A 1983 questionnaire completed by 169 members of the Rural Education Association asked for opinions about 28 recommendations for federal rural education policy published by the Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education in 1980. Generally, responses favored the recommendations but indicated uncertainty and lack of information regarding their…

Presents a comparative analysis of the influence of American and Canadian teacher organizations, both labor and special interest groups, on educational policy. Reports that the effectiveness of the lobbying organizations surveyed depended upon factors such as wealth, internal stability, ability to focus on particular issues, and political and…

Experts believe that a governing board-approved, comprehensive alcohol policy is necessary as a risk management tool for colleges and universities. A sound alcohol policy should be based on the concepts of freedom of choice and responsibility to which legal adults are entitled in society. (MLW)

A formal environmental scanning system designed to identify emerging issues, events, or trends threatening or bringing opportunity to an institution is discussed that uses a committee to systematically collect and analyze data from a variety of sources. (MSE)

Sources of disenchantment with behavioral sciences research are examined, including research paradigms and problems in discarding them when they are dysfunctional, and politics, academic policies, and the reward structures of research and publication. (MSE)

Results of evaluation research studies, even those that are meticulously designed and carefully executed, often are not implemented. This article examines some of the critical factors that mediate between the carrying out of evaluation research and the utilization of findings. To illustrate these factors, two case studies are analyzed. (Author/EGS)

Discusses conceptual models of thought that have recently emerged to confront the conventional approaches to analysis and solution to complex environmental problems. In addition to a critical attack on the tradition of specialization and reductionism, several models are summarized that originated from ecology, cybernetics, and system theory. (BC)

The Chinese economy is changing rapidly. Government policy, which once promoted self-sufficiency in production, trade, and financing and rejected the idea of an international division of labor, is now seeking to participate actively in international trade and to operate its economy as efficiently as possible. (IS)

Explores effectiveness of interorganizational networks for impacting on public policy at local level. Examines efforts of community organizations in Columbus, Ohio, to increase citizen participation in school desegregation. Urges that resource sharing become the norm in community action. (RDN)

Characterizes the development over the past 30 years of the communication technologies employed in education by examining technological developments, structure of individual media, objectives and audiences of media systems, access to communications technologies, appropriateness of technology in new environments, social impact, and policy…

Recognizes book publishing as both a business and an art and argues that its value needs to be recognized, particularly in developing countries. (HOD)

Following a brief presentation of Harold Lasswell's model of the social process, the authors discuss problems of policy formation and meaning determination, describe the "decision seminar" proposed by Lasswell as a technique for facilitating collective problem-solving, and provide illustrations of the seminar's successful application to…

Discusses remote sensing principles and applications and the status and needs of remote sensing education in the United States. A summary of the fundamental policy issues that will determine remote sensing's future role in environmental and resource managements is included. (Author/BC)

Assesses a democratic society's ability to govern by focusing on three areas: (1) individual philosophical and/or religious beliefs and how they interweave with governance; (2) the making of basic public policy in constituent assemblies; and (3) the conversion of understandings into laws that reflect thoughtful programs and changing times. (BC)

Philosophical justifications for compulsory education derived from arguments for the welfare of the child, or paternalism, are examined. Dangers of paternalism are outlined, and two necessary and sufficient conditions for justified paternalistic policy up to a certain educational level are proposed and discussed. (MSE)