Education is criticized both for failure to accomplish its objectives and for the inappropriateness of those objectives. Perhaps there is a need for an educational system that is not directed toward specific, predetermined goals. It seems that educators have adapted the engineering and management applications of general systems theory. Instead of…

Revision of paper presented at California Teacher's Association Staff Conference on Problem Solving (Asilomar, California, January 30, 1968).

In an ideal educational system the relationships between all parts or components would be well defined, and every school and every subject area (business) and every course (clerical education) would enhance the system's objectives which are in accordance with the needs and goals of those the system serves. (Author/SC)

The importance of the systems concept is in its "management by objectives" approach. Outcomes are determined first, followed by assessment of input including student ability, available facilities and equipment, materials and techniques. An example applying the systems concept in an office practice class might be the preparation of a newsletter.…

The first step in establishing an educational system is to assess the desired outcomes of the task and to state them as observable behaviors. The second step is to determine the optimal learning environment for the achievement of those goals. The final step is to set up a system of evaluating the quality of the instruction and the performance of…

From the systems viewpoint, educational planning is the mechanism through which the educational system makes its goals specific and adapt its priorities, resources, and operational patterns to the changing environmental forces of its particular society. The systems-oriented administrator is a change agent and innovative strategist who delegates…

THIS STUDY DELINEATED MODELS WHICH HAVE POTENTIAL USE IN GENERATING EDUCATIONAL THEORY. A THEORY MODELS METHOD WAS FORMULATED. BY SELECTING AND ORDERING CONCEPTS FROM OTHER DISCIPLINES, THE INVESTIGATORS FORMULATED SEVEN THEORY MODELS. THE FINAL STEP OF DEVISING EDUCATIONAL THEORY FROM THE THEORY MODELS WAS PERFORMED ONLY TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED TO…

This document reports the activities of a workshop to describe and implement a planning, programing, budgeting system (PPBS) in the Beverly Hills Unified School District. During the workshop, the literature and the legal provisions were reviewed, the initial planning was accomplished, the program structured, and the goals identified. Further…

A systems theory approach to information requirements in education and in evaluation strategies is applied to decision making. Educational decision making itself involves long range planning, system structuring to implement goals, system allocation (cost), and system monitoring which provides the feedback. Each level requires differential…

Containing articles published in recent issues of "Educational Technology" magazine, this volume in the review series provides an introduction to the systems approach. Included are articles which cover management demands and prerequisites, systems concepts and computers, personnel training, accountability, systems models for educational functions…

Pressures from both outside and inside the institution are making it imperative that community colleges improve their ability to document and articulate the outputs and impacts of their programs. This document addresses itself to this issue and to the problems associated with measurement of outcomes in postsecondary education. An approach taken by…

In its most general sense, a system is a group of components integrated to accomplish a purpose. The heart of an educational system is the instructional system. An instructional system is an integrated set of media, equipment, methods, and personnel performing efficiently those functions required to accomplish one or more learning objectives. An…

This pamphlet presents a general description of the systems approach as applied to education, and gives verbal and mathematical model examples of its application in educational administration. The basic aims of the systems approach are to (1) identify major objectives of a program plan, (2) define programs that can effect the planned goals, (3)…

In a controlled experiment, the IIEP attempted to develop efficient teaching materials in the field of educational planning. Informal instructional materials were compiled from the tape recordings, transcriptions, and summary notes of seminars, lectures, and discussions conducted by the IIEP in its training and research program. This instructional…

The system approach to planning and managing educational change features the use of an adaptive framework and a strategy for planned system change. The approach focuses management attention upon (1) relevant future states of expectations or goals, (2) present and future state variables and contexts, (3) human organization factors, and (4)…