A critique of "Evolution in the Professorship: Past, Philosophy, Future," by Donald J. Willower, published in the summer 1983 issue of this journal. (MLF)

John A. Clark's critique of "Evolution in the Professorship: Past, Philosophy, Future," by Donald J. Willower (published in the summer 1983 issue of this journal) is refuted by the author. (MLF)

This introduction reviews the five accompanying articles and comments on the lack of a federal policy on educational research, urging educators to develop sound political strategy for advocating such a policy. (MCG)

Purpose: The study is a two-stage inquiry into the influence of high school principals and department chairpersons on the nature of science and mathematics teachers' community of practice participation. Of particular interest is the extent to which formal leaders influence the formation of productive communities of practice and the extent to which…

Background: A growing literature is questioning the appropriateness of a research dissertation for practitioners in education doctoral programs. Although this literature persuasively critiques the prevailing theory-research orientation of most programs and theses, it goes little beyond exhorting change and describing extant alternatives in a few…

Responds in an ongoing dialogue with Peter Gronn about the need for self-critical inquirers who emphasize openness and skepticism in research methods and ideas. (MLF)

Reviews the history of administrative theory; defines a paradigm for the study of educational administration that is a synthesis of the American experience in the international context. (MLF)

An invited perspective article relects on developments related to the professorship of educational administration in the United States. The originally Americocentric approach is now in decline as leaders seek to learn from abroad, widen theory bases, and observe new modes of administrator preparation. (Author/MLF)

Explores educational administration as a craft rather than as a science or an art and discusses the implications of this view for administrator preparation programs. (MLF)

Offers a systematic critical response to the values-oriented, nonpositivist conception of administration and philosophy of administration recently advanced by Christopher Hodgkinson. Argues that Hodgkinson's theory is much closer to the positivism espoused by H. A. Simon. An alternative, nonpositivist basis for values in administrative theory is…

Critically examines participative decision making (PDM) in education, reviewing literature of the past 15 years and evaluating the current status of research on the subject; suggests how to appropriately use PDM in schools; and surveys gaps in knowledge. (MCG)

An existential and ethnographic approach is advocated in understanding what is referred to as the being and becoming of an educational administrator. (Author/MLF)

Reports a study of the coordination, control, and assessment procedures employed by superintendents in effective school districts. Types of mechanisms and the extent of their use in directing activities are reported. Findings suggest the existence of linkages between the managerial level and technical core in these school districts. Thirty-five…

Surveys communications theory and discusses its application to educational organizations. Topics examined include definitions of communication, the evolution of communication models, concepts of language and semantics, interpersonal communication, and organizational communication. Finally, analytic techniques and conceptual frameworks are…

Persistent problems in the formal preparation of educational administrators and the background of the 1983 American Association of School Administrators (AASA) guidelines are briefly discussed prior to the presentation of an overview of the guidelines themselves. As specific competencies and skills are presented, the rationale for each is set…