Institutional modeling and program evaluation in relation to a correspondence program are discussed. The evaluation process is first considered from the viewpoint that it is an add-on activity, which is largely summative, and is the least desirable type of evaluation. Formative evaluation is next considered as a part of the process of institution…

This document serves to display several of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) tools as they relate to California State University, Fullerton, which is serving as a pilot implementation site for the California State University and Colleges System for the application of currently available NCHEMS products. Full…

The systems approach in education is a management tool that allows individuals to examine all aspects of a problem, to interrelate the effects of one set of decisions to another, and to optimally use the resources at hand to solve the problem. Five systems approaches which have been used in the successful development of instruction at the…

A new kind of systems approach to science educational publishing is presented in this paper. This synergistic approach to the publishing of instructional materials for science education would require input from psychologists, scientists, classroom teachers, and science education researchers. The role of the science education researcher is…

This paper addresses a number of problems associated with the evaluation of organizational effectiveness. Questions are raised concerning whether there is such a thing as organizational effectiveness, how stable and accurate are the assessment criteria, how widely the criteria can be applied, how such criteria can be of help in understanding…

Describes the historical development and adoption of Management by Objectives (MBO) in public administration and argues that MBO should be treated as a managerial tactic, and not as a complete management system. (Available from the American Society for Public Administration, 1225 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036; $30.00 annually) (JG)

Outlines an alternative form of educational technology based on an analysis of criticism levelled at the subject, both from within and without. Article contends that the future of educational technology rests on an expansion of its concerns, rather than a refinement or modification of its existing content. (Author)

Explores the nature and functions of conflict, its role in fundamental individual and social life processes, and its theoretical relationship to communication from a system-theoretic perspective. Indicates a distinction between conflict and para-conflict, and suggests that the latter is characteristically the object of study in speech and…

A systems approach to the study of residential care for the intellectually handicapped suggests that the negative and dehumanizing features of the traditional institution are those of a closed social system. (Author/SBH)

The development of fuels from biomass can lead naturally to dispersed facilities that incorporate food or materials production (or both) with fuel production. The author analyzes possible systems based on sugarcane, corn, and guayule. (Author/MA)

Recommends a functional/experiential approach to analysis and judgment of multimedia presentations, emphasizing structure and style of presentation, technical and aesthetic factors, value to the audience, and the critic's personal reactions. (VT)

A method is described to help identify important groups in an organization, rank their probable actions, and arrive at a list of the most important group-action pairs for that company. Available from: The Institute of Management Sciences, 146 Westminister Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903.

Traces the evolution of services that advertising agencies perform and identifies major factors that are responsible for this evolution. The purpose is to explain or predict changes and to demonstrate "systems thinking." (MB)

A recognition of pradigmatic diversity and the contribution of multiple paradigms to planning greatly enriches both theory and practice. This analysis groups planning definitions into two general models, associates both with hard and soft systems thinking, and examines conceptual roots. The interpretive/humanist paradigm often highlights…