Little is known about the relationship between school boards and superintendents. Structured interviews in six districts revealed that behavioral inclinations of board members ranged from passive acquiescence to proactive supportiveness to restive vigilance. Superintendents' behaviors were "more controlling" and "less controlling." Respondents…

Description of education services to refugees in Africa focuses on three case studies: Institute of In-Service Teacher Training (IITT) in Somalia; Sudan Extension Unit (SEU); and Namibian Extension Unit (NEU) in Angola and Zambia. Highlights include refugee problems, the relevance of distance and open learning approaches, and international…

Discusses the 18th century development of the concept of liberal education in Germany and the increasing control over it by the government during the 19th century. Predicts that public education will become more important in the future, but that state control must be liberalized in order to manage the increasing problems of the educational system.…

Examines the history of curriculum development at Brooklyn College (New York) in order to show that a coherent general education requirement is most likely to address the problem of student diversity. Suggests this core curriculum can be replicated at other institutions. Emphasizes the need for sustained faculty development. (KO)

In a study of 121 elementary school teachers, those with strong beliefs about the importance of student work habits reported that they planned their lessons with greater responsiveness to student performance than teachers with less strong beliefs. Their learning-disabled and average-achieving students also achieved better than those with teachers…

Discusses the emergence and use of an information curriculum as a way of utilizing traditional resource-based instruction elements to help teachers and teacher-librarians plan resource-based lesson units. Lists 10 learning concepts that form the basis for an information curriculum, and presents a planning model for preparing lesson units. (JMV)

Although formal western-oriented educational planning is the basis of the search for educational direction in South Pacific countries, the planning process has often been subverted by tensions based in local cultural contexts. In Vanuatu, planning has been hindered by political instability and a colonial inheritance of two languages of instruction…

Suggests that neoclassical economics has dominated educational planning and policy analysis for 20 years, despite ongoing economics debates generating different positions on planning issues. Considers the views of radical and institutionalist economists and implications for educational planning. Questions both the validity of the efficiency…

Considers ways to plan for Internet access based on experiences at Conestoga High School (Pennsylvania). Topics include dial up, mediated access versus direct connection; fees; Internet services, including e-mail accounts; support services; Internet use policy; and integrating Internet use into the curriculum. (LRW)

A college preparation curriculum relevant to the needs of students with learning disabilities is presented, focusing on early planning, instructional modifications, strategy instruction, and support services. (JDD)

The GRIDS (Guidelines for Review and Internal Development in Schools) is a 5-stage model which has been used in 15 British local education authorities. This article describes the stages, identifies the model's benefits, offers an analysis of comments about the initial review stage, considers staff training, and shows the model's usefulness for…

Discusses instructional design and educational reform in public schools; describes the results of surveys and interviews with teachers that explored the use of instructional design principles in their planning processes; and provides an example of an instructional design component in undergraduate teacher education at the University of North…

School boards epitomize the U.S. tradition of representative local government. A 1992 National School Boards Association statement recognizes four major school board functions: envisioning a community's future educational program, establishing facilitative organizational structures and community environments, ensuring performance assessment…

Describes techniques to avoid the time crunch and safety hazards associated with fitting labs into 45-minute periods. The author presents information on organizing people and things, adapting labs, and cleanup management. The author cautions against rushing a science lab to the point of compromising safety or student understanding. (PR)

Discusses the centralization and decentralization of decision making about computer use in elementary and secondary schools based on results of a 1989 national survey. Results unexpectedly indicate that more successful programs are the result of districtwide planning than individual teacher or school-level decision making. (LRW)