The role of the principal during the past two decades can be addressed by looking at the major developments of the era as they influenced the evolution of the principal's role. Fundamental changes in school structure were popularized during the expansionist period of the late 1950s and 1960s. Principals had to be agents of change. Then, a note of…

The incremental validity of two high-inference, multiple-dimension measures of student and teacher perceptions of their school environment was investigated. Incremental validity was described as accounting for increasing amounts of criterion variance (average daily attendance and achievement on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills) with a set of…

This guide, the second of four, is intended for persons involved in planning new schools or new programs; that is, comprehensive change projects, especially those that have a new, innovative thrust and where past practice cannot be easily relied on. The guide examines means by which to clarify goals and methods of designing social systems before…

The purpose of this report is to review and critically analyze recent research on the relationship between the behavior of individuals and their educational environments. Its intent has been to concentrate on studies dealing with the academic achievements of children in nontraditional settings. The first part of the report describes the approach…

THIS MONOGRAPH PRESENTS TECHNICAL AND STATISTICAL INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTAL TO PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS CONCERNING THE GENERAL OUTLINE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL OPINION SURVEY (SOS), WHICH DELINEATES SIGNIFICANT PARAMETERS OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THE INTRODUCTION INCLUDES THE GUIDANCE MODEL, THE NEED FOR THE SOS TO HELP PUPIL PERSONNEL…

A COLLECTION OF SIX TECHNICAL PAPERS REPRESENTING AN ATTEMPT TO SUMMARIZE AND EVALUATE THE PRESENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AFFECTING HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN GENERAL, AND LEARNING IN PARTICULAR. THE FIRST CONCERNS THE INTERACTIONS OF MAN AND HIS ENVIRONMENT. THE SECOND RELATES TO SPACE AS A COMPONENT OF…

A COLLECTION OF 40 ARTICLES DISCUSSES VARIOUS ASPECTS OF SCHOOL PLANNING PROBLEMS. THOSE ON PRELIMINARY PHASES REVIEW--(1) ARCHITECT SELECTION, (2) DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND (3) SCHOOL COSTS. ARCHITECTURALLY-)RIENTED ARTICLES COVER--(1) CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL TYPES, (2) STANDARD SCHOOL PLANS, (3) FLEXIBILITY, (4)…

This discussion of the teaching of English in British secondary schools is divided into two parts--a general account of the goals and problems which involve the English teacher and a presentation of methods for teaching English. Included in the first part are letters from a young teacher that describe the school environment and administrative…

One of 52 theoretical papers on school crime and its relation to poverty, this chapter states that social scientists and others have argued that schools contribute to delinquency by their failure to prepare students properly for later life. It follows that the solution is better schools and better education. The author argues that schools make…

To meet the condition of society that Toffler calls "overchoice," schools must redirect their role and provide a program that enables children and youth to develop and sharpen their decision-making skills--cognitive, evaluative, participatory, normative, and affective. All these skills can be developed and refined in the natural settings within…

A school climate questionnaire was developed and administered to 1,959 students in a sample of 24 Massachusetts high schools. Related questionnaires were administered in eight of these schools to 500 teachers, administrators, and support staff. School climate is defined as feelings and opinions about various aspects of the school and how it…

This paper summarizes the results of a participant observation study conducted on two public alternative high schools in the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area. Phase I of the study consists of a literature-generated delineation of larger societal factors which create student unrest and give impetus to the development of alternative schools.…

Marcy Open School has developed an educational reality where students are given freedom to be creative within a structured curriculum. Reflective of this philosophy are the three priority goals developed by Marcy staff and parents which are: (1) We want girls and boys to speak, listen, write, read, and deal with mathematical concepts effectively…

This study was a sixth account of a longitudinal investigation of the effects of the operation of a curriculum engineering system in a school district. Specific objectives were to observe the effects of leadership, climate, and curriculum engineering on teacher attitudes and teacher performance in a curriculum system and on student achievement. A…

The findings of two studies establish some deleterious effects of unsatisfactory physical environment on school children. However, modern technology enables the exercise of total environmental control in new and existing facilities. Between the realities of today and the exceptations of tomorrow we have a transitional model--the open plan concept.…