Keeping a uniform, basic arrangement of the school library is essential if students are to be comfortable finding resources in other libraries. Two questions that must be answered if a new system were to be devised are: Who would decide on the particulars of that system? What criteria would be used to make the decision to ensure that use of the…

A rapidly changing global economy, shifting demographics, and concerns about our ability to maintain a competitive workforce have focused national attention on the educational systems of America's states, highlighting their critical role in ensuring a productive and creative future for our country. As a result, Americas colleges and universities…

Describes the systems approach (the Information-Based School Development Project) used by a large education system in Australia for school review and development, involving a research and a service component to help schools identify, obtain, and organize information they need for their own decision-making. Relates two case studies. (SR)

The purpose of this volume is to analyze the problems of school finance in Madagascar, including those that have arisen in the past decade and those anticipated in the present decade (through 1980). More generally, this book examines past and future connections between the economic and educational systems in Madagascar. The author examines the…

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),…

Outlines the author's participation in several programs designed to effect change in educational institutions. Observations regarding school decentralization, community participation, and staff development programs are presented. (APM)

Advises careful analysis and improvement of existing school district accounting systems prior to investment in new ones. Emphasizes the importance of attracting and maintaining quality financial staffs, developing an accounting policies and procedures manual, and designing a good core accounting system before purchasing computer hardware and…

The number and diversity of the parameters involved in the organization of modern education make it necessary to employ modern management methods and techniques to optimize decisions about the organization and improve the use of available material and financial resources. To accomplish these goals, a systems approach is advisable. A model of any…

Software collection development recommendations from principals and educational computing specialists focus on district control of software collections, budgeting, what to purchase (e.g., games versus educational programs), computer literacy, and computers as time savers for instructors. Recommended software programs are profiled, and an annotated…

Characterizes attempts to provide a research and development base for education in the United States on the basis of organizational development in the University of Pittsburgh's Learning Research and Development Center. Article reprint may be ordered from the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh,…

In consonance with previous articles advocating change in school psychology role/function change efforts, this article places the burden for change on individual practitioners. Offers preliminary suggestions for how to bring about change through strategies at multiple levels--college/university, professional organization, school…

This publication is intended to help improve the educational planning and evaluation practices of the several hundred small- to medium-sized Wisconsin school districts that do not have a centralized planning staff. Although it was prepared specifically for school districts in Wisconsin, its content is just as useful and applicable to districts in…

In its most general sense, a system is a group of components integrated to accomplish a purpose. The heart of an educational system is the instructional system. An instructional system is an integrated set of media, equipment, methods, and personnel performing efficiently those functions required to accomplish one or more learning objectives. An…

This report begins with a summary of the implications of the Systemic Evaluation project as a whole, and then provides a framework for the commonplaces of schooling, along with an extensive sampler of the ways they can be used for building an information system. The first chapter presents some common conceptions of schooling that have typically…

Despite an attractive set of premises, the article "Where Will...?" (this issue) fails to identify the reasons for school psychology's frustrations with role and function. Many wonderful ideas and blueprints have appeared in previous literature with little accompanying revolution in practice. The reasons for these failures are outlined. (Author)