Forty child study teams were observed and verbal behaviors of classroom teachers in those teams were analyzed. Teachers in an experimental program stressing role clarification spoke significantly more than any other participants. Parents were most frequently addressed by other team members. (CL)

Evaluators may attempt to form particular relationships with their clients in order to increase the probability that the evaluation findings will be used for decision making. The evaluator's interest in this relationship should not overshadow the importance of ensuring the validity of reported results. (Author/GDC)

Discusses the client-consultant relationship from both sides. Argues that a consulting breakdown can be a chance for both the client and the consultant to grow through negotiation. Lists some basic guidelines for successful consulting relationships. (PEN)

The dialogue in the field of mentoring has changed over time. In the early days mentoring was a straightforward and pragmatic means to an end: developing others. Then thorny issues started to be encountered, both in theory and in practice. Case studies are used here to illustrate the mixed fortunes experienced in contemporary times in three…

States that the term "mentoring" has been misused and that the definition has arisen from popular consensus rather than from formal definitions and empirical verification. Proposes a formal definition of mentoring. Also examines methodological approaches to mentoring research and suggests how to investigate this domain creatively. (Author/CH)

Two studies were conducted to examine how perceptions of support for mentoring relate to mentoring attitudes and outcomes for both proteges and mentors, over and above established predictors. In study 1, proteges provided information on their perceptions of support for mentoring and mentoring received. As expected, perceived management support for…

As the pressure on schools to meet higher and higher expectations with less and less resources increases, educators seek to explore school models which are centered on reforms that increased the likelihood of meeting this challenge. One reform initiative which has received much attention is the utilization of teacher leadership to improve school…

The decision to leave a successful career and great earning potential to start over as a novice with new surroundings and expectations is not made without consideration of a wide array of variables. Making the transition to higher education was not an easy one and the transition itself has presented various other challenges and joys that I have…

Educational researchers are accustomed to institutional review board (IRB) requirements (e.g., protecting participants) with students often identified as the only "vulnerable population" for IRB purposes. However, as practitioner research has gained more prominence, the vulnerability of teacher-researchers themselves has begun to…

In this article, the author posits that storytelling can be used as a method for developing positive interpersonal relationships between coaches and classroom teachers. The author argues that developing interpersonal relationships is a necessary but challenging aspect of successful coaching, and that storytelling offers a mechanism for greater…

Professional managers in UK universities represent an increasingly diverse grouping of staff. As boundaries blur between academic activity and the contributory functions required to deliver that activity in mass higher education systems and markets, their roles have become more fluid. Quasi-academic territories are developing in which professional…

The purpose of this study was to compare two different formal mentoring relationships based on the perceptions of beginning teachers regarding their dyadic interactions. Kram's mentor role theory and Byrne's similarity-attraction paradigm served as the theoretical foundation for the study. The specific variables of interest included psychosocial…

Introduction: Teamwork and interprofessional practice and learning are becoming integral to health care. It is anticipated that these approaches can maximize professional resources and optimize patient care. Current research, however, suggests that primary health care teams may lack the capacity to function at a level that enhances the individual…

Although professional learning communities are often promoted as unique learning opportunities, little is known about how they get started and how they are sustained. For this reason, group members are often unprepared, and then frustrated, by inevitable group tensions. With this in mind, Karl Weick's [(1979). "The social psychology of…

This article discusses a possible approach to the evaluation of virtual community environments (VCE), intended as the integration of members, processes, and technologies characterizing a given community of professionals. In particular, as to the return on investment for VCE, the article supports the idea that tangible returns for the organization…