The document details the development of a project to provide adult students with the academic and work skills required for admission to the Regional Skill Center, which is an adult technical school serving Erie County, Pennsylvania. The body of the report summarizes the following project outcomes: development of a four-tiered system of work force…

This paper describes the Community Collaboration Project, a program in one rural Vermont community (Addison County) to maximize resources serving children with serious emotional disturbances. The project uses an interagency collaboration "wraparound" model which emphasizes consultation instead of direct services. The project utilizes an…

In 1994, a committee was formed to revise the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system to meet the needs of the 21st century. The committee, which was chartered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of the Census, included representatives from eight public agencies using occupational information. The SOC revision process…

This paper reports on the results of a usability study that investigated the suitability of using an open systems approach for developing an online assessment application. Issues examined included ease of use, security, effectiveness, and ease of maintenance. Participants were 68 preservice teachers taking a technology integration course. Students…

Describes evaluation experiences in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, School District. Suggests that use of evaluation results can be maximized through a systems approach that involves developing and monitoring different performance indicators, and tailoring educational practice by focusing corrective action on areas where performance is found to be…

Examines whether the technological development of expert systems can be achieved successfully by students in distance instruction, and differences between distance learning and traditional campus education. Results suggest that not only can successful systems development be achieved but that the hands-on aspect of systems development contributes…

The current higher education context for "Campus Financial Systems for the Future," a guide for college administrators that identifies structures and approaches for financial systems adaptable to different needs, is discussed. The guide was developed by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and the…

Describes the Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation (STACI) Project, which is examining the impact of a technology-based curriculum innovation on teaching and learning outcomes in high school science and social studies. Systems thinking is discussed, simulation-modeling software is described, and implications for technology in educational…

Systems thinking involves seeing relationships between the parts to the whole within the school improvement effort. After providing the key principles and examples of systems thinking, the article emphasizes the importance of staff development, highlighting experiences at a Wellesley (Massachusetts) middle school and an Alaskan high school. (SM)

Parents, community members, and school staff are involved in planning and staff development for systemic change in Columbus (Ohio) public schools. The model is site-based, data-driven, and school-specific. The article reviews effective schools features and program features, noting the success of the collaborative effort. (SM)

Discusses implications of the Technology-Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act (1988, 1994) for people with learning disabilities. It discusses the rationale for the act; its provisions and goals; and systems change and advocacy activities of state projects concerning policy analysis, funding, interagency collaboration, consumer…

Describes the policy context and current status of the State Systems Change Initiative on Transition for Youth with Disabilities. This federal initiative has helped states to improve school-to-work transition services under one-time five-year grants undertaken as cooperative efforts between state education and vocational rehabilitation (or other)…

Maintains that introductory sociology courses rely on a preponderance of jargon that obfuscates the nature of the discipline. Advocates communicating the nature of sociology by emphasizing its three main approaches: structural, systematic, and critical. Suggests that religious affiliation and economic status influence ability to think…

Completes a discussion of a systems model of distance education (in articles since May 1999) focusing on the most complex level, international. Discussion includes transfer of technology from United States universities to developing nations, the free market, and the age of the global economy. Presents a list of "early indicators" of changes in…

An open social systems model is used to frame and test a series of hypotheses. The socioeconomic status of the environment and four internal system elements (structure, individual, culture, politics) of the school are used to explain two sets of school outcomes: student achievement and teachers' assessments of overall school effectiveness. A…