The transition to management is one of the most difficult challenges first-time managers face--almost half fail. First-time managers may experience disorienting dilemmas that trigger transformative learning. HRD (human resource development) practitioners can assist in reducing the failure rate of first-time managers when they better understand the…

Reports the results of a survey questionnaire of 208 professional, Canadian children's librarians and discusses their professional development needs. (CHC)

Responses from 90 management development graduates (of 293 surveyed) from 1989-2000 reported that the program had a positive impact on career advancement and professional development. They believed it helped their organizations deal with and manage change but did not have an impact on succession planning or gender equity. (Contains 32 references.)…

Thirteen ideas for marketing and implementing the assessment center concept are presented. These call for a primary focus on individuals and on excellence, preparation and organization, assessor training, assessor newsletters, accessible locations, a statewide advisory board, an action plan, confidentiality, both causal and formal meetings,…

This article treats specific areas in which the assessment center can make significant contributions to university programs in educational administration: personal-professional growth, contributions to the preparation program, and linkages with the field. (TE)

This brief introductory article describes the NASSP's Assessment Center Project, a comprehensive plan to assist school districts in identifying and developing highly skilled school leaders. As such, it introduces a series of articles in which those who have used the NASSP Assessment Center describe their experiences. (TE)

Two success stories are presented of good teachers who were given a chance by the NASSP assessment center to demonstrate their administrative skills and were subsequently selected to fill administrative positions. Participation in the assessment center has provided more objective information on administrative candidates than was previously…

College and university faculty engaged in the preparation of school administrators should have a vital role in all applications of assessment centers and the principles upon which assessment centers are based. Faculty involvement in uses of assessment center technology can improve administrator preparation programs. (TE)

The success of the South Carolina Assessment Center Project, the first statewide center, is credited to five basic principles that have guided efforts thus far: (1) establish credibility; (2) pay attention to details; (3) apply safeguards; (4) maintain public support; and (5) make the assessment experience humane. (TE)

Directors, assessors, and participants in various NASSP-accredited assessment centers attest to the value of the experience from their own individual perspectives. Regardless of their performance and subsequent assessment, almost all participants indicate that they learned much about themselves. (TE)

A Nebraska principal describes her experience of a two-day workshop in the assessment center at the University of Nebraska. Both the oral and written feedback helped her formulate long- and short-term goals, increased her skills in conflict resolution and stress management, and improved her classroom observation skills. (TE)

The Michigan Institute for Educational Management's Assessment Center Program is based on evaluation of a candidate's strengths and weaknesses in 12 skill areas. The author, a high school principal, describes personal insights derived from this 12-fold evaluation process. (TE)

Succession planning focuses on anticipated future administrative positions, the expected skill requirements of those positions, and developing potential candidates to fill the positions. Although succession planning is basically a business oriented model, it seems appropriate for rural educational settings. Strategies for implementing succession…

Highlights findings from the literature on management development experiences that influence women's advancement. Discusses results of a study of 27 female managers about their participation in management development. Describes four human resource development (HRD) initiatives with the potential to enhance women's management development: training,…

Describes the methods and objectives of assessment centers, and the benefits to academic libraries that participate in such programs. The discussion covers the usefulness of this process in collective bargaining situations, cost effectiveness, and guidelines for developing an assessment center. (33 notes with references) (CLB)