In chemistry, a catalyst accelerates change without being depleted. As we seek school improvement, we need sustainable, scalable changes, and therefore catalytic structures are ideal. From communities of practice to professional learning communities to Networked Improvement Communities (NICs) much has been made in the scholarly and consultancy…

In this paper the author introduces a very practical model to guide school leaders/managers into supporting parental involvement and engagement in their schools. The model is called the Dual Navigation Approach (DNA). This rubric is based on six meta-analyses that he conducted over the last fifteen years. What is presented therefore is a…

Programs that address the needs of low-income parents and children at the same time may hold promise for reducing the transmission of poverty across generations. Contemporary programs of this type address some key weaknesses that may have limited the effectiveness of earlier such approaches, including too little attention paid to the quality,…

In 2011, pepnet 2 launched the Deaf Learner Initiative (DLI). The goals of this initiative were to examine the existing paradigms, programs, pedagogy and relevant research related to the educational and vocational needs of deaf learners. The DLI was comprised of a variety of activities including the Deaf Learner Symposium, the creation of three…

This guide is a strategic "ground level" guide for presidents and chancellors and other campus leaders that offers a working definition of public engagement for institutions of higher education, provides examples of campus-wide commitment to engagement initiatives, and proposes concrete actions for institutions, public policy makers, and…

The paper is a product of the 3-year project, "Functional Mainstreaming for Success," designed to develop a model for instructional mainstreaming of handicapped children (3-6 years old) in community settings. The paper reviews research on parent involvement in their children's mainstreaming along with variables that may promote or discourage…

Attempts to outline a curriculum theory for initial teacher education and a conceptual model of professionalism. Addresses occupational content, the nature of the professional role and learning, professional competence, knowledge, and curriculum and teaching. Criticizes the trend toward more school-based initial training of teachers. Argues that…

Lengthy abstracts of two journal articles and two Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) microfiche documents on the principal's role in educational innovation and change are presented. The introduction lists eight points on the principal's role which are suggested by the articles and documents. Summaries are provided for the following:…

A model for developing a spirit of volunteerism and social responsibility among students on a college campus is outlined. The model incorporates five phases of student development that accompany community service participation. Suggestions are made for implementing such a model effectively within the student affairs function. (MSE)

A survey of 1,191 university presidents, provosts, and faculty investigated the degree to which governance is shared in the institutions and the respondents' attitudes about nine aspects of shared governance. Results indicated that perceptions of the level of shared governance were correlated with participant attitudes about the quality of the…

Although there is some important scholarly work on the problem of workplace mistreatment/abuse, theoretical or empirical work on abusive school principals is nonexistent. Symbolic interactionism was the theoretical structure for the present study. This perspective on social research is founded on three primary assumptions: (1) individuals act…

The organizational model was designed to allow faculty members in a large academic department to participate in decisions concerning courses, curriculum, and programs. Rather than encouraging faculty to work independently on teaching and committee assignments, the model promotes the sharing of information, teamwork, and interdepartmental…

The paper is a product of the 3-year project, "Functional Mainstreaming for Success," designed to develop a model for instructional mainstreaming of handicapped children (3-6 years old) in community settings. The model was implemented with three mainstreamed preschool classrooms in which half the children were handicapped. Large group,…

General and specific strategies useful in facilitating an integrated educational environment for children with severe disabilities are presented. Strategies include, among others, identifying and facilitating natural supports, using a participation approach, demonstrating success locally, recruiting collaborators, communicating with all members of…

The changes necessary for creating a quality school can best be made in a positive organizational climate because any real change requires the active involvement of people in the organization, who will not participate unless they are highly satisfied with their work environment. Such an open, facilitating, nurturing environment can only be…