The International Society for Performance Improvement has always been divided by two often-conflicting views of what its purpose or mission really is. Is it primarily technology focused (focusing on the development and promotion of the field) or member focused (focusing on members' interests and their professional development)? This difference in…

This research paper is about the role of the principal in enabling teacher leadership for pedagogical innovations and school improvement studied in two Innovative Designs for Enhancing Achievements in Schools (IDEAS) schools in Singapore and Australia over a 3-year period from 2005 to 2007. The research reported is based on the developing…

Although most teachers are finished with their formal education, their desire to learn has not been extinguished. As important as initial teacher and administrator preparation are, the ability of a school leadership team to maximize the potential of each staff member is perhaps even more important to helping each student realize his or her…

Successful performance improvement efforts draw from such disciplines as psychology and systems theory, and from the fields of instructional design and human resource development. Both knowledge management and organizational learning are valuable additions to the human performance technologist's repertoire for performance analysis and intervention…

Provides instructional developers' (ID) insights and observations based on the experiences of a training and development organization, Sprint's University of Excellence (UE), as it evolved from a small group of 20-25 individuals in 1990 to a large business unit comprising almost 400 individuals in 1999. Discussion includes course development…

When Palmdale School District and Pivot Learning Partners entered into their first contract in 2006, neither organization foresaw the magnitude and complexity the relationship would take over time. Pivot Learning Partners (formerly known as Springboard Schools) is a non-profit service provider that first entered the Palmdale School District…

Presents an approach for linking organizational goals with media selected to deliver training. Outlines three levels of organizational assessment: systemic, performance, and training. Describes the media analysis process that considers instructional and cost- and project-constraint factors for arriving at the most appropriate delivery media. (AEF)

There are a number of problems posed by employee evaluation, and professional development often suffers from similar issues. Suppose employee evaluation and professional development were intertwined in a collaborative and evolving relationship, and both components were brought to bear on linking individual and company goals. The answer is the…

It is argued that administrators cannot increase their administrative capabilities in isolation from the rest of the institution. The motivation to achieve a high level of competence must be supported at the institutional level. An approach to the simultaneous development of administrators and institutions is outlined. (Author/JMD)

The Administrator Professional Development Program, sponsored by the Howard University Teacher Corps, began in the spring of 1978. Its participants include principals, assistant principals, and one special education director from a low socioeconomic area of Washington, D.C., and a university facilitator. The goals and development activities of the…

This report focuses on six areas in which policymakers can take action to enhance outcomes for students along the educational pipeline and thus increase the supply of knowledge workers. These areas include: (1) Promoting access to education and training and improving the alignment of adult and workforce education systems and postsecondary…

The Southern Regional Education Board has embarked on a yearlong study of educational leadership in light of states' new accountability systems and standards. The effort aims to answer questions raised by this changing leadership role: What do we want school leaders to know and be able to do to improve student achievement? How can these qualities…