A university counseling center engaged a therapy dog program for an outreach activity to reduce stress as students prepare for final exams at a large culturally diverse university. This article describes the rationale, planning, and implementation of the activity; presents an evaluation summary; and provides recommendations and implications for…

Researchers examined the potential of Presidents' Councils on Diversity (PCDs) to position advancing diversity and inclusion agendas at 11 higher education institutions. Researchers investigated strategies and the degree that PCDs set up agendas through the mobilization (i.e., creating vision and setting priorities), implementation (i.e., creating…

This dissertation is a program evaluation of an apprenticeship program operated by Siemens Energy, Inc. in Charlotte, North Carolina. The evaluation was based on Stufflebeam's CIPP model of context (C), input (I), process (P), and product (P). The CIPP sought to evaluate (C) current and future objectives, (I) various strategies use to achieve the…

This paper is written for state educational agency (SEA) leaders who are considering the benefits of collaborative benchmarking, and it addresses the following questions: (1) What does benchmarking of best practices entail?; (2) How does "collaborative benchmarking" enhance the process?; (3) How do SEAs control the process so that "their" needs…

While the use of analytics to promote student success is gaining in popularity, basic questions about what IPAS is and the issues institutions face during implementation and integration. The "IPAS Implementation Handbook" catalogs the experiences, observations, and practical advice from 19 institutions engaged in IPAS implementation…

State education agencies (SEAs) are under fire and face new expectations from all sides. The federal government, state legislatures and governors, and citizens themselves are calling upon the SEA to do "more"--more to improve outcomes for students, more to close the achievement gap, and more to meet the diverse instructional needs of students.…

The national qualifications framework (NQF) in South Africa has been seen internationally as one of the most, if not "the" most, ambitious qualifications frameworks. Support for the NQF at its inception was described as "extraordinary". It aimed to replace all existing qualifications in the country with a set of new…

The Study of School Turnaround examines the improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 case study schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (2010-11 to 2012-13 school years). This evaluation brief focuses on 11 of these SIG schools with high proportions of English Language…

General education reform provides strategic opportunities for departments. This article analyzes reform at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, illustrating how departments could use the reform process to clarify their strategic planning, align with institutional goals, and steer the university closer to departmental objectives. (Contains 1 table.)

During the spring of 2004, the State of Colorado enacted legislation that fundamentally changed the mechanisms through which it financed its public higher education system, beginning with the 2005-06 academic year. Rather than appropriating funds directly to institutions, the legislation created the College Opportunity Fund (COF), the principal…

This article has been compiled from materials produced and collected by UNESCO and partner organisations committed to advancing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Due to the great diversity in the implementation of the DESD at regional, national and local levels, this report highlights trends and developments that have emerged during the…

Provides suggestions to ensure the success of electronic performance support systems (EPSS) and electronic learning, including creating hybrid solutions; aligning EPSS with business objectives and performance requirements; change management efforts; and rapid application development to lower costs, shrink schedules, and improve quality.…

This guide for school improvement uses as its foundation the Concerns-Based Adoption Model which describes the changing feelings of individuals as they learn about, prepare for, use, and refine new practices. Seven linear steps are depicted as they relate to the school improvement process: (1) establishing the school improvement project: (2)…

From an institutional point of view, educational technology is a means to an end rather than an end in itself. Success in deploying a new technology therefore requires careful definition of the institution's goals and careful investigation of the merits of the strategies and tactics used to achieve those goals. This paper begins by listing the…

Presents a systematic approach for small colleges to plan effectively for the acquisition of information resources, i.e., computers and telecommunications, based on five recommendations: (1) assign task force to assess needs; (2) establish institutional goals; (3) identify the technology required to meet the goals; (4) determine financial…