A study was undertaken to determine what research, principles, and suggested practices in the field of psychology could be found to support development of certain teaching competencies that had been outlined in previous research. The competencies considered are course planning, course content, instructional procedures, learning materials use, and…

As part of the Flexible Calendar Project, Cosumnes River College adopted a school calendar that provided for two 16-week semesters (the fall semester ending prior to Christmas recess) separated by a three-week intersession that was devoted to educational experimentation and professional staff development activities. After the second year…

The constructs of cognitive-developmental psychology are applied in this study to the practice of teacher education with the objective of creating a developmental learning environment designed to stimulate personal/professional growth and cognitive structural change on the part of the teacher. The 37 inservice elementary and secondary school…

This brief, divided into seven sections, focuses on community college staff development. The introductory section discusses the necessity of staff development and its purposes, the forms its activities take, and the components of effective programming. As indicated in the literature, effective programs should be holistic, reflect the goals of the…

Women and minority group junior faculty are underrepresented in academia and in the field of educational research. They carry heavier teaching loads than their white male counterparts, suffer from social and cultural discrimination, and are excluded from mentor relationships and the "old boy network." In an attempt to rectify this situation, the…

Questionnaires were administered to all community college faculty and administrators in each of the 19 Kansas community colleges in order to assess staff development needs in the areas of instructional activities, understanding the role of community colleges, and administration, and to ascertain the desired conditions for staff development…

This two-part learning module provides text and accompanying exercises to assist instructors in employing effective listening and communication techniques in response to students' programs and concerns. Part I describes the communication process between sender and receiver and discusses the process of active listening by which the instructor…

The 1974-75 annual report of the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India, is presented. Contents pertain to: institutions and enrollment in higher education; approach to fifth plan development of universities and colleges; development of universities; development of colleges; students; faculty improvement programs; cultural exchange…

The need for more consistent and comprehensive procedures for evaluating faculty performance is discussed in this newsletter. Declining student enrollments and financial restraints have created a "no growth" climate on campuses and it is suggested that this environment will require a two-thirds drop in the demand for new faculty at a…

Mount Hood Community College (MHCC), with financial support from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW), implemented a three-year project in 1979 designed to infuse international studies into the college's liberal arts and vocational curricula. Planning for the project began after the successful implementation of a study abroad…

Literature and model programs are reviewed in an examination of the planning environment for post-secondary technical education in the 1980's. The report first discusses the origins and consequences of four trends affecting vocational education: the growing demand for part-time, adult continuing education; increased demands for accountability; the…

In response to faculty demands for time to update professional skills, the California Legislature inaugurated a Flexible Calendar Pilot Program allowing six community colleges--including Saddleback College (SC) in Mission Viejo--to utilize up to 15 days of non-instructional or released time on planning and professional development activities.…

This report deals with the development of a methodology with which Australian TAFE (Technical and Further Education) authorities, institutions, and staff could evaluate staff development programs and activities. It focuses on two programs that reflect the diversity in program organization and major emphases adopted--South Australian Department of…

Britain's Secretary of State for Education and Sciences assesses the future for higher education in Britain. The British system of higher education is outlined as background, and common developments in the field in Britain and the United States are noted: (1) the end of the rapid expansion in funds; (2) the atmosphere of doubt as to what the…

Focus in this report is on ways to improve the learning process in higher education through programs aimed at the improvement of college teachers and college teaching methods. Divided in two sections (Regional Action for Change and Resources for Change), various authors present information on target areas for improvement. Such areas include…