Evaluation studies can provide feedback on implementation, support continuous improvement, and increase understanding of evaluation systems' impact on teaching and learning. Despite the importance of educator evaluation studies, states often need support to prioritize and fund them. Successful studies require expertise, time, and a shared…

Recent research into the needs of marginalised young men in the inner west of Sydney found that there are serious problems related to service accessibility for this group. This article explores some of these key issues related to accessibility including: the help-seeking behaviour of disadvantaged young men; organisational barriers, such as the…

This chapter considers the design of incentive pay systems for teachers and principals and the challenges facing policy makers who seek to design them. The author argues that policy makers must direct the efforts of teachers and principals toward schools' mission--the acquisition of skills and knowledge among children--and must find ways to link…

An operations audit was conducted for a school district. The purpose of the audit was to determine the organization of the central office and reorganize its structure and staff as appropriate to clearly define goals and objectives, specify roles and responsibilities, eliminate wasted or duplicated efforts, and functionally define operational work…

This compilation consists of various letters and documents issued for public comment during 1986-1987 by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) of the U.S. Department of Education, during its examination of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system to determine any needed changes and improvements. This…

Examination of the barriers to a regional interlending and document supply system in the Caribbean discusses barriers beyond the control of libraries and within the control of libraries. The requirements for an effective interlending system are discussed, problems with those requirements in the Caribbean are identified, and practical solutions are…

The importance and attention given to information systems are relatively new phenomena in the history of higher education. This chapter documents the ascendancy of information systems in the scheme of institutional priorities and considers the strengths and weaknesses associated with vended and homegrown systems.

Discusses the need for careful systems analysis and design in the implementation of microcomputer based information systems. Checklists of system requirements and a bibliography of relevant journals, printed, and online sources are provided. (CLB)

Reports the findings of a needs assessment study of congregate housing for the elderly. Used two models: the constant and the accommodating for the study. Suggests an alternative, balanced model involving intervention to strengthen the informal network. (RC)

Explores reasons for organizations' use of groups and the need for groupware systems. Discusses vendors; Electronic Problem Structuring; synchronous and asynchronous communication; four stages of decision-making (intelligence, design, choice, and implementation); the Windows environment; the loss of non-verbal communication; and future groupware…

Needs assessment is a young and growing field. Needs assessments contribute to effective educational planning and help educators improve services to students. Needs assessment can be used to identify goals and objectives, but probably has the most utility as a problem-focusing strategy that includes the following sequence: (1) identification of…

Practices in needs assessment are reviewed since 1981, the year the federal government changed the role it plays in promoting needs assessment in the public sector. The review is based on reports published to 1993 and indicates that needs assessment is flourishing in a variety of settings. (SLD)

This paper presents a rationale for developing computer-based information systems for use by the special education personnel of a consortium composed of 13 rural school districts, and outlines a three-function database that would meet the operational requirements of administrative and clinical staff and the informational needs of parents and the…

This guide/toolkit is designed as a resource aid for those in schools and communities who are concerned about sustaining valuable initiatives and innovations. The focus is on sustaining valued functions and collaborations. A particular emphasis is on efforts designed to enhance how schools address barriers to learning and teaching. The material is…

This report, based on a review of the literature and field visits, takes a historical and comparative approach in examining the development of higher education in China, systemically and institutionally, in the context of China's broad social and economic changes. It focuses on four areas: (1) relationships between universities and the state, (2)…