This paper examines the process of intervention design as it relates to the grammar of artifactual action. In his discussion, the author identifies three separate elements of artifactual action. These elements include defining the situation of action and the change agent's relationship to the situation; generating typical expectations about…

This report describes a study that examined the process of educational reform and sought to determine how and why internal changes occur in the evolution of an educational program. The author studied the progress of four educational reforms in the Brunswick-Freeport area of midcoast Maine, including the introduction of significant changes in the…

This survey was intended to determine the relationship between educators' previous involvement with institutional change and their interest in the Massachusetts Diffusion Assistance Project (MDAP). Materials describing MDAP were mailed to 159 school administrators who had indicated an initial interest in MDAP. Respondents were divided into four…

This booklet attempts to give a brief overview of the nature of organization development (OD). It describes the role of the professional organization development specialist, how he functions, and what he tries to do in the client system. It also describes the purposes of the Midwest Organization Development Network, a nonprofit association of OD…

The use of a management-by-objectives format as an administrative leadership evaluation method can contribute to the effect of an organizational leadership change. The applicability of this method to situations would be determined by a number of factors that may or may not exist in every organization. While the technique of using…

The change process consists of a series of stages, beginning with awareness of organizational dysfunction and culminating in successful implementation of change. Difficulties in instigating change in schools are due to: (a) diffused and poorly defined school goals and objectives; (b) a school environment of conflicting and contradictory…

The proposed merger of the Rye City and Rye Neck school districts in Westchester County, New York, is described. An overview of the two school systems is presented, with a discussion of the principles and issues involved in the proposed merger. Based on hypothetical data for future years, an examination is made of enrollment expectations, facility…

The advantages of the 45-15 school schedule for students, teachers, and parents and for building economy are outlined. The model presented shows various constraints affecting the operation of a 45-15 schedule and suggests maxims to improve scheduling. Assorted schedule variations are explained in the text and illustrated in sketches. (Page 14 may…

Mid-career is a time period when the knowledge and skills acquired during a collegiate education begin to approach obsolescence unless constantly renewed. Several studies had reported that peak performance of engineers and scientists occurs in the thirties and early forties. If these observations are correct, the updating process must be viewed as…

Herein are discussed descriptive findings from the educational literature on the question of what variables appear important in changing traditional in-service training procedures. The question of the content versus the process of in-service training, important problems in in-service training programs, and implications of the important problems…

This study presents a theoretical discussion analyzing and explaining the use of group methods in feeding back diagnostic data to organizations. A new design -- the peer group-intergroup model -- is presented and compared to the traditional family group model. Data evaluating one implementation of this design showed that it was associated with…

A successful conflict manager in the field of education (1) is aware of the problems facing the young, the oppressed, and the sensitive; (2) is harshly realistic about his own personal and role limitations; (3) attempts wherever possible to substitute collective judgments for personal discretion; (4) possesses the leadership and organizational…

Organizational training aims at increasing the problem-solving effectiveness of groups by harnessing emotional states and enabling participants to function efficiently as working components of a task-oriented body. A three-step sequence for using organizational training in schools would: (1) improve communication skills of personnel, (2) change…

This annotated bibliography includes entries to reflect the thrust of the entire Administering for Change Program (ACP) of Research for Better Schools, Inc. The goal of ACP is to create in institutional change capability for local school districts. This volume is divided into six sections. Section One, Introduction, describes, ACP. Section Two,…

In discussing what is meant by the concept "organization," the author raises the questions, "What is an organization that it can have such a thing as a goal?" and, assuming it appropriate to speak of organizational goals, "how do the goals of individuals bear on those of the organization?" The author submits that answers to these questions raise…