Multiple family group therapy, which represents an interaction of the therapeutic effects of family and group interventions, is a promising systems approach that school psychologists may consider in their practice. Group composition, requisite skills and roles of group leaders, and specific techniques are discussed. (Author/LMO)

The family-school relationship was analyzed using an ecological/systemic model incorporating an ethnographic perspective. Five family-school relationship patterns were examined: avoidant, competitive, merged, one-way, and collaborative. Case studies were included to describe the patterns and illustrate strategies for changing dysfunctional…

The author describes a comprehensive career development system implemented by Coca-Cola USA. The system's objectives are (1) to promote from within, (2) to develop talent for the future, (3) to make managers responsible for development efforts, and (4) to make individuals ultimately responsible for their development. (CH)

Presents self organization theory, which explains change in human development and behavior and which views choices and changes as being created in a state of disequilibrium. Includes background in previous developmental theory and in systems theory and explains first- and second-order change within the theory. (Author/KS)

Reports that strategic planning is as important to continuing education as it is to business. Discusses planning for continuing education as it relates to modifying programs and markets to reach organizational goals.

Underachievement among gifted children is approached from a family systems perspective. Case histories illustrate applications of family theory and counseling methodology. (Author)

Provides general background on basic concepts of systems theory. Discusses applications of systems theory to computational and inferential chemistry in molecular and reaction systems, systems analysis, and synthesis. Describes methodology for studying chemical systems by computer and gives advantages of an integrated computational environment. (JM)

Focuses on alternative paradigms to experimental inquiry useful to instructional systems researchers, including quasi-experimentation, meta-analysis, case study and ethnography, systems-based evaluation, and technique and model development. Each is discussed in terms of how it generally applies in the field and how it has been employed by…

A model for systematic, formative, and participatory self-evaluation of teacher training programs is presented and analyzed, and the conditions for its successful application are outlined. (MSE)

Energy engineers can help schools build complete energy conservation systems. These specialists (1) conduct thorough energy audits, (2) design and supervise retrofitting, (3) recommend and supervise preventive maintenance programs, (4) recommend computerized controls, and (5) monitor utility bills. This article includes description of a school…

Briefly describes stages of the systematic design process for educational software including learning goals identification; considering medium suitability; developing performance objectives, criterion-referenced tests, and instructional strategies; and product evaluation and dissemination. Events of instruction are discussed in detail as they…

Discusses conceptual models of thought that have recently emerged to confront the conventional approaches to analysis and solution to complex environmental problems. In addition to a critical attack on the tradition of specialization and reductionism, several models are summarized that originated from ecology, cybernetics, and system theory. (BC)

Encourages use of case studies to introduce "real-life" engineering assignments, suggesting that they should be given in a natural order as a series. Describes three such assignments being used at the University of the West Indies. Description, analysis, and design of an existing engineering system is included. (JM)

This article examines some of the reasons attempts to tighten the couplings between legislative and judicial intent and site level implementation have remained problematic. Specifically, this article argues that the assumption that program evaluation can force program implementation is faulty. (Author/BW)

Building on Bloom's, and subsequent educational taxonomies, a larger, synthetic, theoretical basis, called the process hierarchy theory, is developed. Its relationship to general systems theory and its metatheoretical context are described. A general methodology for empirically testing aspects of the theory using mathematical modeling is explored.…