Discusses issues concerned with diversity and selecting peer institutions against which institutions of higher education attempt to "benchmark" themselves. Suggests diversity and peer selection can be closely linked conceptually within single scales of similarity and dis- similarity. A case study illustrates connections between diversity and peer…

Investors in People (IIP) is a British national standard for quality in training and development. Evaluation of companies achieving IIP recognition identified business benefits that resulted from the process. (SK)

Illustrates the interdependent issues associated with modern materials science and suggests that the performance of a computer depends on the physiochemical properties of its components. Focuses on selected materials critical to a computer's construction. Contains 69 references. (DDR)

Summarizes the findings of an international study of distance education institutions that was conducted by Athabasca University (Canada) to gather information about copyright operations. Highlights include copyright clearances; costs; the role of the copyright officer; and ethical questions of institutional intellectual ownership. (Author/LRW)

A benchmarking project to measure administrative processes and financial ratios received 57 usable replies from 300 noncredit continuing education programs. Programs with strong financial surpluses were identified and their processes benchmarked (including response to inquiries, registrants, registrant/staff ratio, new courses, class size,…

Analyzes the tenuous relationship between school learning and one student's everyday life. Emphasizes that standard tests and benchmarks should only ever be the baseline for a teacher. Examines national benchmarks, testing, and standards in the light of one case in Australia in order to discuss the pitfalls associated with judging students on the…

Distance learners studied law (n=8) and human resource management (n=7) using collaborative interactive activities. Results showed that collaborative online learning can foster deep, meaningful approaches. Assessment tasks can encourage the use of higher-order thinking through a process of benchmarking. (Contains 34 references.) (SK)

Discusses how to use benchmarking as both a quantitative and qualitative tool when reviewing management development in light of changing business strategy and organizational design. Highlights include cost effectiveness, a benchmarking framework, and the impact on human resource development (HRD) functions. (Author/LRW)

Describes the use of the federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and how it can be used to make informed comparisons of institutions of higher education. (EV)

Describes how joining the Big Ten influenced the use of benchmarking at Penn State in regard to faculty and academic issues. (EV)

In an interview setting, 21 6th-graders from four public schools in south Taiwan were asked a series of questions, related to whole and decimal numbers, designed to assess their number sense. Eight students were randomly selected from both low and middle performance levels, and five were selected from a high-performance level, according to their…

This chapter reviews resources from scholars, practitioners, and policymakers on benchmarking in community colleges.

In their efforts to better understand, plan for, and make decisions about information technology on campus, higher education leaders need data. They need benchmarking and longitudinal data. They need data about IT budgets, expenditures, and investments. They need data about IT staffing. And they need data about IT programs, planning, policy, and…

West Putnam Elementary School Principal Katherine Johnson knew she had to make some changes at her Porterville school. In 1999, the school was on California's Underperforming Schools Program list. Johnson and her team had to come up with a new school plan to raise student academic achievement. Porterville Unified School District curriculum…

Quality of work life is being recognized more and more as a driving factor in the recruitment and retention of highly qualified employees. Before Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine began development of its QWL initiative, it surveyed other medical schools across the U.S. to determine benchmarks of best practices in these programs.…