The design of a University of Hartford (Connecticut) decision-support information system for college advancement programs is detailed, specific research and management applications are examined, and the analyses and reports generated by the system are discussed. Early collaboration between institutional researchers and advancement and alumni…

Four key criteria used in academic program review (quality, centrality to institutional mission, competition, and demand) are defined and discussed. They are then applied to the process of strategic planning for an unspecified private university. Decision-making matrixes and their use are illustrated. (MSE)

Explains human interactive analysis as an architecture for using computer interactive technologies in the analysis of complex work environments. A project at the Naval Training Systems Center that used video-audio data to develop a multimedia database is described; the analysis and management of data are discussed; and decision processes are…

Examines tensions and contradictions associated with proposals to restructure schools, empower teachers, and create a professional, collaborative work environment. A broad school democracy must include parents, community members, and students in structured decision-making processes. Teacher empowerment and school restructuring must coincide with…

This interview recounts one parent's school choice in a controlled choice system that is designed to bring about racial balance. The African-American mother interviewed chose to return her children to a city school because she felt that the suburban school they had been attending was racially biased. (SLD)

Three studies involving 79 teacher leaders, 4 school empowerment experts, and 387 secondary school teachers indicate that the 38-item School Participant Empowerment Scale (SPES) may tap 6 dimensions of empowerment within the school organization identified in the literature. The SPES effectively measures perceived empowerment in school settings.…

This article examines effects of the 1988 Education Reform Act in the United Kingdom, especially the decline in participative decision making by teachers, increased centralization of control, and the introduction of a national curriculum. The paper also discusses the historical relationship between professional autonomy for teachers and control of…

Utilizes a case study, the Action Ecology Project, to exemplify some curriculum development issues pertinent to environmental education. Describes an action research evaluation process involving teachers that resolves conceptual evaluation and adoption problems of environmental education curriculum. (31 references) (MCO)

Suggests that defining critical thinking as assessing authenticity, accuracy, and worth of knowledge claims and arguments also describes the historian's role. Recommends teaching students history in such a way as to necessitate higher level thinking skills. Argues that the writing process helps because it requires evaluation of existing data and…

Explores characteristics of contemporary African-American independent neighborhood schools. These urban schools continue a nearly 200-year-old tradition of providing learning environments in which children can succeed. They offer a range of options from which parents can choose and can serve as a blueprint for school choice. (SLD)

The case of a dispute over the college faculty promotion process is examined in the context of a model of the organization of campus governance. The model describes three levels of power relationships with increasing amounts of shared responsibility between faculty and administration. A commitment to partnership is advocated. (MSE)

The claim that public school choice encourages more than standardized education is examined using data for 66 schools from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988. Little support is found for the argument that choice is currently an inventive way to alter the academic lives of students and teachers. (SLD)

Recent changes in the New Zealand government's research funding system are discussed, and the resulting system is detailed. Remaining structural problems, some of which are seen as constraining progress toward government priorities, are identified and likely solutions and trends indicated. (Author/MSE)

Defines student empowerment and asserts that the classroom teacher can be a catalyst for that process. Discusses three aspects of classrooms that enable children to become empowered. Provides seven steps for developing democratic classrooms. (CFR)

Presents a secondary level activity in which students participate in a decision-making activity involving the U.S. legal system and legal aid. Includes lesson objectives, step-by-step instructional procedures, and a student handout titled "Examining the Future of Legal Aid Programs." (CFR)