features of gifted education programs can and should "spill over" to improve general education; outlines means of preparing for and initiating such "spillovers." (MCG)

This manual was written for the Wisconsin Program for the Renewal and Improvement of Secondary Education (WRISE) to help schools develop their own capability for systematically improving their educative processes from year to year, using existing resources. The program, which has been tested and found effective, indicates general procedures,…

Having worked for several years with three Wisconsin school districts, the author describes the metaplan that emerged for developing districtwide improvement plans. He presents a completed plan to clarify the process. The participating school districts welcome inquiries. (Author/TE)

Strategic planning is a process by which the guiding members of an organization envision its future and develop tactics to achieve that future. This paper discusses the nature and purposes of strategic planning in educational organizations, and presents a 10-step generic model to illustrate the basic components of strategic planning. These 10…

The emergence of the discourse around learning and teaching is one of the more remarkable phenomena of the last decade in higher education. Increasingly, universities are being required to pay greater attention to improving teaching and enhancing student learning. This book will help universities and colleges achieve these goals through an…

Total Quality Management is described as a means for developing institutionwide participation in planning and implementing a continuous college improvement process and is contrasted with more traditional student outcomes assessment. Examples of using this approach to effect process improvement, comprehensive ownership and responsibility,…

Effective schools have staffs that stress the importance of educational goals and have a well-defined mission. They also clearly communicate the expectation that all students can and will reach the stated goals. Reviews of studies of exemplary schools find that the principals express high expectations for both teacher and student performance,…

Many colleges and universities are engaged in new efforts to assess the outcomes they produce. As a first step, these institutions usually examine their mission statement, goals, and objectives. These form the foundation for assessment but they are also fundamental tools for enhancing institutional effectiveness in general. This handbook was…

Program and professional development staff in adult education currently employ a variety of strategies to select professional development materials, but generally lack a systematic selection approach. Selections are often based on familiarity rather than quality or how well-suited the materials are to the learning goals of instructors and the…

In this collection of essays, a wide range of issues relevant to curriculum development are explored and problem-solving suggestions are offered. The ten selections discuss the following topics: (1) deficiencies in administrators' human relations skills that may hinder democratic decision-making; (2) inservice techniques and philosophical…

One way for colleges to meet the demand for a wider range of learning opportunities for adults in Great Britain is to provide more flexibility within the further education system. The concept of flexible learning involves the modification of delivery systems, specific providing agencies, target populations, specific determinants such as geographic…