Program managers frequently put staff training near the top of their lists of ongoing challenges. The mix of diverse, complex training needs in many programs means managers may be responsible for orienting new staff, implementing new administrative procedures, or facilitating steps toward long-term program improvement. The greatest underlying…

This article discusses the tension between quality assurance and quality enhancement in engineering education at a programme level. It acknowledges that accreditation has evolved for many years, but does not agilely support innovation or implement changes in educational programmes. Existing quality assurance systems, institutional collaboration…

All too often leadership programs are developed in relative isolation; that is, they tend to be either academic or practitioner in nature. Arguably, much more effective leadership programs are possible through collaboration between academics and practitioners. This application brief describes one such successful collaboration to develop an…

This monograph describes a series of collaborative workshops and how they were developed by the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) to enhance the school counseling profession, especially in the areas of recruitment and curricula. It begins with a brief introduction and…

Guidelines are presented for staff developers in preparing the content and planning for delivery of presentations. The basic planning techniques that are described are based upon learning theory and regard for the audience. (JD)

Horizontal evaluation combines self-assessment and external evaluation by peers. Papa Andina, a regional network that works to reduce rural poverty in the Andean region by fostering innovation in potato production and marketing, has used horizontal evaluations to improve the work of local project teams and to share knowledge within the network. In…

This is the final in a series of evaluative documentations on the 1976 Teacher Corps Conference. It is based on an extensive review of the information submitted on pre- and post-conference assessment forms, on individual session forms, on project team forms, and on extensive and numerous written comments. The focus of the critique was to analyze…

Describes a workshop strategy which provides a mechanism for implementing change and facilitates the administrative support necessary to improve nursing care in institutional settings. Participants learn to set realistic, high-priority goals; implement change theory; and use available resources to achieve a goal. (CT)

High school students have had some difficulties in understanding chemistry due to traditional ways of teaching this specific science. It is important to improve teaching methods that increase student motivation, not only to enhance their capacity for understanding, but also to generate a greater level of interest in the study of chemistry for…

This paper was prepared to advise the Teacher Corps/Washington Management Team about the 1976 National Conference. The following questions were used to organize the body of the report: (1) Why a conference? (2) Why certain sessions? (3) Why certain participants? (4) Why certain presentors? and (5) What imperatives should direct planning and…

Focusing on the improvement of graduate programs in vocational education, this monograph is organized into two sections. Section 1 reports the results of a survey initiated by the National Resource Panel of graduate programs in vocational education in the United States. Section 2 contains working papers used in a workshop which addressed the…

Cultural competence is a set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that enable a system, agency, or individual to function effectively in trans-cultural interactions. The term refers to a person or program's ability to honor and respect the cultural differences of individuals and families who are clients and staff. A culturally competent system…

This reference guide contains summaries of workshops developed by the Rural Technical Assistance Centers (R-TACs) at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory to provide assistance to Chapter 1 personnel. The booklet describes currently available standard workshops from which rural educators may select. Most workshops can range from an…

Current inservice programs are criticized on the grounds that they do not achieve the objective of improving teachers' mastery of their subjects. It is suggested that these programs can be improved by increasing professional communication between teachers, providing more assistance from specialized consultants, increasing teacher participation in…

A project was conducted at Manor Junior College, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, to design and implement a development conference for all faculty and staff who have a direct impact on vocational students. Emphasis was placed upon improving the quality of instruction, updating teacher competence, and introducing learning mechanisms for improving program…