A method for improving curriculum and schools through the local development of competency tests in basic skills--the Competency-Rossville Model (CRM)--is outlined. The method was originated in the school system of Rossville (Illinois) and has been tested in five other midwestern school systems. The approach leads the faculty of the school, with…

Difficulties experienced by Wilkes College (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) as a result of declining enrollments and shifts in student majors, and the resolution of differences between the administration and the faculty, are described in an essay. Related revision of institutional mission and peer-evaluation procedures are also discussed in an article…

A companion piece to the Resource Guide and the Teaching Strategies Series, Booklets A and B, of "Improving Students' Abilities to Read and Think," this manual is designed to instruct supervisory and training personnel in how to help teachers make the best use of those teaching guides. It describes the role of the curriculum leader and…

This analysis of the employment issues covered in California Assembly Bill (AB) 1725 includes general background information, relevant recommendations by the Commission for the Review of the Master Plan for Higher Education, the fundamental positions of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and a discussion of seven…

The origins, situation, and performance of about 100 college teachers who received their doctorates in geography from 1 of 30 major U.S. universities were investigated. Quantitative and narrative information was obtained from the teachers, colleagues from their departments, and students and through site visits. Three main topics were studied…

A faculty development process was developed to inform faculty about the diversity of characteristics among students in large classes at a large, land-grant institution. Data were collected on 4,300 students enrolled in 33 sections of large introductory-level classes taught by 26 faculty. A total of 149 study variables were considered based on…

The contents of this guide, adopted for a one-year pilot study, include: standard operating procedures for the faculty development/effectiveness document (performance and evaluation contract); instructions and forms for evaluating effectiveness in teaching, administrative duties, and professional activities; and a faculty…

This six-chapter report describes a study of staff development for community services faculty at North Hennepin Community College (NHCC) and proposes a model program. After Chapter I introduces community services instruction at NHCC, past staff development efforts, and the scope and limitations of the study, Chapter II reviews the literature on…

The Commission on Instruction of the New York State Association of Two-Year Colleges sponsored a competition which solicited papers on exemplary practices and procedures that improve the spirit of vitality and morale in two-year colleges. This special journal issue includes the brief papers accepted for the competition. After Richard L. Rinehart's…

The project of faculty development program evaluation, developed by the Center for the Study of Higher Education of the University of Michigan, is described. Project thrusts were: to develop assessment instruments for judging the success of faculty development programs; to provide formative and summative evaluation for the programs of the 24…

College teaching is examined in the context of the institution and the society that has changed socially and economically. Patterns typically followed by academics are noted, and the following influences are addressed: inflation, declining enrollments, the age distribution of faculty members, the notion of autonomy of faculty members, faculty…

Goals of the Lilly Post-Doctoral Fellowships Program as defined by the Lilly Endowment and as perceived by the Fellows, campus program directors, and participants in the Lilly Conferences are considered. The Endowment offered small grants (a maximum of three years of support at a maximum of $50,000 each year) to institutions willing to examine how…

A survey of 95 Pennsylvania institutions of higher education was undertaken in November 1979 to: (1) determine the current state of professional development activities, (2) discover the types of professional development resources that institutions could share, and (3) disclose the kinds of professional development services perceived to be most…

A faculty development program primarily oriented toward the beginning professor at the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico, is described. Among the program components are workshops; meetings to provide information about policies, procedures, and facilities at the school; and meetings to involve faculty in…

After examining societal factors that shape the role of vocational education, this paper presents instructional delivery and faculty development models designed to meet the vocational education needs of contemporary society. The report first identifies, as part of a model for educational viability, three forces affecting vocational programming:…