Because strategic planning can have a powerful effect on a district's future and its use of resources, district leaders must anticipate the need for extensive communication with all segments of the community at every planning stage. As the experience of Tacoma (Washington) Public Schools shows, regular communication is crucial to success. (MLH)

Describes methods and goals for several activities to be used in ropes courses. Details calculation of loads for suspended ropes used in the exercises, and selection of rope based on type of activity and number of people on the rope. Contains several diagrams and photographs. (KS)

A realistic production schedule helps deliver college publications on time. This requires team effort and a spirit of cooperation, specific task scheduling, using tickler systems to keep staff on track, not allowing procrastination, and setting aside planning time. (MSE)

To increase the chances of finding and hiring school personnel--especially teachers--who meet its high standards, an Ohio school district developed a five-step process: recruiting, initial screening, application submission and screening, team interviewing, and decision making. The result--selection of 10 highly qualified teachers whose subsequent…

Suggests a team approach for effectively and efficiently providing services for postsecondary students with disabilities. Reviews various teaming concepts and presents a framework for a postsecondary disability problem-solving team. (Author/JOW)

Action learning is being used in corporate training; teams or work groups take an actual problem to the training program, work on solving it, commit to an action plan, and are accountable for carrying out the plan. Some companies include personal-growth training, such as outdoor adventure learning, as a component of team building. (JOW)

Modification of an approach to teaching organizational behavior that has students create and operate actual companies include providing thought starters to stimulate evaluation; changing the way group leaders are selected; requiring a business plan, performance appraisal, and feedback system; adding textbooks; and using team-building activities.…

The Department of Education recommends that schools allocate at least 30% of technology funding to professional development. Programs generally begin with strategic planning and a realistic budget, are designed to improve student achievement, emphasize people over technology, and have widespread stakeholder support. Core components are discussed.…

Examines how an Illinois school district used teamwork and planning to acquire state funding for construction and renovation of two high schools. Planning efforts included conducting a community-based strategic planning, researching the funding program, working closely with state organizations for acquiring grant funds, educating the community,…

Describes the author's consulting experience, and focuses on two uses of this experience in her business-communication classrooms: a focus on teams (emphasizing differences between collaborative writing assignments in the classroom and team projects in business), and a case devoted to issues in the workplace. (SR)

Presents a reflecting team case model that is a conversational, student-centered, narratively-based alternative to the traditional hierarchical, instructor-centered, analytical model. (CCM)

A few years ago, the Williamson County (Tennessee) School District developed a strategic plan to encourage volunteers' participation. The plan includes a vision, goals, and objectives; strategies for increasing community involvement; recognition for all volunteers (via the Shining Apple Award); and program evaluation. (MLH)

Describes a semester-long work team project designed to develop team behaviors and skills, such as collaboration, listening, problem solving, decision making, action planning, leadership, communication, and conflict resolution. Recommends that teaching collective processes must reward collective processes, that projects should be meaningful and…

A curriculum development project was designed to provide a learning environment for students from various disciplines to work together within an institution or between institutions in different countries. The student projects simulate the workplace of the modern European engineering manager. (JOW)

Describes the Race Challenge, an exercise requiring business students to participate on cross-functional teams and compare collaborative and competitive behavior. Presents issues addressed, materials required, variations, discussion questions, and debriefing instructions. (SK)