In Fall 2003, Randolph-Macon Woman's College rolled out Claroline, an Open Source course management system for all the classes on campus. This document will cover some background on both Open Source in general and course management systems in specific, discuss technical challenges in the introduction and integration of the system and give some…

Ways in which to identify the correct problems to solve thereby avoiding the misappropriation of time, talent, and resources are presented. The text is divided into 3 parts: "The Foundation for Smart Thinking,""How to Solve the Right Problems," and "Systems Thinking for the Systems Age." The chapters under these headings are: Chapter 1, "The…

The ordinary conduct of school business is accompanied today by risks that were rare or unknown a few decades ago. This ERIC Digest in Spanish discusses how risk management, a concept long used by corporate decision makers, can help school boards and administrators conserve their districts' assets. Risk management is a coordinated effort to…

This issue of "Network News" takes a look at emerging P-16/K-16 partnerships and data systems. The first article, "P-16 Data and Accountability Systems," by Hans L'Orange and Rick Voorhees (an adaptation of a policy brief) looks at data being used for accountability within P-16 systems and provides some general characteristics…

The Teacher Authored Instruction Manager is a prototype Computer Managed Instruction system developed at the University of Alberta. By using two computer programs to store detailed student information and curriculum data, TAIM produces individualized lessons for students and diagnostic information for teachers. (Author)

New developments in the building industry meet the cost-time-quality challenge. (Author)

In an exchange of dialog, ideas about future attitudes and methods in placement and recruitment appear. (Author)

Commissioner James Allen, Jr., and other USOE officials are interviewed about major goals and priorities of the U.S. Office of Education in the 70's. (LN)

Describes Truckee Meadows Community College's word processing center, in which students are trained in modern word processing techniques on the same equipment that meets the college's needs for a sophisticated computerized system. Considers equipment, safeguards, advantages, and current and potential uses of the center. (DMM)

Describes the concept of quality circles: small, homogeneous groups of workers who discuss product improvement. The idea originated in Japan and has infiltrated U.S. industry and, ultimately, U.S. schools. Explains the quality circle program in the Muskegon (Michigan) schools and its effects in improving communication among employees and…

Proceedings of the 67th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers which relate to planning and management programs and techniques and systems development are summarized. Names and institutions of conference participants are included. (MSE)

Job satisfaction and involvement relate to a need for achievement and dominance, but not to the need for autonomy. Employees with achievement needs succeed in a Scanlon Plan environment. Participative management also appeals to those with dominance needs. (JAC)

Managers need to be skilled at diagnosing the demands of a situation and flexible in selecting and implementing a change strategy tailored to the demands. A model for selecting appropriate change strategies is presented. (Author)

Considers the elements of organizational effectiveness, the relationships between ends and means, and the nature of inputs necessary to the organization's survival. Presents hypotheses for industrial, educational, and military organizational planning processes and training technology, and suggests changing planning focus from inputs to outcomes.…