Describes a comprehensive model of communication that incorporates four sets of relationships within a two-dimensional matrix: systems perspective (input, integration, output, feedback); rhetoric (purpose and method in objective and subjective perspectives); transactional process (simultaneous and multiple interactions among elements); and…

A model for an integrated systems approach to staff evaluation and staff development. (MLF)

A model for date rape prevention on college campuses is presented. Based on current literature, the model offers systematic prevention strategies at the institutional level and includes a date rape assessment guide and an outline of a sample date rape prevention program to assist institutions in program development. (MSE)

An introduction to general systems theory and an overview of vocabulary and concepts are presented to introduce school business officials to systems thinking and to foster its use as an analytical tool. The theory is then used to analyze a sample problem: planning changes to a district's administrative computer system. (eight references) (MLF)

Explores issues arising from the massive social changes that will flow from the recently emerged information age to define a new approach to systems design. This approach will allow the creation of a better future while enhancing human performance, adding value to organizations, and creating just and ethical systems. (Contains 32 references.) (KRN)

This paper describes an effective systems approach for conducting physical therapy inservice training. The approach requires that the problem area be selected by staff consensus, and consists of eight elements such as "prioritizing needs" and "constructing performance measures." The approach is applied to planning and administering therapeutic…

"Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership" (Joe Jaworski) draws on a view of the universe as open, dynamic, interconnected, and full of living qualities. The essence of leadership is an understanding of wholeness that leads to a wider set of positive possible outcomes and the ability to lead others to them. Implications for adventure…

Discussion of abstracting systems focuses on the paradigm concept and identifies and explains four paradigms: communicational, or information theory; physical, including information retrieval; cognitive, including information processing and artificial intelligence; and systemic, including quality management. Emphasizes multidimensionality and…

Assesses the theoretical perspectives of marriage and family counselors (N=204). Results show that 43.6% of participants primarily adhere to the systems paradigm; 42.2% practice from a combination of paradigms; while the social constructionism is used by 13.7%. Predictor variables included the current of most recent supervisor's preferred…

The purpose of this paper is to present a model of practice termed "Network Training" which describes a structured approach to working with the network of support around an individual with learning disabilities. Within learning disability services there are many contexts in which the support system has opportunities to come together. For example,…

In this issue we describe a clinical trials study of the impact of adding specific case manager overlay services to "treatment as usual" services for youths in a Juvenile Arbitration Program. In this first article we describe the experimental intervention, the Arbitration Intervention Worker (AIW) service, which was provided to a randomly selected…

How might one account for the organization in behavior without attributing it to an internal control structure? The present article develops a theoretical framework called behavioral dynamics that integrates an information-based approach to perception with a dynamical systems approach to action. For a given task, the agent and its environment are…

Ohio's Model Industrial Technology Systems (MITS) project was initiated in 1987 to achieve the following: identify good activities in the areas of physical, communication, and bio-related technology; standardize the activities' format; and provide a coding system for their eventual use in a hypermedia system. To date, 220 activities have been…

Curriculum developers must work hard to avoid the "what errors" of curriculum development. They must avoid failing to teach what should be taught and teaching what is no longer relevant and needed. Curriculum "what errors" are likely to occur when teachers design courses so as to teach what they know best, what they were…

This book uses General Systems Theory to unify approaches to career development. Part 1 presents a review of existing theoretical literature. Chapter 1 discusses overall content and structure of the existing state of career theory. Chapters 2-4 introduce theories focusing on content; on the process of career development; and on content and…