New theories and theory-based methodological approaches have found their way into Comparative Education--just as into Comparative Social Science more generally--in increasing number in the recent past. The essays of this volume express and critically discuss quite a range of these positions such as, inter alia, the theory of self-organizing social…

Future leaders will have to rely upon skills that are far different from those used in the past. Action mapping serves as a meta-process for moving schools toward desired ends; it calls upon school leaders to move into action, to reflect upon such actions, and to collect stories for future reflections. This process could be helpful to a school…

This field guide provides a look into education in relation to a concept that has already been established in science, business and therapy. This book will encourage and educate readers about systemic thinking through examples and ideas pertinent to education and its reform. Following a Foreword (Michael Fullan) and Introduction (Blane Despres),…

This book examines the educational phases experienced by countries moving from authoritarian styles of government to various forms of liberal democracy. It focuses on Latvia, South Africa, and the former German Democratic Republic so as to identify commonalities in diverse systems. The essays employ a model that depends not on a regular linear…

The articles in this book examine educational privatization in Eastern Europe. The essays represent a variety of perspectives on education systems in various stages of evolution. The chapters are divided into three groups. The first three chapters discuss educational change and the privatization movement in the Baltic republics of Lithuania,…

Loose coupling implies the tying together of subsystems in such a fashion that neither can do without the other but neither has much control over the other. The idea of loose coupling, introduced by Karl Weick, is examined in relation to educational administration and organizational analysis in general. The concept employs both a particular theory…

Systems in teaching and learning are discussed in depth to aid in relating educational theories to the art of teaching. Chapter 1, on individualization of instruction, discusses research in the learning process. Chapter 2, on systems and the systems approach, reviews the meaning of "system," systems analysis and synthesis, and the use of a systems…

The information delivery system for education in Canada is in need of improvement. While the growth in the volume and technology of information has been great in recent years, the problems surrounding that growth are not as serious as many writers suggest. From a review of recent literature on education information delivery systems in Canada, 13…

This book provides a brief review of many concepts and practices that are currently being explored and utilized in educational management systems. It is intended to aid teachers and administrators who seek a general understanding of management systems, as well as school board members and laymen who are interested in the systems approach to…

Systems analysis is about problems and their solutions. Analysts are warned that in a field of constant change, this text can only provide some of the needed tools and information, not all of the answers. Wise systems analysts never become fixed on one technique or technology, knowing that they will change, but instead focus on learning…

Because schools must operate in a changing environment, educators must manage change whether they wish to or not. Administrators must plan accordingly, and the best plans arise from a solid theoretical base. This book provides that base, by drawing on systems theory to develop effective approaches to strategic and operational planning in…

System analysis offers the teacher a significant organizational device for studying society and social problems in the classroom. System analysis can be used directly to describe and understand the relationships and interactions between individuals, bridging the distance between learning conceptually and learning directly from personal experience.…

Based on the view that individual variability is best understood as the result of influences from multiple domains operating over time, this book describes how different domains of influence operate, describes the operating processes in common to the different influences, and shows how these processes meet the criteria for a full-fledged system.…

In response to a request from the Manpower Administration of the U. S. Department of Labor, the book, authored by manpower researchers, develops a conceptual framework within which a labor market information system can be understood and implemented. Part 1 deals with a rationale and conceptual framework for governmental action designed to improve…

This book established a plan for creating a truly integrated educational system, one that unifies the separate and parallel systems of special and general education. Chapter 1, "Students at the Margins," explores the dual tragedy of discouraged and disinterested students and presents eight essential questions guiding a unified system of…