Focusing on the institutional benefits of professional development, this article discusses ways institutions can encourage staff members to maintain contemporary knowledge and skill levels and how they can retrain both administrators and teachers to undertake new assignments. (DS)

Successful implementation of new programs requires planning, an appropriate strategy, and staff development. (Author)

Outlines what makes for a good administrator inservice training program and why a district should have one. (IRT)

An alternative to cross-cultural training for companies in the global marketplace involves helping trainees develop a global mindset, work through a model of cross-cultural reconciliation, and develop relational skills. These methods transform cultural diversity into a competitive advantage. (SK)

Fidelity Institutional Retirement Services Company reorganized, automated, and reengineered all systems related to service delivery. They created a model for the development of associates called Service Delivery University and committed each associate to 80 hours of development per year. (JOW)

Ten articles in this special issue deal with competencies and how their use is revolutionizing human resource management and the work of career practitioners. Topics include competency technology, models, and mapping; behavioral interviewing; talent management; emotional intelligence; succession planning; and lifelong learning. (JOW)

The forming stage is when group members get acquainted. During the storming stage, conflict and competition arise. Good things are beginning to happen during the norming stage. The performing stage is highly productive, featuring unity and group identity. The transforming stage allows members to regroup, thank each other, and disengage. Adventure…

Reasons for frustrations surrounding needs assessment in organizations are examined. Action strategies are paired with three of the root causes of obstacles to effective assessment: (1) flawed needs assessments; (2) no organizational support; and (3) inadequate expertise assigned to the effort. A sidebar presents four possible causes linked to…

A macro model of training and development includes input (training and development climate), process, and output (individual/organizational change) indicators. A test of the model with 387 Kuwaiti bank employees supported these indicators. Managers' perceptions of training and development and the organization's return on investment were…

Schools cannot produce students as continuous learners and effective collaborators without teachers who possess those same characteristics. Learning organizations thrive on attention to staff orientation, curricular and/or interdisciplinary teams, peer observation, study groups, action research, school improvement task forces, professional…

Steps in developing a camp staff handbook include considering its intended uses, choosing a name, deciding on the handbook's size and the cover's style and design, choosing and sequencing topics and subtopics, and designing the layout of each page. Eye-catching ways to present information and tips for refreshing an old handbook are discussed. (SV)

Emphasizes the importance of the planning and the process of organizing staff meetings. Specifically addresses the areas concerning clarity of purpose and structure of meetings, as well as promoting learning and connecting during meetings. Provides specific strategies to achieve these goals including suggestions for self-assessment. (SD)

Describes the development of an online learning program being developed by the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute, a consortium of colleges and research institutes in Scotland. Highlights include staff development; theories of learning and teaching; principles of course design; conversation theory; and paradigm shifts in…

Presents an inventive approach to professional development in early childhood education and care settings. Focuses on how early childhood programs shape the stories of individual children, the importance of planning physical environments to shape stories and remembering the power of the social-emotional environment, and the need to include…