Presents two viewpoints on the question of using funding from the Vocational Education Act to maintain ongoing vocational programs. Ballard argues that programs have improved qualitatively because of additional program improvement monies, whereas Burdette argues that the ban on using funds for maintenance treats some states unfairly. (CH)

This article serves as a concluding statement to the preceding articles on ways to improve conferences. The author pulls together themes of successful conference planning and participation and reviews the literature base for readers who wish to inquire further. (CT)

The first step in any planning process should be problem identification. Appropriate planning techniques, starting with formal needs assessments, will help vocational education control its own future. (LRA)

Triton College, River Grove, IL, has responded to the impact of advanced technologies and to a changing society by (1) modifying and upgrading programs, (2) developing new programs, and (3) developing programs for displaced workers. (JOW)

The successful operation of teacher centers is critical if the problems evident in teacher education are to be resolved. (JD)

While Follow Through programs over the past 12 years have been committed to meeting the expectations of government officials and other concerned citizens, the program now must document what is expected of the project and how those expectations will be measured. If this major deficiency is not addressed immediately, the program probably will end.…

This paper proposes an alternative means by which to produce improvement in the quality of professional convention programs. This method is one in which concern for professional relatedness supersedes a concern for individual competition. Dialogue as the first essential element in relatedness would encourage varied perspectives on research…

Reviews alternatives for revitalizing the programs and management of community college student services. As program development models, considers Miami-Dade Community College's computer-based instructional management system; entrepreneurial fee-based services; and divestment of situational or special-interest services to student groups. In…

Outlines five stops that can strengthen technical writing courses and programs within departments of English. (HOD)

Attitudes, leadership skills, technical skills, and organizational support make the crucial difference between the reactive and proactive person or organization. These factors create the unique cluster of skills that set the effective continuing educator apart from others. (LRA)

Most standardized achievement tests do not provide much information that can be used in improving an educational program. Teachers and other program developers need to know what kinds of program objectives are being learned and by what kinds of students and what kinds are not being learned and by whom. Information of this sort furnishes a basis…

Effective improvement of accreditation standards for teacher education institutions must deal with deeply rooted problems such as inadequate educational finance and staffing. (LH)

To assure accountability to educational policy developed by elected and appointed leaders, agencies and organizations must adopt high quality evaluation designs tailored to meet three basic tenets: (1) different processes for policy formation and demonstration of accountability; (2) clear accountability expectations built into policies; (3)…

The general inability of instructional developers to demonstrate the effects of instructional development services toward improving college programs is discussed, and a process for program evaluation and revision is proposed. A flow chart of the general process for continuous program evaluation and revision provides examples of operational…

Questions the effectiveness of specialized research because of the fragmentation of knowledge. Argues that inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional research are needed to restore a sense of wholeness to the process of inquiry. Discusses the importance and the advantages of inter-disciplinary research and describes such a program. (GEA)