This paper presents a conceptual model to help school leaders manage change effectively. The model was developed from a literature review of theory development and model construction. Specifically, the paper identifies the major components that inhibit organizational change, and synthesizes the most salient features of these components through a…

In an effort to provide new members of the North Arkansas Community/Technical College (NACTC) Foundation Board with college- and foundation-related information needed to carry out their duties, a project was undertaken to develop a board orientation manual. To determine what information should be included in the manual and how it should be…

A model of organizational analysis and renewal specifically designed for community colleges was developed to take into account internal functioning as well as the demands of external constituencies. The model is based on three elements: differentiation, referring both to the division of labor and the attitudes and subcultures that result from that…

This report by the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) summarizes research findings on what has and what has not been successful in schools and workplaces. Studies concerning successful organizations (elementary and secondary schools and firms in a wide range of businesses) and successful practices were reviewed. Most of the reviewed…

Publications in the fields of educational science, organization theory, and project management were analyzed to identify the possibilities that modularization offers to institutions of higher professional education and to obtain background information for use in developing a method for modularization in higher professional education. It was…

This paper provides the framework and context for a systems approach to planning, detailed descriptions of specific steps in the planning process, conclusions, and questions for consideration when executing strategic planning in higher education. The analysis is based on the work of James T. Ziegenfuss, Jr. in his book "Designing…

From September 4 to 6, 1996, the Committee on the Future of Arizona Community Colleges conducted a charrette, or structured decision-making process designed to develop consensus, to provide recommendations for improving Arizona's community colleges. In developing the charrette, the Committee issued a request for ideas in March 1996 and selected 79…

In response to recommendations in the Illinois Board of Higher Education's Priorities, Quality, and Productivity report of November 1994, the 52 community colleges in the state prepared priority statements detailing specific college objectives for the current fiscal year (FY). This report provides the second update of the colleges' statements,…

This book contains seven exploratory research papers from a conference on diversity and workplace teams. The authors examine diversity in terms of a variety of attributes, including race and sex. The book is divided into three sections. The first contains three papers that deal with the management of diverse teams. The following papers are…

The self-examination process used by Sinclair Community College (SCC), in Dayton, Ohio, is designed to improve student learning and the processes that contributes to effective and efficient learning. In 1988, SCC created a college-wide Assessment Steering Committee (ASC) charged with reviewing the status of assessment practices at SCC and making…

Action research, which, broadly defined, was one of the activities in which educators following in the footsteps of John Dewey engaged, emerged as a systematic approach for improving educational practice in the two decades following World War II. Action research then passed into relative obscurity. It has recently re-emerged in the educational…

Total Quality Management (TQM) is "a system of continuous improvement employing participative management and centered on the needs of customers." Key components of TQM are employee involvement and training, problem-solving teams, statistical methods, long-term goals and thinking, and recognition that the system, not people, produces…

Professional-development schools are collaborations between universities and public schools to improve the nation's teaching force. Prospective teachers are assigned to K-12 schools for formal instruction, planned experiences in classrooms, and mentoring from master teachers. This paper presents findings of a qualitative study that described the…

In the face of reduced resources, increased levels of competition, and rapid technological advancement, it is critical that colleges learn how to plan for the future. There are four main phases of effective planning: development, implementation, evaluation of results (audit), and standardization. The Hoshin Planning model, which incorporates these…

There has been a rapid increase over the past 5 years in both the number of charter schools in the United States and the enthusiasm for the concept. Most research about charter schools has not addressed how charter schools create and sustain high-quality learning communities. This paper presents findings of a study that investigated how learning…