This article discusses how the intentions of the Norwegian commitment to create a "non-institutional society" with people with developmental disabilities living as fellow citizens is reflected in everyday life and support practices. The passage of the Norwegian Reform Act that required the end of institutional care is recounted.…

The experience of Australians teaching a course in organizational behavior to a group of Eastern European managers is discussed, focusing on the challenges encountered in intercultural communication and in resistance to change. The psychodynamics of change and of building a transitional culture are examined, and practical suggestions for teaching…

A survey of 47 state higher education executive officers about proposals made between 1989 and 1994 to restructure higher education governance patterns investigated actions taken on the proposals, who initiated them, why they were advanced, and the internal, regional, and external factors in the restructuring proposals. The 29 proposals are…

Explores the use of forecasting in social work education to plan for change, and describes two qualitative and two quantitative forecasting models. Recounts the responses of one university task force to using the models for program administration and development, and examines areas of social work education in which the models may be useful.…

A project in a health sciences department of one Australian university, designed to encourage faculty collaboration on student assessment issues, became a program of personal and collective review giving insight into the processes and dynamics of curriculum and professional development. The project, its processes and products, and implications…

An Ohio legislative plan that will keep Central State University open for two years but places substantial restrictions and conditions on the funding is criticized as threatening to cause the institution to fail completely. News of the restrictions is seen as adversely affecting recruitment and retention efforts and a presidential search, all…

Comments by five industry leaders on the major trends, concerns, or forces that will affect education this year. Topics include planning schools to serve the community, transforming school business officials into visionaries and communicators, administrator accessibility, school boards as catalysts of change, and community-based transportation.…

Suggests second language acquisition research can help promote change in language teachers' methodological beliefs and practices. Drawing on diffusion of innovations research, an area of sociological inquiry, examines a theoretical framework for understanding change in language education, and discusses practical applications supporting…

Notes that Samoans establish new communities and identities through different linguistic strategies in the urban context of Los Angeles. Argues that by comparing the different social organizations of language use, it is possible to uncover how certain forms may be used to simultaneously maintain and transform cultural practices within a syncretic…

Describes the process of change at Syracuse University (New York) focusing on the role of core values, institutional mission, and a vision for the future in the change process at a time of declining enrollment and economic difficulties. Results of the process are noted, and suggestions are made for adapting the approach for public colleges and…

Employee assistance programs at colleges and universities are increasingly called on to mediate in department politics and faculty disputes. Issues treated include competition among faculty, elitism, alcohol and drug abuse, favoritism, and work-related stress. Defusing personnel problems before they escalate has proven to be a good institutional…

In 1987, the University of Utah began changing its basic campus media format from 16mm film to half-inch videotape which resulted in changes in classroom design and in the way technology is used. Summarizes the implementation process, mistakes made, and lessons learned. Includes the Instructional Media Services department's technology classroom…

Describes a project to explore how mathematics teachers can use assessment of students' learning to shape their own instructional practices. The project had two goals: (1) to make sense of what students understand, how they understand it, and what counts as evidence of understanding; and (2) to use analysis of materials that document students'…

Argues that the surge of violence by youth arises from a national crisis of character. Proposes that schools join families, churches, and communities in instilling universal ethical values. Outlines a comprehensive approach to character development and offers supporting research and practical examples of schools that implement these principles.…

A Nova Scotia high school experiencing racial tensions commissioned an external review. The reviewer focused not on blame and "eradicating the problem," but on a holistic look at all contributing issues, including economic marginalization, inequities in schooling, school culture, school-community relationships, and a willingness to work…