This paper provides school district administrators with a structured method for developing school programs aimed at reducing the risk of adolescent dropout. The methodology encompasses problem definition, fact finding, mission management, overcoming inertia, cohering programs tied to theory, feasible goal-setting, and normative personnel…

This report is intended as a resource for all those interested in staff development, especially in the tertiary education context. It describes the staff development project in the first two years of a new tertiary college--Harlow Technical College in England. An introduction and a description of the context of the project begin the report.…

Over a 15-year period the use of computer technology in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools increased dramatically, expanding from a small operation supporting the finance department to a full system with applications in all aspects of administration at the central office and local school levels as well as in instruction. Four of the…

Metaphors influence, in many ways, methods and ways of thinking, including the planning and implementation of inservice teacher education programs. Inservice programs are often not considered successful; writers, developers, producers, and potential adopters of the programs should become aware of their metaphoric stance. Three metaphors commonly…

A progress report is presented on the planning and implementation processes involved in improving the teacher education program at Bloomsburg University (Pennsylvania). Based upon a survey and analysis of faculty opinion, a review was made of all aspects of the programs in teacher education. The process of planning for change was divided into 7…

This case study describes the evolution of a Master's program in community psychology from its inception in 1976 through 1984. Yin's (1978) discussion of the critical events in the routinization of innovations and his emphasis on passages and cycles are used to analyze the development of the Master's program in community psychology at Indiana…

An attempt to identify methods of human resource management that emerge as schools and classrooms become more effective, this literature review emphasizes the importance of administrator "support functions," which include feedback to teachers, monitoring of teacher and student performance, incentives for teachers, and visible commitment…

Starting from the debate over the utility, or possibility, of educational planning, the author covers its theory and practice, concepts of educational reform, and philosophies of education. He first summarizes various critics' arguments against educational planning and then, using evidence from 95 nations' educational plans and 12 UNESCO regional…

As part of a proposed three-year longitudinal investigation of planned educational change in 13 schools relating to the implementation of the Instructional Programming Model (a component of Individually Guided Education), this report describes the baseline data from three research sites. Observations, interviews, and quantitative measures were…

BORN FREE is a collaborative effort of university-based counseling psychologists and field-site educators to reduce career-related sex stereotyping in 14 educational institutions and to broaden the range of career options of women and men. The project focuses on the development of training modules (materials, workshops, and videotapes) for…

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,…

The second 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 collection of articles covers such topics as consultation, educational change, and linking processes. The following readings are included: "Behavior of Innovative Personnel," by Gary…

The third 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 examination of each phase of the linking agent's work contains articles and papers by more than 30 authors and is organized according to six stages: (1) initiating the relationship with the…

This publication discusses application of the project management process to the management of an instructional program implementation effort. It is intended to supplement the implementation manuals that usually accompany new instructional programs to aid school district personnel in successfully implementing new instructional programs. The…

Examines the organizational implications of the recent education reform panels and commissions, including the question of expected linkage between reports and action at the local level. Looks at the commissions as ceremonies with deep symbolic meaning and the potential power to express, shape, reorganize, or create educational values. (RDN)