What does it take to transform a large, bureaucratic institution with a fractured culture and a compliance orientation into a nurturing, collaborative, vision-directed organization? This report and the accompanying research brief endeavor to answer that question by examining a humanistic and systems thinking approach to cultural change that took…

Out-of-school time (OST) is a growing field that includes afterschool, evening, weekend, summer, school-age care, childcare, positive youth development, and workforce development programs (NIOST, 2000). Research demonstrates that OST professional development is critical to program quality and student impact (Weiss, 2005/2006). In an effort to…

Over the past six years, the authors have been project leaders for three distance education initiatives in Cape Verde and Mozambique: (1) a blended learning master's degree in multimedia in education for faculty in Cape Verdean public higher education institutions (2005-2008); (2) a teacher training programme for 1375 elementary teachers provided…

This article uses Wellington City Libraries as the basis for a case study of a future-focused, reorganized staffing structure in a public library network. It covers the change from why, how, departure from a building-based hierarchical structure, new staff and line responsibilities, union involvement, implications for staff training to culture and…

Following a landmark organisational change event within the University of Western Sydney, when the university ceased operating as a federation of four distinct, inter-related elements and merged to become a single entity, four foundation College Managers made a strategic decision to form an alliance. This alliance significantly enhanced the…

A series of sessions were devised to assist nursing home personnel to effectively help residents in nursing homes. Four sessions were scheduled over one month, one week apart. All levels of employees were involved in the series. The sessions were planned so participants had opportunities to practice and discuss the skills taught in each session.…

The curriculum development project at Pretty Eagle School (a private school on the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana serving 100 students, prekindergarten through grade 8) was started in the fall 1980 with funding acquired from federal and private sources. A comprehensive program of curriculum development and staff development was…

A year-long project was undertaken at Solano Community College, in California, to establish a well organized and planned program to recruit and retain underrepresented faculty and staff, utilizing funds from a Faculty and Staff Diversity grant from the California Community Colleges' Office of the Chancellor. The first step was the formation of a…

Urban African American males face complex barriers to learning and achievement. A Washington, D.C., school has designed a ninth-grade program that effectively enhances youngsters' self-concept and allows them to succeed academically. Ninth graders attend most classes in the Annex, a personalized, caring environment that subverts negative aspects…

This newsletter issue focuses on the twin themes that, together, represent the ways that programs to strengthen families also contribute to a better society. The newsletter includes the following articles: (1) "Family Center Planning Project: Family Support, Public Policy, and Community Development"; (2) "Pulling It All Together for…

The Regional Interstate Planning Project (RIPP) is composed of representatives from ten state departments of education who meet periodically to discuss topical educational issues of general concern. RIPP member states include Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. This particular booklet reports…

A method of establishing a successful inservice teacher education program is described. This method involves organizational change as well as individual change based on the assumption that teacher growth and school change are interdependent. The following set of constructs for a responsive inservice teacher education program are identified: (1)…

A University of Vienna (Austria) staff development program that emphasizes the professionalization of university teaching and management is described. The approach integrates personnel evaluation, quality assessment, and staff development, which is also linked to institutional mission and identity. A benefit of the staff development seminars has…

Describes recent state initiatives to improve child care for Mississippi children. Efforts include development of a child care director's credential, on-site training through staff at mobile training vans, initiatives to heighten consumer awareness and help parents make informed choices, voter education projects, and free yearly conferences for…

The purpose of this project has been to develop an information base about successful desegregation/integration strategies for use in developing a set of models and guidelines to aid schools in planning staff development activities. Part of the development of the data base included interviews with administrators, teachers, students, and parents,…