This manual presents a self-instructional program designed to acquaint educators with general systems theory as it applies to instructional development practices and the diffusion of instructional innovations. It is also intended to provide an intellectual and emotional frame of reference for individuals undertaking instructional development…

This publication is intended to help improve the educational planning and evaluation practices of the several hundred small- to medium-sized Wisconsin school districts that do not have a centralized planning staff. Although it was prepared specifically for school districts in Wisconsin, its content is just as useful and applicable to districts in…

The Computerized Decision Development System (DEDEV) is designed to foster decision-making competency in individuals through a two stage process: (1) providing information about scientific decision-making, and (2) providing experience with use of information in "meaty" problems by computerized gaming and simulation. This manual presents the 14…

Advocates systems analysis as a first step for documents librarians considering the use of computer based technology, outlines the necessary steps, and cites publications that provide practical instruction. The areas of bibliographic control, collection development and integration, and documents reference service are discussed. (CLB)

This digest discusses several aspects of electronic networking, including network functions, implementation, and applications in education. Electronic networking is defined as including the four basic services of electronic mail (E-mail), electronic "bulletin boards," teleconferencing, and online databases, and an overview of these four…

This report presents an initial approach developed by the General Services Administration for the management of end user computing in federal government agencies. Defined as technology used directly by individuals in need of information products, end user computing represents a new field encompassing such technologies as word processing, personal…

This document is volume 4 of a four-volume report which describes the components of the Health Services Mobility Study (HSMS) method of task analysis, job ladder design, and curriculum development. Divided into three chapters, volume 4 is a manual for using HSMS task data and analysis results to develop curriculum objectives, guidelines, and…

This guide introduces information systems security concerns and outlines the issues that must be addressed by all agency managers in meeting their responsibilities to protect information systems within their organizations. It describes the essential components of an effective information resource protection process that applies to an individual…

This guide is a product of a study conducted as part of a broader effort by the Department of Education to identify the causes of rising college costs and find and disseminate ways to contain these costs. In institutions of higher education most costs are manageable and can be contained without jeopardizing key services. This can be achieved by…

The purpose of this module is to help educators learn how to break down a goal into its directly observable component parts. These parts of the goal can then be used as evaluative criteria for measuring accomplishment of the goal. The procedure is a new method for operationally defining goals and is a specific application of a general method…

The purpose of this guide is to help the policy maker address a series of questions regarding the protection and safety of computer systems and data processed within his/her agency. It introduces information systems security concerns, outlines the management issues that must be addressed by agency policies and programs, and describes the essential…

This manual is basically designed as a self-instructional guide by which postsecondary vocational administrators and educators can conduct cost-effectiveness/benefit studies. (Cost-effectiveness/benefit analysis is an evaluation technique which can be used for assessing outcomes of existing and/or new programs in relation to their specified…

Designed to assist Computerized Vocational Information System (CVIS) users in evaluating projects in local secondary school sites, the handbook provides users with a variety of variables or viewpoints from which to assess the CVIS system. Four different approaches are presented to CVIS evaluation: the analysis of use patterns; the reaction of…

For libraries to succeed, a clear understanding of what services are in demand is necessary. The SWOT analysis technique for evaluating an organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is examined, and barriers to effective diagnosis are discussed. (AEF)

This handbook is intended as a guide for engineers, architects, and individuals familiar with heating and ventilating applications who wish to design a solar heating system for a residential or small commercial building in the Pacific Coast Region. The climate of the region is discussed by selected cities in terms of the effect of climate on solar…