Examines some key ideas behind the learning organization and explains why the concept is so powerful in contemporary contexts. Identifies various types of learning organizations, and suggests an analytical technique for relating styles of organizational learning to the environmental context. The key to becoming a learning organization is…

The first GI Bill, Servicemen's Readjustments Act of 1944, provided the foundation for today's black middle class and educated the generation who spearheaded the civil rights movement. It is also credited with catalyzing development of adult and continuing education. Coinciding with the GI Bill was legislation to improve and expand black colleges.…

If colleges and universities want to avoid a relapse into increased racial segregation in light of current political and legal pressures against affirmative action, they must make the case for the need for racial diversity to further their core educational purposes. They must also enlist faculty help in identifying and articulating its educational…

Drawing on experiences of a Concordia University (Ontario, Canada) task force in considering the teaching portfolio as an instructional evaluation tool, several issues are discussed: the place of teaching in an academic culture; how teaching is and should be evaluated; and possibilities for changing the status quo. Issues in implementation and…

Highlights a failure on the part of social services to respond to the current needs of the child welfare system. Strongly advocates a commitment to concurrent planning, defined here as the process of working toward family reunification while at the same time establishing an alternative plan, usually in the form of permanency with a relative or…

Examines how some principles of environmental education have been taken up in environmental strategies and activities in Victoria, Australia. The focus is upon efforts of the government-funded Victorian Environmental Education Council to encourage development of environmental education in sectors and organizations outside the formal education…

Discusses a new joint degree program involving the study of a language and its culture launched at an Australian university by the engineering faculty. Students who complete the program will be awarded both a Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Arts degree. The arts degree course is in the field of international studies and includes subjects…

Describes a project trying to implement the nationally developed Curriculum Profile for languages in Australia from the vantage point of three teachers. Notes that the objectives of the project included highlighting teacher perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the profile, discovering difficulties experienced by teachers in applying the…

An ethnographic study of a post-1992 British university looks at how faculty respond to changing policies and take actions that, intentionally or not, have the effect of changing policy outcomes. Argues that greater understanding of academic behavior is needed and that researchers must understand how structural factors (educational ideologies,…

To raise the learning bar for all students, schools must overcome some major obstacles, such as children's problems, schools' traditional grade structure, the "upholstery" curriculum, and ideology-driven educational strategies. Schools should reject top-down standards, craft diverse strategies for diverse students, create flexible learning time…

Describes a person-centered planning approach for involving students with disabilities and their families in the transition planning process. Components of person-centered planning are discussed, including development of a personal profile, identification of future lifestyle preferences, action steps and responsible parties, and necessary changes…

Before educators can help children unlearn racial prejudice, they should realize that children develop societal stereotypes and biases by age 3 or 4. A Seattle multiculturalism expert suggests that schools create an overall cooperative atmosphere, sponsor cross-school events that bring kids from different backgrounds together, and ensure equal…

Many Americans view today's youth as menacing. Actually, a small percentage are arrested or incarcerated for violent offenses, only 5% are arrested for anything, adults commit 86% of all crimes, and teenage male violence is a long-standing phenomenon. However, youth homicide is a gun-fueled epidemic. Educators must resist legislators'…

Examines a range of publications classified into coursebooks, business communication skills, and supplementary materials used in Business English courses. Findings reveal that progress has been achieved in incorporating flexibility, interest, and relevance in coursebooks and that most materials have a variety of native and non-native speakers on…

An August 1996 conference on innovation in college student services is described, including discussion of the University of Delaware's student services model, common factors in program development identified by participants, common barriers, and the innovations undertaken at a number of diverse higher education institutions around the country.…