Performance based assessment is currently receiving renewed attention as an alternative to conventional testing. We argue that performance based assessment, supported by a microcredentialing system, is particularly well suited to corporate environments that stress strategic development of their workforce capacities. There are important…

In the tight budget atmosphere of recent years, schools may have chosen to do without a dean of faculty or, at best, to double- hat another middle manager with this responsibility. This is a mistake. That all private schools do not have a dedicated dean of faculty suggests a lack of emphasis on the very component of the school--the faculty--that…

This article shows how OBM research and practice can incorporate tools from IOP to achieve an effective and socially valid organizational improvement strategy. After a brief review of both fields, a project is described in a major domestic corporation illustrating a synthesis of OBM and IOP techniques. Value-added repair service was targeted for…

Bob Uecker, the Milwaukee Brewers' quipping radio broadcaster, makes his brief and lackluster career as a major league catcher the subject of much of his humor. About catching the knuckleball, Uecker famously said, "I always thought the knuckleball was the easiest pitch to catch." Of course, there is an even better way to catch a knuckleball, and…

Student affairs is a relatively new profession and has changed in significant ways in response to new developments in higher education, innovations in practice, new conceptual paradigms, and changing economic and political conditions. As a result there is much debate about the core mission and purpose of student affairs and whether it is possible…

Response to intervention is a school reform movement embracing the academic and behavioral needs of all students, including those with gifts and talents. With the implementation of response to intervention in schools across the country, education is in the midst of a significant systems change that is affecting the roles of the school…

In the world of campus IT hiring, think of certifications as the equivalent of the SATs. They're just one component of the overall application, along with the interview, past performance, and references. If the candidate is accomplished and well rounded, the SATs--or certifications--can be more of a checklist item. Otherwise, they may make the…

In this article, the authors argue that the relevance of student affairs depends on the will to redefine the mission, structures, and practices to provide the leadership that institutions require. They begin with an overview of challenges to higher education and student affairs, examine the implications of those challenges for student affairs, and…

Describes a five-step approach to performance management which includes (1) redefining tasks; (2) identifying skills; (3) determining what development tools are necessary; (4) prioritizing skills development; and (5) developing an action plan. Presents a hiring model that includes job analysis, job description, selection, goal setting, evaluation,…

Explains how the use of performance analysis technology in a hospital improved job performance, thereby generating dollar benefits and cost savings. The variables involved in this analysis are discussed in detail, and a case study illustrating its efffectiveness is included. (MBR)

The authors of this article state that, as literacy coaches negotiate complex tasks in their work with teachers, they assume dual roles. The authors review the evolution of International Reading Association (IRA) standards, paying particular attention to the roles of literacy coach and literacy coordinator. The authors then present data on the…

Over the past year the author has conducted user, task and context analyses as part of a larger project to develop a knowledge management (KM) system for the U.S. Navy. In this piece he shares that experience as well as point out a few of the challenges that he encountered. Ideally, this account will provide the opportunity for others to compare…

Discussion of performance improvement focuses on work processes. Highlights include a definition of process; types of process steps, including operational and nonoperational; desired process characteristics, including high reliability and low variability; a comparison of two different processes; and suggestions for process improvement, including…

The call for highly qualified teachers that can improve student literacy performance has led to increased attention to job-embedded approaches to professional learning. Such approaches call for intensive, on-going efforts that include coaching and feedback (National Staff Development Council, 2001; American Educational Research Association, 2005)…

Three workshops were held for the purpose of identifying principal competencies in four roles involved in the administration of community education: superintendent, district coordinator, principal, and building director. The first workshop provided initial lists of competencies by roles. The second workshop produced the list of edited competency…