People resist change out of force of habit, out of fear, and out of hopelessness. Contemporary educators must find ways to overcome each and all of these barriers. A definite plan is needed in advance of any major program change. A good plan should always include: (1) a time schedule that capitalizes on events outside the school, using them as…

Profound changes taking place in communities and in universities are bringing researchers and community members new opportunities for joint research endeavors and new problems that must be resolved. In such partnerships, questions about shared decision making--about the ethics of collaboration--arise at every stage: Who decides which problems are…

This report looks at the specific steps the National Education Association (NEA) members feel must be taken to ensure that there will be an excellent teacher for every student in every classroom in America. The beginning of the NEA in 1857 and some of the milestones it has achieved are described. A profile of today's teachers is given. The NEA…

A study examined the Canadian-American Plant Closing Demonstration Project (CAPCDP) to assess the influence of the labor-management approach on factors critical to project success and to identify practices that enabled the labor-management committees set up under the project to work better. CAPCDPs in Idaho, Michigan, New Jersey, and Vermont were…

This packet contains materials, process guidelines, discussion questions, and suggestions that serve as a guide for a 3-hour training session on the topic of organizational culture for groups of from 7 to 21 (or more) adults. During the training session, participants simulate organizational behaviors following three different sets of cultural…

Controlled choice is a method of desegregation that is voluntary, empowers parents and school staff, and leads to new and exciting school organization and curriculum. To move in the direction of controlled choice, substantial changes in present school organization and operation must be made. This planning guide, based upon the actual experiences…

This document reports an evaluation of an open access program for unemployed adults at England's Hinckley College of Further Education. The program aimed to help clients identify long-term and short-term goals and emphasized participative management, student-centered learning, guidance, and counseling. The findings emphasize (1) the importance of…

Interviews were conducted with teachers who chaired the steering committees for 3 of the 25 National Education Association Mastery in Learning (MIL) Project schools with the purpose of eliciting their viewpoints on teacher empowerment and leadership. The schools (Orchards Elementary School in Lewiston, Idaho; Willow Creek Junior High in Rochester,…

In this report, the collective experience of non-professional support staff in academic libraries is suggested to be an invaluable--and often overlooked--human resource in long-range library planning. At Indiana State University Libraries, a special staff development activity was formulated to tap the creative energy of the library support staff…

According to the neo-Marxist critique, action researchers often neglect to take into account the historical, social, political, and cultural forces which silence students and protect the status quo in schools. One way to overcome this criticism is to link teacher research and emancipatory pedagogy, such as that advocated by Paulo Freire, in which…

Critical reflection plays an integral part in independent problem-solving and self-regulated learning. Metacognition, which is knowledge of a task and of the thinker's own cognitive processes, and monitoring, the ability to assess and adapt thinking when problems become apparent, are elements of reflective thinking. Research shows that experienced…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of shared leadership by focusing on the career of teaching in a single school system. Three elements are addressed which are important to the implementation and continuation of the career development program: teacher involvement, maintenance of an evaluation system, and flexibility through…

The necessity of design and planning for school restructuring with a macro focus on education systems design is discussed in this paper. Eight support and implementation strategies are identified: utilization of a formal change process; planned coordination; multiple sponsorship; formation of a grassroots collaboration network; external and…

In this national survey, local changes in primary and intermediate schools are examined in response to radical administrative restructuring of the New Zealand educational system. Recent administrative moves toward decentralization are based on the assumption that such changes will improve educational quality. The study focuses on the relationships…

Decision-making responsibilities of participants in a school based management program in Chicago (Illinois) are discussed in this report. Tension among the local school board council, principal, and professional personnel advisory committee is examined, with a focus on learning decision making skills. Shared decision-making facilitates…