An investigation was conducted to develop isolation reduction strategies to reduce the feeling of isolation expressed by many of the Nova University Programs for Higher Education regional cluster students. A needs assessment was initiated to discover what the broad-range needs of regional students were and to actively develop strategies to meet…

Environmental scanning (ES) is a formal process of assessing trends and forecasting events which can influence an institution so that the potential challenges and opportunities can be effectively anticipated during strategic planning activities. The goal of ES is the implementation of proactive, anticipatory policies that will be robust under a…

Research and practice have shown that staff development is the key to the successful implementation of any effective schools project. Staff development is defined as the ongoing, job-related, research-based activity provided for employees to maintain and improve their competencies. Part 1 of this paper outlines components (such as district-level…

To assess opinions among members of the education networks of the Sisters of Mercy, a 4-part, 45-item questionnaire was distributed in 1986. Respondents represented higher education, secondary education, and elementary education. Results from major superiors of the Union and its nine provinces and each of the independent congregations are reported…

Establishing instructional priorities in public schools is a worthwhile and important process. Because time and money are insufficient to increase staffing in schools, setting priorities is a necessary component of successful managing. Steps to be taken in setting instructional priorities are as follows: (1) Adopt a statement of mission describing…

This monograph describes the concept of school district contracts with teacher partnerships for educational services; taking the view of education as an industry, the document analyzes advantages, obstacles, and strategies of such a change. Section 1, "The Challenge," suggests that societal changes make an education industry outside the…

The study described in this report included a statewide collection of baseline information on career/vocational counseling and placement training needs in Michigan. The study sought to determine the need for a statewide career/vocational guidance and job placement training and development center for public secondary and postsecondary counselors,…

To assist state-level educational policy makers, information about the needs of rural adults and barriers to their participation in educational programs was studied in seven northwestern states. Telephone interviews gathered information from educational providers (approximately 6 in each state) and 47 rural adult learners from the region. In each…

Before educational planners can develop associate degree level curricula to train human resource practitioners, they must have a clear understanding of the field of human resource development (HRD). A review of research relating to the role of the HRD specialist indicates that HRD practitioners must be specialists in human relations skills and…

To determine how school districts are handling the problems of asbestos in their schools, the General Accounting Office (GAO) conducted interviews and asked standarized questions of officials at 6 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional offices, 12 state offices, and 36 school districts in 12 states. This report presents information on the…

Guidelines for assisting colleges and universities to improve the international dimension of their campuses are presented, with attention to administrative leadership, curriculum development, faculty development, student awareness, and resources. Each guideline consists of a definition, an interpretation of its potential contribution to…

This collection contains five papers dealing with trends in changes in the structure and labor needs of corporations in the information age. The Introduction, by Ronald A. Kepple, outlines 10 points for reinventing the corporation in the information age and reviews them in the context of the community college. Forces that are converging to take…

In 1983, Santa Monica College (SMC) created a task force to assess the college's need for child care services and to devise possible service models for consideration. Subcommittees were formed to address student and staff child care needs; ways of funding child care services; criteria for possible child care facilities and sites which met these…

There is a need for improved educational indicators in order to determine the nature of the major problems facing American education. Based on the experience of the National Commission for Excellence in Education, this paper tries to provide the basis for identifying a preliminary set of indicators that would be useful to policymakers and that are…

Adults in a multi-ethnic, small, rural school district were surveyed to determine their evaluation and expectations of district schools. Of the 301 respondents, 72% were Jicarilla Apache/other Indian, 14% Spanish/Mexican, and 14% Anglo; most were aged 19-45; 81% had completed high school; 76% were employed. Respondents rated the elementary, high,…