Over the years, careers have transformed to be flexible and changing rather than stable, life-long commitments to an organization. As such, making work meaningful, controlling the work environment, and taking the opportunity to get required training for the next job are as important as the financial advantages. Educators' careers cannot be…

While educational institutions and industry share some common elements of the administrative decision-making process, a major point of divergence is the treatment of conflict. In higher education, conflict is seen as destructive and should be avoided, but it can be handled positively. Types, common elements, and styles of conflict are reviewed.…

Increasing demands for evidence-based early childhood services and the need by policymakers to know whether a program is effective or whether it warrants a significant investment of public and/or private funds--coupled with the often-politicized debate around these topics--make it imperative for policymakers and civic leaders to have independent…

Offers administrators 15 guidelines for effective delegation, descriptions of 6 participatory decision making methods, and 5 procedures for problem solving. Discusses advantages and disadvantages of delegation and participation. (LFL)

Provides tips on choosing a school heating/ventilation and air-conditioning system that meets a school's needs and budget. Discusses how to assess a school's needs and offers suggestions for making the final decision. Data tables are provided that compare various systems, including costs, maintenance, and life expectancy. (GR)

Designed to aid in making concrete decisions on the acquisition and use of media, the criteria system and evaluation procedure described is a multiphase, objective-based decision making process. This report includes guidelines for setting up goal systems and developing criteria for the evaluation of media based on a goal system; an outline of…

Description of features of integrated learning systems (ILS) compares minicomputer- and microcomputer-based systems; provides updated buyers' guide information on networked-microcomputer ILSs, ILS courseware, and minicomputer-based ILSs; and presents educators' opinions of these systems. (MBR)

A methodology to assist decision making about the relative priorities of alternative projects developed at the University of Western Ontario is described. The method identifies the principal options for information systems development and permits application of executive judgment to the strategic importance of competing projects. (Author/MSE)

Reexamines the pros and cons of traditional basal reader and literature-based reading programs and those based on the whole language approach. Compares and contrasts classroom teaching methods, goals, and some outcomes. Includes Venn diagram showing overlap and divergence of whole language, literature-based, and traditional basal methods. (ET)

This report provides a detailed description of Decision Analysis, a program designed to help social services administrators make informed judgments about the impact of implementing various program alternatives which compete for funding. A familiar example, whether to place a child in long term foster care or a permanent adoptive home is used to…

This paper is intended to help supervisors, trainers, and teachers involved in Great Britain's Youth Training Scheme (YTS) understand the principles of participative learning and use them in teaching core skills to YTS trainees. Participative learning is discussed in terms of its emphasis on individual activity in learning and recognition of the…

This guide is designed for students and other individuals intending to live or study abroad and learn about another culture or cultures. These individuals are encouraged to acknowledge and come to terms with responses, particularly negative ones, to aspects of the culture they are visiting. An introductory chapter discusses the general process of…

Examines factors relating to selecting machine-readable information sources from the perspective of the library manager concerned with serving user needs. Professional and novice searchers are considered; remote time sharing, CD-ROM workstations, and local tapes are described and compared; network choices are discussed; and impacts on the…

A process for college and university decision making and budgeting for capital outlays that focuses on evaluating the qualitative and quantitative benefits of each proposed project is described and illustrated. The process provides a means to solicit suggestions from those involved and provide detailed information for cost-benefit analysis. (MSE)

Youth development lies at the heart of the Workforce Investment Act and the Youth Opportunity Movement. Like employment training programs for adults, employment training programs for youth should focus on acquisition of skills, gainful employment, and productive citizenship. Beyond these three characteristics, it is essential that programs for…