The content of a good speech writing course includes an explanation of the function and impact of speech writers, an examination of speeches produced by professional writers, and a focus on the sharpening of students' writing skills. The content must also be balanced between the practical/professional and the abstract/academic aspects of the…

The influence of immediate working environment upon research productivity of 1,009 academic, physical scientists was examined. Working environment was classified as being either professionally oriented and supportive of scientific productivity, or organizationally oriented and supportive of bureaucratic advancement. Liberal arts, parochial, and…

An incentive program was developed to reduce teacher absenteeism in a large community high school (2,200 students) in South Florida. The four-point program included improved record-keeping systems, increased communication and information dissemination, internal recognition, and a cash lottery system. Pre- and post-attitudinal tests were…

The relationship between secondary school professional staff perceptions of school climate and their respective personalities is examined in this study. The Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire-Rutgers Secondary (OCDQ-RS) and the Heath Typology Assessment Instrument (HTAI) were administered to 232 secondary teachers to assess…

An analysis of the department chair role to determine the extent of role ambiguity and role strain inherent in the job is the purpose of this report. Methodology is based on structured interviews with 56 department chairs in 9 high schools in one district and content analysis of written job descriptions. The findings identify six factors of role…

An analysis of the relationship between teachers' work culture and the school's social context is the purpose of this study, with a focus on teachers' shared psychological work orientations as components of a teacher culture. The methodology relates high school teachers' attitudes in two high schools to different social contexts with the cultural…

A two-part study examined the employment status, distribution, job satisfaction, and promotion opportunities of women working for livestock industry magazines. Livestock publications were chosen for this research because they are typical of industry-related magazines and are traditionally dominated by males. The mastheads of 59 magazines were…

An ethnographic study examined the sense of the social world as a natural order produced by the organizational members of one sales team at a New York media representation firm. Communication was observed and recorded over a ten-week period, and members of the sales team were interviewed during an additional two-week period. Results indicated that…

The role of nine academic vice presidents in managing Christian, liberal arts colleges was assessed, as part of research conducted at Christian or church-related liberal arts colleges that were identified as being well managed by one or more persons. Data collected on the academic vice presidents provided the following profile: the average age was…

This report summarizes the findings of a study on stress management training in the modern office. It identifies the training needs arising from the modernization of the office environment and the consequent stress experienced by staff, reflecting both the experience of change and the demands of the information technology (IT) environment. The…

Traditionally, transfer of learning has been a concern only during coursework. It has become clear, however, that there are a number of transfer enhancement strategies that educators and trainers can successfully implement before, during, and after organized learning experiences. Even before training begins, trainers can begin to enhance their…

For a variety of reasons, including overemphasis on professional autonomy, many classroom teachers experience disillusionment and feelings of isolation. This paper explores teaching clinics as a way to break down barriers and foster dialogue among teachers. The Schenley High School Teacher Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, developed a teaching…

Several problems and issues are typical of the beginning years of a principalship. A study of first- and second-year principals in a midwestern state classified these problems and issues into three broad areas: role clarification, limitations on technical expertise, and difficulties with socialization to the profession and to a particular school…

The findings of a survey of attitude studies to determine the effect of students' attitudes on communication competence as they enter the work force and develop their careers are reported in this paper. The paper explains how attitude improvement is an effective management tool in controlling costly absenteeism, output, job productivity, work…

A survey of 196 elementary and secondary education teachers attending graduate programs in the University of Central Florida's College of Education provided data supporting previous research on teacher isolation. Over 80 percent of the teachers felt their classrooms were private worlds entered only by themselves and their students. The teachers…