In an era of decreasing funding of the human services sector, it is imperative that the service sector be more effective and efficient. This study examined the outcomes of a management development intervention. Subjects (N=187) were middle managers in the helping professions. The experimental group was composed of 100 managers who voluntarily…

Since many senior academic administrators of colleges and universities first trained for academic careers in research and teaching, they have had minimal management training. Both academic and nonacademic officers with administrative experience find they must quickly develop the different knowledge and skills needed to manage an institution when…

A membership organization, the Harvard Principals' Center is showing that school administrators will voluntarily engage in activities promoting their growth as leaders in school improvement. The center provides an external support system in which principals are able to play a major role in their own development. (MD)

Based on the premise that the principal's role is crucial in the quality of a school, the author provides 10 specifications for working to improve the quality of principals. (MD)

This article focuses on two questions: (1) What experiences shape the norms, values, and skills of principals? and (2) How can these experiences be enhanced through formal and informal training and development activities? The article is concerned with school district-level activities and programs. (MT)

Career cycles should be considered apart from life cycles, even though the two are interrelated. This essay examines five theories about life and career cycles, and offers insights into their limitations and potential uses. (JB)

This report is published jointly by the Institute for Educational Leadership (Washington, DC) and the Illinois Education Research Council (IERC) as part of its Issues in Education series. The report focuses on two areas in which state policies and programs can have particular influence on school leadership: licensure, certification and…

Examines the current (inadequate) system of initial preparation and inservice development for school leaders and suggests potential ameliorative strategies. University programs are badly tarnished, from student recruitment practices to curriculum content and employment certification procedures. Establishing a professional knowledge base and…

Introduces a special section focusing on the knowledge and skills required of tomorrow's school principals. Articles will concentrate on curriculum and instruction, school culture and climate, legal and resource management concerns, use of technology, commitment and leadership skills, change process, organization and staff development, and…

All local education authorities (school districts) should have a policy for management development. All staff who manage the work of other adults in school should receive the appropriate training as an entitlement; for many of the teachers involved the training should be school-based. Evaluation of training is also important and deserves greater…

Examines ways to improve the potential transfer of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through professional development institutes. Discusses briefly the conceptual basis for transfer and presents specific ways to transfer theory into practice in the design of a two-week training institute offered to school principals at Vanderbilt University. (33…

This paper questions whether a focus on individual development is appropriate when it comes to attempting to change professional practice. Based on a study of the conceptual development of candidates on the Scottish Qualification for Headship Programme (SQH), the paper examines evidence from detailed case studies of the learning of some of the…

In this paper the writer outlines a case study (in which he was involved) which demonstrates the relationship between leadership and learning in an 11-16 secondary school. It will be clearly demonstrated that effective improvement can take place through the identification of key players and focused professional development. Evidence of the…

In an effort to compare five models used in delivering inservice instruction to administrators, a survey questionnaire was developed. The goals were to identify the principals' evaluations and perceptions of these models, to summarize the findings of the study, and to present the implications concerning the design of inservice education and the…

Administrator selection is of increasing importance due to the critical relationship between administration and school success. To determine the extent of incorporation of the assessment center method--a source of skill information used for administrator selection and development--into administrator preparation programs, sets of data-gathering…