Continued effective enforcement of civil rights laws by government agencies depends upon the success of survival strategies aimed at easing the problems of antiregulatory sentiments, economic stagnation, and agency mismanagement. Strategies include staff training and accountability for minimum performance standards, cost efficiency, and…

Discusses professional growth contracting as a means of encouraging staff to define their own professional development needs. Describes how professional growth contracting is being used by the student affairs staff at a Maine university. (Author)

Study results indicate that proficiency needs of teachers of composition include: (1) teaching/learning strategies for improving student writing ability; (2) applying the writing processes to their own as well as to student writing; and (3) evaluating student writing performance. Findings indicate that teachers need to engage in considerable…

Argues that teachers' individual differences contribute to the failure of many inservice workshops. Suggests ways by which consultants and staff developers can deal with differences and provide alternatives for more individualized instruction. (RL)

There are four elements which the author has found to be essential for success when designing and conducting staff development programs: awareness, application, implementation, and maintenance. Each of these elements is discussed in detail, followed by the warning that the four-phase model requires school board commitment to insure its success.…

Employees classified into development and research groups were contrasted for differences in vocational interest and personality inventory responses. Discriminant and classification analyses indicated that these two groups could be distinguished. Development personnel exhibited greater interests in supervisory-related areas, but researchers showed…

Describes and evaluates a training program entitled PASSAGES which addresses the need for employee career planning. Implications of the program for business and industry are discussed. (RC)

Examined the differential effects of a management by objectives (MBO) program on work satisfaction of development and research employee groups. Analyses indicated that these groups differed in perceptions of their work group climates and that facets of MBO explained significantly different amounts of variance in the groups' work satisfaction.…

The article proposes training rural educators to become self-directed in their own improvement activities. The article summarizes current literature and notes four skills necessary for self-directed development: objectivity; self-critiques; examining only a few instructional skills at a given time; and reinforcement of self. (SB)

A 1978 statewide needs assessment in Ohio included items designed to identify teachers' motivations for participation in adult basic education staff development activities. Degree programs and credit courses were found to provide the greatest motivation for participation. (Author/SK)

Summarizes the results of the National University Continuing Education Association's 1978-79 survey of member institutions. Four categories presented are (1) centralization; (2) staffing patterns and composition; (3) budget composition; and (4) staff training needs. (SK)

A comprehensive program of staff development for teachers of adults begins with a thorough orientation for new staff, and continues with inservice activities identified and developed by administrators, advisory committee members and teachers themselves. (SK)

Research on adult learning suggests that direct and concrete experiences where the learner applies what is being learned are an essential ingredient for in-service education. Abstract, word-oriented talk sessions are not adequate to change behaviors. (Author/MLF)

College and university faculty are taking a new look at their role in in-service teacher education and staff development. Several considerations regarding perceptions and activities in this area are discussed. (JMF)

An English elementary-level administrator discusses what his county system does in the way of teaching basic skills, implementing accountability, teaching the gifted, organizing grades, and providing for staff development in in-service programs for teachers. (IRT)