With the advent of school-based management, citizen committees in low-income countries or areas are often expected to oversee the functioning of schools, health centres, and other community resources. However, studies of their effectiveness show mixed results. Though members of such committees may be able to repair buildings, they often cannot…

Background: Data-based decision making can lead to increased student achievement; however, schools struggle with the implementation of data-based decision making. Professional development in the use of data is therefore urgently needed. However, professional development is often ineffective in terms of improving the knowledge, skills, and attitude…

The purpose of this study was to use a systems approach to examine informal communications, meaning those occurring outside of scheduled meetings, among stakeholders in a preschool early intervention program. This investigation expands the discussion of how occupational therapy treatment decisions are made in educational settings by using a…

This study examines how a group's dynamic changes under the influence of different leadership styles, and determines what leadership style works best in a large group expedition. The main question identified was "What roles can a leader play in affecting the dynamic of a large group while partaking in a field expedition?" The following…

Most communication research on bad news messages focuses on crisis communication, where attention is often limited to image repair strategies. The authors argue that a key indicator of an organization's effectiveness in communicating "bad news" messages is its organizational culture. Developing an organizational culture that values positive…

Differentiating instruction for individual students has been shown to enhance achievement, and professional development has been shown to be an effective method of teacher training. The purpose of this project study was to assess teachers' tolerance for and acceptance of professional development for differentiated instruction in a suburban high…

Presents the Sharing, Narrowing, Agreeing, Recording/Reporting, Evaluating (SNARE) Method for making group decisions. (JM)

This handbook contains techniques that will help community groups or other organizations use consensus decision making. The layout of the handbook is a scrambled montage of "main text" and boxes containing personal statements, examples, artifacts from the writing process, and additional bits of information. Chapter one introduces…

Defines the cooperative group decision-making process of consensus, contrasts it with voting and compromise, and presents an illustrative situation. Describes individual consensus skills, the role of group facilitator, pitfalls of the process, and use of consensus in educational settings and large organizations. (SV)

A study of a variation on brain-storming problem solving techniques. (CH)

A look at "Some People Argue Constantly" (SPAC), a simulation game designed to demonstrate the effects of social and group pressure on decision-making. (Author/HB)

Comparisons between trained and untrained groups with respect to their performance on the 12 Angry Men decision making task indicated that trained groups consistently performed more effectively than untrained on measures of decision quality, utilization of superior resources, and creativity. (Author)

The purpose of this booklet is to assist the leader, facilitator, or convener of a community group with suggestions to help the group become a more effective decision-making body. The point of view taken in this booklet is that consensus decisions, while difficult to make, are the most likely to be supported and understood by all group members.…

The subjects using either the consensus model or the participative decisionmaking model had more correct decisions on the assigned task than did the same individuals deciding alone. (Author)

Reports refinements in a coding scheme of interpersonal argument and an analysis of argument structures in consensus and dissensus groups. Identifies four argument structures: simple, compound, eroded, and convergent. Notes that consensus groups had a greater proportion of convergent arguments than did dissensus groups. (SKC)