The purpose of the current paper was to trace the practical contribution of empirical papers appeared in the field's major journals. More specifically, the review posed two questions: (1) what kinds of practical messages are provided in the field's empirical works? (2) Who are the practitioners that EA field researchers address in their practical…

School site leadership has commanded the attention of researchers and policymakers in Anglo-American jurisdictions for at least two decades, but little is known about how many other parts of the globe have addressed this topic. This paper reviews published research and policy documents related to school leadership in Latin America between…

This exploration of challenges and barriers to inclusion in Nepal elaborates a conceptual framework for education development in a diverse society. As Nepal is a highly diverse, caste-based, multi-ethnic, and multi-linguistic society with very low development indicators, the article focuses on barriers to education and related issues across…

This report focuses on systems thinking and its place in education transformation. It reflects on key published literature and on specific outputs from the Education Development Trust's own programme of research. The report offers an overview of the evolution of systems thinking and the relevance for policymakers and practitioners as they tackle…

As inclusive practices and accountability continue to shape American education, special education and general education leaders will be challenged to join together in solving the problems of practice inherent in a diverse, complex, high-stakes educational environment. Professional standards provide a policy framework for the knowledge and skills,…

Purpose: This paper aims to discuss why there is often a gulf of difference between policy rhetoric and reality. In particular, the paper seeks to explore issues with the policy rhetoric, implementation process and the lens through which reality is perceived, explaining why these issues can open up a policy rhetoric-reality gap. This article also…

The popularity of using qualitative, or ethnographic, research methods to improve educational practices is increasing. However, an examination of how research findings are translated into policy is necessary to assess accurately the extent to which this goal can be realized. This paper assesses the efficiency of four strategies for increasing…

Major literature is reviewed in the course of describing and assessing the role of operations research (OR) in educational administration. Increased use of OR approaches in education and a compounding of the present disagreement about the application and potential of OR are forecast. (MJL)

This paper is based on the assumption that the educational administrator is the mediator in policy development. The author sees the administrator as caught between two conflicting approaches to policy-making--one characterized as "rational" and the other as "political." In attempting to deal with this dilemma and with the dilemma of shrinking…

This paper presents an overview of research in the field of decision theory, with a focus on problem and identification. The goal is to make the decision-making process as rational as possible in order to maximize the rational administration of the organization. The decisions associated with educational administration can be categorized as…

This policy analysis contains a historical base, a conceptual framework, and an evaluation of policies related to the implementation of program standards in vocational education. It is intended for policymakers at all levels, professional organizations, and vocational teachers responsible for carrying out the actual implementation of program…

Reviewing and incorporating previous research findings, this essay develops a paradigm for future research on the contribution of school administration to student achievement. The paradigm focuses on the discretionary behavior of school administrators in an attempt to yield implications for policy and practice as well as for research. The…

This paper explores ways in which practitioners can use research findings in their daily jobs--to keep up to date, to support program proposals, to substantiate budget requests, to improve selection of media, to evaluate services and communication, and to compare methods of instruction in the use of materials. Specific studies are reviewed and…

Discusses and critiques the "Aulich Report" (1991) with specific reference to the report's recognition of adult and community education as a sector in its own right--a "fourth sector," along with schools, higher education, and Technical and Further Education (TAFE). Conclusions are drawn regarding potential advantages and…

This paper reviews some key ideas that have emerged from recent research into administrative practices in education and their relationship to organizational culture. "Culture" is defined as a system of knowledge and conceptions that members of an organization use for giving meaning to and coping with problems that they experience. The…