The formation of hypotheses and generation of a theory to explain and predict the outcomes of educational reforms based on the concept of school reform cycles is the purpose of this paper. Two complementary hypotheses are proposed to explain the success or failure of educational reforms. The first hypothesis is based on an inverse relationship…

Democratic participation in education suggests that communities will be served best when decision-making is decentralized and when people--teachers, parents, and students alike--are encouraged to participate directly in making decisions that affect them. In contrast, the notion of administrative leadership implies hierarchical elevation of chief…

A study examined increasing employee participation in a Roman Catholic seminary using an analysis of management style to display a profile of recent changes in the seminary's management not unlike similar changes made in secular organizations. Management behaviors relevant to participation were analyzed according to Likert's taxonomy, which…

The paper discusses the political events and issues that affected North Carolina and the nation between 1776 and 1789. Attitudes and philosophies on government and its centralization form the foundation for North Carolina's traditional and firm opposition to centralization of power and changes in government structure. North Carolina's…

Of the three organizational variables that can be understood to influence the work of school specialists, only organizational structure appears to be under the control of school officials. This conclusion was reached by researchers following a year-long study involving close observation of nine carefully selected school specialists from California…

This learning unit on supervising with authority is one in the Choice Series, a self-learning development program for supervisors. Purpose stated for the approximately eight-hour-long unit is to enable the supervisor to define authority, distinguish between different types of authority, and use authority more effectively in the workplace. An…

Confronted by complex and divisive issues and by groups seeking participation in policymaking, the Salt Lake City Board of Education adopted a shared governance policy in the middle 1970's. The policy mandated creation of two related councils at each school site. The School Improvement Council (SIC) consisted of the principal and specified school…

The process of developing the curriculum and determining educational policy in the schools of the state of Victoria, Australia, has shifted in recent years from being a function of the state bureaucracy to being a matter for collaborative decision-making among parents, students, teachers, administrators, and others involved in education. To ensure…

The effects of parenting styles on children's self-esteem were examined by dividing the empirical literature into three age groups: the preschool child; the elementary child; and the adolescent. Major literature reviews by W. C. Becker, B. Martin, and E. E. Maccoby and J. A. Martin are discussed and inconsistencies among the reviews are examined.…

This working paper examines the theories of Fred Fiedler concerning the effectiveness of different leadership styles in different situations. Discussed first are the distinctions that Fiedler makes between what he terms relationship-motivated leaders and task-motivated leaders. The next section comprises an explanation of Fiedler's view of…

It is the thesis of this discussion that outcome-based instructional systems (such as mastery learning, individually guided education, and competency-based education) represent a workable alternative to traditional approaches to instruction and are particularly suited to children in Head Start and Follow Through programs. This thesis is expanded…

A study examined gender and the practice of public relations in Canada, investigation whether there are gender differences in: (1) structural factors such as practitioner roles, salaries, and job satisfaction; (2) participation in management decision-making; and (3) methods of decision-making, particularly in the area of program evaluation. A…

This study investigates principals' perceptions of the effect of teacher empowerment on their role as building administrators. The researcher conducted structured interviews with 10 principals, 5 elementary and 5 secondary, in 2 school systems characterized by wider applications of shared decisionmaking and greater professional autonomy among…

Sexual harassment is one concern of women graduate students in community psychology programs. When a sexual relationship exists between male faculty and female students, the distribution of power reflects the subordinate status of women and the dominant position of men. Many studies have documented the negative consequences of sexual contact…

Perspectives on connections between corporations, the military, and colleges are provided, with attention to whether corporate and government control is exerted over education. According to James Ridgeway's "The Closed Corporation," colleges are central to business/industrial and government/military activity. His examples include:…