Many currents of educational thought are pervaded with utopian themes. Often these themes actually influence real policy decisions and the effects of such influences are frequently unfortunate. Expands on the implications of these issues, and proposes alternative principles to govern educational criticism and reconstruction. (Editor/RK)

An awareness of all the forces affecting higher education today is not enough; carefully planned strategies to deal with them are also necessary for effective administration. Organizational-environmental concerns, the seven-component model for managing organizational complexity, and forecasting technologies are among topics discussed. (Editor/TA)

Describes probable provisions of the 1976 amendments to the federal Vocational Education Act of 1963 and discusses what effect the amendments will have on federal requirements for state planning and management of vocational education programs. (JG)

Discusses the problems faced by the French school system in educating non-French speaking children of non-homogeneous background at the elementary and secondary levels. Some experimental programs are described and bilingual education is proposed as a possible solution. (Text in French.) (TL)

About ten years ago the author made a statement that was incorrectly interpreted as predicting the demise of independent schools. Here he corrects that misinterpretation, checks his prediction against 10 years' passage of time, and makes some practical suggestions for the survival of the independent school. (Author/RK)

Argues that evaluation is a component of the educational planning process and discusses the transfer of a Canadian technical-vocational institution to Ghana. (IRT)

Discusses a simple technique for stochastic resource planning that, when computerized, can assist educational managers in the process of quantifying the future uncertainty, thereby, helping them make better decisions. The example used is a school lunch program. (Author/IRT)

Although education cannot be reduced to profit-and-loss statements, schools need clearly defined objectives, processes, and procedures. Schools can learn from corporations' benchmarking practices (standard setting, measurement, and consequences) and their past mistakes, such as the complacency that seriously weakened Xerox and AT&T. Schools…

Presents recommendations for developing a strategic plan for child care centers. The steps include requesting input from key individuals, compiling a comprehensive list of suggestions, understanding possible obstacles, developing goals, determining objectives, outlining action steps, prioritizing and developing timelines for activities, assigning…

Discusses outlooks for distance education as K-12 enrollment increases in the next 10 years. Outlines distance education development needs. Notes obstacles to addressing large-scale educational problems using distance education and the necessity for a three-part analysis of America's distance education. (AEF)

Explains why marketing is so crucial in a competitive environment. Focuses on how marketing can be used to determine the needs to be met, the manner that services are to be delivered, and how to ensure that customers' or clients' satisfactions are realized. Concludes with recommendations for distance education. (AEF)

A discussion of educational reform efforts in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia looks at these changes in the larger context of recent substantial political, social, and economic change. It examines the role and value of education in the different societies, quantitative and structural development in education systems, and economic…

Describes how a teacher of a content area reading education course prepared her preservice teachers for cooperative learning and interdisciplinary planning in their careers by incorporating a cooperative learning model in her own teaching through which her students were involved in interdisciplinary planning. (SR)

Discusses the premise of theory, methods, and social science in relation to the history of education. States the articles in this issue demonstrate there are still current active explorations of educational history being conducted. (KDR)

Describes how Skagit Valley College (Washington) addresses program-level learning outcomes assessment. Reports that the activities and requirements related to the college's participation in the League for Innovation in the Community Colleges' 21st Century Learning Outcomes Project have encouraged a more comprehensive assessment effort. (Contains…