An approach for involving beneficiaries in specifying program attributes for evaluators to address is discussed. Methods are outlined for sharing influence among program decision makers and beneficiaries. Application of this approach in the evaluation of a problem-based medical school curriculum is described, with evidence on the enhancement of…

It is argued that the basic means-ends analysis of systemic educational policy may be mistaken in the current national context. The author agrees with the basic premises of systemic educational policy but thinks that a mandatory system of strong instructional guidance from the state has basic problems, as discussed. (SLD)

Examines how the Southern European Mediterranean immigrants to Australia attempted to contribute to the making of an educational system that would cater to their real or imagined cultural ecology and educational curriculum. An economic rationale is suggested for the Australian model of multiculturalism and its impact on education. (SLD)

A study at San Diego State University (California) investigated the decision-making process in 388 cases of faculty reappointment, tenure, and promotion (RTP) over a period of five years. It examined the degree of support for RTP decisions at six different decision-making levels and in nine colleges, particularly when "no tenure/no…

Response to an article on multiculturalism and the status of community languages in Australia, focusing on issues of language maintenance and shift emerging from the article and adding examples from other countries. Questions addressed include who is responsible for maintaining community languages, which are maintained, how this is done, and why,…

Education Department officials closely followed the wishes of Congress when issuing new rules for a highly regarded Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education grant competition. Last year, after Congress directed agency officials to give grants in 18 specified "subject areas," and also suggested recipients, it was criticized for…

Recent experience at Butler University (Indiana) shows that faculty will accept a responsible role in the pursuit of efficiency and productivity, but only if involved in a much more meaningful way than current college governance models support. The structure and functions of the Butler model are described, and advice on promoting effective…

Discusses the types of services libraries need to support patrons who access the library via the Internet or e-mail. Highlights include issues in technical support; establishing policies and procedures; tools for technical support, including hardware and software; impacts of technical support on staff; and future possibilities. (LRW)

Uses three regional educational trends to demonstrate that the global economic influence on educational changes is fundamental. Argues that the global economy creates an environment to which the local context reacts. Suggests that local educational planning must take into account linkages to the global economy and their effects. (DSK)

Examines equity relative to South Africa's historically black universities in changing global and local circumstances. Innovations made in community-oriented teaching, research, and outreach provide the basis for conceptualizing an alternative to the market university model. Comparisons with U.S. universities are made. Contains 29 references. (MMU)

Presents a lesson plan for grades 9 through 12 that examines the making of foreign policy based on human-rights concerns. Helps students to understand the complexities of international relations and to clarify the beliefs and values about the appropriate role of human rights when making foreign policy. Provides two handouts. (CMK)

Reviews present difficulties in the way that states report the participation of students with disabilities in their testing programs. Recommendations for policymakers include the following: identify students with disabilities in statewide assessment programs, standardize procedures for calculating participation rates, and improve lines of…

Explores how Americanization and Russification differed in terms of their imperialist language policies and how these policies led two colonialized societies, Puerto Rico and Estonia, to respond in dramatically different ways to the pressures to learn English and Russian respectively. (Author/VWL)

Examines the work of Norma V. Cantu, the head of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights and the controversy surrounding her tenure. Issues discussed include the range of concerns she must address, including affirmative action, gender equity in athletics, and college desegregation in the South, and her strategies for…

Examines the current policy context in early childhood education in England and Wales. Clarifies some of the tensions and contradictions inherent in current conceptions of progression and continuity, drawing on perspectives from theory, policy, and practice. Identifies three key areas of research that would advance development of theories of…