Preparation and professional development can help principals be more effective leaders, but little research has examined what specific approaches are most useful. A study of 462 California principals and the teachers and students in their schools shows that high-quality preservice preparation for principals is associated with stronger teacher…

A growing body of research points to the substantial influence of principals on school conditions and students' learning. But how can principals learn to be good leaders? And are there professional learning strategies that make a difference in principal effectiveness? This study, which is part of a larger project synthesizing the research on…

While there is consensus among policymakers and practitioners about the importance of strong leadership in early childhood education, there is scant research on effective models of leadership development for administrators of early childhood programs, particularly those working in the child care sector. This is cause for concern because the…

Responses from 90 management development graduates (of 293 surveyed) from 1989-2000 reported that the program had a positive impact on career advancement and professional development. They believed it helped their organizations deal with and manage change but did not have an impact on succession planning or gender equity. (Contains 32 references.)…

There is growing public recognition that the most important route to educational improvement is through enhancing the skills and status of adults who work within the education system. The purpose of this document is to provide a resource to school personnel who are attempting to improve their professional development efforts; hence both sections…

The great paradox of school reform, according to the author of this short speech, is that, on the one hand, states mandate that student performance must improve; on the other hand, states do not act to improve the performance of educators. Even when the policies are the most progressive and the standards of the state are of the highest quality,…

A study compared the test scores of National Fire Academy (NFA) students who received on-campus classroom instruction and students who received the same instruction delivered by satellite teleconference. Following a review of literature that indicated no significant difference in test scores between on-campus classroom students and teleconference…

Literature concerned with management and supervisory training was reviewed and analyzed from the perspective of relative effectiveness of various training methods for improving knowledge and awareness, changing attitudes, improving problem-solving skills, improving interpersonal skills, and improving on-the-job performance. Conclusions were drawn…

Although self-directed learning (SDL) has been promoted by businesses as being needed by managers, traditional business schools have not promoted this type of learning. In addition, some adult learners are not ready for SDL, and some subjects (such as accounting) are not suitable for SDL. The concept of self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) can…

Transfer of learning from management development programmes has been described as the effective and continuing application back at work of the knowledge and skills gained on those programmes. It is a very important issue for organizations today, given the large amounts of investment in these programmes and the small amounts of that investment that…

This document summarizes research on partnerships in training. Part I describes forming linkages between employers and providers as a common business transaction and identifies services available from providers, locating a provider, criteria for selecting a provider, and how to evaluate linkage relationships. Part II describes the providers of…

The questions of how managers learn and what kind of learning really makes a difference in managers' development were examined through case studies during which some 60 managers from five well-known organizations (a large private sector firm, the British Post Office, a British government department, Britain's open university, and a British large…

This document presents the case studies from a multi-phase study of the impact of Australia's Frontline Management Initiative (FMI), which provides a framework for competency-based development of frontline managers in Australian enterprises. Nineteen organizational case studies and one individual case study of the FMI's impacts are included. The…

The New Leaders Academy (NLA) is a national leadership training program aimed at ensuring the continuity of effective leadership of, and improved practices within, youth employment and development programs. The first NLA residential training session, held at Gallaudet University (Washington, DC), enrolled and trained 31 participants (called "New…

The Frontline Management Initiative (FMI) provides a framework for competency-based development of frontline managers in Australian enterprises. The FMI's impact on businesses was examined in a national study that included the following activities: focus groups; a national survey of management development and targeted national survey of FMI users;…