In this report on a two-day workshop involving the Vermont Education Association (VEA) and its Subject Matter Affiliates, the main concern is identified as an effort to develop an effective means by which the VEA and its affiliates can provide mutually rewarding assistance to each other. The first session was primarily concerned with examining the…

Discusses the need for more involvement by Black students and scholars in the study of the needs and problems of this country's Black population. Calls for a collective effort on the part of Black institutions to systematically conduct research for and about American Blacks. (Author/BE)

Needs assessment is a young and growing field. Needs assessments contribute to effective educational planning and help educators improve services to students. Needs assessment can be used to identify goals and objectives, but probably has the most utility as a problem-focusing strategy that includes the following sequence: (1) identification of…

After experiencing a drop in enrollment of over 25 percent in 10 years, the Cincinnati (Ohio) Public Schools instituted a decentralization program. The program gives local schools greater autonomy, places greater emphasis on the principal's leadership role, and depends for some decision-making on Local School Advisory Committees (LSACs) composed…

Argues that expanding the policy infrastructure for resolving family-related disputes provides potential advantages at both the micro- and macrosystemic levels. Mediation, as a collaborative model, has proven effective in resolving family conflicts. Recommends that policies incorporate mediation into family-related disputes and into the…

Pennsylvania State University's early response to declining resources and its current planning and budget process are described. Attention is also directed to the fiscal outcomes of the process over the past 5 years and several of the strategies devised to promote qualitative concerns and respond to variable growth-decline situations. From 1971 to…

Evaluation research is no longer taught solely as a technical-scientific pursuit, but is now moving toward a policy-oriented discipline. Psychological skills in a political context can strengthen technical contributions of evaluators. (LMO)

The development of an operational model that would enable a college institutional research unit to improve administrative decision-making by expanding its data base to include new activities not widely recognized throughout the institution is considered. Attention is directed to institutional research as a function within an institution,…

The problems and opportunities for institutional research in academe as it becomes increasingly policy analytic in activity and orientation are explored. It is suggested that for the 1980s the most viable and dynamic role for institutional research will be in providing leaders in higher education institutions with policy-relevant knowledge in…

A General Policy Systems Theory is outlined and its application at a university in regard to governance in the face of retrenchment is described. The way that this model of nonrigorous but holistic research supports the Purpose, Target, Results (PTR) strategy and is in turn more useful than either operations research/management or science/systems…

The emphasis of this book is on means to meet teacher inservice needs more adequately in a teacher center setting. Process steps for planning and developing inservice programs based in teacher centers are outlined. The role of the central planning committee is crucial to the establishment of a successful teacher center. The responsibilities of…

This publication is designed to inform policy development and enable providers to develop good practice in working with microbusinesses. It encourages partnerships between learning providers and microbusinesses by providing a rationale to motivate the instigation of the partnership (Chapter 1); promoting awareness of the different types of…

The importance of myth and ritual in understanding the use of computer simulators in higher education is considered. Myths are commonly held beliefs that maintain social solidarity and reduce ambiguity; rituals serve a similar function, but they involve actions in addition to words. Examples of common myths and rituals are used to illustrate the…

The document contains papers presented at a conference on global population trends. Conference participants, who represented international agencies and governments in developing nations, investigated social determinants of population trends, population policy, and population program assistance. Eleven papers are presented. Topics discussed include…

The document contains papers presented at a meeting to consider global population growth. The purpose of the conference was to promote the exchange of ideas relating to population growth between educators, government officials, and development agency personnel from developing and developed nations. Ten papers are presented. Topics discussed…