The phrase "information on demand" is often used to describe situations in which digital electronic information can be delivered to particular points of need at times and in ways that are determined by the specific requirements of individual consumers or client groups. The advent of "mobile" computing equipment now makes the…

This document analyzes the responses to a survey conducted in 1997 on the role of the Ombuds Office in higher education, and also considers the characteristics of professional neutrality needed for successful conflict resolution. Of 178 institutions surveyed, 109 responses include 54 institutions with ombudsmen, 7 without such a position but with…

This paper explores the dynamics of managing collective problem solving and decision making, and the application of tools and strategies to deal with the emergent complexity of systems in which educators work. Schools and educational programs are complex adaptive systems that respond to changes in internal and external environments. Functioning…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is often promoted in response to the current need to offer authentic and effective professional education. PBL is a curriculum development and instructional system that simultaneously develops both problem solving strategies and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills by placing students in the active role of problem…

This report takes the experience of one city--Chicago, Illinois--and uses it as a detailed example of how the struggle to rebuild U.S. schools, particularly a large-scale program, has fared in the real world, highlighting the need for a federal role in helping state and local governments fix its school buildings and relieve overcrowding. Chapter…

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) represents a commitment by OECD member countries to monitor the outcomes of educational systems in terms of student achievement within a common international framework. This publication presents the guiding principles of…

Prevention is the ultimate key to reversing the upward trend in the use of drugs and to empowering communities to address their drug problems. An essential factor is the development and implementation of initiatives to prevent illicit drug use. A goal of prevention for youth is to provide them with a set of skills and tools to help them resist the…

Discusses guided design teaching method, applications in secondary/higher education, and the formation of a center to foster guided design as a viable instructional strategy. Guided design course activities are organized around the solution of open-ended problems to provide for the systematic development of decision-making skills. (Author/JN)

This paper, presented at a conference on pedagogy at Chichester, England, argues that overemphasis on expository verbal learning in teacher education is deleterious to student learning. Instead, teacher educators should develop conceptual learning and problem-solving abilities, drawing on educational psychology for an inquiry-oriented approach,…

Discusses a study of students in an innovative medical education program that organizes its curriculum around small-group problem solving and omits grades and written examinations. Examines professional socialization, sources of student uncertainty or anxiety, the striving for professional competence, adaptations to interactional evaluation, and…

Describes a structured group designed for families that include adolescents. The workshop, "Improving Familytalk": (1) assesses communication skills and weaknesses in families, (2) teaches improved communication skills, (3) applies skills by talking about problems and expectations, and (4) teaches how to build positive aspects of family life. (JAC)

Presented are four activities which integrate mathematics and science activities involving problem-solving skills. Topics of activities include derivation of pi (3.14), determining the volume of a bell jar, estimation skills, supplementary exercises using geometric and metric system tables, general laboratory exercises, and supplemental problems.…

Provides rationale for and examples of a game (Mastermind) which fosters the development of a systematic approach to problem solving. Includes a brief summary of an experiment with 50 high school students indicating value of the game. (JN)

Project AIM/LOFT (Accommodative Instructional Management/Learning Opportunities for Teachers) is a staff development training program that uses special instructional materials. The five-part staff development project includes: (1) intensive competency-based training; (2) in-class follow-up training; (3) action labs; (4) training in team dynamics;…

Studies indicate that doctoral programs do not provide students with optimal conditions for creative scholarship in research. Understandings of the nature of creative behavior in scientific endeavors are examined and related to the practice of advising doctoral candidates during the dissertation-research phase of their work. (Author/MLW)