The first step to meeting the fundamental aim of any educational institution is to understand clearly what the students need. Needs assessment is a tool educators can use to help meet this goal. Needs assessment data suggest the basis for plans, strategies, and practices that may ultimately lead to school improvement. This chapter reviews issues…

Provides guidelines for organizing staff development programs, covering assessment, statement of philosophy, organization and staffing, various activities to meet the needs of constituencies represented within the institution, incentives and rewards, adequate funding, and an overall program evaluation. Stresses staff development as a means to…

This guide is intended to help bridge the gap between the goal of fitting individuals for gainful and satisfying employment and the realities of the labor market which must provide that employment. It provides occupational program planners with simple suggestions on how to incorporate pertinent information into the planning process at minimal cost…

The authors advocate a holistic approach to program development that transcends the boundaries of the sponsoring agency and provides a link between needs assessment, instructional design and development, learning activities, and societal impact. This frame of reference views the efforts of adult educators and their organizations as means to…

The Midwest Talent Search Project is an effort to identify and provide an appropriate accelerated curriculum for gifted secondary school students in the midwest. Many aspects of the project are discussed here, including testing, programming, benefits, and implications for curriculum reform. (Author/MCG)

This handbook is designed to assist staff development committees in planning and conducting effective staff development programs. Administrative rules governing the establishment of staff development programs are set forth and clarified. A model for staff development describes the following steps for developing a program: (1) establish a board…

Based primarily on the experience of three childhood injury prevention demonstration projects, this manual provides state Title V program directors with an action guide for developing targeted childhood injury prevention programs. The manual is divided into four sections: background; program planning; program design; and program implementation and…

This paper, for practitioners and researchers, is based on a computer search of the ERIC database and other references, and organizes and summarizes the literature on needs assessment in counseling, guidance, and personnel services. Following the brief introduction, a definition of terms used in the paper and a discussion of the purposes and…

A three-step process for developing a program to help youth learn independent living skills is described. The steps are: (1) identifying and ranking specific skills; (2) developing curriculum packages; and (3) involving adults from the local community to help teach those skills to youth. A list of 20 independent living skills is offered along with…

A group of 72 professionals from the field of gerontology attended a consultation designed to articulate the learning and professional development needs of those who work with elderly persons. During the consultation, a series of three small group discussions were held. These discussions indicated that continuing education courses and professional…

This booklet is designed to assist community colleges in the design and implementation of staff and organizational development programs and reviews relevant issues and provides practical ideas for successful development efforts. After chapter I briefly introduces the audience for and intent of the booklet, chapter II describes 12 development…

This guide contains information from the alcoholism literature and from interviews with people in state alcoholism agencies, major professional associations, and public and private service programs. It is designed to help readers plan and develop community alcoholism programs by providing an overview of the many considerations involved in starting…

Describes community assessment component of four-part training model designed to prepare doctoral students to carry out mental health promotion projects in rural settings. Incorporates windshield survey, ratings of community impressions, archival data, community leadership analysis, key informant interviews, person along-the-street interviews,…

This handbook for administrators of school district mathematics programs outlines a set of procedures for implementing the Pennsylvania Comprehensive Mathematics Plan (PCMP) and provides a degree of standardization and a planning framework to encourage the communication of related ideas and successes. The procedural steps, instruments, checklists,…

Developed for use in New York State elementary school social studies program evaluations, this guide outlines procedures and suggests the design of forms for identifying key questions, gathering and analyzing relevant data, and developing plans for program improvements. It is intended to assess strengths and weaknesses within current programs as a…