The authors, representing the viewpoints of the academic and the practicing consultant, consider the integration of intervention theory and practice in public schools. The first part of the presentation discusses the intervention theory as a guide to the activities of the organizational change agent. The distinctive characteristics of the public…

This text has been written primarily as a handbook for organizational specialists in school districts, for those learning to become organizational specialists, and for teachers of organizational specialists. For the most part, each chapter and each major section has been organized to be understood and used independently from the rest of the book.…

The history of education in Japan from feudal to modern times is covered in this book. The Japanese educational system has played a crucial role in that country's development during the past century, and a study in this field provides an understanding of the close relationship between the schools, society, and culture. Four broad areas of interest…

There is increasing evidence that information system development and personnel development within an institution must not only be parallel in sophistication and noncontradictory in design, but also that concurrently developing programs are mutually supportive and increase the effectiveness of each far beyond the capability of either. Management…

The article describes how a British residential school for hearing-impaired children tackled difficult behavior and became more conscious of its ethos by employing a problem-centered methodology. Problems such as intra-school communication and students' inappropriate social behavior were the focus of a teacher workshop and resultant task groups.…

Birmingham-Southern College has surmounted major problems of enrollment, finances, and mission by adding and expanding career-related curricula and selected adult and post-baccalaureate offerings, reaffirming and finding new applications for its original liberal arts mission. (MSE)

Gloria, a first-year principal at Sunflower High School, sighed as she stared at her computer screen. She had been asked to write letters of reference for three teachers who were leaving her school. The first resigned among rumors of misconduct with a student--but before an investigation began. The second was asked to resign after a school…

This qualitative case study investigated a large, suburban, public middle school focusing on educators' perceptions of leadership within their professional learning community. Participants included the principal, administrative team, and key faculty members. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed by hand coding and…

This theoretical paper explores the nature of narrative by examining its key characteristics as a communication tool and an independent mode of thought in the form of a literature review. The first section describes stories or narrative. The second section establishes links between narrative, change, and learning through the concept of…

The first part of this report summarizes the Houston Community College System's (HCCS) (Texas) level of achievement toward accomplishing the strategic planning goals and objectives for 1997-2000, as outlined in a previous document, "A Vision for the Future." Overall, HCCS achieved or partially achieved 88% of its established goals and…

Contract learning is an invaluable tool in organizational learning and management development. A contract can incorporate teacher-directed learning (TDL) and self-directed learning (SDL), as appropriate. Substantial research has revealed the power of SDL; the trick is to harness this learning for the benefit of the organization. The literature on…

Quality is at the top of most agendas, and improving quality is probably the most important task facing any institution. In addition, quality is difficult to define or measure. This book, the second edition of "Total Quality Management in Education," introduces the key concepts of Total Quality Management (TQM) and demonstrates how they…

Developed by Laubach Literacy Action (LLA), this book is designed to help literacy programs develop professionalism, improve program quality, and operate their programs like businesses. Based on LLA's National Quality Standards for Volunteer Literacy Programs and the premise that tutoring services are enhanced by efficient program management and…

On August 18, 1995, California's San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) held a conference among district staff to discuss strategies for remaining competitive in the 21st century. This document presents the conference agenda and summarizes remarks made at the conference and conclusions reached by breakout groups. Comments from four…

This study examined the variety of service delivery models used to provide services to preschool children with disabilities in nine diverse communities across three states (Colorado, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania). Information was derived primarily from interviews conducted with community preschool program administrators, service providers, and…