Without fear, there is no courage, only ignorance of a situation's dynamics. Acknowledging a decision's liabilities promotes fear and forces the educational leader to exercise courage in formulating and carrying out a response to that situation. Courage alone is not enough, however, and could lead to professional suicide. Wisdom to marshal that…

A large government agency had been experiencing a variety of changes. The new head of the agency approached communication researchers about doing analyses of the effectiveness of communication in the agency. The researchers conducted two studies: a qualitative one to identify organizational and organizational communication themes, and a…

Findings of a study that examined patterns in coalition-building for school restructuring are presented in this paper, which focuses on the adoption and early implementation stages of educational change. A case study analysis of two high schools and one district involved in school restructuring was undertaken through site observation and…

The three reports combined here examine the process consultancy approach to faculty development initiated by the Tavistock Institute on Human Relations (TIHR), its use by the British Open University, and reactions from university staff. The first report reviews the original Tavistock report of August 1979 as well as reactions to the ideas and…

Five cooperative learning methods are described with the theories that support them. The five methods are: (1) Group Investigation (GI), developed by S. Sharan and others; (2) Jigsaw, developed by E. Aronson and others; (3) Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD), developed by R. E. Slavin and others; (4) Learning Together, developed by D. W.…

An Indian child welfare agency realized the need for an HIV/AIDS policy when a diabetic child possibly exposed to the HIV virus was placed in one of the agency's licensed foster homes. A focus-group interview process was selected for policy development because this method appeared to parallel the Native American cultural approach toward consensus…

Outdoor leadership aims to assist outdoor participants in making logical and safe transitions from the routine of everyday life to a positive interaction with the natural world. Designed for outdoor leaders and administrators of recreational, educational, and adventure programs, this book provides an overview of current professional practices in…

This paper describes an attempt to introduce 33 education majors to the concept of cooperative learning as a teaching method they may use when they are classroom teachers. The benefits of cooperative learning for young students are briefly discussed, and an explanation is given of the "Student Teams Achievement Divisions" (STAD) system of grade…

A 2-year case study of a well-supported teacher-research group examined the kinds of support teachers need if they are to conduct classroom research. The study focused on the effects of becoming researchers on teachers' views of classroom practice and of themselves as professionals, the levels of knowledge teacher research can provide, and the…

This curriculum guide presents a methodology for teaching language and literature through role-playing in the classroom and demonstrates to teachers the link that exists between effective communication and the techniques used to achieve it. The new French program views language as an instrument of communication, a concept that implies that…

This manual is concerned with helping already-established support groups maintain themselves over an extended period of time. It helps facilitators apply principles for addressing such problems as dissension within the group, poor attendance, losing sight of the group's purpose, and overdependence on a leader. The manual contains questionnaires to…

Older job seekers are more likely than younger individuals to discontinue their search efforts because of the frustration inherent in job finding. Because of its ability to effectively increase job placement among other groups, due in part to the support and tangible assistance available in its small group format, a job club program was developed…

"Identity" is the key to a new primary guidance program being developed by the Ottawa Board of Education. (Editor)

The role of feedback in T-groups was studied. Results indicate that feedback increases as T-groups progress, feedback is more emotional and non-evaluative than cognitive in nature, positive and direct feedback to the leaders increases as the group develops, and specific feedback between members increases as groups progress. (SE)

The ultimate goal of a learning group is to help the learner achieve his goals and objectives and to help him learn to live in a rapidly changing and evolving society. The internal dynamics discussed in the article provide a basis for understanding learning group processes. (Author)