A review of five of their own research findings suggests (to the authors) four strategies for preparing facilitators to help implement school improvement programs. "Facilitators" are people who support teachers in implementing new classroom practices, and can include principals, district staff, or external providers of support. The five…

The first part of a 3-part guide developed as a resource for people involved in the selection and implementation of new programs in school settings, this overview describes a wide range of linking agent roles and skills, and discusses training and support mechanisms for linking agents. Chapters address (1) the assumptions underlying the overview,…

This study was an attempt to build upon the prior work in the area of the diffusion of innovations and innovativeness. Broadly stated, the study attempted to answer the question: What is the relationship between selected characteristics of intact groups and their innovativeness? The sample consisted of six elementary schools in Massachusetts which…

A study of the effect of implementing educational innovations in local schools across the country explored several factors affecting successful improvement. This paper provides a general overview of the interrelation among these factors, with illustrative diagrams. Particular attention is paid to innovations requiring major changes in teacher…

This paper summarizes some of the main conclusions of the Study of Dissemination Efforts Supporting School Improvement, specifically those regarding the process of innovation implementation. The focus is on the contributions of potential assisters to various implementation outcomes, from which implications for policy and practice are derived. The…

Attempts to answer the question "What does research say about getting innovations into schools?" are based on the experiences of a nonprofit organization that has been engaged in staff development efforts to bring about change in schools. The paper presents a general description of the organization's operation; its relationship to other change…

The purpose of this chapter is to present a view of the realities facing those playing linking roles and to give direction to renewed efforts to develop training and support mechanisms for linking agents. The first section of the chapter presents the assumptions underlying the paper. The second consists of four principal subsections. The first…