Critiques the present state of research in educational administration, discusses difficulties involved with developing and codifying a knowledge base, and presents possible solutions and faculty-oriented improvements. Although education and educational administration are concerned with applying concepts from many fields, education still requires…

Most research on the positive effects of class-size reduction (CSR) has occurred in the elementary level (Word, Johnston, Bain, Fulton, Zaharias, Lintz, Achilles, Folger, & Breda, 1990; Molnar, Smith, Zahorik, Palmer, Halbach, & Ehrle, 1999). Is CSR an important variable in improving education in the middle grades? Can small classes be…

The controversial nature of the knowledge base of educational administration is discussed in this paper. Included are a definition of professionalism, a discussion of how to build and develop a knowledge base, and a review of the obstacles to knowledge base development. Elements of a consensual knowledge base include theory, practice, and other…

Summarizes a major longitudinal study (Project STAR) conducted in Tennessee between 1985 and 1989, provides some results updating STAR findings through 1992, and suggests research-based courses of action. Class-size research in primary grades is showing the efficacy of small classes of 1:15. Application of early experimental results in 17 poor…

Issues in the educational administration knowledge base are discussed in this paper, with attention to its definition, extent, and usefulness. The discussion is based on the premises that the knowledge base lacks: (1) organization; (2) definition and applicability; and (3) comprehensiveness and usefulness. Other hindrances to developing a…

The administrator preparation reform issue is affected by a split in loyalties between the "professional" model and the liberal arts model. Whereas recent calls for reform follow the professional model, most professors of educational administration, who must implement the reforms, are products of the liberal arts tradition. This paper reviews…

A major focus for research in preparation programs should be on the practice of administration. For some time, the preparation of educational administrators has been rooted in the traditional liberal arts approach--the approach of a discipline--as a model for preparing the practitioner. Emphasis has shifted to the concept of the accurate…

Application of the study of humanities in administrator education is explored in this paper. The argument is made that humanities studies help to conceptualize ideas and generate theory, and to represent and explain what is uniquely human. Effective administrators require problem-solving and critical thinking skills for dealing with people-related…

Some of the concern about educators' failures to build a strong educational foundation revolves around the idea of "professional" and its relationship to the concept of "malpractice." Educators usually claim that education is a profession of practice and thus ought to embody at least a generalized statement about professional…

Problem-based learning (PBL) has gained credibility and some use in institutions of higher education. This paper provides a brief conceptual discussion of PBL and the idea of "problem," and describes one learning model that incorporates PBL as a method for moving students to high levels of learning. The second portion of the paper describes one…

This paper expresses points of view about what is needed to create a knowledge base for educational improvement. It argues that educators have failed to build a strong foundation for education's presumed cumulative effect. The paper assesses the claim that education constitutes a profession and discusses ways to improve the current educational…

Problem-based learning (PBL) offers students the opportunity to apply the appropriate knowledge to a well-defined problem, allowing students to apply academic problem-solving skills to their own real-life problems. This paper describes outcomes of a PBL program that was used as a tool for school improvement in three South Carolina schools--one…

A review of recent literature and commission reports identifies persistent problems in two areas of educational administration: research and preparation programs. The two problems are linked in that they are often supervised by faculty who direct but do not themselves perform research. Two areas of research needs are the poor research skills of…

Strategies for improving the recruitment and selection of educational administrators are presented in this report. A recommendation is made for the development of administrator preparation programs based on collaboration between local education agencies, higher education institutions, the individual, and the educational administration (EA)…

A process model for the restructuring of educational administration preparation programs is described, with a focus on program content, delivery, and context. Recommendations are made for utilization of a problem-solving, andragogical approach and for structured administrator preparation programs based on the integration of theory and practice.…