Educational change is a process occurring through time, a systemic and dynamic phenomenon in which every action leads to reactions in related areas of the system, and a multidimensional phenomenon requiring examination from the perspective of several disciplines. The success of an innovation depends on how the change process is managed, how the…

The use of systems terms and ecological concepts is increasingly common in psychology, and in particular, community psychology. Interest in systems theory began with the development of general systems theory during the 1950's, and led to the adoption of an ecological-systems orientation which recognized the environment as a major determinant of…

This four-chapter report explores the possible contributions of a systems approach to institutional planning. After introductory comments, Chapter I reviews the management theory of Henry Fayol, which emphasizes management tasks, such as planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling, which are "universal" regardless of the level…

This resource guide for the use of job aids ("how-to-do-it" guidance) for activities identified in the first phase of the Instructional Systems Development Model (ISD) contains an introduction to the use of job aids, as well as descriptive authoring flowcharts for Blocks I.2 through I.5. The introduction includes definitions;…

Designed to supplement the descriptive authoring flowcharts presented in a companion volume, this manual includes specific guidance, examples, and other information referred to in the flowcharts for the implementation of the third phase of the Instructional Systems Development Model (ISD). The introductory section includes definitions;…

Some of the psychological parameters of a student's educational environment which relate causally to the phenomenon of test anxiety are explored, as are the relationships of all of these factors to the student's academic performance. The study was based upon a person-environment concept of academic behavior. Particular interest centered upon the…

Competence-based education is defined and described as a system, and reference is made to its application to undergraduate education in public administration. Competence-based education emphasizes an integration of theory and practice in learning and curriculum and the organization of educational goals into explicit outcomes. The attainment of…

This publication brings together seven papers exemplifying the systems approach to educational decision making. The first discusses the need for inclusion of constituent values in educational decision making strategies to properly apply systems theory concepts. In the second, which addresses systems design for problem solving in schools,…

IN THE FIRST PART OF THE DOCUMENT, RESULTS OF GROUP DISCUSSIONS ON THE USE OF PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION (PI) AND TEACHING MACHINES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE SUMMARIZED, EMPHASIZING (1) PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPING NATIONS, (2) QUESTIONS ON PI METHODS AND MATERIALS, AND (3) STRATEGIES FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF PI. THE SECOND PART OF THE DOCUMENT IS AN ESSAY…

The relational concepts developed in mathematics and psychology are used in this paper to explicate the needs and responsibilities of dramatic acting and theatre research. A parallel is constructed between the emergence of the mathematical concept of function, the awakening of psychology to the concept of relationship (especially regarding family…

Basic concepts of management by objectives are presented for the school principal interested in turning the idea of educational innovation into the fact of educational innovation. The difference between objectives (ideas) and outcomes (events, products, achievements) is discussed, and methods for developing, writing, and evaluating objectives are…

A complete bibliographic reference and an abstract are given for each publication of the Human Factors Laboratory from 1976-1978, including journal articles and conference proceedings papers which members of the Laboratory published during the same period. Three indexes--index by source (contractor or in-house), author index, and subject matter…

TWO APPROACHES TO EXTENDING THE EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE OF TELECASTS ARE DISCUSSED. THE FIRST APPROACH TAKES OFF FROM THE TELEVISION BROADCAST, THE EFFECT OF WHICH CAN BE HEIGHTENED BY DIAL ACCESS LIBRARIES OF MAGNETIC TAPE RECORDINGS, OPEN LINE PROGRAMS, DISCUSSION GROUPS, SIMULATION OR GAMES, AND THE PUBLICIZING OF OTHER RESOURCES, ALL OF WHICH…

Structural analysis is a systematic approach to curriculum development representing an attempt to organize terminal performance objectives for a unit of subject matter into a sequence of prerequisite competencies which must be satisfactorily mastered if successful terminal performance is to occur. The technique involves asking the question: "What…

A detailed systems diagram elaborates the process of dealing with a single conflict episode between two parties or persons. Hypotheses are fully stated to lead the reader through the flow diagram. A concrete example illustrates its use. Detail is provided in an accounting scheme of virtually all possible variables to consider in analyzing a…