As education becomes increasingly global, the processes and politics of transfer have become a central focus of research. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of contemporary theoretical and analytical work aimed at exploring international educational reform and reveals the myriad ways that globalization is now fundamentally altering our…

Presents a history of editorial policies for "Rural Sociology" since 1936. Discusses the role of editors and financial life of the journal. Finds continuing themes of articles center on how to develop scientific knowledge of rural life and how to use that knowledge to solve rural problems. (LFL)

Social values, educational philosophy, politics, and decision-making are examined in a case study of political influence involving the National Diffusion Network (funded by the Department of Education), which supports the dissemination of exemplary curriculum programs meeting high priority needs. In 1982, 87 directors of ongoing programs were…

This analysis of how the federal government might best promote excellence in education via instructional technology identifies strengths and weaknesses of instructional technology during the 1980's, indicates how technology might aid the teaching and learning process, and suggests how the federal goverment might best assist states and localities…

The argument is made that without proper staffing and support (a condition that occurs as financial pressures on higher education institutions increase) institutional research will not be able to prepare analyses of enough depth and sophistication to constitute a meaningful contribution to policy-making. An outline is provided as to how to…

Focusing on the elements of the federal budget process involved in setting policies and priorities for resource allocations that affect the science and engineering base, this report serves to help facilitate a dialogue within the congressional and executive branches of the United States government on science policy. Emphasis is directed to the…

At the policy level, the World Bank and other aid agencies evidence a practical orientation, emphasizing problems described as solvable by expertise and improved use of capital. In reality, tension exists between educational planning based on positivistic, technical rationality and political interaction grounded in situational considerations. (JHZ)

Facing mounting evidence that California has fallen behind on many key indicators of educational performance, policymakers and the public share considerable interest in exploring whether California should expand public funding for preschool education. This expanded funding will be most effective if resources can be directed to their most efficient…

This study examined changes in use of funding formulas for higher education among the states, the use of information about peer institutions in funding decisions, and the use of outcome or quality measures. The study used data from surveys of all states in 1984, 1988, and 1992. The most recent survey showed that 33 states were using formulas in…

The Hawke Labor government in Australia, elected in 1983, conforms to a well-defined international trend away from stong public support for education and welfare spending. This paper focuses on the education policies of the Hawke government and compares them with those of the previous Fraser government and with those of the Reagan administration…

To generate a theoretical model for future interpretation, this study analyzed the 1985 Indiana Legislature concerning educational policymaking in public school funding. Previous research indicates that the classical rational actor model of policymaking inadequately addresses multidimensional pressures at work in state legislatures. A model is…

The Job Training Placement Act (JTPA) of 1982, a federally funded program directed by individual states, provides financial assistance to any state education agency responsible for education and training. Section 123(b) of the JTPA requires states to match the federal assistance with income from other sources. This paper reports on the study…

A partial equilibrium framework (user charges/government subsidy) analyzes optimal user charges for social services. The framework is applied to Malawi's education sector to formulate policy recommendations for solving problems of high student-teacher ratios and drop-out rates. Malawi's school user fees were increased in 1982 based on this…

Agricultural extension is one component in an array including research, training, education, marketing, international trade, etc. which develop together to bring about growth, and sustained growth determines the priorities for extension. These priorities depend inevitably on the stage of development of a country or region, and on the current…