Over the past few decades, systemic thinking has gained in popularity in developmental and learning sciences. The trend has, however, shown up in gifted education research only occasionally. The aim of this article is to introduce systemic thinking to the field of giftedness and explore possibilities for its application. In the first part, a…

Professors bemoan the great difficulty students have understanding the complexity of their disciplines or functional specializations. Many non-traditional students have work and family commitments that limit the time needed to reflect professionally and to master these concepts. This disconnect has persisted despite decades of work developing more…

When 89% of high school graduates plan BA degrees, and low-achieving seniors who plan degrees have 80% failure rates, raising already high plans may be a poor strategy for improving college success. Using data on 7th-10th grade students, Domina et al. argue that higher plans are associated with success and suggest that my study of high school…

Development of validated terminal performance objectives for provision of oral health in a pharmacy curriculum is described. Following a systems approach to instructional development, an interdisciplinary committee set instructional goals, then wrote performance objectives of sufficient scope and rigor to be useful for design of didactic courses…

This paper on identifying education outcomes for students with disabilities proposes a framework for applying an outcome-based approach throughout the education system, by looking at the needs of the three major levels of the system (local, state, and national); defining different uses for the term "outcome" in order to achieve consensus…

In fall 1975 a study of the General Education program at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) was initiated to determine the appropriate role of an open-door community college in preparing students to live in and contribute positively to society. The central assumption underpinning the three-year study was that a General Education program should…

A systems perspective of adult literacy assessment stresses use of comprehensive, holistic strategies. For literacy methods, systems theory emphasizes the holistic nature of the adult in relation to the complex web of systems. Systems theory applied to materials reflects the plurality of literacies and the need for a variety of materials. (SK)

This paper examines transition from school to post-school activities for students with chronic illness and disabilities, with reference to: four legislative acts that impact transition services, seven legislated implementation mechanisms, seven outcomes areas, and a social system for evaluating services to transitioning youth. Transition…

Four articles comprise this monograph on interventions which lead to employment of youths with disabilities. Articles are based on investigations and demonstrations sponsored by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). In "Promoting Employment for Youths in Transition: Outcomes, Activities, and Indicators,"…

This paper presents a model for use by college students and their advisors as they consider an off-campus internship within business or industry as part of a degree program. The following six components of the systems model as applied to internships are explained: (1) identifying student career goals; (2) investigating potential host environments;…

This document describes the systematic approach used at Philips High School (PHS) in Birmingham, Alabama, to collect, store, and use various diagnostic tools when assisting special population enrollees with choices influencing their educational/occupational goals. It explains how the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) is used in combination with…

This paper presents an overview of a three-phase investigation that featured: (1) an analysis of Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services demonstration projects focused on employment; (2) consensus development with respect to specific employment-related outcomes and activities; and (3) the identification of employment-related…

This report identifies provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 that relate to 10 recommendations proposed by a 1996 conference of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education on the Individualized Education Program (IEP). The conference used an accountability model that views…

The attitudes and career plans of high school juniors and seniors were examined in a telephone survey of 809 U.S. high school juniors and seniors (sampling error, +/-3.5%). The respondents ranged in age from 14 to 20 years and were evenly divided between males and females. The key conclusions were as follows: (1) students perceive a lack of career…

A comprehensive evaluation of state and local progress in implementing school-to-work (STW) programs focused on the following: whether states and local partnerships have created coherent STW systems of connected, sustainable practices and programs; how STW systems have changed students' experiences at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary…