The aims of university System Dynamics (SD) programs include the mastery of systems thinking skills, modeling skills, and/or application to solving real-world, dynamic, complex problems. Existing research has articulated learning sequences of what learners should know and be able to do, and when. It is called the competence development framework…

Community college efforts to increase completion rates typically involve small programs or pilots that serve relatively few students and often rely on temporary outside funding. However, small-scale innovations, such as learning communities, supplemental instruction, and mentoring programs--particularly if implemented in isolation from larger…

Discussion of personalized instruction focuses on reading education and presents a systems model for teachers called a Teacher System for Personalized Instruction (TSPI). Topics discussed include diagnosing the needs of the learner; self-paced learning; motivation; achievement; mastery learning; evaluation plan; and cognitive, affective,…

A model for course planning that provides a way of looking at college instruction and an approach to preparing effective courses is presented. It is suggested that: teaching is an experimental activity, there is no correct way to teach, a teacher sets up the conditions for learning, and both the course and teacher need to assume part of the…

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 report provides a theoretical and practical use of a systems approach as it applies to student teacher training programs. Areas of primary focus include: (a) identification of preliminary competencies for student teachers and development of measures for predicting success in student teaching; (b) development both of behavioral objectives for…

A systems approach was used to assess, remediate, and/or develop compensatory strategies in learning disabled college students. The approach consisted of four components: an analysis of the educational task, preparation of criterion measures, preparation of behavioral objectives, and preparation of instructional sequences. A task analysis was…

Performance standards are a powerful means to begin the process of systemic educational change. An educational culture must be created in which standards become the internalized goals of everyone in the system. Principles for developing internalized standards are discussed, along with appropriate government roles. (JDD)

The purpose of this learning module is to instruct reading teachers in the technique of diagnostic-prescriptive teaching, an individualized mastery plan in which learning strategies are implemented on the basis of each student's particular needs. Activities, including reading assignments, observations, and active participation, are suggested in…

The Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) Clinical Evaluation Program, initiated in 1979, is described. Efforts toward improvement of evaluation focused on three tasks: definition of educational objectives, specification of criteria for determining when those objectives are met, and development of methods for assessing individual…

This publication presents an instructional system design (ISD) which is a systematic procedure for assuring the application of planning and organization to vocational programs. The resulting instructional system, according to the author, is an integrated combination of resources, students, instructors, materials, equipment, techniques, and…

The Training Development Group of Barclays Bank (United Kingdom) was formed in 1989 to design cost effective training for the banks employees. Describes the bank's "systems approach" to training design: the training needs analysis, identification of performance competences, determination of behavioral objectives, selection of…

This instructor guide for a unit on recordkeeping in the PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) curriculum includes the full text of the student module and lesson plans, instructional suggestions, and other teacher resources. The competencies that are incorporated into this module are at Level 2 of learning--planning for a…

An evaluation system which was used to monitor the progress of resident physicians in the Family Practice Residency at the University of North Carolina is discussed. The system was designed as an information management system which reflects both broad philosophical principles and goals as well as specific behavioral objectives. The three major…