Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show that changes in social systems do not occur randomly. They are consistent with what has gone on before, with the history and identity of the system. As long as the organizing principles of a dominant culture remain unchallenged, behavior of all the social-units originating from this culture will remain…

Here is a short presentation of the main statistical indicators for higher education. The analysis was structured on national and regional level and also taking in account the differences between private and state universities. We have focused on some indicators regarding students and teachers flows. Romanian case is a special one, that had no…

Understanding complex systems is fundamental to understanding science. The complexity of such systems makes them very difficult to understand because they are composed of multiple interrelated levels that interact in dynamic ways. The goal of this study was to understand how experts and novices differed in their understanding of two complex…

A rapidly changing global economy, shifting demographics, and concerns about our ability to maintain a competitive workforce have focused national attention on the educational systems of America's states, highlighting their critical role in ensuring a productive and creative future for our country. As a result, Americas colleges and universities…

The United States Department of Education's "Annual Performance Report" (APR) for fiscal year (FY) 2009 provides detailed information on how the outcomes of the strategic performance measures identified in its "FY 2007-2012 Strategic Plan" and updated in the "Fiscal Year 2008 Performance and Accountability Report"…

This chapter considers the design of incentive pay systems for teachers and principals and the challenges facing policy makers who seek to design them. The author argues that policy makers must direct the efforts of teachers and principals toward schools' mission--the acquisition of skills and knowledge among children--and must find ways to link…

An often-quoted Nigerian proverb holds that it is the responsibility of the whole village to teach a child. This paper argues that this goal might not even be possible, given the complex educational system of the 1990s. The paper provides a framework for effective change based on an understanding of the complexity of the educational system. It…

This paper explores the use of a series of heuristic models that identify the interrelated components of the broader educational process. This heuristic schema was designed so that educators can examine the purpose and limitations associated with models and subsequently enhance their ability to guide changes within their own institutional setting.…

This paper introduces a hardware and software independent model for producing educational computer simulation environments. The model, which is based on the results of 32 studies of educational computer simulations program production, implies that educational computer simulation environments are specified, constructed, tested, implemented, and…

To explore communication patterns within organizations, a network analysis was conducted of a large New York financial institution with 98 departments and 66 branches. Functional analysis revealed that departments had more and stronger communication linkages than did branches. Departments were also closer in communication distances than branches.…

Describes a methodology for management information systems design that employs a formalized framework for significantly involving manager-users in the design process. A key element of the methodology is the development of descriptive and normative system models based on the concept of a "linear responsibility chart." (Author/JG)

The implementation of this model would assess specific performance tasks, working traits, and socioeconomic traits of the students who complete the occupational program in order to provide both empirical and judgmental data about specific portions of the curriculum. (Author/NHM)

The concept of a qualitative model provides a unifying perspective for understanding how expert systems differ from conventional programs. Knowledge bases contain qualitative models of systems in the world, that is, primarily non-numeric descriptions that provide a basis for explaining and predicting behavior and formulating action plans. The…

This report, written for state legislators, law enforcers, and researchers, presents the results and recommendations of a study of youth crime and juvenile justice in California. Part I, The Control of Youth Crime in California Today, discusses juvenile crime rates, the processing of juvenile arrests, and arrest disposition patterns. Part II, The…